It has been a few weeks since I wrote an edition of “The Rundown”, and quite a lot has happened since. A couple of days after TNA’s Final Resolution and a few days before WWE Armageddon, there are distinct forecasts for 2009. WWE Raw has a potential break out feud between Beth Phoenix and Melina Perez, WWE Smackdown! has the pending debut of Gail Kim and TNA, ummm—more of a fall from grace…
—Comeback Girl: Melina Perez made her return on the November 24 edition of Raw, teaming with Mickie James and Candice Michelle to defeat Beth Phoenix, Jillian, and Katie Lea. Melina picked up the win and has since made her intentions clear—there’s no love-loss between herself and Beth Phoenix. Melina plans on taking Beth’s favorite “accessory”, the WWE Women’s title away from her.
—The Last Call: During Melina’s comeback match, she introduced a new move to her arsenal, a sunset flip powerbomb, calling the move the “Last Call”. She picked up a win against Jillian Hall using the move the following week on Raw. The move is certain to become associated with her name.
—Let them Fight: …though the phase is associated with the TNA Knockouts and not Divas, right now it’s more fitting for Beth and Melina. On Dec. 08th’s Raw, the ladies brawled after Melina presented Beth with The Diva of the Year award. These two have already arguably executed the Divas match of the year for their I Quit match at One Night Stand, certainly they can do it again.
—Has anyone did a recent analysis of Beth Phoenix? she certainly isn’t the same Beth we saw at the beginning of the year. She has gone from a bland heel to probably one of the most valuable women the WWE has under contract.
—Introducing Super Hemme: …a month ago, the question was which direction TNA is going with the Women’s Division, mainly who was going to have the next big feud against Awesome Kong. Rumors of Kong facing Rhaka Khan surfaced on the internet, Women’s Wrestling marks on the other hand wanted to see more of Roxxi vs Kong, and ultimately Kong vs Cheerleader Melissa (Raisha Saeed)…however not even close, we got Kong vs Christy Hemme… in which by all indications is continuing…
After defeating Raisha Saeed on iMPACT! (November 27th), Christy Hemme became the #1 contender at Final Resolution. A week later she pinned Kong in a mixed tag-team match and won by disqualification at Final Resolution. (SPOILERS: To add to her wins, tapings for the next 2 episodes of iMPACT! has her picking up more victories. ) How far has TNA fell since December 2, 2007 when Gail Kim took on Awesome Kong at Turning Point…TNA attempted to recreate one of the infamous Gail vs. Kong pull apart brawls with Christy and Kong, which just is not believable. Christy Hemme without a doubt looks better and better each time we see her in the ring, however TNA is approaching putting the final nails in the coffin of the Women’s Division.
—Last week, Christy Hemme along with ODB, Rhaka Khan and SoCal Val on a special all Knockouts Spin Cycle….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYwKz8Ou5r8
—Based on ratings, reporters are considering ODB’s talk show, “ODB’s Angle,” a big flop, as her first show, her interview with Sharmell Sullivan lost 114,000 viewers.
—On November 24, 2008, whosslammingwho’s Podcast put up an interview with TNA Knockout Roxxi to promote her match against Cherry (Kara Drew). Among the subjects talked about was her career in Mexico, Abyss getting her into TNA, training at Killer Kowalski’s school, facing Cherry and the Women from the WWE she would want in TNA (Natalya, Victoria and bringing Gail Kim back).
—On December 8, whosslammingwho’s Podcast put up a new ODB interview. She talked about MTV wanting her to play a lesbian on WWE Tough Enough, working for OVW, Katie Lea, Alicia Foxx, Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim and more.Click Here For The Interview.
—Jim Ross mentioned Gail Kim on the Monday Night Mayhem radio show… “in the Diva realm, she’s certainly established a great reputation and a great following for her work that she has done for the last couple of years. She’s improved immensely.”
—Former WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James has been reported to be suffering from a hyperextended elbow, which is why she has been seen infrequently in recent weeks.
—Rumors are going around that the WWE has plans for the Divas Champion Michelle McCool to make a heel turn. Apparently Michelle’s “Wings of Love” finisher (Lifting sitout double underhook facebuster) has been banned and deemed too dangerous for WWE Divas.
—7-time WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus’s Travel series “Stratusphere” on Travel and Escape Channel in Canada was picked up for a second season.
