Hi again, welcome to Dirty Jose's corner of the WWE Universe.  Last time I promised a review of Smackdown, highlighting the top 5 properties today, and pointing out a few superstars that need support.  I'm going to start, however, with my other topic, the WWE Divas.

I have a problem with the WWE Divas program as it is today.  I certainly don't have any problems with women wrestling, and I love it when a few cross the line to inter-gender matches.  I just ask that all involved know how to work.  My main issue with the divas is that for the most part they are eye candy.  I may have been into seeing hot women on WWE when I was 14, and I can't argue with WWE for catering to that market (pubescent hormonal teenagers).  I find now though that I am usually tempted to change channels or grab a beer whenever a diva match is approaching.  The matches are usually (mercifully) quick, but can often be pretty painful to watch.  

In the past, WWE walked a delicate line when it came to women superstars.  For every Sable, there was a Chyna.  For every Sunny, there was a Tori.  Aside from the rare instances where a woman had both the super model looks and the in ring capability (Trish Stratus, please come back!), the women were either bodybuilders and athletes, or models and actresses.  These days, that balance is skewed all to one side, with Beth Phoenix and Natalya being the only women on the roster that I can take seriously (no disrespect to the others, mind you).  Maybe I'm being grumpy about time lost that could be spent on other stars.  But most diva matches seem to either be a quick tag team match with 6, often 8 participants, and with little time to actually show off much from anyone, or devolve into slapping and "cat fighting", complete with hair pulling.  The winner is usually the first one to pull of a legit spot.

Also, there is really no "story" to any of the Divas, other than an attitude, and during the previously mentioned 6-8 diva tag matches it's very easy to confuse them with each other.  There is hardly anything distinguishing one from another besides hair color (most even have similar entrance music, titantron videos, and arena light schemes).  I expect more from this division if WWE wants us to take them seriously.

Now, onto Smackdown!

Dirty Jose's Top 5 Hottest Properties: Smackdown

5: Dolph Ziggler

Last post, I mentioned tag teams, stables, and how many superstars have difficulty making the transition from being part of a team to being a solo star.  Nothing would be a better example of this than the Spirit Squad.  Of that crew of 5, only 1 is still around on television, Nick Nemeth (who became repackaged as Dolph).  It's taken me awhile to be sold on him, but I now see his potential.

Ziggler's got the look down.  He makes me think of Alex Wright of WCW, only better.  The gimmick also feels similar, but again, it's being done better.  In ring he's shown promise, as is expected of one who's been on television off and on since 2005.  His skills on the mic had a slow start, due mostly to his gimmick, but they are quickly picking up.  Many on the internet, and apparently in the company, and proclaiming great things from Ziggler, and I am inclined to agree, if he's given the proper support.

A start to that support would be to develop his character a bit more.  The "eager-but-arrogant" brashness that he's debuted with as Ziggler has long since worn thin (enough with the handshakes and introductions, please).  He needs to establish the presence and the skills to allow such an attitude.  He's going into a program with Rey Mysterio currently, and this WILL make or break him.  If he gets out of this program with momentum, and possibly even the IC Championship, he will have shown why we should know the name Dolph Ziggler.  Also, I hear Chris Jericho needs a partner...

4.  David Hart Smith

I had issues picking which of the two superstars from the Hart Dynasty to pick here, and I'd be lying if I said the decision wasn't in the least bit influenced by Tyson Kidd's disgusting hair style.  However, DH Smith has a lot more going for him than good hair.  Being the product of the wrestling industry itself, in a way, he has astounding potential.

Son of the legendary British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith, and nephew of the equally legendary Bret Hart, the expectation might be set a little high for his career.  He expects as much of himself, if not more.  He debuted television in 2007, ended up deciding to return to the developmental territories to perfect his skill and presence.  He returned this year to ECW, rounding out the Hart Dynasty stable with his power and presence.  His performance so far has been great, and with his stable being moved to Smackdown recently he now has an even bigger stage to shine on.

David only needs to develop his on screen role, and his connection with the crowd.  Doing a 2nd generation gimmick can't be easy, and creative needs to support them with seriousness, and not expect an easy payout by copping the Hart family name.  If David can avoid the problems his father had, and can establish himself in the minds of the fans, he may go on have just as long and celebrated a career as his father had, if not more so.

3.  R-Truth

It took me a little bit to settle on this one.  R-Truth was dangerously close to my "needs help, badly" list.  Then I caught a Pretty Ricky promo.  And it's not that I think this gimmick will dig him out of a hole; it's the hope that maybe, just maybe, they'll ditch the rapping entrance. This isn't to say I don't like rap (Wu-Tang!).  It's just that rap gimmicks tend to bottom out, fast.  

R-Truth was first debuted as K-Kwik, and teamed with the Road Dogg Jesse James (See also: another tag team/stable superstar who couldn't survive outside of his tag team/stable).  And back then he did a similar gimmick.  And back then, he was forgettable.  Following a stint in TNA, including a championship run, he was brought back to the WWE.  In truth (no pun intended) R-Truth has some amazing in ring skills, and has worked with some of the best, either on television or in the indies.  He is very comfortable with the mic, and is stellar with it (as long as he isn't rapping).

So, the formula is simple: give him a non-rap gimmick, give him the chance to shine as more than a muscian, and give him some worthy opponents, and by the end of the year R-Truth will be a draw, I guarantee it.  Mike Knox, Matt Hardy (when he returns) and Tyson Kidd (once the Hart Dynasty are done with their program with Cryme Tyme) are all going to need someone to feud with soon, and I don't see why R-Truth wouldn't be a good choice.

2.  CM Punk

Ugh.  I really, REALLY did not like CM Punk when I first saw him on another promotion, and his debut in WWE did little to improve that.  However, with his recent heel turn I've been seeing A LOT more to like about Punk, and I'm looking forward to his development.

CM Punk couldn't possibly have more hype behind him.  In his short career he's already done time with most every major and minor promotion in the United States.  Even I can't deny his in ring ability.  His mic skills are improving, and I think this has a lot to do with his character actually getting some depth to it beyond his "straight edge superstar" persona.  The current angle with Jeff Hardy is being timed perfectly (so much so in fact that I have to say it twice: his current angle is being timed PERFECTLY), and is a tribute to Michael Hayes and the rest of the Smackdown creative team as much as it is to Punk.  And his current World Heavyweight Championship title reign feels MUCH MUCH more legit than his previous one.

CM Punk's heel turn is being done slowly and methodically, and couldn't be planned any better.  Stretch this Hardy feud out for a little bit, and follow it up with other top tier rivalries to the end of the year (ahem, John Morrison), and come next Wrestlemania I will be sworn fan of CM Punk.  Show the fans that he has earned his spot at the top.

1. John Morrison

I have followed Morrison's career for a little while now, as from the first time I saw him perform I could tell I was seeing something special.  He's been in and out of the tag team division for a majority of his WWE stint, stretching back to his 2nd television debut in 2005 as part of MNM and more recently as a team with The Miz.  

I am fully prepared for the criticism that may come from this next statement, but I really have felt this way about Morrison for a while:  John Morrison has it in him to be the next Shawn Michaels.  He's got the looks, and the attitude.  He's got the ring and mic presence, and the mat skills.  But there's more to it than that; he's got that intangible "it", that special something that separates superstars from legends.

I feel that Morrison has enough experience in him to qualify as a top tier player.  WWE shows signs of feeling this way too, as they've given him wins over current champion CM Punk.  Get him into the World Heavyweight Championship picture, and keep him there with well thought out feuds.  Who said Tough Enough was a waste of time?

This list was significantly harder to assemble than the previous list for Raw.  This is because Smackdown has so much good talent, and is booked much better than Raw has been recently.  However, many superstars I considered for the top 5 list also hovered close to the "help me" list.  But, in my eyes, these three need help the most:

1. Matt Hardy

Of the two Hardy brothers, Matt is the one who hasn't shown problems with drugs or with no-showing events.  He also didn't sign with TNA.  Jeff had done both of these things.  So why does Jeff get Championship gold, and Matt gets half assed feuds and little to no promo time?  I am bewildered how under used Matt Hardy is, and why Jeff Hardy is almost always put over him.  Matt has been with the company a long time, and has endured past an intense emotional time where his personal life's crisis' were made into storylines for all to see; he deserves a real title shot, and real support from backstage.  He's recently been switched to Smackdown, and has also had medical issues stemming from a previous injury.  His return should be the kind of program he deserves.  A Hardy reunion could also do wonders for a Tag Team division that WWE has neglected for most of this year.

2. Mike Knox

Mike Knox is a large, imposing man, with enough skills in the ring to hold his own.  He's been on and off WWE television since 2005.  But can anyone tell me why he has the personality of a stick?  Is he not allowed to be himself out there?  Or is he really that bland?  Either creative is messing up somewhere, or he needs much MUCH more time developing some promo/mic skills, because his spot on the roster now is being wasted.  In fact, when was the last time I even saw him on television?

3. The Great Khali

Go back to my last post, copy what I wrote about Big Show, paste it here and replace "The Big Show" with "The Great Khali".  There is room for the giants on television, provided they are done right.  Khali especially needs special consideration with regards to his opponents, as his large frame make movement awkward and difficult to watch.  He does better in comedy spots than he did as a "monster", but comedy spots don't get people very far in this industry (Otherwise, Kevin Nash would still be "Vinnie Vegas").  If WWE is intent on keeping Khali, and keeping people interested in him, they need to learn how to use him properly.  Feuds with Kane do NOT make him look good.  Feuds with Dolph Ziggler and other smaller guys do make him look good.  Perhaps he needs a trip to ECW?

NEXT TIME:  Now that we're done with the big two shows, next post will revolve around ECW, which requires a slightly different criteria for evaluation.  I'll let you know what I think of the superstars there, with another top 5 list.  I'll also let you know which superstars I think are ready for the jump to one of the other shows.  Until then, Have fun & go crazy!

-Dirty Jose-