ATH Semi Final #1 Mr Nice Guy vs Omackeral

beakerjoe

Its the first of our Semi Finals and it pits two heavyweights against eachother,with PW Boards Draft 3 times winner Mr Nice Guy taking on Former Around The Horn Champion.

Omackeral has trumped MrKiscool and ImnottheHulk in his first two matches while MNG bested Stereomaniac and Bounty Hunter in his previous rounds.

You know the drill by now fellas, heres the question


Semi Final Question #1:

Wrestlemania 32 was appartently a lock to feature Rhonda Rousey in a match, but shes pulled out and any potential plans are up in smoke.

Hunter and Vince have enlisted your help with booking a big female celebrity for a Wrestlemania Womens/Divas match and they want you to book the whole angle leading up to the big event.

Which female celebrity would you choose and how would you book the angle and match?

The only catch is it has to be a celebrity who has never worked with WWE in any capacity!

Good Luck

Omackeral

A doozy of a question and after a bit of consideration I have settled on a female who is not only a celebrity, but most certainly a Diva. I'm talking about the charismatic and attitudinal Nicky Minaj.

Look at Nicky. She is an absolute star. She oozes cool, sex appeal, sass and has a definite X-factor and, to borrow a phrase, you can't teach that. On top of all that she is ridiculously popular. Nicky Minaj has millions of Twitter followers, has been in multiple Top 10 Most Googled Females polls and has held the record for most Youtube hits in a single day with a whopping 19.6 million views in 24 hours for Anaconda video. One of the main reasons she's in the elite record wise is down to her surreal creativity. She has a back catalogue of alter egos, some of which include awesome quirky accented characters and she also has a fantastic range of looks in a pageantry sense, something that would line up great with Wrestlemania. With all that said? What does she do to get there? Firstly, let's look at the current situation in the Divas division.


As of late, we've seen cracks start to appear in the so called Divas Revolution. It looks like Charlotte is going to be their golden child for the time bering, with Becky playing sidekick. Then you have Natalya coming back and seemingly getting into it with Paige, who knows, they could end up teaming themselves. Meanwhile the Bellas are in the middle of it all laughing about it. The odd team out at the moment are Team BAD and they feature, for my money, the most talented and over diva on the entire roster in Sasha Banks. These girls weren't even featured on Raw this week. That's not good enough. In Sasha, they have this bad ass legit boss character who can go in the ring and engage a crowd like no other woman can. Not only did she help steal the show at NXT Takeover Brooklyn but she has had instant star power from the get go. She is slated to main event the next installment of Takeover: Respect, unheard of for ladies in 2015. They need to push this more. Couple that with the fact her real life cousin is Snoop Dogg, a long time friend of WWE, and you have someone with proper Hollywood style cred.

So how do we get to it? As mentioned, Bayley and Sasha are in line to main event the upcoming NXT special. There is no doubt in my mind that these two girls are going to be the highlight of the show yet again. At the event itself, have Sasha do her awesome entrance with glamourous style paparazzi jeeps and massive bodyguards. Let Banks and Bayley go close to half an hour with Bayley getting the win, and Sasha getting the rousing send off from the NXT fans. The next night on Raw, we have Team BAD going against Team Bella going against in a 6 woman tag. Tamina takes the pinfall while after crashing into Sasha on the apron. The Bellas are doing their Loser sign until Sasha storms the ring and starts throwing the mean girls around. She sends Naomi on her butt with a shove while Tamina looks on kinda shocked. Sasha Banks demands a mic and goes on to say enough is enough. She's had it with being an afterthought. She says how she hasn't even been on Raw lately but has main evented and stolen the show at NXT Takeover:Respect. Then she kind of sniggers and says ''Respect... yeah respect.'' She says that Team BAD have lost their edge and it needs something truly Legit and that she's gonna bring it, and that we can all Bank on that. The crowd are on her side now, especially as she is opposong the Bellas.

The next week on Raw we have Sasha meeting with Stephanie McMahon. Sasha is told by Steph that she is an asset but that she has to make her mark on the business the way Snoop Dogg has done in the music world. Sasha looks to take this on board and makes a call. ''Hey cuz it's me, Sasha, let's talk business '. It's never been explicitly stated on tv that they're related so it's kind of a nod to smart fans while keeping mystery for casuals. All throughout October, Sasha is victorious in all her singles bouts but the tags with her Team BAD sisters keep ending with loses. During all the matches involving BAD members, this Escalade comes out at the entrance.

The burly bodyguards get out but we never get a look at who is inside, as the windows are tinted and the person is hidden from view. This goes on for a few weeks with rife speculation as to who is inside. Three weeks from Survivor Series and a divas elimination match is scheduled. It's going to be Nikki, Brie, Alicia Fox and a semi reluctant Paige vs Sasha Banks, Naomi, Tamina and a mystery partner. On the card elsewhere, Charlotte is defending her title in an all face triple threat vs Becky Lynch vs Natalya, so they're out of contention. Two weeks away from Survivor Series and we see the Escalade roll out. Along with the big burly crew, we get an appearance from Snoop Dogg himself. He hits the ring and talks about the meaning of family and how the Bellas have the upperhand in that regard but they forgot to Bank on something. Sasha's music hits and she embraces Snoop. The commentators remind us that this must be who Sasha was talking to on the phone a few weeks ago. Snoop promises Sasha that she has the perfect partner that he handpicked from his world, their world, and that she too is a Legit Boss. The Bellas are going crazy trying to figure out who it is and try everything from hounding Steph to having a flirt with Snoop. None of it works. Come Survivor Series, the teams come out, with Team BAD coming out last. The Escalade pulls up, as we're used to now. The dudes get out and open the doors for...

They walk her to the ring with her hooded cloak up and onto the apron. She gets into the ring. Sasha Banks addresses Team Bella saying you aren't they only Total Divas around here. She then looks at Nikki Bella in particular and says ''You ain't even the dominant Nicki!''. Sasha winks at Tamina who dehoods the mystery partner Nicky Minaj to the world. Team Bella get off to a decent start getting rid of Tamina and Naomi but Paige gets into a strop with Foxy during the match and hit her with the Paige Turner and walking off, leaving her prone for the pin while the anti-diva walks off. Nicky tags in and gets the tap out with the Bank Statement. So it ends up 2 on 2 with Sasha going hell for leather and wiping out both Bellas. She's finally getting to where she belongs.

Over the next few weeks, we see Sasha and Nicky Minaj hanging out and having fun. Naomi is like a fan girl around Minaj while Tamina is just stoic throughout, finding it a little bemusing. They have some fun interaction with the New Day, who by now are just bloody loved and we've seen them do it on Twitter and such already. It comes to light that Nicky signed a two match deal with Stephanie and can invoke it at her time of choosing.

As 2016 comes in, we have Charlotte claiming she is going to make history. She has declared that she is going to do what her Daddy did and win the Royal Rumble as World Champion. She proposes a 15 Diva Royal Rumble to compliment the mens one. To be the woman, you gotta beat the woman. Entrants are Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Paige, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Alicia Fox, Sasha Banks, Tamina, Naomi, Eva Marie, Emma, Summer Rae and the reurning suprise entrants Trish Stratus and Lita. It comes down to Nikki, Charlotte, Sasha, Trish and Paige. Trish eliminates Nikki with a Chick Kick but is dumped out by Paige straight after. Paige is sent over the top rope by both remaining girls Charlotte and Sasha and loses her mind. Herself and Nikki begin hammering away on Trish. Lita comes back out to make the save but is undone by the numbers game as Team Bella's Brie and Alicia destroy the legends. Sasha and Charlotte have a back and forth but the distraction on the outside costs Sasha her concentration and Charlotte takes advantage. She has Banks on the ropes when Nikki and Brie reach up and help pull her to the floor. Security seperates the melee on the outside while Charlotte celebrates her win.

The next night, Trish and Lita are guest hosts of Raw and are basically thanking the fans for all their support. Nikki, Brie and Alicia Fox crash the party and say they're the dominat force these days and these old hags can't cut it. They remind them of the beating they gave them last night and square up to go again. Before it can happen, Sasha comes out and says that these two b*tches and their little sidekick (and she does say b*tches cost her the title last night). She goes on to say that she respects everything Lita and Trish have done and that they're both worthy Hall of Fame divas. She reminds everyone that those two ladies have main evented before the Bellas even stepped foot in a ring. She cuts to the chase, she says that yes the Bellas laid out Trish and Lita last night but that's because the numbers were in their favour. ''The last time the odds were even, do you remember what happened?'' Out comes the Escalade. Sasha looks at it. Looks at the Bella twins. Looks back at the jeep. The sunroof opens and Nicky Minaj pops up through it. Sasha points to the Wrestlemania sign and says ''Legit Bosses vs Legit B*tches, you game?'' The Bellas scream at them to bring it and the match is set.

Mr.Nice Guy

Opening

When I read the question for this semi-final there were a few names that popped into my head but one name stood out above the rest. That woman's name is Serena Williams.

I intend to explain my choice of Serena Williams in three ways. Firstly, by expounding on what I believe she will bring to the women's division; secondly, by explaining the manner in which I will involve her in the angle; and finally, by focusing on what I think the long-term gains will be from her involvement.

Why Serena?

In Serena Williams you're talking about a bona fide straight up star. This is a woman who is so dominant in her sport that even non-tennis fans know who she is. A woman with a genuine global reach. She is the current world number one, has won 36 major titles, and is a four-time Olympic gold medallist. By the time she finishes her career she may be the most decorated player in her sport. Some believe she is already the greatest in her sport.

Not only that, but the great thing is WWE have been talking about her this year. When the WWE started this 'Divas revolution', they mentioned that it was a great year for women in US sport. They mentioned the US women's soccer team, they mentioned Ronda Rousey, and they mentioned Serena Williams.

As of right now, Serena Williams is at a loose end. Having won three Grand Slams this year, she was expected to win the US Open and complete the Calendar Grand Slam...but in a shock she went out in the first round. Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has said he doesn't think she ought to play any more tournaments for the rest of the year because she is still dwelling on the loss. That is where, yours truly, head of Creative (;)) will step in to advise the McMahons to throw a wad of cash her way in order to secure her services for a training camp to prepare for a Mania match, plus several dates in 2015 to build the Mania match.

She will be trained to play her part in a basic tag match, nothing too fancy, along the lines of what Stephen Amell competed in at Summerslam. She is athletic and is unlikely to blow up gassed during the bout (especially as women's matches are generally shorter than the men's matches) and with her well-known freakishly strong physique, she will not look out of place against the opponents I give her (more on this below).

How the angle will work

Build Up

Very recently Charlotte sent out a tweet where she called on the return of the WWE Women's Championship. She might wind up in trouble for that, but in my storyline this is going to be a focal point of the angle.

Over the coming weeks the announcers will talk about how Charlotte has been doing herself proud as Divas champion and they touch on the tweet Charlotte has said about wanting to bring back the old women's title. (They also throw in plenty more subtle references to great women athletes such as Serena Williams)

Eventually in a big angle Charlotte reveals that she is fed up of being called a 'diva'. She says it's insulting to her. She says in NXT she was not a diva but a woman, and she is proud to represent all the women out there. It's a total babyface promo. She then retires the Divas Title, opens up a briefcase and reveals she is the new Women's Champion.

Nikki Bella comes out and takes offence. She says the term 'Diva' has meant something because of the likes of her. She says everything was fine before the NXT women came along. She defends the term 'Diva' in full heel mode and says if being a diva means looking out for number one, then she'll gladly be the top diva in this place. She picks up the Divas Title and declares if Charlotte is relinquishing this title, then she will gladly take up the mantle and declares herself the new Divas Champion.

So you have the two of them claiming to be the proper champion for a few months. And they each try to convince The Authority, and the other women, to support their stance. Nikki emphasizes to Stephanie that it was supposed to be a 'Divas Revolution'. Why let Charlotte ruin that?

Gradually, Nikki gains more support for the Divas Title and Charlotte becomes increasingly isolated and embattled. Stephanie decides that she will hear both Nikki and Charlotte plead their cases on next week's episode of Raw. She announces that she will make the decision on what to do.

(Note - on this Raw it will be heavily promoted that we will see the appearance of Serena Williams, but it won't be made clear that she will be involved in the women's angle. Instead it will be claimed she is there to talk about a charity thing)

Key moment

Stephanie calls out both Nikki Bella, with the Divas Title, and Charlotte, with the Women' Title, and hears them out. The ring is surrounded by supporters and Nikki has the majority (all the heels support her). Charlotte meanwhile just has Becky and Nattie in her corner now. Stephanie asks, 'Should I keep the Divas Title?' The heels around the ring do the 'yes chant' but the fans do the 'No chant'. Still, Stephanie seems like she has her mind made up and, holding up the Divas Title, declares, 'It is my duty to announce that the true rightful champion of the WWE is...'

And then Serena Williams steps out. 'Hold on a minute, Stephanie' she says as the fans cheer. She makes her way down to the ring and says she has been listening backstage. She says she knows what it takes to be a champion. She knows what it takes to be an ambassador.

'OK' says Stephanie, 'who do you think deserves to be the rightful champion?'

The fans chant for Charlotte (who is looking tearful that Stephanie seemed about to plump for Nikki). It is Nikki who interrupts and addresses Serena.

'You above all else should have my back on this one,' she says. 'After all, you've been a Diva on the tennis court for years.'

(Serena looks on unimpressed)

'Why don't you do the right thing and side with your fellow Divas, huh?'

Serena smiles and says, 'You and me have nothing in common, Nikki. (she points to Charlotte). That lady right there is a true champion. You? You're nothing but a spoiled, uppity, selfish bitch.'

The fans pop as Nikki looks shocked. She gets in Serena's face and starts jabbing her with her finger. 'Who do you think you are?' she screams. After one too many a jab, Serena pie-faces Nikki to the mat and a big melee happens. Stephanie is holding back Serena and pleading with her to be calm, as Charlotte and Nikki exchange right hands.

Stephanie then says she's decided what to do. At Royal Rumble, Charlotte and Nikki will do battle and the winner will be the sole champion of WWE. It is also revealed in the subsequent weeks that Serena Williams is going to be there at the Royal Rumble to see what happens.

Royal Rumble PPV

At the PPV, the two have their match. It is announced that Nattie has been taken out prior to the match. This weakens the odds of Charlotte and gets some Serena chants going. There is a ref bump and in the midst of all this Becky gets knocked down too. With the ref and Becky down, Team Bella begin assaulting Charlotte with the fans chanting for Serena who they will have seen earlier backstage. Of course she comes out and in a Jim Cornette-esque moment emerges with a tennis racket. She enters the ring and sends Alicia and Brie scurrying. Nikki slaps Serena, but Serena then slaps her back and a revived Charlotte then hooks up Nikki in a pin. With the ref revived, he counts the 3 count and Charlotte is the undisputed women's champion.

The Aftermath

Over the coming weeks Nikki blames Serena and Charlotte on destroying the 'Divas Division'. She says everything she built , she established, has been taken away by them.

In one key moment of the angle, it's revealed Natalya was not taken out at the Rumble but actually walked out on Charlotte. She turns heel and says Nikki was right - after all, hadn't they both been on a show called 'Total Divas'? By Charlotte dismissing the term 'Diva', wasn't she also dismissing her? She says Charlotte spat on her own career by rebranding the division. She begins laying into Serena verbally along with Nikki. They join forces.

The pay-off

It is announced that at Wrestlemania, Serena Williams will team with Charlotte to take on the team of Nikki Bella and Natalya Neidhart.

It is one of the biggest draws on the card, gains a ton of mainstream publicity, and gives a spotlight to Charlotte that she would never get in normal circumstances.

In the match itself, Serena's work is basic, but she doesn't need to do much to get a pop. A test of strength where she shoves Nikki to the mat, a square off with Natalya where she manages to use her strength to bring Natalya screaming to her knees, a hip toss, a scoop slam. These are the major moves she does. Most of her work is with Natalya and the veteran looks after her (that's a big reason why I have her in the match instead of Brie).

The finish sees Natalya charge at Serena but she dodges and Natalya flies to the outside. As Nikki goes for a rack attack, Serena wriggles free and slaps Nikki square in the jaw. She turns around into Charlotte who locks in the Figure 8 and with Nikki tapping out, both Charlotte and Serena are victorious.

The announcers put over both as having done women proud and push Charlotte heavily as a great ambassador and a champion that girls everywhere can aspire to be.

In a nice moment Ric Flair arrives (he's fighting back tears) and he hugs his daughter. He also shows Serena how to do the Flair strut and the Woooo in a moment that is sure to be beamed into TVs all around the world.

The long-term gains

In my opinion the hallmark of great celebrity involvement is whether or not the celebrity actually elevates the talent. Think of how Tyson helped elevate Austin, or Kaufman and Jerry Lawler. This is vital because it is the talent that will be there when the show is over and who will have to carry the torch.

In this scenario, Charlotte is elevated hugely as she is given a huge platform in the mainstream eye and gets to be seen joining forces with Serena and representing what is best for women. Standing against being a 'diva.' For Nikki, she gets to bring her strong heel verbal skills to a wider audience. She can dismiss the idea that Serena is dominant in her field, by harping on about being the longest reigning Divas Champion. I believe those who are not already familiar with WWE would be crying out for her to be shut up, and the makers of Total Divas would be delighted at this storyline that they can get plenty of mileage out of.

Going forward you make Charlotte the centrepiece of your brand new Women's Division. You make her the Ronda Rousey of WWE. You market her as the woman that girls want to grow up and be. No more even-Stephen booking. You treat her as a top star.

Conclusion

Serena Williams is a true sporting icon. Her involvement will have the likes of ESPN, CNN, Sky, you name it , commenting on what happened.

For Williams, she gets a big load of cash for a small few appearances, and the chance to show that she can work in an entertainment capacity in what are the twilight years of her career. For WWE and the women's division, you get a ton of momentum that can be carried forward into the post-show period to help push Charlotte, especially, as a recognizable face of women's wrestling.

Many non-wrestling fans can at least name some wrestlers. But the likelihood is that they would all be men. The aim of this program is to ensure that non-wrestling fans would at last have a woman wrestler that they can identify; not a diva, but a woman wrestler. And the publicity that this would generate would help achieve that ambitious aim.

It's about taking Serena Williams's star power and rubbing some of that stardust on the women's division.

It is for the above reasons that I hope you will endorse Serena Williams as your choice for this semi-final vote.

That was quite long, I know, so thanks for reading.

Omackeral

Interesting that we both went with tag team matches for our bouts. I think that's always a wise decision when dealing with outsiders coming in for a match or two, mask the shortcomings but leave a little wiggle room.

I had considered one or two other ladies in my approach to booking this angle but I honestly must say that the notion of Serena Williams never popped into my mind. I just don't see her as a charismatic entertainer type. Don't get me wrong, she's without a doubt at the top of her field and maybe the best tennis player of all time... but I just don't see that translating all that well to world of Pro Wrestling. There is very little crossover between the worlds of tennis and WWE, Jim Cornette's racket aside. On a social scale, I would deem tennis to be a very upper class sport. It's something you see people do at country clubs or with business partners. Then at the matches themselves, the people are generally well dressed straight laced types. Contrast this with wrestling and its audience. Wrestling fans are boisterous nutcases who make crass signs, wear all sorts of mad clothes and generally behave like lunatics. Can you imagine the good people at Wimbledon chanting ''Let's go Venus/Venus sucks!''. There's a reason why tennis stars like Sampras or Anna Kournikova have never appeared on Raw or Smackdown and it's because the worlds they inhabit are polar opposites to professional wrestling.

On the other hand, music and wrestling have got plenty in common. Where do I even begin with this? The Rock n Wrestling Connection was made in the 1980's when Hulkamania and Wrestlemania were running wild. You had acts like Honky Tonk Man and Rhythm and Blues. In the 90's you had the Public Enemy and The Gangstas and from the 2000's onwards you have had Run DMC, Ice-T, Kool Keith and Snoop Dogg, who would be involved again in my angle, recording wrestling themes for superstars. Method Man worked alongside The Rock to create "Know Your Role," a song that features the Wu Tang Clan smack-talking and The Rock's "Do you smell what The Rock is cooking?" catchphrase as the hook. In particular, I'm focusing on the genre Hip Hop and its bling culture, which ties in perfectly with Sasha Banks and Nicki Minaj. Trash-talkers exist in both the rap game and the squared circle. Hip-hop and wrestling both revolve around loud, colorful personalities who build their identities around bravado. Can the same be said of tennis players? I don't think so at all. As I've alluded to already, Minaj has character and colour in abundance while I don't think Serena warrants to much attention off the court. Onika Tanya Maraj has this Nicki Minaj character much in the same way Nicole Garcia-Colace has Nikki Bella. They both enjoy the OTT versions of themselves and love to play them out for the audience.

One of the main hooks of your angle involved Charlotte going against the term 'Diva'. I can't see that getting the go ahead. Diva is a brand name to them. Diva, in their minds, means smart sexy and powerful. They have Diva Search. They have Total Divas on the E! Network and I don't see them retiring the name. In fact, they've re-written history to suit this narrative only a few weeks ago when they insisted to us that Fabulous Moolah and Trish Stratus were former Divas Champion at Night of Champions in their hype graphics. It's hear to stay, whether you or I agree with it or not.

You got into your programme then and introduced Serena Williams as an ambassador and somewhat protagonist in the Charlotte/Nikki/Stephanie segment. You said

And then Serena Williams steps out. 'Hold on a minute, Stephanie' she says as the fans cheer.

I can't imagine her getting any sort of reaction, other than a golf clap. I've heard her do interviews and she comes across as very nice and pleasant. But she's not dynamite on the mic, far from it. She's very by the numbers and a little bit vanilla. You want your celebs personality to be over the top and to be the unique selling point of the match. If she can't rile up a crowd verbally, then it's a bit of a waste in my book. As I've said, sure she's awesome at her sport but so were Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry and they're hardly gonna bring a crowd to it's feet. Another point against her is that I wonder if the younger kids will know who she is? Will they even care?

Your angle progressed with:

It is announced that at Wrestlemania, Serena Williams will team with Charlotte to take on the team of Nikki Bella and Natalya Neidhart.
It is one of the biggest draws on the card

I'm sorry but I take major issue with this. A women's match at WrestleMania has never been one of the biggest draws of the card. The only time they've main evented was on Raw and at NXT Takeover, which I've mentioned in my own post. WrestleMania is a totally different animal. Your biggest draws are going to be John Cena, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Sting and maybe others like Stone Cold Steve Austin having involvements. A divas tag team match with Nattie Neidhart won't. I actually can't even think of a Natalya match at Wrestlemania tbh. Ironically, the only one that would be a major draw would be Ronda Rousey. Add to that that it's Charlotte and Serena Williams vs Nikki Bella and Natalya. Not exactly two teams with massive chemistry or much in common. At least with Sasha Banks and Nicky Minaj, you have the whole stylish Boss characters going on and with the Bella Twins, well you have twins! I think if you insist on using Serena Williams then logic dictates that you'd bring in her sister Venus and have them go against the Bellas (Bring in Charlotte and Alicia Fox too if you need bases). Play up who is the more dominant and successful pair of sisters. That might rouse a bit of interest but the Charlotte and Serena combo against Nikki Bella and Natalya seems to lack chemistry. Meanwhile Sasha and Nicky would be billed as the Legit Bosses, coming out in their tricked out Escalade and having that bling connection. It would most definitely be a more natural fit and I think it makes for a far more interesting programme and celebrity match.

Mr.Nice Guy

A strong and forthright first rebuttal from my opponent and I'll look to respond in kind.

I will begin this rebuttal by dealing with the issues I have about the choice of Nikki Minaj by my opponent, I'll follow up by addressing the points raised to me by my opponent, and finally I'll conclude by arguing for why I feel my choice is the better option.

My Issues with Minaj...

The choice of Nikki Minaj by Omackeral surprised me. I had expected someone athletic to be his pick. I thought Jennifer Lawrence could be an option as she's high-profile right now and does a lot of action scenes, or perhaps Gina Carano who is quite similar to the Rousey option, and I also feared he would take my planned pick of Serena Williams.

Nikki Minaj would not have been a name I would have predicted. I think when you talk about celebrity involvement there are three key issues to consider: firstly, is there a name value there? Can we market this? Secondly, can the celebrity actually hold up his or her end and do the athletic tasks required? Finally, will there be a long-term gain from the involvement. Nikki Minaj certainly fulfils the first objective, but I contend she fails on the other two points. I will hope to show why throughout this post. First of all, I will deal with some of the aspects of my opponent's plans in his original post.

Omackeral's story begins with Sasha Banks frustrated and upset at how she is being treated in WWE. She feels she is being overlooked. I liked this aspect of the story (aside from Sasha shoving Naomi and yet Team BAD continue to work together without any explanation as to why, but as that is not hugely important I'll try to disregard it). When Snoop comes on the scene though, thinks get shaky...

The next week on Raw we have Sasha meeting with Stephanie McMahon. Sasha is told by Steph that she is an asset but that she has to make her mark on the business the way Snoop Dogg has done in the music world. Sasha looks to take this on board and makes a call. ''Hey cuz it's me, Sasha, let's talk business '. It's never been explicitly stated on tv that they're related so it's kind of a nod to smart fans while keeping mystery for casuals.

What does it mean to make her mark on the wrestling business 'the way Snoop Dogg has done in the music world?' This is a bit wishy-washy to me. Does she mean make it to the top of the wrestling business? And as you go on to point out, only the smart fans know her connection to Snoop. The other ninety per cent of the audience will not have any idea why Stephanie McMahon wants Sasha Banks to be more like Snoop unless you explain why. It feels very random.

The way you go on to tease the big arrival of someone important I thought was well done. With Sasha's team losing matches and her clearly needing help, and the tinted windows etc. That bit was great but the problem is the pay-off...

Snoop promises Sasha that she has the perfect partner that he handpicked from his world, their world, and that she too is a Legit Boss. The Bellas are going crazy trying to figure out who it is and try everything from hounding Steph to having a flirt with Snoop. None of it works. Come Survivor Series, the teams come out, with Team BAD coming out last. The Escalade pulls up, as we're used to now. The dudes get out and open the doors for...

Nikki Minaj

They walk her to the ring with her hooded cloak up and onto the apron. She gets into the ring. Sasha Banks addresses Team Bella saying you aren't they only Total Divas around here. She then looks at Nikki Bella in particular and says ''You ain't even the dominant Nicki!''. Sasha winks at Tamina who dehoods the mystery partner Nicky Minaj to the world. Team Bella get off to a decent start getting rid of Tamina and Naomi but Paige gets into a strop with Foxy during the match and hit her with the Paige Turner and walking off, leaving her prone for the pin while the anti-diva walks off. Nicky tags in and gets the tap out with the Bank Statement. So it ends up 2 on 2 with Sasha going hell for leather and wiping out both Bellas. She's finally getting to where she belongs.

To be brutally honest, my reaction as a fan would be, ‘that’s it?’ This is the big help for Sasha?'

Let’s recap – your storyline is that Sasha is pissed off at being overlooked by WWE. She is frustrated. The Bellas are dominating. She has gone so far as to shove a Team BAD teammate. And so after all the big build-up with Snoop and the tinted windows and waiting to see who her cousin has got for her – a build-up I think you did a great job with – the big pay-off is that you have introduced a female pop star with absolutely no wrestling experience and no physical prowess and we are all supposed to buy that this is a step up for Sasha?

You mentioned before that speculation would be rife as to who would be inside the vehicle. I’m sure it would. No doubt fans would throw around plenty of NXT women's names – maybe the new signing Kana, or perhaps her old foe Bayley in a surprise twist, but instead you’ve given Sasha someone who, whilst admittedly likes to talk and run her mouth and style herself as a badass, has no physical presence to speak of, no athletic skills to speak of, and who will essentially have to be carried totally by Sasha.

This isn't a help to Sasha; it's a burden.

Yes she is a big name but she is not someone that anyone would fancy would cause the Bellas difficulty in a fight situation.

I mean, if Tamina Snuka - who is built like a tank - and Naomi - who is a great athlete - are deemed not good enough for Sasha, why would she be pleased at having the services of Nikki Minaj who possesses neither physical stature nor athleticism? Like I said above, as a fan this makes no sense.

Over the next few weeks, we see Sasha and Nicky Minaj hanging out and having fun. Naomi is like a fan girl around Minaj while Tamina is just stoic throughout, finding it a little bemusing. They have some fun interaction with the New Day, who by now are just bloody loved and we've seen them do it on Twitter and such already. It comes to light that Nicky signed a two match deal with Stephanie and can invoke it at her time of choosing.

Tamina’s reaction is likely to be the one most fans have. It is bemusing that Sasha has gone from initially being outraged at how she has been overlooked, going so far as to turn on her teammate, yet now because her cousin Snoop has brought in a music act who talks a big game about herself, now she is having fun? And why exactly has Stephanie signed Minaj to a two-match contract? Furthermore, why does Minaj want to compete in the ring? As some favour to Snoop? Pretty big favour to agree to physical in-ring action in order to help out his cousin. It just doesn’t add up.

As for the big match set-up:

She[Sasha] cuts to the chase, she says that yes the Bellas laid out Trish and Lita last night but that's because the numbers were in their favour. ''The last time the odds were even, do you remember what happened?'' Out comes the Escalade. Sasha looks at it. Looks at the Bella twins. Looks back at the jeep. The sunroof opens and Nicky Minaj pops up through it. Sasha points to the Wrestlemania sign and says ''Legit Bosses vs Legit B*tches, you game?'' The Bellas scream at them to bring it and the match is set.

It wouldn’t surprise me that the Bellas would be game because it feels like effectively a handicap match. You have not explained whatsoever why Minaj in the ring is a benefit to Sasha - it feels like a total handicap. Wouldn’t Sasha be better off looking for Trish or Lita as a partner? They would certainly be more popular and can work.

And to be honest the idea that Nikki Minaj would be accepted as a babyface by the audience is a stretch as well. She is a controversial figure and I could see a lot of the audience wanting to boo her. I think a lot of the audience would be uninterested in backing her as no reason has been given to do so. She seems to talk a big game for sure, but you’ve given no reason for the audience to want to see her get the upper hand, and her presentation up to now does not lead one to want to support her.

The points raised

I will now address some of the points raised by my opponent in his rebuttal...

I had considered one or two other ladies in my approach to booking this angle but I honestly must say that the notion of Serena Williams never popped into my mind. I just don't see her as a charismatic entertainer type. Don't get me wrong, she's without a doubt at the top of her field and maybe the best tennis player of all time... but I just don't see that translating all that well to world of Pro Wrestling.

Serena Williams is a sports star and an athlete. She will be more than capable of holding her own in the physical rigours of the match itself – and I’ll point out again you have not explained how Nikki Minaj will handle this athletic requirement – and as for her not being charismatic, she makes a ton of money from merch sales, she is the face of her sport in the US, she’s crossed into the mainstream of society with appearances on talk shows, reality TV shows, even popping up on The Simpsons at one point, all this is the kind of reach most wrestlers could only dream of.

And on the point you make about tennis being upper class, honestly that point might be valid in the UK for instance, but not the US. The Williams sisters grew up in very difficult surroundings in Compton, which is a crime-ridden suburb, and I think she even lost a sister to a shooting. This is not a woman that grew up on crumpets and tea like Tim Henman. If there were a necessity to win over wavering fans about her presence, simply having the announcers point this out would accomplish that

You furthermore went into great detail about the links of music and wrestling but no one suggests otherwise. I find that a bit of a smokescreen tbh. Whether we’re talking about music performers or sports performers, they have to bring something to the table. What is Minaj bringing besides the ‘character and colour’ as you call it. Does she have any athleticism? Can you convince a Wrestlemania crowd, the most passionate of fan crowds, that Nikki Minaj can hold her own in a physical contest?

One of the main hooks of your angle involved Charlotte going against the term 'Diva'. I can't see that getting the go ahead. Diva is a brand name to them. Diva, in their minds, means smart sexy and powerful. They have Diva Search. They have Total Divas on the E! Network and I don't see them retiring the name. In fact, they've re-written history to suit this narrative only a few weeks ago when they insisted to us that Fabulous Moolah and Trish Stratus were former Divas Champion at Night of Champions in their hype graphics. It's hear to stay, whether you or I agree with it or not.

Seems a bit odd to say what we can and can’t do in what are both hypothetical situations, but I’ll just point out that on NXT the term ‘diva’ is not used. And brands can always be rebranded in WWE. In my storyline I’m not actually thrashing the term outright, I first start a debate about what it means and invite fans to choose whose side of the fence they fall on. Something that would be much better than the 'Divas Revoution' stuff which fans known is phony and contrived by the company.

I can't imagine her getting any sort of reaction, other than a golf clap. I've heard her do interviews and she comes across as very nice and pleasant. But she's not dynamite on the mic, far from it. She's very by the numbers and a little bit vanilla. You want your celebs personality to be over the top and to be the unique selling point of the match. If she can't rile up a crowd verbally, then it's a bit of a waste in my book. As I've said, sure she's awesome at her sport but so were Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry and they're hardly gonna bring a crowd to it's feet. Another point against her is that I wonder if the younger kids will know who she is? Will they even care?

With respect, this assessment doesn’t sound like you have listened to her. She has shown plenty of personality when interviewed at Wimbledon for instance, and can crack a joke and have a laugh at herself. On the other hand, she can also show fierce intensity when pissed off as has been seen in her clashes with judges on court.

To make references to Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, two men renowned as being very plain in a sport that prides itself on being measured and toned down, is a bit of a cheap comparison in all honesty. Serena Williams possesses more personality than the majority of women on the roster.

I'm sorry but I take major issue with this. A women's match at WrestleMania has never been one of the biggest draws of the card. The only time they've main evented was on Raw and at NXT Takeover, which I've mentioned in my own post. WrestleMania is a totally different animal. Your biggest draws are going to be John Cena, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, Sting and maybe others like Stone Cold Steve Austin having involvements. A divas tag team match with Nattie Neidhart won't. I actually can't even think of a Natalya match at Wrestlemania tbh.

This argument doesn’t add up because my simple response to you would be to name me a women’s match at Wrestlemania where there has been a top star name involved? Are you seriously suggesting that the involvement of Serena Williams in a match, which is capped off by her doing the Wooo and strutting with Ric Flair and Charlotte in the ring, is not going to attract the interest of the likes of ESPN, NBC, etc? Of course it would. That is why she would be a draw. You mentioned Rollins as a draw. I like Seth Rollins a lot, he's great, but you’re not seriously suggesting he has more of name value with the mainstream public than Serena Williams, are you?

Add to that that it's Charlotte and Serena Williams vs Nikki Bella and Natalya. Not exactly two teams with massive chemistry or much in common. At least with Sasha Banks and Nicky Minaj, you have the whole stylish Boss characters going on and with the Bella Twins, well you have twins! I think if you insist on using Serena Williams then logic dictates that you'd bring in her sister Venus and have them go against the Bellas (Bring in Charlotte and Alicia Fox too if you need bases). Play up who is the more dominant and successful pair of sisters. That might rouse a bit of interest but the Charlotte and Serena combo against Nikki Bella and Natalya seems to lack chemistry. Meanwhile Sasha and Nicky would be billed as the Legit Bosses, coming out in their tricked out Escalade and having that bling connection. It would most definitely be a more natural fit and I think it makes for a far more interesting programme and celebrity match.

What does being a ‘stylish Boss character’ actually mean? In my angle you have a very easy story to tell. Two women, Charlotte and Serena, who want to fight to represent strong women and the qualities of being a fighting champion – versus two women, Nikki Bella and Natalya, who rubbish that notion and instead take pride in being called ‘divas’. Who shrug their shoulders at being called selfish and bitchy. It’s a straightforward tale of good versus evil and could be easily hyped on talk shows like Conan O’Brien etc.

How do you hype your story? If Nikki Minaj is on Conan or The Tonight Show and has to sell her bout, how does she do it? ‘Well, we’re two stylish boss characters?’ There’s nothing there that is going to get fans involved. Nothing to have them eager to see the Bellas silenced. At least in my storyline you have a basic premise that people can easily grasp: Serena and Charlotte want to shut up these two bitchy ladies and show represent powerful women with respect.

The stuff you added about Venus being involved doesn’t add up either. Come on, they are not joined at the hip or anything. Throwing them together like you suggest would not make sense and these angles ought to have some stream of logic to them. In your scenario, Minaj comes on the scene, is given a contract from Stephanie for no reason, and we as fans are just supposed to accept that she is a legit threat to the Bellas, much moreso than Naomi or Tamina would be.

And that brings me to a final point – I deliberately chose Natalya to be involved because I wanted someone I could trust in there to work with Serena. A trusty hand in the ring. You have not taken that into consideration. Your match has Brie and Nikki Bellas as Minaj’s opponents. I don't think you have considered how horrible that could be. Think about it: Brie Bella and Nikki Minaj in the ring? The fans at Mania will give that a torrid time.

Summation

I will give my opponent credit in that I think the way he built his storyline was mostly very well done. The sense of anticipation with the car and the tinted windows, the speculation, that was well handled, but the pick and the pay-off I regard as a disappointment.

It has not been explained why Sasha should be thrilled about having Nikki Minaj as her partner. A woman with no athletic credentials or strong physical prowess to speak of.

It has not been explained why Sasha would consider Nikki Minaj an improvement over Tamina and Naomi.

And it has not been explained why the match involving Nikki would be a success. I would worry pairing Minaj off with the Bellas would be a Botchamania video waiting to happen.

Before I hand over to my opponent for his final rebuttal, I will leave him with this: I’m a big fan of Sasha Banks. I’m less keen on the Bellas but I feel they do their heel work sufficienty. As for Nikki Minaj, she doesn’t interest me at all. Her music is not my type of music and whenever I’ve seen her interviewed I’ve found her pretty stuck-up and hard to like. I don’t suppose I am the only wrestling fan that would have this impression. How then do you propose to win over people like myself who will find her presence in WWE hard to take? Why should those of us cynical about her involvement embrace her presence? And finally, and I feel this is essential, how is the WWE women’s division going to be a better place afterwards when she departs the scene? Where is the benefit?

I feel that in my scenario you get a woman in Serena Williams who can handle the physical aspects satisfactorily; who won’t be gassed. You get a storyline that is very easy to sell to the mainstream public. And at the end of it all, in the Serena storyline, you get a big rub to pass on to the women’s division and a Wrestlemania moment involving Charlotte and Flair and Serena that can be played in Mania montages for years to come.

I hope you take these factors into consideration when you make your final vote.

Thanks again for reading.

Omackeral

I'm not gonna write an essay here about why I think my choice is more entertaining than yours. I'm gonna reiterate a few of my points and address some of your issues with mine. My choice focuses on a more character based storyline with a definite nod to the pageantry and over the topness that is Wrestlemania. Its arc goes from before Survivor Series right through to the big event itself and can leave some ramifications for afterwords, which will leave Sasha Banks in a higher position than she's ever been and ready to spearhead the Diva's division, along side Charlotte.

My Issues with Minaj...


The choice of Nikki Minaj by Omackeral surprised me. I had expected someone athletic to be his pick.

To call Minaj anything other than athletic is nonsense. Now I don't want to go posting pictures/video as I feel that's in poor spirit outside of an opening post but if you've seen her videos for Ring The Alarm and Anaconda, you would know that she is in absolute top notch shape whether it's in a bikini or tight gym wear. She is an amazing specimen to look at and has obviously worked hard to look that way. Add to that the fact that her shows go on for hours on stage, which again involve athleticism and stamina in abundance. Not for a minute am I saying she's up to par fitness with Serena Williams, but a Divas match at Mania typically last 8 or 9 minutes, with other competitors taking up an equal amount of the physical tasks. Her lack of fitness/athleticism is a non issue here.

I think when you talk about celebrity involvement there are three key issues to consider: firstly, is there a name value there? Can we market this?

Absolutely there is. As stated in the OP, Nicki Minaj is one of the more recognisable women in the entertainment business. She has millions of followers on sites like Twitter and Instagram and has been in the Top 10 Most Googled Women on numerous occasions. She is ridiculously marketable. She's known for for outlandish looks, creative pageantry and all round cool vibe. She's been called the black Lady Gaga on the creative front. You went on to mention mainstream media attention. I think wrestling in general doesn't get much of this but when it does, it's pretty much tongue in cheek. I think outlets like TMZ and E! Entertainment would absolutely love to jump on the bandwagon of a Nicki Minaj Wrestlemania appearance. I think lads in the 16-35 demographic would pull in their girlfriend to see this too. As a hunch, I think Steph McMahon would personally love this too and could sell it to her father as legit mainstream exposure. Serena on the other hand? Again, she's too straight laced and legitimate to get into the world of WWE. I feel the sports networks would openly deride her if she showed up for a match to be honest. On the marketability front she is a marketable sportswoman, not necessarily a marketable character, which let's face it, that's what wrestling is. Plus I've already mentioned that there's been zero crossover between pro wrestling and the world of tennis and, for my, money, there's a reason. Outside of John McEnroe decades ago, tennis lacks characters. They're just bland in the greater schemes of things. Boxers like Floyd 'Money' Mayweather are fantastic trash talkers, ditto our very own Conor McGregor. I'm just not seeing it.

Secondly, can the celebrity actually hold up his or her end and do the athletic tasks required?

Wrestlemania 27 had a multiperson match including a female celebrity in pretty much the same vain as this question asks for. The participants in this match were Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool and Layla vs John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki of Jersey Shore fame. Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi is just over 4 foot 6 inches tall and, without being cruel, doesn't look like a trimmed supermodel. She managed to play a part in a match that went on for 3 plus minutes with out making a botchfest of it. I don't think it's beyond comprehension that the much more interesting, athletic and talented Nicki Minaj can, at the very least, equal that. With all due respect, you should get your notions of major Wrestlemania draw out of your head when it comes to a Divas tag match. It's just not going to be one, unless it's Ronda Rousey.

Finally, will there be a long-term gain from the involvement.

The question never asked about long term gains. It asked for us to provide a story up to and including Wrestlemania 32. Did Lawrence Taylor defeating Bigelow lead to any long term gains? Did Mayweather besting Big Show lead to anything? However, the natural progression from this angle is that Sasha Banks looks like an even bigger deal star power wise after solidifying and legitimising her character, the one you keep attempting to play down. She's the Legit Boss. She's this uber cool chick who gets business done. She's stylish, she's beautiful and dangerous. She's ridden in escalades, she's wears bling (which is a goldmine merch-wise, excuse the pun), she rocks the Kanye style glasses. Arguably she's the most standout girl on the roster. Anyway from here, she goes on to proclaim herself the number one contender to Charlotte's WWE Divas Championship after Charlotte has succesfully defended on Mania vs Becky Lynch, Paige and Natalya. So the long term here is that Sasha gets to solidify her character and rise up to start a programme with Charlotte, who you'll notice she was paired of with in the last two of the Divas Royal Rumble with. It's a fresh arc in that they've been kept apart but still have all the foundations of a good summer series. It writes itself.

Nikki Minaj certainly fulfils the first objective, but I contend she fails on the other two points.

I'm glad you agree with the first point. I disagree she fails on the other two fronts and hope that I've explained that clearly and with good narration.

When Snoop comes on the scene though, thinks get shaky...

What does it mean to make her mark on the wrestling business 'the way Snoop Dogg has done in the music world?' This is a bit wishy-washy to me. Does she mean make it to the top of the wrestling business? And as you go on to point out, only the smart fans know her connection to Snoop. The other ninety per cent of the audience will not have any idea why Stephanie McMahon wants Sasha Banks to be more like Snoop unless you explain why. It feels very random.

I meant up and until that point it hasn't been mentioned on TV. (I still don't think it has, although I'm open to correction on that.) Smart fans will have known they're cousins so it's a cool thing to see it finally said whereas it's a mystery revelation to those who weren't already smartened up. I could have worded it better, my bad. As far as the 'make your mark' quote being wishy-washy goes, it's just a generic pump-you-up type encouragement phrase.

The way you go on to tease the big arrival of someone important I thought was well done. With Sasha's team losing matches and her clearly needing help, and the tinted windows etc.

Thanks for that, it's great to get some admiration from your opponent. Really appreciate the words there.

That bit was great but the problem is the pay-off...

Let’s recap – your storyline is that Sasha is pissed off at being overlooked by WWE. She is frustrated. The Bellas are dominating. She has gone so far as to shove a Team BAD teammate. And so after all the big build-up with Snoop and the tinted windows and waiting to see who her cousin has got for her – a build-up I think you did a great job with – the big pay-off is that you have introduced a female pop star with absolutely no wrestling experience and no physical prowess and we are all supposed to buy that this is a step up for Sasha?

It's entertainment. It gets people talking. Maybe some of us don't buy it as a step up but maybe we're intrigued as to just what the hell this chick can do. As said before, if 4 foot nothing Snooki can do a capable job, so can Nicki, just with 20 times more name value and exposure. Look at Maria Menounos, she's had a divas tag match on the Grandest Stage of Them All. This trumps that by a country mile to be honest before anyone even steps into the ring at Mania. From a storyline point of view, it's a step up in that Naomi and Tamina have been losing their matches in singles, tag and 6 women tags whereas Sasha hasn't. That's why she needs assistance.

Yes she is a big name but she is not someone that anyone would fancy to cause the Bellas difficulty in a fight situation.
I mean, if Tamina Snuka - who is built like a tank - and Naomi - who is a great athlete - are deemed not good enough for Sasha, why would she be pleased at having the services of Nikki Minaj who possesses neither physical stature nor athleticism? Like I said above, as a fan this makes no sense.

And as I've said, Tamina the Tank and Naomi the super athlete have been looking at the lights in their singles and tag bouts. The Bellas have been using cheating and twin magic etc but that doesn't wash with Sasha so she's trying a new approach. The Bellas are facing the unknown. We, the public, are facing the unknown. What's gonna happen? Better tune in and find out. Your missus might just want to as well to see Nicki Minaj do the wrestling. Exposure to a new fanbase potentially if they like what they see. All pluses.

It wouldn’t surprise me that the Bellas would be game because it feels like effectively a handicap match. You have not explained whatsoever why Minaj in the ring is a benefit to Sasha - it feels like a total handicap.

If the Bellas are game then that's great, he have ourselves a tag match where the heels are confident of hammering this celeb (which has always been the way) yet may get more than they bargain for. As far as hindrances and handicaps go, again great for the antagonists to reference that. Let them be their mean girl selves. It adds to the occasion. In reality, we'll have 3 divas, 4 if you include Alicia Fox, that have been in this game a decent number of years. They're more than capable of holding together a passable match, which is all we're looking for. We're not looking for a 4* classic, we're looking for something to entice the casual and at the same time giving Sasha Banks a great Wrestlemania launchpad to kickstart her summer series with Charlotte, with Becky, Paige and maybe Bayley hovering around there too

And to be honest the idea that Nikki Minaj would be accepted as a babyface by the audience is a stretch as well. She is a controversial figure and I could see a lot of the audience wanting to boo her. I think a lot of the audience would be uninterested in backing her as no reason has been given to do so. She seems to talk a big game for sure, but you’ve given no reason for the audience to want to see her get the upper hand, and her presentation up to now does not lead one to want to support her.

She's going against the Team Bella. That will default make you a babyface. Add to that she's aligned with the super over Sasha Banks. She's a great character and, as you said, talks a big game. Talk some smack to the Bellas and you'll have the people onside, without doubt.

I will now address some of the points raised by my opponent in his rebuttal...

And on the point you make about tennis being upper class, honestly that point might be valid in the UK for instance, but not the US. The Williams sisters grew up in very difficult surroundings in Compton, which is a crime-ridden suburb, and I think she even lost a sister to a shooting.

The Williams sisters actually aren't from Compton, they're from Michigan. They moved there when they were kids and were home schooled by their parents, not out in the ghettos. They moved to Florida a couple of years later. Besides, they'd not mention the murder of Yutunde Price I'm guessing. The class thing is valid in the UK and is certainly valid in the US too. Tennis is a country club sport, much like Golf. It conjures up images of people in sweaters in these massive estates, a world away from Pro Wrestling. Remember Kirwan White, the Chavo Guererro character? These are the types of people the majority of the audience would associate with those kind of sports. Quite simply, there's a disconnect. There's no crossover between the two universes. That's why there's never been a tennis or golf star on WWE programming. There's no audience for it. There's no want for it.

With respect, this assessment doesn’t sound like you have listened to her. She has shown plenty of personality when interviewed at Wimbledon for instance, and can crack a joke and have a laugh at herself. On the other hand, she can also show fierce intensity when pissed off as has been seen in her clashes with judges on court.

Well you're basically calling me a liar so! I have listened to her. She's nice, she's humble, she's agreeable. Nothing riveting though. She also gives thanks to God Almighty far more than I'd care to listen to. Anyone can show intensity when they're locked into a dueling bout that they've been preparing for their whole life. How would that translate to the ring? It's not real combat, no need to get p*ssed off at referees.

To make references to Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, two men renowned as being very plain in a sport that prides itself on being measured and toned down, is a bit of a cheap comparison in all honesty. Serena Williams possesses more personality than the majority of women on the roster.

Ok I'll take your criticism of me selecting Davis and Hendry. Fair enough, that was maybe unfair. I won't accept that she has more personality than the majority of women in WWE though. Frankly, that's ludacris. Paige, Summer Rae, Lana, Brie, Nikki, Naomi, Sasha, Becky Lynch, Alicia Fox all have personality in abundance. That's without mentioning NXT ladies like Bayley, Carmella and Blue Pants.

This argument doesn’t add up because my simple response to you would be to name me a women’s match at Wrestlemania where there has been a top star name involved? Are you seriously suggesting that the involvement of Serena Williams in a match, which is capped off by her doing the Wooo and strutting with Ric Flair and Charlotte in the ring, is not going to attract the interest of the likes of ESPN, NBC, etc? Of course it would. That is why she would be a draw. You mentioned Rollins as a draw. I like Seth Rollins a lot, he's great, but you’re not seriously suggesting he has more of name value with the mainstream public than Serena Williams, are you?

When you mention a female tennis star in the same breath as mentioning the WWE World Heavyweight Champion as a draw, you lose interest from me I'm afraid. It's WrestleMania. End of the day, it'll be his name on the marquee miles ahead of hers. She'll be in the small print. I shouldn't even have to address that.

I deliberately chose Natalya to be involved because I wanted someone I could trust in there to work with Serena. A trusty hand in the ring. You have not taken that into consideration. Your match has Brie and Nikki Bellas as Minaj’s opponents. I don't think you have considered how horrible that could be. Think about it: Brie Bella and Nikki Minaj in the ring? The fans at Mania will give that a torrid time.

Already been over this but to cover the point again, Brie and Nicki in the ring would be no different to Snooki and Layla in the ring. In reality it's gonna be a near 7 minute tag match with Sasha doing the bulk of the work for her team, which is no bother for seen as she's gearing up to do a main event 30 minute Ironman man match next week. Nikki Bella and Brie can have decent matches. Natalya can too, granted, but she's just bereft of personality unfortunately, which is why I omitted her from my list of charismatic divas when comparing them to Serena.

Before I hand over to my opponent for his final rebuttal, I will leave him with this: I’m a big fan of Sasha Banks. I’m less keen on the Bellas but I feel they do their heel work sufficienty. As for Nikki Minaj, she doesn’t interest me at all. Her music is not my type of music and whenever I’ve seen her interviewed I’ve found her pretty stuck-up and hard to like. I don’t suppose I am the only wrestling fan that would have this impression. How then do you propose to win over people like myself who will find her presence in WWE hard to take? Why should those of us cynical about her involvement embrace her presence? And finally, and I feel this is essential, how is the WWE women’s division going to be a better place afterwards when she departs the scene? Where is the benefit?

I'll hit back here by saying tennis doesn't appeal to me at all. You could offer me free tickets to Wimbledon and I'd snub them. I've never been entertained by a tennis player off the court. Federer, Nadal, Sampras, Aggasi, Graf, Hingis. I couldn't tell you anything awesome they've ever done. Never grabbed my attention. Ditto for Serena. In fact, I probably would be hard pressed to tell you which Williams sister was which such is my lack of interest in them. You go on to say that you suppose you're not the only fan that couldn't take to Minaj. Fair enough, that's your shout and I'm sure there's others like you. What I will say though is that there are many who would. The two worlds of Hip Hop and wrestling match up and cross over much more than the no nonsense world of tennis. In fact, wrestling and hip hop is almost all nonsense. Big characters with big mouths bigging up their big achievements. As far as how it will benefit in the long term? Again we weren't asked to allow for that but I've already explained that it will give that inter demographic appeal to more female fans as well as giving Sasha a big rub from the Mania attention with Snoop and Nicki. Banks would go on feud with Charlotte, whom she has been kept separate from, and it would result in a nice fresh programme.


To finish up, I'm going to ask all of you folks here one question. Which Wrestlemania programme do you honestly think would be more entertaining to see play out on screen? The one with the already pushed legacy Charlotte Flair coming out on top again or the one with the Legit Boss launching her career on the biggest stage of all. My money's on Banks.

Mr.Nice Guy

This is my final contribution to the debate so I’ll begin by paying tribute to my opponent Omackeral who has given a forceful and impassioned argument, as I knew he would.

I’ll use my final rebuttal by firstly addressing the points raised by my opponent in his rebuttal, before summarizing my issues with my opponent's choice, and lastly my final pitch in the hope of earning your support.

The points raised

To call Minaj anything other than athletic is nonsense. Now I don't want to go posting pictures/video as I feel that's in poor spirit outside of an opening post but if you've seen her videos for Ring The Alarm and Anaconda, you would know that she is in absolute top notch shape whether it's in a bikini or tight gym wear. She is an amazing specimen to look at and has obviously worked hard to look that way. Add to that the fact that her shows go on for hours on stage, which again involve athleticism and stamina in abundance. Not for a minute am I saying she's up to par fitness with Serena Williams, but a Divas match at Mania typically last 8 or 9 minutes, with other competitors taking up an equal amount of the physical tasks. Her lack of fitness/athleticism is a non issue here.

It is of course for the voters to determine the soundness of our arguments, but if you are suggesting that looking aesthetically pleasing and in shape is a good enough justification for giving Nikki Minaj a two-match contract and trusting her in the ring versus the Bellas, this seems to me a very dubious claim. We have seen many women in the past who look fantastically well and in shape – Eva Marie – for instance, but that is no guarantee that they can hold their own in a Wrestlemania match. Eva Marie has had wrestling training and I would not trust her in a Mania match yet with the Bellas, whilst Nikki Minaj has no athletic experience or training and yet you tell us she will do just fine in there. You say it's a non issue. This is fanciful stuff. It only takes 8 or 9 minutes to have a bad match, to get gassed. The Survivor lady in TNA – Jenna – went into the match looking in shape, like she’d been to a gym before, and she had one of the worst matches in history (minus five stars). This is what you are risking with this Nikki Minaj venture.

Plus I've already mentioned that there's been zero crossover between pro wrestling and the world of tennis and, for my, money, there's a reason. Outside of John McEnroe decades ago, tennis lacks characters. They're just bland in the greater schemes of things. Boxers like Floyd 'Money' Mayweather are fantastic trash talkers, ditto our very own Conor McGregor. I'm just not seeing it.

As I pointed out in my opening post, the WWE HAVE been referencing Serena Williams the past few months while hyping their Divas Revolution; they mentioned Serena Williams, the US women’s soccer team, Ronda Rousey. That’s what I believe makes Serena Williams a useful option – because it fits into an emphasis of pushing strong, powerful women. As a character, Williams is one of the most talked about in the history of her sport. Her outbursts on court, outside-sport activities, etc. As a character she will hold her own.

Wrestlemania 27 had a multiperson match including a female celebrity in pretty much the same vain as this question asks for. The participants in this match were Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool and Layla vs John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki of Jersey Shore fame. Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi is just over 4 foot 6 inches tall and, without being cruel, doesn't look like a trimmed supermodel. She managed to play a part in a match that went on for 3 plus minutes with out making a botchfest of it. I don't think it's beyond comprehension that the much more interesting, athletic and talented Nicki Minaj can, at the very least, equal that. With all due respect, you should get your notions of major Wrestlemania draw out of your head when it comes to a Divas tag match. It's just not going to be one, unless it's Ronda Rousey.

Couple of problems with this – you haven’t mentioned how Nikki Minaj is in anyway athletic other than that in her videos she looks like she has been to a gym. If being to a gym were a sign of a solid worker then practically every woman in WWE history would be a solid worker – which is not the case. The main spot I recall from the Snooki match was the flip she did into the turnbuckle – could Minaj do something like that? After a match that had gone 8 to 9 minutes as you say? Highly unlikely.

Also, the match above was six people with two partners to help Snooki and carry the load – a man and a woman. In your scenario, like mine, it’s a regular two-on-two women's match. It’s much more difficult to prevent people being exposed here. Minaj will have to be in the ring for a good couple of minutes at least – and I think you know it has the potential to be awful.

The question never asked about long term gains. It asked for us to provide a story up to and including Wrestlemania 32. Did Lawrence Taylor defeating Bigelow lead to any long term gains? Did Mayweather besting Big Show lead to anything?

I find that an extraordinary statement. There most certainly ought to be long-term gains from inviting a celebrity. In the examples you gave, no the Taylor match didn’t really provide long-term gains but then it’s not a fondly remembered Mania main event, is it? Show/Mayweather I think did actually help Show to a small extent as he proved an attraction to outside audiences and got some momentum at the time. But what about the more famous celebrity involvement I mentioned before? Austin and Tyson? Kaufman and Lawler? Here’s a few more: Trump and the hair angle, Mr T – a big help to Wrestlemania – these are the celebrity acts that work. The ones where there is a long-term gain, or 'Wrestlemania moments' for lack of a better term. The fact you deride this as unimportant I think exposes the weaknesses in the choice of Minaj tbh.

However, the natural progression from this angle is that Sasha Banks looks like an even bigger deal star power wise after solidifying and legitimising her character, the one you keep attempting to play down. She's the Legit Boss. She's this uber cool chick who gets business done. She's stylish, she's beautiful and dangerous. She's ridden in escalades, she's wears bling (which is a goldmine merch-wise, excuse the pun), she rocks the Kanye style glasses. Arguably she's the most standout girl on the roster. Anyway from here, she goes on to proclaim herself the number one contender to Charlotte's WWE Divas Championship after Charlotte has succesfully defended on Mania vs Becky Lynch, Paige and Natalya. So the long term here is that Sasha gets to solidify her character and rise up to start a programme with Charlotte, who you'll notice she was paired of with in the last two of the Divas Royal Rumble with. It's a fresh arc in that they've been kept apart but still have all the foundations of a good summer series. It writes itself.

There’s nothing of substance in what you say. You have just repeated all the sayings and presentation that she has now. How has she benefitted in any way from having Nikki Minaj on the scene? The answer is she hasn’t. The brutal truth is you have saddled a great worker like Sasha with a total poser in Nikki Minaj. Someone who will be a burden to carry for Sasha as she has no athleticism to speak of. Looking tough and ‘street’ in a hip-hop video is one thing, but in a wrestling ring you will have to actually show toughness. It’s supposed to be a fight. Minaj will be brutally exposed.

It's entertainment. It gets people talking. Maybe some of us don't buy it as a step up but maybe we're intrigued as to just what the hell this chick can do. As said before, if 4 foot nothing Snooki can do a capable job, so can Nicki, just with 20 times more name value and exposure. Look at Maria Menounos, she's had a divas tag match on the Grandest Stage of Them All. This trumps that by a country mile to be honest before anyone even steps into the ring at Mania. From a storyline point of view, it's a step up in that Naomi and Tamina have been losing their matches in singles, tag and 6 women tags whereas Sasha hasn't. That's why she needs assistance.

It will get people talking but with all due respect what they say won’t be very flattering. The IWC – who let’s be honest will be well represented at the Mania show Minaj will appear in – will slate this big time. It is completely left-field and you don’t even have to be a so-called ‘smart fan’ to wonder how Minaj could be considered by Sasha a great asset in her fight with the Bellas when she has no athletic credentials and is not very imposing physically.

I agree with you the way you presented it leaves Sasha needing assistance. And like I said before, I’m sure the build-up over numerous weeks would have people wondering who the wrestler is that Sasha will bring in, who will be this step up in quality over Tamina and Naomi, and then the reveal of someone from the music biz world will just not make any sense. You'll get an initial pop, followed by confused looks.

People will say, ‘Nikki Minaj is going to beat up the Bellas? When a tank like Tamina couldn’t? When someone as agile as Naomi couldn’t? This was Snoop's big solution? And Sasha is happy about this?’

And as I've said, Tamina the Tank and Naomi the super athlete have been looking at the lights in their singles and tag bouts. The Bellas have been using cheating and twin magic etc but that doesn't wash with Sasha so she's trying a new approach. The Bellas are facing the unknown. We, the public, are facing the unknown. What's gonna happen? Better tune in and find out. Your missus might just want to as well to see Nicki Minaj do the wrestling. Exposure to a new fanbase potentially if they like what they see. All pluses.

But my point is if someone built like a tank and someone who is super athletic can’t get the job done, how on earth is a music act coming on the scene who is NOT built like a tank and NOT super athletic in any way an improvement? It’s insulting to the audience to suggest she is. And the die-hard fans who will go to Mania won’t swallow it.

I get that your aim is a new approach but there has to be a logic to it. Some thread of believability. And I feel this idea fails on that score.

If the Bellas are game then that's great, he have ourselves a tag match where the heels are confident of hammering this celeb (which has always been the way) yet may get more than they bargain for. As far as hindrances and handicaps go, again great for the antagonists to reference that. Let them be their mean girl selves. It adds to the occasion. In reality, we'll have 3 divas, 4 if you include Alicia Fox, that have been in this game a decent number of years. They're more than capable of holding together a passable match, which is all we're looking for. We're not looking for a 4* classic, we're looking for something to entice the casual and at the same time giving Sasha Banks a great Wrestlemania launchpad to kickstart her summer series with Charlotte, with Becky, Paige and maybe Bayley hovering around there too.

This is where I feel the storyline goes awry. The build-up that you gave, which was well done, involved the Bellas being dominant and making Sasha miserable. Sasha was frustrated, had taken out her frustrations on her own teammates even, and had eventually called her cousin Snoop in order for support. Snoop came on the scene and there was a promise of a massive help to Sasha. Then the big reveal came and we learned the help was: Nikki Minaj, a music performer.

Logically, Sasha should have got help that would have fans thinking, ‘Yes! NOW the tables have been turned on those Bellas! Now they’re gonna get their comeuppance!”

But now you say above that if the ‘Bellas are game then that’s great we have ourselves a tag match where the heels are confident of hammering this celeb (which has always been the way) yet may get more than they bargain for”

So you’ve essentially admitted that Minaj is a burden to Sasha. She is no help at all. Now you acknowledge that the Bellas would be feeling good going into this match. This is all backwards from the way it should be logically.

And on the match itself, no we’re not looking for a classic but we need a match that will not prove a dud, and this match, if presented as you plan, has a great chance of being one.

She's going against the Team Bella. That will default make you a babyface. Add to that she's aligned with the super over Sasha Banks. She's a great character and, as you said, talks a big game. Talk some smack to the Bellas and you'll have the people onside, without doubt.

I think this is wishful thinking. Sasha will be massively over no doubt, but every time Minaj is tagged in she will get huge boos. Even the unpopular Bellas will be cheered over her, I reckon, because fans will at least think, ‘well they’re wrestlers at least. One of ours.’

I feel like a lot more than talking smack is needed to get her on side with the fans and I’m not convinced anything presented so far would have fans supporting her.

Well you're basically calling me a liar so! I have listened to her. She's nice, she's humble, she's agreeable. Nothing riveting though. She also gives thanks to God Almighty far more than I'd care to listen to. Anyone can show intensity when they're locked into a dueling bout that they've been preparing for their whole life. How would that translate to the ring? It's not real combat, no need to get p*ssed off at referees.

Williams has personality; she has tenacity. And I think that fire can definitely be translated to the ring. She has given interviews all her life, and is an imposing figure in her own right. She can more than hold her own against Nikki Bella.

I like that you acknowledge too that she is nice, humble and agreeable. These of course are qualities that somebody in a babyface role ought to possess. She would complement Charlotte nicely, I maintain. In contrast, these are not qualities that could be said of Nikki Minaj, and are one of the reasons why I think Minaj could be booed out of the building.

Ok I'll take your criticism of me selecting Davis and Hendry. Fair enough, that was maybe unfair. I won't accept that she has more personality than the majority of women in WWE though. Frankly, that's ludacris. Paige, Summer Rae, Lana, Brie, Nikki, Naomi, Sasha, Becky Lynch, Alicia Fox all have personality in abundance. That's without mentioning NXT ladies like Bayley, Carmella and Blue Pants.

Well, firstly, I thank you for your honesty. I would point out there are some women there you haven’t named such as Tamina, Cameron, Rosa Mendes, Emma and Eva Marie; and I’d also say a lot of the women above in my opinion lack ‘babyface fire’ : Brie, Alicia Fox, Summer Rae for instance. But in the spirit of honesty, I’ll acknowledge that it’s a contentious point that Williams has more personality than the majority of the women on the roster. I'll withdraw that. I should say that she has in my estimation more personality than a lot of the women on the roster.

When you mention a female tennis star in the same breath as mentioning the WWE World Heavyweight Champion as a draw, you lose interest from me I'm afraid. It's WrestleMania. End of the day, it'll be his name on the marquee miles ahead of hers. She'll be in the small print. I shouldn't even have to address that.

With respect, it doesn’t sound like you appreciate what makes a draw. I think I’m right in saying the biggest buyrate for a Mania was the one where Donald Trump was involved in the hair match. He was an undoubted draw that year, regardless of what one thinks of him. And Serena Williams is a huge mainstream draw who will also gain massive interest from the likes of ESPN. To say she would be on the small print of the show is absurd. She would attract interest from outlets that otherwise might not be interested.

Already been over this but to cover the point again, Brie and Nicki in the ring would be no different to Snooki and Layla in the ring. In reality it's gonna be a near 7 minute tag match with Sasha doing the bulk of the work for her team, which is no bother for seen as she's gearing up to do a main event 30 minute Ironman man match next week. Nikki Bella and Brie can have decent matches. Natalya can too, granted, but she's just bereft of personality unfortunately, which is why I omitted her from my list of charismatic divas when comparing them to Serena.

Now you've moved to say it will be a near 7 minute match you’re offering whereas before it was 8 or 9 minutes. It sounds like it’s unavoidable that Minaj will be horribly exposed. And if Sasha as a babyface is doing the bulk of the work for her team, will that mean Minaj will have the role of taking the hot tag and running wild? Whatever way you structure it, with the fan’s reactions, and the fact you’re pairing her off with the Bellas, I believe it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

And your point about overlooking Natalya because she’s bereft of a personality I found hard to credit. I think the reality is you overlooked the importance of having a ‘solid ring hand’ in there with the celebrity. Minaj going up against Brie Bella won’t do either woman any favours. Plus, the idea that Brie Bella possesses more personality than Natalya is debatable. Whatever way you look at it, you need someone in there to hold the match together.

I'll hit back here by saying tennis doesn't appeal to me at all. You could offer me free tickets to Wimbledon and I'd snub them. I've never been entertained by a tennis player off the court. Federer, Nadal, Sampras, Aggasi, Graf, Hingis. I couldn't tell you anything awesome they've ever done. Never grabbed my attention. Ditto for Serena. In fact, I probably would be hard pressed to tell you which Williams sister was which such is my lack of interest in them. You go on to say that you suppose you're not the only fan that couldn't take to Minaj. Fair enough, that's your shout and I'm sure there's others like you. What I will say though is that there are many who would. The two worlds of Hip Hop and wrestling match up and cross over much more than the no nonsense world of tennis. In fact, wrestling and hip hop is almost all nonsense. Big characters with big mouths bigging up their big achievements.

You missed my point. Of course you’re quite entitled to like whatever sport you want as we all are. That's fair enough. My concern is how you are going to get people like myself who have a disliking towards Minaj, to like her? There is nothing in how she is presented that makes her seem likeable. In fact, if anything, she comes across as heelish, and the main reason we’re supposed to like her appears to be because she is facing the Bellas. As I said above, I think most of that Mania crowd will turn on her.

I’m confused too about your comments on Serena because earlier you gave an insight into her background which suggests you read up on her, and you also said, quote: ‘I have listened to her. She's nice, she's humble, she's agreeable. Nothing riveting though. She also gives thanks to God Almighty far more than I'd care to listen to.’

Okay fine. But now you say that Serena ‘Never grabbed my attention…In fact, I probably would be hard pressed to tell you which Williams sister was which such is my lack of interest in them’

Neither of these two positions follow logically and I feel this debate ought to be built on honest positions. I accept Minaj is a well known name, and I think the same is true of Serena Williams. Both have transcended their fields. I feel, however, that from an athletic and storyline standpoint, Williams in the way I presented her makes a more sensible option.

As far as how it will benefit in the long term? Again we weren't asked to allow for that but I've already explained that it will give that inter demographic appeal to more female fans as well as giving Sasha a big rub from the Mania attention with Snoop and Nicki. Banks would go on feud with Charlotte, whom she has been kept separate from, and it would result in a nice fresh programme.

Sasha having an inter demographic appeal would be terrific, but for this to happen it would require a storyline that would engage those outside WWE and have them invested in the story. Your storyline in your own words involves the coming together of ‘two stylish boss characters’. You say your choice 'focuses on a more character based storyline with a definite nod to the pageantry and over the topness that is Wrestlemania.' But there is nothing here involving emotions, or any real point to prove. It's all style, no substance.

There is nothing of note done to Minaj that would see Minaj fans wanting her to get her own back, instead the way you structured the feud sees Minaj come on the scene as the saviour of Sasha; but as you later acknowledged, the Bellas would not perceive her as a threat. And there is no reason you have given as to why the fans wouldn’t feel this way too. There is no hook to draw in fans. It's about presentation, style, pageantry etc. But where is the heart? Where is the will to beat the other team? It's absent.

Issues with Minaj (summarized)

My opponent Omackeral has done a great job with the build and presentation of his choice in his storyline, but I contend that his celebrity pick of Nikki Minaj, and the storyline centred around her, is likely to fail.

Over the course of this debate I have sought to highlight the flaws in selecting Minaj, and I will finish by highlighting the four key issues I have below.

The pay-off: The feud centred around a frustrated Sasha Banks. Sasha had turned on her own teammates, was getting bested regularly by the Bellas, and in the end turned to her cousin Snoop for help. After weeks of speculation, wondering who this step up in class over her Team Bad teammates would be, the big reveal was Nikki Minaj; a music act without any athletic credentials to speak of and no imposing physical stature of note.

It is, I maintain, a burden to Sasha to give her this partner, rather than a help.

I felt too my opponent seemed to come to terms with this when he acknowledged that the Bellas would likely not fear having to take on Minaj. From the storyline point of view, the way this arc built, this does not give a satisfactory climax. Especially with Stephanie giving Minaj a two-match contract right out of the blue. Fans are smart and will know this doesn’t add up.

The big sell: How to sell to the mainstream public the Minaj storyline? It appears to have as its core a theme of ‘stylish boss characters’ but it seems to me a tall order to market this to the public at large and have them care about Minaj or Sasha. It sounds rather like four women who are all presented as quite stuck up, quite full of themselves, who want to prove they are the best. Why would anyone care?

The match: From an in-ring standpoint, Omackeral’s plans are fraught with danger. He has neglected to select a solid in-ring competitor to carry the celeb through the bout and is trusting in the Bellas to carry Nikki Minaj to a decent contest. I believe this could be a train-wreck. I agree with my opponent that we don’t need a four-star match, but we don’t want a dud or worse.

It is of course up to you the voters to determine what aspects of the arguments you felt were good or bad, but I felt my opponent’s claim that Minaj would be fine because she looks like a woman that looks after her body, to be a very weak defence of that point. We have all seen women over the years in WWE who looked fantastic yet wrestled horribly.

The long-term: A final area my opponent and I clashed was on the issue of the long-term rub of the women’s division. He seemed not to think this was as important as myself, although to be fair to him he did make claims on how he thought Sasha would benefit.

I feel though that the way Omackeral's storyline has been handled the chances of there being any long-term gain fror Sasha are slim at best. The storyline build has not presented WWE fans with a strong reason to back Minaj, and I can’t see why Minaj fans would be terribly interested in tuning in.

The case for Serena (summarized)

As noted above, Serena Williams is a woman that WWE have name-dropped during this ‘Divas Revolution’ alongside the US women’s soccer team and Ronda Rousey. So in my storyline you have a logical reason for having her involved. My opponent insisted throughout this debate that WWE and tennis have had no connections, and thus there was no demand for a tennis star’s involvement. Up until now, however, I don’t think the WWE have ever expressed any support or praise for a tennis star. They have done so numerous times for Serena; if the WWE could have her services they would do so in a heartbeat.

Let’s not use the fact that there had never been involvement from a tennis star to dismiss the concept. There wasn’t much involvement from basketball stars before Rodman came along, after all. There is a first time for everything. Jim Cornette has spoken in the past about how he remembered wrestlers who resented Andy Kaufman’s involvement as it wasn’t the done thing, yet it is still spoken about and praised to this day. The truth is if you’re a strong name and can contribute, wrestling will want you.

The pay-off of my storyline sees a debate about whether WWE should focus on ‘women’ or ‘divas’ culminate in the appearance of a woman sports icon (a woman the WWE have themselves praised in the past so there is a logical thread there) and she emphatically puts over Charlotte and the idea of strong women. It sets up a very straightforward, good vs evil battle with a few twists along the way (in order to get the experienced Nattie on board) and you have a bona fide athlete who is renowned for her power who can go in there and hold her own.

As for the big sell, it’s an easy one to promote. Serena herself can easily articulate this on interviews. You’ve two women who want to represent strong fighting champion women going up against two selfish people who take pride in being called ‘divas’; who embrace bitchiness. It’s straightforward good vs evil. Just what the most easily accessible angles are built on.

With regards the match, I have specifically entered Natalya to look after Serena in there (and with both women being powerful you can get a very nice staredown spot too). I will have Serena do very specific spots which I named in my original post and as a top class athlete I can be confident she won’t be gassed. With a genuinely physical performer in Serena, who can look very intimidating and pissed off on the outside, I have little doubt she will be much more embraced by the fans than Minaj would be (my opponent acknowledged Serena was ‘nice’ and ‘agreeable’)

Finally as regards the long term, in the scenario I outlined, you’ve got Charlotte getting a great rub in the final moments alongside a bona fide sports star in Serena, and her father Ric. I described how I saw the moments after the match is over, with both Charlotte and Ric Flair strutting alongside Serena. An image that would go down as a ‘Wrestlemania moment’ and be forever associated with Charlotte.

I can envisage plenty of news outlets doing their ‘And finally…’ moment referencing what happened. ‘And finally…last night at Wrestlemania, Serena Williams swapped the tennis court for a wrestling ring but still showed she is not to be messed with as she and her partner Charlotte, the WWE women’s champion, emerged victorious in front of a sellout crowd at Texas’s AT&T stadium….

(they show the clip of Serena, Charlotte and Ric doing the strut)

‘…and Serena also learned a new dance move courtesy of Charlotte’s dad, the Hall of Famer, Ric Flair.’

It’s a moment that would live long in the memory.

Conclusion

I hope that you the voters will take the above into your considerations when you cast your vote on who deserves to make the final.

My thanks once more to Omackeral, and to all of you who read my contributions.

May the best man win.

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