– As noted earlier today, the faction consisting of Xavier Woods, Big E. and Kofi Kingston is rumored to be named “The Smart Athletic Friends,” however F4WOnline.com reports that the group will be called “Speed Force.” We also noted earlier today that each individual pairing among the three would have their own name, one of which was “Speed Force,” however the F4WOnline report claims that is the name of the trio as a whole.
– Below is this week’s “SmackDown Fallout” video, which features WWE Diva Natalya.
After losing the WWE Divas Championship back in 2010, Natalya’s career hadn’t been the same. She spent time managing other divas like The Chickbusters and her Divas of Doom partner Beth Phoenix. However, the worst utilization of Natalya’s talent was when she was the on screen manager for the Great Khali.
The success of Total Divas has changed all of this. The E! reality show has breathed new life for Natalya’s WWE career. The hit show has helped show Natalya’s great leadership in the locker room and put her back where she belongs – in the ring.
Total Divas is filled with drama. From Nikki Bella’s continuous lying to John Cena to Eva Marie’s hiding her marriage from her family, the show did wonders for Natalya. The Hart Dungeon diva has come across as the leader of the group. The diva that others can go to for advice and assistance in any situation.
The show has also helped Natalya get back to wrestling. For the past few years, WWE has booked her primarily as a manager rather than a wrestler. This was a surprise considering Natalya is one of WWE’s best female wrestlers. While Natalya hasn’t won the divas title recently, she has had a few opportunities to challenge the champion.
The most interesting and best utilization of Natalya’s career recently has come as a result of her relationship with Tyson Kidd. The two were married in June, though they had been dating since 2001. Total Divas provides fans with a look into their relationship and we even got to see them get married. Although there was drama involved with their wedding, the two are a great pair who we should see together more often on WWE programming.
Kidd returned to WWE TV last year and initially teamed with Natalya on Raw. It was then that it became obvious how much chemistry the two have. Although Kidd didn’t stay on the main roster, he has also enjoyed more success as of late. He has been challenging for the NXT Championship recently, unsuccessfully though.
Whether it be on the main roster or NXT, WWE should continue to book the Wilsons (Kidd’s real last name) as an on screen couple. They could manage each other, team together and continue to enjoy success together. There is no better wrestling married couple in WWE today. Sorry Naomi and Jimmy Uso.
Natalya and Tyson’s success overall in their WWE careers have been mediocre most of the time, but Total Divas has given the married couple a reboot. WWE fans should be thankful and hopeful that the rebirth of their careers continues to find them success moving forward.
What are your thoughts on the revitalized careers of Tyson Kidd and Natalya? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Seth Guttenplan is a math and computer technology teacher for special education students in New Jersey. In his free time, Seth writes about wrestling. Follow Seth on twitter @sethgutt
The following are highlights of a new Hidden Remote interview with WWE Diva and Total Divas season three star Rosa Mendes:
Hidden Remote: How did you come to be the newest addition to Total Divas cast?
Rosa Mendes: Well, you know I’ve been off for about a year and a half dealing with some personal issues. I’ve been in the business for about eight years, so I didn’t expect it and it came out of the blue. To be cast on Total Divas is a big promotion, its a really big deal. I don’t think the other Divas expected me to not only come back, but to come back as a Total Diva, so it kind of threw everyone off guard. Not only that, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. So it was like, I get back in the locker room; I’m on Total Divas; I’m looking the best I’ve ever looked and it kind of threw everyone off.
I feel so grateful and blessed that I got this opportunity. [Total Divas is] going to open a lot of doors for me and I’m really excited.
Hidden Remote: What has been the most difficult aspect of filming Total Divas?
Rosa: I think the most difficult aspect is that I’ve known everyone for a really long time – like I said I’ve been in the business for eight years. For the past year and a half I had some personal issues and I expected the Divas to be supportive and welcoming. I didn’t expect them to be jealous, and not be happy for me. I’m getting a lot more opportunities now. I’ve always been happy for them when they got opportunities, but now that I’m getting new opportunities some of them are not happy for me and that kind of hurt my feelings.
I’m an open book and I love the attention, so the cameras don’t bother me at all. All the skeletons are coming outside of the closet, but I’m Rosa and I’m myself so that doesn’t bother me. What did bother me and was the real life struggle was the fact that some of the girls didn’t welcome me, that was hurtful.
Hidden Remote: Each Diva on the show brings a unique aspect of their life to the series, what will Rosa Mendes be bringing to the table this season?
Rosa: I’m an open book. All of the skeletons will be outside of the closet, I’m not holding anything back. What you see is what you get. When I’m feeling something, I say it; if I want to walk around naked I’m going to walk around naked. You’re going to see the real Rosa Mendes and I’m really, really excited for the WWE Universe and fans of Total Divas to see that side of me.
Hidden Remote: In the season three promo, you share a lot of screen time with fellow Canadian Diva Natalya. How would you describe your relationship with Natalya?
Rosa: Natalya and I have always been pretty close, she’s like a big sister to me. When I was going through my personal issues she was there for me and she’s been there for me through a lot of hard times. I’ve always gone to her for everything and she’s helped me in the ring as well. She’s helping me get comfortable in the locker room and get adjusted to the road, and I really appreciate having her as a friend.
– WWE Diva and Total Divas star Natalya will be doing a live Q&A on Twitter tonight at 8pm EST. to promote the season three premiere of Total Divas, which airs this Sunday on E!. Fans can submit questions to Natalya by using the hashtag “#AskTotalDivas.”
– Filming began for the sequel to the “Magic Mike” movie, which featured Kevin Nash in a small role, this past weekend. There is no word as to whether or not Nash will be appearing in the sequel, which is called “Magic Mike XXL,” however he did re-tweet an article on People.com about the new movie.
Above is a new teaser clip for episode one of season three of WWE Total Divas, which premieres next Sunday night, September 7th at 9pm EST. on E!. The clip features the returning Rosa Mendes talking with Natalya backstage at a WWE event.
The official synopsis for episode one of this season of Total Divas reads as follows:
“Season 3 begins with Nikki planning her future without her current boyfriend John Cena; at the same time, life turns topsy-turvy for Eva when she’s forced to choose between family and her husband; and tensions are high when a former Diva returns to the roster, revealing a dark secret.”
– Apparently Natalya had a “wardrobe malfunction” during Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. As a result, the WWE Diva and Total Divas star was trending on Twitter during the show. The reason it wasn’t seen on the show last night, however, was because WWE’s production truck likely caught it in time and due to the delay, were able to avoid showing it on the air.
– Below is a behind-the-scenes look at the WWE and Ad Council Fatherhood PSA’s which features Roman Reigns and Titus O’Neil. It’s worth noting that Alberto Del Rio was also part of the campaign, but after his WWE release, he was removed from the campaign.
Campuses around the country are infested with returning college students this week. In honor of all the alcohol that will be consumed and the knowledge that will hopefully be absorbed, it’s time to take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.
Welcome to the first ever WWE Raw Report Card. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here are this week’s grades.
Hall of Fame Forum
This week’s Raw started with a roundtable discussion regarding the upcoming rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. First off, I never thought I’d see the day where Shawn Michaels was the worst dressed man in the ring, but his combination of cowboy hat, jacket, and Remington t-shirt didn’t do him any favors.
Overall, it was nice seeing the legends together, even if it did feel a bit scripted at times and offered little insight. One hilarious moment was when Michaels said everyone loves Cena, eliciting massive boos from the audience. Speaking of Cena, his promo was surprisingly compelling, and it was nice to see him own up to the beating he took at SummerSlam.
Grade: B-
Rusev vs. Jack Swagger
This was likely the last contest between Rusev and Swagger, and all I can say is, “Good riddance.” This match featured a lot of downtime that resulted in a poor workrate, and a lot of the match was spent outside of the ring with nothing going on.
The in-ring psychology was pretty good (Swagger sold the rib injury well) and the crowd was into it, so that raised the grade a bit, but it was ultimately a fitting ending to a rather pointless program that saw Swagger dominated at nearly every stage of the feud.
Grade: C
Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro
This was a rather short match, but both superstars worked well together during the time they were given. One criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. One moment Cesaro was rolling outside of the ring to avoid the Five Star Frog Splash and only a few seconds later he was hitting the Neutralizer for the win in a sequence that felt a bit off.
The match also served its purpose by building a championship match between Cesaro and Sheamus – a program that looks like it could be entertaining with two of the company’s better workers.
– While Dean Ambrose is away filming the WWE Studios film project “Lockdown,” Roman Reigns will be taking his place at the WWE live events. For example, at the WWE live event in San Diego this weekend, Reigns filled in for Ambrose, defeating Seth Rollins in a tables match.
– Below is a new AfterBuzz TV interview with WWE Diva Natalya, who talks about the upcoming season of WWE Total Divas, NXT and more.
WWE Diva and Total Divas star Natalya once again trained with several members of the MMA female faction “The Four Horsewomen” last week.
According to various sources, footage of Natalya training with Jessamyn Duke, Shayna Baszler and Colleen Schneider will be shown on the next season of WWE Total Divas.
As noted, Rousey and the Four Horsewomen were in attendance at the WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view on Sunday night in Los Angeles, California.
The following are highlights of a new CBS Baltimore interview with Natalya:
On Sting in WWE: “I think it’s cool. When we saw the debut of the new video game, that Sting is part of (WWE 2K15), it was awesome. It was like, ‘oh my gosh.’ Nobody ever thought you’d see Sting in WWE and now you see him. I can say this from experience, especially growing up around WWE my entire life, I’m one of those people that think Sting could possibly have another match in WWE.”
On drunk dialing Stephanie McMahon: “Nobody, including Steph, ever expected something like [that] to happen. It’s something now that we laugh about. The lesson learned is don’t ever go into ‘Brie Mode!'”
On Total Divas season 3: “We have a new cast member, Rosa Mendes. And then we have, obviously, Summer Rae, who was a new cast member from last season. Summer and I never really repaired our relationship from the past. It’s something of course I want to work on. We’ve got some issue there and we go back and revisit that.”
The following are highlights of a new Between The Ropes interview with NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte:
On sharing the moment with her father Ric Flair when she won the NXT Women’s Title at Takeover: “I really don’t have the words. It was so special. I mean, to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I think if anyone’s followed my father’s career, they truly know how passionate he is about sports entertainment. And to be able to carry on his legacy in my own way and to win the NXT Women’s Championship, it just meant the world to me. I know how much his legacy, hard work, sacrifice and his love for his fans and the WWE Universe that he put into them. And to know that I’m representing his brand that he worked on for so long means a lot to me. So I just want to do it justice and I felt that pressure that night. I think it went really well. No matter how grand the stage is, he be proud of me. But to win my first title with there, was special.”
On her WWE debut at Madison Square Garden this past weekend: “Heck of a way to start your main roster debut. It was amazing. While Sasha Banks and I started pretty much at the same time and to have her tagging with me was special in itself. But Madison Squarer Garden has so much history and tradition. And to walk out there and know that I was making history within that building and having my dad there and being on the same card as him, that’s what made it special. Like his name was on there, I was on there. But facing Natalya again, that was pretty awesome too. That was the first time I faced her since Takeover and obviously going up against Nikki (Bella) too. Also, what was so cool, they (the crowd) knew who we were. Walking out there playing our little package and knowing us made you feel like even more like a superstar like NXT means business.”
The following are highlights of a recent Newsday interview with WWE Diva Natalya:
On her recent NXT match with Charlotte: “I’m actually getting goose bumps talking about it. It was about honoring and representing two legacies. And it was the first time my uncle Bret and Ric Flair kind of reunited in decades. They haven’t always had a great relationship . . . It connected Bret and Ric in a way they never connected before . . . It was one of the moments I’ll never forget.”
On gaining confidence recently: “Getting a chance to listen to him and hear his ideas and his philosophies, it’s such a great asset . . . You can make all the suggestions in the world but you cannot teach experience. I’ve actually learned how to be a ring general by working with people who have less experience that me, because I’m feeding off their hunger.”
– WWE has added the debut edition of “@WWEInsider” to their official YouTube channel. The official description for the show, which you can view below, reads as follows:
What is Natalya stockpiling in her home? Host Alicia Fox dishes on the Diva’s secret obsession in this episode of @WWEInsider, a new original digital series that digs deep into the private lives of Superstars and Divas. Tweet us: @wweinsider
MMANEWS.COM: Top UFC Fighter Talks CM Punk/WWE Situation, Ronda Rousey At SSlam?!
– The dark match before Tuesday night’s WWE TV tapings saw Natalya defeat Rosa Mendes.
– The dark match in between Main Event and the SmackDown tapings saw Los Matadores defeat Ryback and Curtis Axel after El Torito distracted Ryback.
– After the SmackDown tapings concluded, Bray Wyatt called Seth Rollins to the ring. It looked like they were going to start fighting, but instead they attacked Dean Ambrose, who was still in the ring following the Wyatt vs. Ambrose SmackDown main event.
Roman Reigns, Sheamus, Luke Harper and The Usos then hit the ring and a huge brawl broke out. Reigns and Ambrose both grabbed steel chairs and went after Seth Rollins as the ring cleared out. The night ended with Reigns and Ambrose playing to the crowd.
– WWE Diva Natalya recently spoke to CBS Minnesota and explained why Stephanie McMahon is an inspiration to her. Natalya stated the following:
“When she’s on, you don’t want to take your eyes off the screen, you want to see what she’s doing next. You don’t worry if she’s a woman or a man, you don’t care she’s Vince McMahon’s daughter. Whatever she’s doing is really, really good.”
– The following is the official synopsis for Thursday’s season finale episode of WWE Legends House, which airs on the WWE Network:
“Pat Patterson attempts to reveal a lifelong secret to the group. The WWE Legends send each other off in style with a party!”
As noted previously, Ultimate Warrior’s widow Dana Warrior and her daughters Indy and Mattie attended the WWE live event in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on Sunday night. At one point during the show, Paige and Natalya actually brought Warrior’s daughters into the ring. You can check out a photo below.
Dana Warrior wrote the following on Facebook after the event:
“”When WWE invited us to be their guests at the Rio Rancho show I was scared to go… it felt too soon. Still my Warrior girls insisted and for them I’ll do anything! Our warrior spirit got us there and our WWE family took us the rest of the way. Such a special night we will always remember. Our house may not feel like home without him… how lovely backstage at WWE still did. xo Dana”
WWE has added the latest sit-down interview between Michael Cole and Triple H to their official YouTube channel. The official description for the interview, which you can view above, reads as follows:
“The WWE COO gives a preview of what to expect at NXT Takeover, including Charlotte vs. Natalya for the NXT Women’s Title and the NXT Championship Match between Adrian Neville and Tyson Kidd.”
This Thursday night at 8pm (EST), WWE presents “NXT Takeover” – the developmental promotion’s second live special on the WWE Network.
The night before, a special “NXT Takeover Preview” show will air on the WWE Network at 10pm (EST). Hosted by Renee Young, the show will feature interviews with WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Bret Hart, previewing the NXT Women’s title match between Charlotte and Natalya.
Prior to Thursday’s big 2-hour event, there will be a 30-minute pre-show show on the WWE Network.
It’s also been announced that NXT Takeover will then kick off with Adam Rose and the Exotic Express.
– Today’s wrestling birthdays include WWE Diva Natalya (32) and Eric Bischoff (59).
– NXT stars Simon Gotch, Braun Stowan, Becky Lynch and producer Ryan Katz appeared on RAW as Adam Rose’s Rosebuds.
– Former WWE star Johnny Jeter of Spirit Squad fame announced on Facebook yesterday that he recently got engaged.
– Christian is ready to return to action, according to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer radio show. In the past, WWE has been in no rush to bring Christian back to television when he’s recovered for an injury, but he could be back soon.
WWE’s original plan for the Natalya vs. Charlotte match for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship at the WWE Network live special, “Takeover,” on May 29th was to have Bret Hart and Ric Flair in their respective corners for the match.
Apparently Hart had an issue that made it impossible for him to appear at the event, so the plan now is just for Flair to be in Charlotte’s corner. There was some discussion that Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Natalya’s father, would be used in Hart’s role, however most believe that it won’t happen.
On a related note, “The Hitman” has yet to sign a new Legends contract with WWE.
Following Thursday’s edition of WWE NXT TV, the following matches are confirmed for the upcoming NXT Takeover live special, which airs on the WWE Network on May 29th:
WWE NXT Championship
– Adrian Neville (c) vs. Tyson Kidd
WWE NXT Championships
– The Ascension vs. Kalisto & El Local
Vacant NXT Women’s Championship
– Charlotte vs. Natalya or Sasha Banks
– During an interview at Rodolforoman.com, former WWE Superstar Chris Masters questions whether Cesaro actually “slammed” Big Show at WrestleMania to win the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal:
“I am pretty sure Big Show jumped for him. Not to take away anything from Cesaro he looks like a talented worker who can probably bring his work down a little bit and his body up, but that’s just my opinion. If he slammed the Big Show than I can probably press the Big Show.”
– WWE Legend Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart is in Greensboro, North Carolina today, site of tonight’s Main Event and SmackDown tapings. Natalya noted they were working on a “project” together.
– There’s a rumor going around that WWE Superstar Sheamus dozed off last night at Extreme Rules when he was part of the pre-show panel for the R-Truth and Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev match. Fans in attendance reportedly were yelling at Sheamus to wake up.
– The Washington Post has published a blog looking at Lana talking about Russian President Vladimir Putin at Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. The blog notes that many fans on social media were upset that WWE would include Putin in a storyline, in light of the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
– Television host Maria Menounos will be taking over WWE Diva Natalya’s Twitter account (@NatByNature) tonight at 7pm EST. She’ll be tweeting during RAW to promote her show Chasing Maria on the Oxygen channel.
– The documentary portion of Batista’s new WWE-produced DVD and Blu-ray will be centered around “The Animal’s” 2014 return to WWE, as opposed to re-telling his life story, which was the focus of a past WWE documentary release. The new DVD will feature footage of WWE cameras following Batista around this year as well as interviews from Batista and other WWE Superstars.
– The following is a photo of WWE Diva and Total Divas star Natalya training with UFC Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and her “Four Horsewomen” stable.
