The current state of the Knockouts division

[chessarmy]

I'm not trying to bash the women of TNA, I think they are still great athletes and I enjoy watching them every week. My problem is that, I feel the Knockouts division isn't as good as it used to be. It seems that ever since Gail Kim left, the Kockouts division feels like it's missing something. I don't know what it is, maybe it needs some more credible heels, or maybe they just need to get the title off Taylor Wilde. I mean, after Gail left things just started to go down hill. We had a bikini contest between Taylor Wilde and Angelina Love, which completely went against everything the Knockouts stand for. I mean, I'll be honest. It was great to see Taylor in that bikini, I do think she is pretty hot...but still, it felt too much like what WWE does with their "divas" and it was a terrible angle. So after that debacle, we had yet another one. The Angelina Love vs Taylor Wilde match wasn't good at all. It was actually the worst Knockouts match that I've seen in months. It felt exactly like a divas match to me, and it just didn't work.

I'm not saying everything is bad though. I mean, we still had a good falls count anywhere match between ODB and Kong. And, lets be honest. When is the last time WWE put their divas in a hardcore match up? Yea...its been a while. So my point is, although the Knockouts division hasn't been as good as it used to be, its not all that bad either. We still have women like Roxxi, ODB, and even Kong who are waiting for title runs, and if TNA can find some way to replace Gail Kim we might be able to add another name to that list.

So, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Knockouts division?

 

[Tsaalyo Phoenix]

Give the title to Angelina love.

Really, it's just that simple. ODB and Roxxi are head and shoulders above the rest in popularity, but they can't do anything if another face is holding the title. We've never had a heel Knockouts champion who could talk, and it'd bring a lot to the division. That, or turn Taylor heel. At least that'd give her some much needed personality.

Aside from that, the booking lately seems really... pointless. Two Knockouts have a match, Kong comes out and destroys the face, ODB and/or Roxxi makes the save, cut to promo. It's like they're perpetually building up for something that they haven't decided yet.

But there is a ray of sunshine. We've seen that whoever is featured in Rough Cut always gets a push as a result, and now it's featuring Roxxi. Looks like the Knockouts are going to have direction again, for a while. And by the looks of it, it'll make Mick Foley proud.

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[gashface]

I think the problem is in the booker not with the actual talent, it's since D'amore left and Russo took over that I've had problems. Sexual gimmicks, commentary etc. they are becoming DIVAS. Bad, bad, bad.

Get D'amore back or get rid of Russo, he does not know how to book any division let alone the knockout one.

 

[Soulpower]

So, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Knockouts division?

Its still ok, but not as good as it was just a couple of months ago. I think Gail's departure really hurt the division, because she's one of the few that could have good matches with any of the other knockouts regardless of the stipulation. Look at someone like ODB, she's over, but unless she's in a street fight/bimbo brawl, her matches just aren't that good.

The booking is also hurting the division at the moment. Not only the things that have already been mentioned (The bikini contest, the commentary), but things like not pushing Roxxi after she got her hair shaved (At the time, she was more over than Gail Kim), while putting more emphasis on someone like Velvet Sky who really isn't that good.

Also, I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but here it goes again... TAKE THE F'N MASK OFF OF SAEED, and let her wrestler as Cheerleader Melissa. She's decent enough on the mic, she's great in the ring (Easily one of the top two female wrestlers in the world) and she is flat-out awesome as a heel.

 

[Jayfunk]

They need to bring Melissa out of that crap gimmick and have her wrestle as the cheerleader it would be like Gail who?

 

[Ballin]

I'm not trying to bash the women of TNA, I think they are still great athletes and I enjoy watching them every week. My problem is that, I feel the Knockouts division isn't as good as it used to be. It seems that ever since Gail Kim left, the Kockouts division feels like it's missing something. I don't know what it is, maybe it needs some more credible heels, or maybe they just need to get the title off Taylor Wilde. I mean, after Gail left things just started to go down hill. We had a bikini contest between Taylor Wilde and Angelina Love, which completely went against everything the Knockouts stand for. I mean, I'll be honest. It was great to see Taylor in that bikini, I do think she is pretty hot...but still, it felt too much like what WWE does with their "divas" and it was a terrible angle. So after that debacle, we had yet another one. The Angelina Love vs Taylor Wilde match wasn't good at all. It was actually the worst Knockouts match that I've seen in months. It felt exactly like a divas match to me, and it just didn't work.

I'm not saying everything is bad though. I mean, we still had a good falls count anywhere match between ODB and Kong. And, lets be honest. When is the last time WWE put their divas in a hardcore match up? Yea...its been a while. So my point is, although the Knockouts division hasn't been as good as it used to be, its not all that bad either. We still have women like Roxxi, ODB, and even Kong who are waiting for title runs, and if TNA can find some way to replace Gail Kim we might be able to add another name to that list.

So, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Knockouts division?

Ok so first off, back in the day the Knockouts Division blew! Then they stepped it up, Gail was basically the leader for them. So I do agree with you somewhat on that besides it was shit back when.

The bikini contest wasn't bad, I think Taylor Wilde is going to cut a promo on how "We aint divas, we don't have bikini contests". Maybe not, but if they do take this fued that way it'd be cool. Something like feed the fans bullshit like Pillow Fights, etc. then Wilde shoots all over Love and makes it sound amazing.

Honestly, I think it's not as good when Gail was there but now its not horrible or anything. WWE has never put their Divas in a main-event. TNA? Yep, Kim vs Kong.

 

[Metalcrack]

Let Kevin Nash go, and use that money to re-sign Gail. It's obvious that she has reservations against leaving TNA, as we haven't heard of her signing with WWE yet. The only reason we keep hearing is money. Gail, to me, is far more important than Nash, as she is kinda home-grown, popular, important to her division, and important to the company growing. She was a top babyface.

Nash was used well to help elevate Joe, so what are they going to do next, use him with AJ, or Jay Lethal (In Russo we trust)??? Nash is terrible in the ring, (which i can see the Untertaker headed there soon with all the reports of his knees), and if he left, who would really care? Sting can still put together something decent, and the Nash story was pretty much completed w/ Joe. The opening is still there for a match or feud, but what, Joe shoulder tackles the knee, Nash limps around....seen that before?

Everybody is right, the division hasn't had any direction since Gail left, and what better to boost the morale of the company to have her do a surprise run in hours after inking a new deal? I'd mark out for that! She was one of my top 2-3 wrestlers in the company, and I was p'off that she had to even think about signing with WWE. She's right next to AJ or Joe for me.

Roxxi, ODB, Gail, and Cheerleader M., versus the BP, Kong, Wilde, add another star or two in the mix would be some interesting matches. Maybe have Gail come back to save Wilde from another beating, only to have her lay her out, would be interesting. Mix her contact into the storylines, as her not being appreciated (kinda like Jericho, yes I know), and causing the turn.

 

[Chuck Taylor's Grenade]

The sad part about women's wrestling in America is no matter how talented some women might be (MsChif, Melissa, Daizee, etc.) and how many incredible matches they can put on women's wrestling will nowhere near be as respected as it is in Japan. Think about it alot of the awesome finishers we see in wrestling like the Vertebreaker and such were invented by Japanese Women's. However America still sees women's wrestling as a sideshow whose main purpose is to provide tits and ass in between the men matches.

 

[Ballin]

The sad part about women's wrestling in America is no matter how talented some women might be (MsChif, Melissa, Daizee, etc.) and how many incredible matches they can put on women's wrestling will nowhere near be as respected as it is in Japan. Think about it alot of the awesome finishers we see in wrestling like the Vertebreaker and such were invented by Japanese Women's. However America still sees women's wrestling as a sideshow whose main purpose is to provide tits and ass in between the men matches.

Yeah, but see we aint talking about womens wrestling in general here. Even though TNA has "tna" they still focus alot more than the WWE on the WRESTLING.

America is vary diferent from Japan though, so comparing it is weird.