#GiveDivasAChance

[Deleted]

Are we just not gonna talk about this? It was trending worldwide on Monday, but the reactions have been more entertaining.

"Vince" chimed in on it:



Stephanie and AJ had a back and forth






and Corey Graves went full #DoucheMode on it




How long until WWE starts to regret pushing social media so hard?


I was gonna put AJ and Steph in the Divas Throwing Shade thread, and Corey in Wrestlers Being Cunty, but I figured this was deserving of a thread.

[Brandon]

All because the Bellas won one squash match.

For once I'm not with the movement, and that's not shade to the Divas, it's shade to the fans. The match was short for a reason: to establish the Bellas as strong (and rightfully so, since Nikki is the champ), and to establish that Paige needed someone else to tag with to take them on. Which was probably a return setup for this bitch AJ, who's now trying to work her own shit with Stephanie. AJ isn't a martyr, she's manipulative, but her fans have been falling for it since NXT...

Where was this movement when LayCool buried the entire Divas division? Or AJ buried the Total Divas again and again? Or when Paige debuted and went on a squash tour? Or in 2010 when the Divas got a total of three minutes of screen time per week? This hasn't been a consistent problem in the Divas division today, and if it were, I would be behind the movement, but it's not. People are upset that the Bellas squashed Paige and Emma, for STORYLINE purposes, and that's why they're mad. Because for once, it's the Bellas time on top. And they need to suck it up and deal like I did for the ungodly amount of time that AJ was Divas Champion.

So in closing, fuck #GiveDivasAChance if it really just means #GiveAnyoneButTheBellasAChance. Y'all can keep it.

[Astrozombie]

I agree with the message as a whole, but it's like B said. This is only directed at the likes of Paige/Emma. The past year and a half the Divas have been doing a hell of a lot better than they did before, not only participating in one match, but two. But my issue with this is where was this from 2008-2013? When we got stuck with bullshit guest host gimmicks, 2 minute diva singles and tag matches? It was to the point where being a diva on Raw was pointless and everyone preferred to be on Smackdown because there was like a 60% chance of there being a captivating storyline...well sorta. It just meant you were gonna feud with LayCool.

So if you're gonna shoot this hashtag, you better be ready to give all the divas a chance. Not just AJ, Emma, Paige, but the other girls as well. I believe that this issue has been a long time coming (though I think nothing will come out of it...I mean how many times have we heard them talk about restructuring the Divas division?) and I know for sure that sexism is a HUGE issue within the WWE. Anyone remember when they scolded Michelle McCool and Melina for hitting that awesome spot on the barriers? Or telling the Divas as a whole not to look better than the guys, Dawn Marie getting fired for being pregnant? These are the issues that need to be worked on. Not who gets more screen time. It's making sure that the women are seen as equals.

And honestly, it doesn't make sense for the girls to be having 10 minute matches every week. See I think that they should regulate 10 minutes to the Divas in general, for segments, multiple matches, character development. Absolutely. But it doesn't make sense for that to be a consistent thing every week, I mean the guys don't really get that either. And honestly we'd be bored if it happened every week. However, I do think it's something that should happen more consistently. Like that amazing superstars match with Paige and Nikki/Brie. I can't remember which.

In regards to the whole AJ/Stephanie thing. I was excited at first, but it's most likely a work. Just another way to write AJ into a storyline, because she can't seem to be put on the back burner like all the other fucking girls.

And Corey Graves has just been problematic in general. I get what he was trying to say, but by completely disregarding your main product in favor of NXT, well fuck you sir. I don't give a shit if you call up Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Charlotte. It isn't gonna change what's on the main roster. Wasn't that what Paige and Emma were supposed to do? Where's the change at now? This guy can go fuck himself. I get it, NXT is amazing, but there's a lot of differences to it like for one a smaller roster. And the location is always the same, which probably makes it easier on everyone, and it's strictly on the WWE Network and filmed in advanced, there's room for error and room to fix it. So while it's great to support your NXT Divas, don't forget about the bad bitches upstairs working hard to fight for time and bland storylines because that's all they can get since no one gives a shit about the women who're regarded as nothing more than piss breaks. They're on the main roster for a reason, constantly fighting for each other just so they can at the very least have what NXT has. And if they can't do it, Charlotte and Sasha Banks sure as hell can't. So fuck off Corey Graves.

SPOILER: Click to show

I'd still suck his dick tho

[Brandon]

I would just like to point out that I totally agree about the issue of sexism in WWE and equal pay and that aspect of this 'movement' but I feel like that only became an add on when AJ mentioned it, and not the original point of the hashtag, which was really just people complaining about one short match in which their precious Paige looked weak. The guys have squash matches all the time, so this wasn't done because they're Divas.

And it's like Astro said. If the girls get a ten minute match on every show, what are they gonna do at PPVs? People will just get bored and find something else to complain about.

[Brandon]

Feb 25, 2015 11:24:06 GMT -5 Astrozombie said:

So while it's great to support your NXT Divas, don't forget about the bad bitches upstairs working hard to fight for time and bland storylines because that's all they can get since no one gives a shit about the women who're regarded as nothing more than piss breaks. They're on the main roster for a reason, constantly fighting for each other just so they can at the very least have what NXT has. And if they can't do it, Charlotte and Sasha Banks sure as hell can't. So fuck off Corey Graves.

[Brandon]

Ugh. See, that hashtag at the bottom is exactly why this movement is already tainted.

[Tiarnán]

I think it's wonderful, but I doubt it will amount to anything. I disagree with the sentiments above because I think the fact that this is occurring now as opposed to last year is irrelevant, the point is that it needs to be put out there.

AJ isn't a martyr, she's correct. Here is someone who, like it or not, has been more popular and has sold more merchandise than the bulk of the male roster. Yet since the beginning of her first title run any true development has been totally squandered and she's been move from one pointless, meandering feud to the next. AJ vs. Paige should have been great, and it's not their fault that it wasn't. They're unfortunate enough to be at the mercy of a company incapable of presenting women as true athletes with mature, developed personas and they've suffered accordingly.

I'm not that big on the Bellas as top stars, but their feud had so much room to grow on account of the fire that had been planted initially via Stephanie's interaction, yet the minute she was taken out of the picture things went south and resulted in a half assed reunion that was never explained. It's insulting.

The sad part is that these were the high points of the year for the women. Don't get me started on the hideous presentation of the current feud, the message of which seems to be that grown women are incapable of acting their age and are perpetually involved in 'girly' bullying. Naomi continues to be wasted despite being one of the most impression athletes they've had in years, Emma went from bright young star on NXT to sideshow defined only by her dumb dance on the main roster, and Alicia Fox has been treated as carelessly as just about anyone they've ever had for the best part of three years despite being a fantastic wrestler when given the chance.

The timing of this isn't because Paige and AJ are at the helm of it all; it's because more and more fans are being exposed to the consistently showstealing matches that are put on in NXT, and more and more fans are coming to realise that the horrific positioning and performances of the Divas is down to forces beyond their control. It's beyond depressing that the incredible performers we see in the developmental league are going to be left to rot the minute they hit the so called mainstream because of an unwillingness to give in to the idea that females might actually be an asset to the show.

[Brandon]

Feb 25, 2015 16:30:59 GMT -5 Tiarnán said:

AJ vs. Paige should have been great, and it's not their fault that it wasn't.

It was their fault they couldn't put on a decent match.

[Deleted]

Oh damn, y'all went off.

I agree a little bit with each of you. Paige and Emma getting squashed is what started it, but because people seen what they could do on NXT. So I do blame NXT, for a lot of things. I think if the Bellas had been on NXT able to actually show off good long matches where people are actually paying attention, they wouldn't get so much hate. Cause they are really good athletes, but the booking on the main roster has rarely shown that off, whereas the NXT girls get to show it every single week. So while The Bellas are just as good as Paige and Emma, some even arguing better, the fans don't see that cause they just remember Paige and Emma tearing down the house in NXT. The reason there wasn't a movement before, is because a majority of the fans didn't care about the divas, cause there was no NXT showing what they could do, then showing how much they're held back once they're called up. People just assumed the divas sucked anyway and turned to TNA for the Knockouts, who they all thought were better cause they were given that time. And yes, Corey Graves needs to shut the fuck up cause he's an idiot and Sasha, Charlotte, and Bayley would fall right into the same slump if they were ever called up. He's also the last person that needs to be speaking about anything cause the only reason he still has a job was so they could take a shot at the Punk podcast.

AJ got popular by chance through storylines because Bryan started getting popular and she happened to be stuck with him at the time. Her popularity had nothing to do with in ring ability, and people just assume she's good in the ring cause they actually pay attention to her matches due to her popularity. In fact, when she started wrestling her popularity went down, so this is how she's the exception to the NXT theory, and people still get upset when she loses. She was able to show off personality on the main show in major storylines for over a year. So this is where I agree with Astro in that it's not all about 10 minute matches. It's about giving the divas the mic, backstage segments, actual storylines that people can follow, letting them show some personality like the men get to do. Total Divas helped that a bit, and is the main reason the Bellas even started finally getting over, but they shouldn't have needed a separate reality show to finally get to show off their personality. They should've been able to do that on Raw, like AJ got to.

So I wouldn't say this is really an anti-Bella movement, it's a pro-girls that actually got those chances but just lost a match in 30 seconds movement. I think this is just a timing thing. The Knockouts are a non-factor cause the "TNA is better" fad has ended; It's happening post-AJMania; NXT has shown the fans that all the girls can actually go; Total Divas has brought more fans of the divas to the show who don't watch wrestling, so they're probably mad that they're sitting through a 3 hour show just to see 30 seconds of what they waited for; and there's a huge feminist movement going on in the world altogether right now, especially on the internet, so it's just finally leaked to wrestling. So, tbh, I'm behind the movement, as long as it's #GiveALLTheDivasAChance, and they don't start playing favorites in favor of the NXT girls and AJ. But it is strange that it's happening at a time when the girls currently have 2 storylines going on, when they once had zero, and the whole squash that started this was just for one of said storylines. But it shouldn't be about how a movement starts, just the fact that it finally has. Alas, like B said, once the divas do get the time the fans are asking for, they'll just find something else to bitch about.

Let me just add to all of this tho, that another thing not helping WWE here, is JBL asking every god damn week if it's bring your wife to work day, because Nattie and Naomi are coming out with Tyson and the Usos. JBL, they're there because they're actually wrestlers. Why are you here?


In closing, with all that said, I hope this leads to a 7-on-7 Battle of the Sexes match at WrestleMania with the girls coming out on top. How awesome would that be?

[Brandon]

You finally touched on a sensitive topic and didn't make me cringe once. Yay.

[Brandon]

[Deleted]

[Burke]

Watch WWE book a 15 minute singles match between Rosa and Eva Marie next week on RAW. "Hey, you wanted them to get a chance!"

[Tarry]

While Jimmy Uso's status for WrestleMania 31 won't be known until his shoulder is evaluated by doctors this week, the feeling at RAW was that it's not looking good for The Usos at the biggest show of the year. They still may put Naomi and Jimmy Uso on the show in some kind of role if Jey isn't able to compete.

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They could always #GiveDivasAChance by letting Naomi tag with Jimmy in the 4-Way Match for the WWE Tag Team Championships that they've seemingly been building towards.

[Mutant Couch]

I would kill for Naomi and Natalya saying fuck all of them and tagging then winning. They've been far more entertaining than the Usos anyway.