Can the Divas Division make money for WWE?

[Mr. Nerfect]

This is a question that I've often thought about. People, in general, don't seem to think that there is money in women wrestling. I've just never seen the logic in that thinking, though. When TNA first brought in the Knockouts Division, they would often get the highest ratings of the show. I'm not suggesting that the storylines should be split 50/50 between male and female competitors, not at all, but I do feel as if the reason females have never really drawn in the WWE is because they just have that revolving door of "this girl is champion, now this girl is champion" with no real characters or stories.

Two of the brightest stars in NXT at the moment are Paige and Emma. The crowd loves them. What really helps them stand out, besides actually being pretty young things that can wrestle, is that they have developed characters. Paige is an anti-Diva who just beats the piss out of everybody. Emma is this bubbly girl who lives in her own world, and what might have been a "she can't dance and is meant to be annoying" gimmick, has quickly become a "god bless her, she's charming" gimmick. There's absolutely no reason these girls can't be used in compelling stories to rile up the crowd, similar to how The Usos are used as a babyface tag team to get crowds hyped.

Aesthetics are important, not only for women, but for men in the WWE. Occasionally you get a male wrestler who breaks the stereotypical mould, but it's quite rare. The WWE, even more so than with its male roster, has a "type" that it looks for in its female performers. In my opinion, this could be standing between the WWE and a compelling Divas Division. I'm not saying that there is no room in the WWE for girls who are just there for eye-candy. I love Rosa Mendes with Epico & Primo, and have absolutely no desire to see her get in the ring. Does every girl need to be "hot," though?

When Paige gets called up to the main roster, I'd love to see her annoy Stephanie McMahon. When Steph goes on one of her little "don't disrespect" tangents in the lockerroom to the Divas, maybe Paige stands up to Stephanie McMahon, something like that. In that moment she gets noticed, but she also makes an enemy she doesn't want to have. After her match the following week, we cut to Steph in the back, shaking her head at Paige. "Can you believe her, Paul? What a disrespectful, ratty, pasty little witch." Triple H then tells Steph "I dunno -- I think she's kinda cute." That seals the deal. Stephanie McMahon has decided that she is going to make Paige's life a living hell.

She books Paige in a Handicap Match against The Bellas, perhaps via Vickie Guerrero, so it doesn't look like she's playing favorites. Paige puts up a hell of a fight, but is eventually overwhelmed and soundly defeated. Stuff like that. Eventually, Paige is attacked by someone who doesn't look like your prototypical Diva. JBL, with his knowledge of Paige's history, realises that is Saraya -- Paige's mother. If the WWE feel the need to change her name, maybe they can call her "Jade" or something like that. Paige is left in the middle of the ring, broken and betrayed by her own mother -- brought in by Stephanie McMahon to test Paige in every way possible.

She's also not your stereotypical model, but perhaps the WWE could look into signing Ayoko Hamada? Just call her Hamada, although you can give her another Japanese name if you need to. She comes in against a plucky little Japanese girl, dressed up like an anime character or something of the sort. Hamada loses to this other girl (let's call her "Ayumi") and Ayumi earns a title shot while Hamada is forced to go to the back. Hamada then costs Ayumi the match against AJ Lee or whoever is champion, and then those two feud.

Try and convince Beth Phoenix to come back. I'm sure all she actually wanted to do was wrestle. Let her and Natalya have the first ever "Divas Best of Seven Series." Beth can win that and then get a title shot of her own. And for fuck's sake, bring back Kharma. I'd have Kharma very quickly go after the Divas Championship, win it, throw down the title and declare herself "WWE Women's Champion." AJ Lee then picks up the discarded Divas Title and keeps acting as if she is the champion.

I guess I just don't think every girl in the division needs to be a model. If the WWE got different characters, women of different backgrounds and with experience, those girls who are there to be models become better quicker, but they also stand out in their own right.