Diva Dish: Play ball with Victoria and Lena
By Kara A. Medalis
Written: July 25, 2008

In this week’s Diva Dish, Victoria and Lena Yada head to Yankee Stadium; Natalya, Victoria, Cherry, Maria, Beth Phoenix and Mickie James share their thoughts on Michelle McCool’s big Divas Championship win at The Great American Bash; and Katie Lea reveals her tricks of the trade.

A day at the ballpark
Last weekend before The Great American Bash, Victoria, Lena Yada and several other WWE Superstars and Divas headed out to Yankee Stadium for a day of fun.

“We were all at the baseball game and we got to enjoy a day at the ballpark, eating hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jacks — the whole nine yards,” Victoria said. “It was a hot, hot day, and I painted my stomach with a New York Yankees logo. Lena helped me with that. It was a freaking blast. We had an awesome time.”

While Hawaii-native Yada lives on the West Coast, she told Diva Dish she’s an East Coaster at heart.

“I love the city, so when I knew we were going to New York and Philly, I got so excited,” she said. “I had never been to a Yankee game, never was at Yankee Stadium, so I was super excited.”

The ECW Diva said she made an extra-special purchase at Yankee Stadium for her father.

“Go Yankees and go Matsui. Support the Japanese people! I bought a T-shirt just for my dad,” she smiled.

Making Divas history
When Michelle McCool became the first-ever Divas Champion Sunday at The Great American Bash, WWE’s history books changed forever.

“I’m on top of the world right now. My mindset was, win, lose or draw, history was going to be made. The victory was even that much sweeter. Not only did we make history, I became the first Divas Champion, ever,” McCool said.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in. I’ve said it before — I’m addicted to success, failure is not an option. I knew it would be a tough battle. I left all my blood, sweat and tears out there and came out on top. It feels great,” the Divas Champion said.

While Natalya was obviously disappointed by the outcome of the match, the third-generation Diva said timing is everything, and her time to win will come, and it will be “bigger, better and bolder” than McCool’s win.

“It really is going to drive me now to a totally different level. It’s one of those moments that yes, I would have liked to be the first Divas Champion, but I really believe it’s one of those moments in my life that’s going to push me to the next level,” Natalya said. “This is going to make me fiercer, this is going to make me more driven. I’m going to come back with a vengeance.”

Natalya’s best friend, Victoria, admitted she was a bit jealous of her pal’s big match, but said if it wasn’t herself fighting for the Divas Championship, there’s none better than Natalya.

“Besides myself, I’d want her to win. I’m a little bit disappointed in the result, but I think she’ll get it. I have faith in her,” Victoria said of her BFF. “I think Michelle had luck behind her, and the ankle lock does catch you off guard. I’ve taken that a few times.”

After McCool captured the gold, she was congratulated by her fellow SmackDown Divas, Cherry and Eve. It’s no secret that Cherry has been one of McCool’s biggest supporters.

“I was so excited because I know Michelle has worked so hard. I know of all the heart and faith she has in her training — because she’s helped me out personally. I know how exciting that was. I didn’t get to win it, but I was there, as a friend, supporting her,” Cherry said.

SmackDown’s newest Diva, Maria, who hasn’t made her inaugural appearance on Friday nights just yet, told Diva Dish she doesn’t think enough emphasis has been made on the fact that McCool has made WWE history.

“Ten years from now, you’ll look at the first Divas Champion, and it’s going to be Michelle McCool. I think that’s something that she can always be proud of, and something she can always feel good about because she was able to be the first,” Maria said. “Hopefully, eventually, just like the Women’s Championship, I’ll have an opportunity to go after it, as well.”

Former Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix offered her congratulations to McCool — a Diva she’s previously challenged in the ring. Phoenix also gave the All-American Diva a warning.

“Kudos to Michelle for making history and becoming that first Divas Champion, but — and there’s always a but — having been a champion myself, I know what it feels like to have to bull’s-eye on your back, and Michelle better have eyes in the back of her head,” The Glamazon said.

“Now that the Divas Championship is up and running on SmackDown, it’s only going to be a matter of time before everybody comes gunning for that title. And you never know, The Glamazon looks really good in gold, so Michelle better watch out because one of these days, when she least expects it, I might be around the corner ready to snatch that away from her,” Phoenix said.

Finally, Women’s Champion Mickie James called McCool’s victory “awesome,” and said she’s happy the SmackDown Women’s Division now has its own title. However, James isn’t opposed to facing another gold-wearing Diva, no matter the brand.

“I’ve never turned down competition, so if she wants a challenge, I’m up for a challenge. I never say no,” James said with a smile.

Fighting to win
Katie Lea has been proving to be tough competition in the Raw Women’s Division. While she hasn’t gotten her hands on gold just yet, the British-born Diva plans to use all of her impressive fighting skills to get it. Aside from being skilled in wrestling, Katie Lea has studied mixed martial arts, Thai boxing, Brazilian jujitsu, dojo and self-defense.

“I really love to fight. I have a lot of anger stored inside of me,” the Diva admitted. But don’t expect Katie Lea to start brawling strangers on the streets.

“Every now and then, if I’m out and about with friends, I might challenge them to a little fight here or there. I don’t go out fighting with random people or strangers. I don’t pick fights or anything like that,” she said.

The Raw Diva is certain that if she happened to be attacked by a woman or a man, she’d be able to defend herself, thanks to her dojo cage sparring skills.

“Most of the time there wasn’t any other girls, so I would spar with guys, so I had a bit of experience fighting against men. If I was to be manhandled on the streets, I think I’d have a pretty good chance of fighting my way out,” she said.

As for her career in sports-entertainment, Katie Lea said she’d much rather be a WWE Diva than simply be a mixed martial artist, a sport she said can be somewhat “one-dimensional.”

“What I love about WWE are the Superstars and Divas, the lights, the pyro, the colors, the excitement, the fans who are so passionate,” she said. “In WWE, there’s this much bigger sense of occasion here every time you step in the ring, every time our fans come to see you in the arena. They’re so happy to see the Superstars and Divas they’ve been watching on TV week after week.”

Credit: WWE.com