TNA Knockouts v. WWE Divas

[TheHardyBoyz]

As we all know that the wwe divas are mostly depended on eye candy rather than wrestling ablitiy with the exception of beth phoenix,natalya,melina & gail kim, the knockouts madison rayne,tara,mickie,beautiful people etc.. are more focused on wrestling ability in some ways.. in my opinion i would say the knockouts are the better divison simply because they have better female wrestlers who can help carrie the divison and take risks.
so my question to all of you is who is the better womens wrestling divison & why?

 

[RKOx7]

Actually, the WWE Divas division can probably wrestle better than they appear. It isn't there fault that they aren't showcased enough. You have Beth Phoenix, Melina, Natalya, Michelle McCool, Gail Kim, Tamina, Layla - who really has improved ALOT in the ring. In TNA you have WWE's former veteran top Divas, Tara [formerly Victoria], Mickie James, and then of course Beautiful People, Madison Rayne, etc.

I believe that the TNA division is smaller and more focused so it appears as if they are better, also they tend to have that TV 14 rating and go about things in a much more violent fashion, where as the WWE is now PG rated and less violent than before.
They are a good division and definitely have given a chance at TNA.

The WWE Divas, post Trish Stratus/Lita era, have really not had the ball to run with so much, so they only appear weaker, and less athletic or less able to wrestle, but I believe the WWE has a much more glamorous (as opposed to Trashy TNA Knockouts) division. The Girls at TNA -minus Mickie and Tara, look so trashy, its not even funny. WWE Divas are sexy, and they are powerful (lol, maybe smart too, who knows?) and if they were given a chance, I believe they can shine.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think that although the WWE does not allow their divas to show the full extent of their wrestling ability (e.g. Jillian was brilliant but never allowed to show it), and they do have some talented wrestlers such as Gail Kim and Natalya...I much prefer seeing the Knockouts in action.

I certianly think Gail Kim will end up back in TNA once her contract in WWE expires, her considerable skills are criminally wasted in the 'E and back in TNA she could show us all again what she can do. TNA had an awesome womens division (including Gail) a few years ago, but then it declined but now is on the up again, and it was great to see Tara and Mickie locking up in a cage in the main event of Impact. It was a great moment for womens wrestling, and one I cannot imagine seeing in the WWE again.

Now comparing the women.... TNA has Mickie, Angelina Love, Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne, who are all gorgeous and good in the ring, and of course my favoruite Tara , while WWE has Natalya, Melina, Layla, Gail and Beth who are pretty much a similar standard, although I reckon TNA has the edge slightly. It is more down to the booking and limitations WWE set on their performers.

However, I think it is just the way the women are booked. While TNA may have the slightly more talented female roster, just allowing them to wrestle as well as they can and pushing some feuds with enough airtime rather than quick 4 minute diva matches makes TNA the winner in this for me. If WWE let Beth, Gail etc go 100% maybe the result of this would be different, but for now I am going with TNA. They have Tara

 

[TheKarmaEffect]

My overall answer is I think the TNA Knockouts are better and a more promising division. Right at this second I think the WWE Divas hold a slight advantage (especially after they matched the bar, they may not have raised the bar from Tara and Mickie's cage match but they matched the bar, at TLC.) I agree that they still don't FULLY get the chance to show what they have, but both matches are a huge step in the right directiion.

But this is why I choose the Knockouts. I consider it akin to the glory days of what made WCW great. Back then, they had a great mix of taking top tier WWE talent and mixing them with new and fresh faces like the stars of the Cruiserweight division. TNA has taken talent like Mickie and Tara (and please show more Katie Lea especially in the ring!) and mixing them not only with the talent they've been developing like The Beautiful People, but also newer talent that has been carving a huge niche in the indies like Cookie (Becky Bayless I love her). That to me is where the difference is. WWE is looking to hire more eye candy Divas and HOPE they learn how to wrestle and some will make a good go of it, but TNA is hiring real women WRESTLERS that have been honing their craft for years (Lacey Von Erich withstanding). WWE seems to have found the niche they're looking for with Divas, but I'm more excited with the Knockouts because I believe they have the more exciting future. With the veterans on the roster and the up and coming talent of real women wrestlers, I think they have the best chance at fans seeing the "Trish/Lita/Ivory/Victoria/etc" days of women's wrestling that most fans like me would love to see again.

 

[nachoman13]

TNA's Knockout Division is definitely best because they have the best quality wrestlers and some fit girls, like Mickie James and Velvet Sky. I think WWE just lacks the wrestling talent and don't get pushed enough.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

TNA's Knockout Division is definitely best because they have the best quality wrestlers and some fit girls, like Mickie James and Velvet Sky. I think WWE just lacks the wrestling talent and don't get pushed enough.

While TNA Knockouts are better, you cant say that all the WWE divas lack wrestling talent, as that isnt true.

Gail Kim
Beth Pheonix
Natalya
Layla

are all more than capable of putting on a good match, given the opportunities. If is down to the WWE simply caring more about the eye candy and not enough about the ability. How is Gail meant to put on a good match against someone who has 0 wrestling ability?? Give her a decent opponent and they will provide a great show. They just dont get given enough time in the ring and the ones who can wrestle are booked to lose to the eye candy. Its pathetic really. Gail Kim should have been divas champion for the last 12 months, and yet she barely appears on TV, while others get pushes.

As mentioned by an earlier poster, WWE usually hires babes and hope they learn how to wrestle (with a few exceptions) while TNA hires attractive women who CAN ALREADY wrestle (again with a few exceptions)

and they have Tara!

 

[nachoman13]

I agree that they don't get pushed enough and that's why TNA Knockouts are superior to WWE Divas and until WWE get some more female talent they will be worse than TNA.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

As of right now, I'd honestly have to put the TNA Knockouts and the WWE Divas on about the same level. Contrary to popular belief, not every Knockout in TNA is all that good inside the ring and well all know that applies to the Divas as well. In terms of overall characters, the Knockouts have the advantage there but that's due mostly to the presence of The Beautiful People rather than the division as a whole. Yeah yeah, I know that Mickie James is on the roster now but, let's face it, TNA's basically made Mickie James just another name on the roster instead of treating her like the biggest star in women's wrestling since Trish Stratus.

As far as in-ring ability goes, I'd generally have to call it about down the middle at this point. Among the Knockouts, Mickie James & Tara are probably the two best inside the ring at this point. Angelina Love & Madison Rayne are both pretty decent. Velvet Sky is average though she does try and Miss Tessmacher is the new Lacey at this point. I'm sure that there are other Knockouts but they're hardly ever seen or used so what's the point. As for the Divas, I'd probably have to say that Natalya, Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim and Michelle McCool are the best in the ring. Melina, Layla, Alicia Fox, & Eve Torres are all pretty decent in the ring. The Bellas & Maryse are average at their best and Kelly Kelly is something of a mix. Some matches, she's downright horrible and some matches she's actually ok.

It's no secret that the Divas aren't exactly a huge deal in the WWE. However, you'd have to be blind not to notice the overall decline of TNA's Knockout Division over the course of the past year, maybe year and a half. A lot of great female wrestlers are no longer with the company and the general prestige of the Knockout title has definitely taken a nosedive and there's no point to even having the Knockout tag titles.

So yeah, overall, I'd put both women's divisions on about an even level at this point.

 

[shattered dreams]

Not sure how having the KOs even or better in every measure makes them "about the same." I'm sick of this horrendous "logic" that the KOs division isn't as good as it was and therefore it is bad. TNA has rebuilt the KO division to be sexy AND wrestle at a higher level. Even if the talent might be similar the way the KOs are allowed to work blows WWE style out of the water. KOs are actually given stories and time to tell them. KOs tend to be sexier because of the development of characters and being allowed to be edgier in general. While I think WWE probably could make their division comparable if they wanted to, the point is they do not. This isn't about potential, it is about how they are being used by creative presently.

I disagree with your talent assessments hammer. First off you leave out Sarita who is a plus worker with a good look that has been getting a push. Second off, what are you smoking saying Mickie James is just another name since she came in? They have obviously booked the whole division around her being a babyface going after the title protected by the heels since she came in. Her feud with Tara was pushed all the way to the main event of the entire program where she went over in memorable fashion.

 

[ABMorales787]

Well for one, the Knockouts all have their own personality. They show many layers of it. When you look at the WWE Divas, their mentality is as basic as it can be. You are either a "nice, happy go lucky girl who smiles at everything" face, or you are the stuck up "talk to the hand, it's all about me" heel. There is nothing else for them. At all. You could argue about the Bellas and their love for Daniel Bryan, but that doesn't offer much to them other than some random backstage skits. There's also Tamina and her crush on Santino. Which still doesn't offer much of a character.

Wrestling wise, you can talk about how good quite a few Knockout matches were, like Tara vs Madison Rayne or the Steel Cage match between Tara and Mickie James. However in WWE, you get the simplistic face Divas vs heel Divas for the hell of it formula, or the title match. Best match for the Divas and only one worth talking about had to be the Tables match at TLC.

As far stories are considered, there is never much structure for a Divas match. With the exception of the early LayCool/Mickie James story, which borderlined in being disgustingly insulting. In TNA, at the least, you get a wild brawl.

For me, the winners are clearly the TNA Knockouts. More structure, more layers, more diversity. As long as they have that, they are on top.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I have to agree with Killjoy that the WWE divas have little personality except for the heels. WWE has a majority of divas compared to TNA's knockouts. I believe without Tara and Mickie James, WWE divas would have the advantage over the TNA knockouts. There are maybe a handful of divas that can perform in WWE and TNA.

I look at which division do I and fans actually care about more? I'm not a fan of women's wrestling in general, but I actually enjoy watching knockout matches. Not all of them, but some of them have potential. There are interesting story lines and feuds with the TNA knockouts that grab my attention. Nothing grabs my attention with the WWE divas.

TNA can make a knockouts match seem important while WWE pretty much makes fun of their divas while they are wrestling. TNA holds their knockouts to a higher standard then WWE does. If WWE doesn't take the divas serious than neither should I or any other viewer.

 

[wrestlingfan]

I think Knockouts both have the looks and the talent and like people have said before. Knockouts have better feuds that can get dirty. With WWE all the Divas are used as are eye candy, time fillers and excuses to not have people calling the company sexist. even though Gail Kim is getting paid more money how long will she want to be a jobber in WWE? At least in Christian's case he actually enjoys putting over rookies. He's doing something productive. Whereas Gail Kim has even fell to the levels of being a valet on the level of the Bella Twins.

One thing TNA had was Awesome Kong. I'm sure Awesome Kong brought a lot of markeability. For 1 shes one of the few black women's wrestlers. and most of all she's a giant that has even been known in other promotions for wrestling men. And she has a lot of talent too but when she left TNA were left without a leader so right now at this point with Divas and Knockouts its 50/50.

 

[LSN80]

There are two totally different questions in here, with totally different answers. If you want to know who better utilizes their division, its TNA with their Knockouts. They emphaisze the strengths of their roster and build concrete storylines around them. If you're asking who has more depth and talent, then obviously its WWE with their Divas.

The TNA knockouts have a general purpose with what they're doing. The Beautiful People are just one part of the division, as seperate feuds are playing out in the form of Madison Rayne and Mickie James, Mickie James and Tara, Sarita and Velvet, and Angelina and Winter. Each storyline seems to be going somewhere. Mickie had to go through Tara to get to Madison, and did so by defeating Tara in a steel cage match that headlined Impact 3 weeks ago. That's a nice rub and good utilization. The original Beautiful People are back together, but Angelina and Winter are the Tag Team Champions. Why? Because Sarita attacked Velvet before the finals of the KO's tag tournament. So you have interwoven storylines with Winter taking Velvet's place, Sarita's constant beatdowns of Velvet, and Winter's infatuation and ultimately teaming with Angelina Love, causing friction in the Beautiful People.

But WWE clearly has more depth and the superior talent. The current Diva's champion Natalya is an excellent wrestler whose been showing good presence and some personality. No. 1 Contender Melina is a solid wrestler with phenomenal athletic ability who can work well as a heel or a face, and has excellent mic skills. Beth Phoneix is a dominant former champion who plays her role well, and is an excellent wrestler. Gail Kim is a former 2 time Women's Champion who may be the best pure wrestler on the roster, despite being wasted away. Maryse is a solid wrestler and athlete whose mired in a bad storyline with Ted Dibiase. Love them or hate them, Michelle McCool and Layla carried the Women's division on their backs for all of 2010. Michells is a solid worker and Layla is vastly improved in the ring. Eve may be the most improved women's wrestler in 2010. Kelly Kelly, Alicia, and Tamina provide solid depth for the division.

The problem for the WWE Divas isn't talent or depth, its proper usage. The champion generally defeats her challenger, or loses the title. She then promptly moves on to a feud with the next challenger. There's no real storyline continuity or angles to be invested in. TNA is head and shoulders above WWE in this aspect. The ability is there in the WWE women's division, creative just isn't invested in it. Because of this, Id ultimately choose the TNA knockouts, even if I believe the talent truly is there in the WWE women's division.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Also another thing is WWE ripped off Lay-Cool from the Beautiful People and not just that but the Knockouts have their own personas and gimmicks. In WWE they're just the same bland hot chick but in TNA heres what you get.

Daffney-Zombie Hot. Female version of Raven
Mickie James-Heart and Soul of Women's Wrestling that grew up on the farm
Tara-The Hardcore Diva with the bite of an Arachnid
Velvet Sky-The girl trying to step out of Angelina's shadow and basically "Killer Babe"
Angelina Love- The No Nonsense, Miss "Knockout on a Mission"
Madison Rayne-Miss "It's all about the titles and the glamour"
Sarita- "Newcomer Diva Making a Name for herself taking out barbies"
Winter- "Mysterious Diva"

And thats just a few. Other diva personas have been Awesome Kong, Raisha Saeed, Rhaka Khan, Hamada and more.