Diva Dish: Divas on the Draft
By Kara A. Medalis
Written: June 20, 2008
With the WWE Draft looming, no Superstar or Diva is safe in his or her own brand. After Monday night, some of the Sexiest Women on Raw just might become the Sexiest Women on SmackDown or ECW, or vice versa. But are the Divas concerned about a possible move? Diva Dish chats with Melina, Jillian, Michelle McCool, Natalya, Victoria, Eve, Layla, Kelly Kelly, Katie Lea and Mickie James about the Draft. Then, we talk to Jillian about action sports.
Divas on the Draft
“The first thought I had was ‘Please, don’t make me leave Raw!’ But on the other hand, it makes perfect sense,” Melina told Diva Dish. “We need new Divas — how many times can we compete against each other? I love a challenge, so we need other people to work with, to push ourselves to the limit. I need somebody fresh to work with. I think it’s interesting. It’ll be a good change of pace.”
Melina pointed out that most of her Diva friends on Raw have turned against her, so she’s not opposed to switching brands.
“I am like the Lone Ranger and I’m free to go anywhere I want right now,” Melina said. “I’d like to go to ECW because I’ve been on SmackDown and I’ve been on Raw — why not conquer all of the brands?”
Fellow Raw Diva Jillian, who has grown apart from Melina lately, said she loves watching the Superstars and Divas swap brands.
“The whole mix-up is a lot of fun. Last year, I moved from SmackDown to Raw — I had been on SmackDown for two years, and I’ll be on Raw for a year,” the songstress explained. “I’m anxious to see if it’s possible I’ll move again. Maybe this time I’ll go to ECW — you never know. It would be cool to actually be on all three shows.”
Regardless of which brand she’s on, Michelle McCool has only one thing on her mind: gold. Whether it’s impressing SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero enough to earn a chance to battle Natalya for the Divas Championship or moving to Raw to face Mickie James for the Women’s Championship, McCool said she’s game for anything.
“I’m ready to prove myself, I don’t care which show I’m on, to be honest, but I would like a championship around my waist,” McCool said. “The competition on SmackDown has been good, it’s helped me build my skills in the ring. I use everything as a stepping stone — if I move, I move, if I don’t, I don’t. I just want to keep climbing to the top.”
While Natalya said she doesn’t want to be split up from her best friend, Victoria, her first priority is also WWE gold.
“Whether I’m on Raw, SmackDown or ECW, I’m going to fight for a championship, tooth and nail,” the third-generation Diva said. “You can believe that it will be around my waist. … When you see it, you believe it. I envision myself with it around my waist, so I see it, and I believe it’ll happen. Come hell or high water, I’m getting it.”
Victoria said she’s excited for the WWE Draft, as long as she’s not split up from her best friend.
“I’ll be sad after the fact if I lost Natalya, but I get really excited for the Draft,” Victoria told Diva Dish. “Drafts are the best thing for WWE. They mix it up. We get to face people we otherwise weren’t able to. I enjoy it, and I enjoy it as a fan.”
Eve, who made her debut on SmackDown after winning the 2007 Diva Search, said she’s looking forward to the Draft, but doesn’t want to leave Friday nights.
“A brand becomes your family — it’s who you travel with, it’s who you work with. I’ve gotten to know everyone on SmackDown and ECW,” Eve said. “I’m getting comfortable, that’s why I say it’s like home. The Divas on SmackDown are great. We have a great Divas division on SmackDown and I really like being with them.”
Layla, on the other hand, is ready to leave the Land of the Extreme. Feeling underappreciated, the 2006 Diva Search winner is up for a change.
“I want to get in the ring some more, get more action, more experience and kick some more butt,” she said. “I started on SmackDown, then went to ECW for Extreme Exposé and I’ve been here for a while now. So I think it’s time for me to move to another venue. There is not one person I’d miss on ECW.”
Layla’s former best friend, Kelly Kelly, told Diva Dish she’s flexible and loves every WWE brand and would be honored to be on Raw or SmackDown, although she calls ECW her home.
“I’d miss all of the Originals — they are like my family on the road. It would be really hard to adjust if I moved, but I’d learn to adjust,” Kelly Kelly explained. “I’m really excited to see what happens to me. But if I stay here, hopefully a new rival will come for me. I’d like to work with Mr. Kennedy — I think we’d make a really good duo.”
Raw newcomer Katie Lea said she’s not worried about the Draft, as long as she’s not separated from her brother, Paul Burchill. The Diva said she’s sure she’d be dominant no matter which brand she’s on, but has no plans to leave Raw before she battles Mickie James for the Women’s Championship at Night of Champions. As the British bombshell spoke to Diva Dish about her upcoming title match, James overheard.
“Excuse me, what are you saying about my championship?” Mickie asked.
“Soon to be my championship… See, time has no real relevance, time is only perception, time is the fourth dimension — there is no time. In theory I already have your championship. It’s just a question of skipping dimensions until we get there,” Katie Lea said.
“Well, all right — I didn’t know we were on Star Trek. I didn’t know we were warping through dimensions, but if we must, we must. And in that dimension and in this dimension, I will kick your British butt,” James said.
“In your dreams. That’s the dimension of your dreams, Mickie James,” Katie Lea responded.
Find out if Katie Lea will walk away Women’s Champion or if James will retain next Sunday at Night of Champions, only on pay-per-view. Also, tune in to a special three-hour Raw on Monday at 8 p.m. for the WWE Draft.
Do the Dew with Jillian
Raw Diva Jillian will make a special appearance at the Dew Action Sports tour today in Baltimore. She’ll be at the Panasonic Open at the Camden Yards Sports Complex at 3 p.m.
“I’m really excited. They’re expecting a really big turnout — like 40,000 to 50,000 people. I’ll sign some autographs for a while, hand out an award and watch some of the events,” she said.
“I always look forward to meeting our fans and signing autographs for them. It’s going to be fun to watch some of the skating, BMX and action sports.”
For more information on the Dew Action Sports event, visit www.ast.com.
Credit: WWE.com
