Impact Wrestling fans were granted an early Christmas present, in form of Velvet Sky returning to the Knockouts division. She warned the reigning Knockouts Champion Tara and #1 Contender Mickie James that she has her eyes on the winner of their match as she promised that 2013 will the be the year that Velvet Sky returns to the top of the Knockouts Division.At Final Resolution, Tara managed to retain the title after another rather questionable defense, thanks to her Hollywood boy toy Jesse's interference. Velvet Sky is set to return into the ring, starting on the December 13, 2012 episode of Impact.
My Thoughts:
- On Velvet Sky
Velvet Sky left at the worst possible moment in 2012, allowing Brooke Tessmacher to take the driver's seat and stole Sky's momentum as she worked hard to earn her first Knockouts Championship reign this summer. In comparison in 2012, I really have to give the most improved medal to Tessmacher. She really pushed herself to an entirely different level to prove her worth as a credible champion. Velvet Sky stepped up her game a bit but not to the extreme margins that Tessmacher did.
TNA would be foolish to drop Tessmacher's push and popularity at this stage. The ideal direction would be to either pair her and Velvet Sky together in the Knockouts Tag Team division and generate interest back into that title while Tara continues to look strong by going through the other Knockouts, much like Gail Kim's reign last year. Eventually, Tess and Sky agree to a 'friendly' rivalry as they vie for #1 contender spots back at the gold.
Alternatively, they could continue the program that was started between Mickie James and Velvet Sky during the summer. They planted the seeds of Mickie James going heel at one point, but Velvet Sky asked for her release from her contract and Mickie James was left in no man's land until recently. If TNA wants to continue this program then that would be stellar as Mickie James would benefit from a breath of fresh air pumped into her character.
Both of these options are better than dropping her right at the top of the division. The thing that made Tessmacher's rise to stardom more beneficial is that we saw her growth over the summer as she rose through the competition and proved that she had what it takes to be champion. She first competed with Tara in the Tag Team division before migrating into singles competition. Racing Velvet Sky immediately to the top is dooming her to a quick fall from grace. See Taylor Wilde, if you want proof. As much as I was personally behind her work in the indies, after losing the Knockouts title, she failed to keep momentum going, with the only notable exception was her period where she teamed up with Sarita and later Hamada.
At the end of the day, rehiring Velvet Sky was a stellar business move by TNA. She's still one of, or if not the most gorgeous woman in professional wrestling today. That asset alone gives her a ton of marketability. Only time can tell if she can do for TNA's Knockout division for what pioneer "pretty faces turned wrestlers" such as Trish Stratus, Kelly Kelly, and Candice Michelle have done for the mainstream interest of women's wrestling in the past.
Both of these options are better than dropping her right at the top of the division. The thing that made Tessmacher's rise to stardom more beneficial is that we saw her growth over the summer as she rose through the competition and proved that she had what it takes to be champion. She first competed with Tara in the Tag Team division before migrating into singles competition. Racing Velvet Sky immediately to the top is dooming her to a quick fall from grace. See Taylor Wilde, if you want proof. As much as I was personally behind her work in the indies, after losing the Knockouts title, she failed to keep momentum going, with the only notable exception was her period where she teamed up with Sarita and later Hamada.
At the end of the day, rehiring Velvet Sky was a stellar business move by TNA. She's still one of, or if not the most gorgeous woman in professional wrestling today. That asset alone gives her a ton of marketability. Only time can tell if she can do for TNA's Knockout division for what pioneer "pretty faces turned wrestlers" such as Trish Stratus, Kelly Kelly, and Candice Michelle have done for the mainstream interest of women's wrestling in the past.
- On The Knockouts Divisons in General
The ideal situation for the Knockouts title to keep it fresh and interesting, is continue to give the champions notable title reigns. That way, when the said champion does lose the title, it's a big deal rather than a fluke/joke title reign - very reminiscent of Velvet Sky's initial title reign. The veteran Knockouts can continue to compete with other mainstay Knockouts, helping to gradually help bring the lackluster Knockouts up to par with the veterans on terms of in-ring ability.
With Eric Young on the bench with a kayfabe injury at the hands of Aces & Eights, this would be prime opportunity for ODB to find herself a REAL partner and stop treating the Knockouts Tag Team Titles as a comedy prop. The ideal partner(s) for her would be either Mickie James or Tessmacher. Hardcore BAM! or new variation of T & A, if you get my drift there.
When she's not competing with Tara in title matches for the Knockouts Championship, Gail Kim could reunite with Madison Rayne and return as regular competition for this division. Hell, drag Rosita and Sarita back from out of the country and back into regular competition.
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| Scarlett Bordeaux |
Sure, we have seen the only female Gut Check winner, Taeler Hendrix, wrestle ONCE on Impact since winning a contract, but I think all of these girls would benefit with an opportunity on mainstream programming. Hell, pair her up with her fellow redhead BFF, Scarlett Bordeaux and they could take the KOs Tag Team scene by storm. TNA could also take a page from WWE's playbook and market off the Blossom Twins, much like how WWE did with the Bella Twins.
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| The Blossom Twins (Hannah & Holly) |
Both the Knockouts and Knockouts Tag Team titles can benefit with new faces being injected into the divisions.
SoJo Bolt is no stranger to competition in the division as she was a former member of the Kongtourage and narrowly missed the margin to capture the gold from Awesome Kong back at Destination X 2009. She is still quite rough around the edges, but I'm confident that a strong feud with either ODB, Tara, or Gail Kim would definitely shape her up into championship material.
Jessie Belle is the kayfabe sister of Mickie Knuckles (better known as The Beautiful People's short-lived bodyguard "Moose"), sporting a redneck/country girl gimmick. She could benefit from a rivalry or team-up with Mickie James to gain further experience.
Epiphany is a woman that it seems that TNA are grooming to follow in Awesome Kong's footsteps. Dubbed the "One Woman Wrecking Machine" she has been plowing a warpath through the men and women of OVW, TNA's developmental territory. Injecting her into Impact in 2013 would definitely set the Knockouts apart from the WWE Divas with a woman who isn't afraid to mix it up with the boys and the girls. She has a power and submission game to set herself far apart from being labelled instantly as a carbon copy of Awesome Kong/Kharma.
Heidi Lovelace is fairly new to OVW, but she has been competing at the SHINE iPPV events. She shows potential and would benefit from more exposure in the ring with more veteran Knockouts.
That being said, from Velvet Sky's return to the possibilities of more Knockouts being injected into the Knockouts division, things can only get better for the Knockouts in 2013.
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| Josette Bynum (SoJo Bolt) |
SoJo Bolt is no stranger to competition in the division as she was a former member of the Kongtourage and narrowly missed the margin to capture the gold from Awesome Kong back at Destination X 2009. She is still quite rough around the edges, but I'm confident that a strong feud with either ODB, Tara, or Gail Kim would definitely shape her up into championship material.
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| Jessie Belle |
Jessie Belle is the kayfabe sister of Mickie Knuckles (better known as The Beautiful People's short-lived bodyguard "Moose"), sporting a redneck/country girl gimmick. She could benefit from a rivalry or team-up with Mickie James to gain further experience.
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| Epiphany |
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| Heidi Lovelace |
That being said, from Velvet Sky's return to the possibilities of more Knockouts being injected into the Knockouts division, things can only get better for the Knockouts in 2013.
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