AJ Lee & Tamina

[The Eighties]

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Last night on Smackdown AJ came out with Tamina as her bodyguard, it was kinda like a female version of Shawn Michaels and Diesel minus the mullets.

I liked how it looked, Tamina is a big Amazon Lady and this is emphasized when paired with AJ, and since AJ has the whole Divas locker-room against her it makes sense that she'd get some back up. It's also a pretty good gig for Tamina as it will mean regular TV time and the possibility of angle where she ends up facing AJ for the title if she can get over playing off the WWE's Harley Quinn.

I'm hoping this pairing means AJ will make it through the Total Divas and continue her run as Champion.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Well, this seems like an attempt to elevate Tamina. About AJ, she is doing fine on her own, but this angle will probably bring more fighting and suspense in the Divas division. Personally, I liked how Aj was the "lone wolf" like AJ is over TNA, but I guess we will wait and see where this goes.

 

[Cerebral Cyber Assassin]

I agree with what the above poster said about AJ being the "lone wolf" in the Diva's division. But, I look at it the pair as just another way to solidify how different AJ Lee is from the other Divas. Even though it is really early in the story, I see AJ eventually turning on Tamina and them having a match for the title. Although I don't want AJ to lose the title, Tamina would be an ideal Diva to hold it seeing that she hasn't held the title yet and is a believable holder.


Now I know it's wishful thinking but, with recent talks of Kharma returning I would love to see a three-way feud between Tamina, Kharma and AJ lee after Tamina wins the title. I could see Tamina winning the title and Kharma returns by attacking/beating all the other Divas until finally earning a shot at the title. There could be some random multi-diva match/segment that could end in a Kharma & Tamina stare down in which AJ Lee comes out yelling and screaming in Kharma's face (because she's crazy) about "Stealing her title shot" or "Interfering in her division" until Kharma Implant Busters her. They have some more matches where AJ interferes to cost Kharma or Tamina the win. The feud could eventually culminate at Wrestlemania XXX, with the triple threat match, Kharma wins the Diva's Title only to drop it for the Women's Championship the next night on RAW.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It's purely down to Tamina being in the Rock's new movie... she is under contract, Rock isn't... so if there's a modicum of publicity they can steal from it they will... Tamina to me is a sad case, her dad is a a scumbag and it's hard not to look at his crime while hearing her using the name (If Benoit gets expunged, Jimmy does). She is the one 2nd gen star who would have truly benefitted from Kayfabe and us not knowing who she was...

They'll use her till the police reopen Jimmy's case (which is already in motion) then bin her off... sad but true...

 

[OwenHart]

It's purely down to Tamina being in the Rock's new movie... she is under contract, Rock isn't... so if there's a modicum of publicity they can steal from it they will... Tamina to me is a sad case, her dad is a a scumbag and it's hard not to look at his crime while hearing her using the name (If Benoit gets expunged, Jimmy does). She is the one 2nd gen star who would have truly benefitted from Kayfabe and us not knowing who she was...

They'll use her till the police reopen Jimmy's case (which is already in motion) then bin her off... sad but true...

Its a shame they let Tamina use her fathers finisher.... And booking her as a vicious aggresive bitch doesnt help with the situation either..... I mean its not her fault that her father is a drug addict and a murder. I even feel sorry for her... but i cant see her doing anything in WWE. Her in ring work is good but not THAT good to look over all that. Plus see has absolutely no charisma. Like you said she is beeing used because of her role in the Hercules movie (which role The Rock gave her). After they dont need her anymore she will be gone. Hope for her that she will find a way to have a good life and stay away from her fathers shit. Sadly she looks to love her father or else she wouldnt had been using his moves etc. And WWE is also supporting Snuka and mentioning him often. Well... untill now!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's purely down to Tamina being in the Rock's new movie... she is under contract, Rock isn't... so if there's a modicum of publicity they can steal from it they will... Tamina to me is a sad case, her dad is a a scumbag and it's hard not to look at his crime while hearing her using the name (If Benoit gets expunged, Jimmy does). She is the one 2nd gen star who would have truly benefitted from Kayfabe and us not knowing who she was...

They'll use her till the police reopen Jimmy's case (which is already in motion) then bin her off... sad but true...

I'm not so sure her having a part in The Rock's Hercules movie has much to do with it. Her role, based on what little I've read, is gonna be an extremely minor one, the movie is still currently filming and it isn't due to be released until July 25, 2014. There's no obvious payoff in the foreseeable future since promoting the film really won't be an issue until well into next summer. I'm sure you're right about WWE trying to garner some degree of media attention with Tamina as part of the cast when the promotion of the film kicks off.

This sort of bodyguard role is a good one for Tamina in my eyes because she's really been a nonfactor for virtually the entire 3.5 years she's been in WWE. Tamina does have a good physical presence. She's pretty close to 6 feet in height and is a solid 150-160 pounds, so she towers over AJ and is, overall, the biggest woman on the roster. All she has to do is really look intimidating and get physical when she needs to. Tamina's problem is that there's simply no personality that I've seen from her. She just simply does not have any charisma. There's just nothing really there. She's only been wrestling since 2009 and is ultimately just someone that's relied on her family name to take her this far. IF WWE ultimately has any real plans for Tamina, I think it'll have to happen sometime in the next year. She turns 36 in January, which is getting pretty up there for a Diva. At 36, Layla is the only Diva on the roster older but Layla's also accomplished far more and been in much more memorable angles.

 

[Jstrike]

this reminds me of tara and madison rayne.
she was over by herself but it was to make her look even stronger.
i think this is great! i see tamina kicking butt again!
and then maybe a tamina vs aj lee feud! im hoping for this!
this makes much more sense being tamina as her muscle the big e! good move.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I'm hoping this pairing means AJ will make it through the Total Divas and continue her run as Champion.

Me too, but it depends how the writers conceptualize the pairing. On one hand, since AJ has done just fine handling larger opponents by herself, having Tamina aboard could make AJ look weaker. Or, if Tamina can really be the enforcer it seems they want her to be, it can make AJ's reign even stronger.

As for Tamina, her elevation shows that, especially in the diva division, if you wait your turn, you'll eventually get a push.....or at least what features as a push in that division. Keep your nose clean and don't piss off anyone, and it all comes around, eventually.

But what happened to Layla as AJ's partner in crime?

 

[OutsiderDX]

Once a revolving door starts happening, myself and alot of fans lose interest. It becomes less compelling.

AJ has been associated with.... Danielson, Dolph Ziggler, Big E, recently Layla, and now Tamina. To a lesser extent Kane and Cena.

I'm from a standing point, that drama is build from consistancy. If the fans feel like a team is really a team, like Savage / Lizz, like Marty / Shawn, they they can build from that.

AJ having another person surrounding her is just fluff with no expectation of a pay off.

 

[attackgypsy]

I have a little conjecture here...

AJ was recently photographed with both the Diva's belt AND the Women's World Championship belt.

When AJ and Tamina feud, Aj could be holding the World belt and not the Diva's belt, with saying "I'm no Diva like they are, I'm better than they are." thus bringing back the Women's belt.

I can see the hype for the fight. Tamina trying to do something her Hall of Fame father never could. Capture a World Championship. They could even put her father in her corner for the match. Maybe Wrestlemania? That would be a fitting place.

 

[#tamale]

It has potential. AJ needs some backup and if Tamina is capable of playing the bodyguard role, it can help the continued AJ-Total Divas storyline and salvage Tamina's lackluster career.

I will miss Layla though....

It's purely down to Tamina being in the Rock's new movie... she is under contract, Rock isn't... so if there's a modicum of publicity they can steal from it they will

And...what is wrong with that?

If this leads to Tamina getting exposure and possibly being on Total Divas next season and if it leads to WWE getting more exposure while also helping people be aware of The Rock's next movie, then I see it was a win for everyone.

 

[HBsam31]

I like what they are doing with AJ and Tamina. It is cool to see AJ with an enforcer type in Tamina. We don't see much of these kinds of things in the division. Hopefully Tamina will be what AJ needs to hold onto the title as I think she is about due to turn it over to one of the total divas. She has done well with the belt, and hopefully the addition of Tamina will keep the belt on AJ a little longer.

 

[The Eighties]

Me too, but it depends how the writers conceptualize the pairing. On one hand, since AJ has done just fine handling larger opponents by herself, having Tamina aboard could make AJ look weaker. Or, if Tamina can really be the enforcer it seems they want her to be, it can make AJ's reign even stronger.

As for Tamina, her elevation shows that, especially in the diva division, if you wait your turn, you'll eventually get a push.....or at least what features as a push in that division. Keep your nose clean and don't piss off anyone, and it all comes around, eventually.

But what happened to Layla as AJ's partner in crime?

I think rather than making AJ look weaker the paring makes her look smarter. She's outnumbered by the Total Divas so getting the biggest women in the locker-room as your back is a clever play. Hopefully Tamina is featured properly in the role and gets a chance to do some promo work with AJ that may unearth some personality.

I can only imagine they canned that AJ/Layla idea as it was an odd fit and they didn't want to change AJ too much to make it into a LayCool 2.0 type of deal.

 

[The Eighties]

PWInsider have reported that the inspiration behind this pairing is indeed Shawn & Diesel, which is probably why Tamina is dressing as she is as well. I hope the fact this has been thought out more than just throwing someone with AJ means they have long term plans and even if that mannequin Bella gets the title due to the concussion, it will soon be back on AJ.

 

[Jstrike]

SO this is actually a good idea, the idea is shawn michaels/diesel.
but i more think ziggler/big E
now since aj is out, i suppose tamina to be the top heel diva!
and i think she'll do a great job, she should've had a match at wrestlemania 29.
i think tamina is one of the best divas wwe has! there's no way aj getting muscle is a bad idea!