AJ Lee attempts to become a 4-time WWE Divas Champion as she faces titleholder Nikki Bella as part of the TLC pay-per-view.
The Background
• Nikki won the Divas Championship at Survivor Series when Brie – who was her personal assistant for a 30-day period at the time after losing a match between the two sisters at Hell in a Cell – kissed AJ, allowing Nikki to score the quick title victory and mark a pretty inexplicable heel turn for Brie.
• Since then, there has been no explanation as to why Brie turned heel, with us just having to accept that they’re reunited again. Meanwhile, little has been done to hype the rematch except for AJ tapping out Nikki with the Black Widow on the December 1 Raw as part of a tag team match.
• Before this contest, the Bellas were part of a backstage interview where they wrote off their three-month feud by saying that “blood is thicker than water”. Okay then.
The Match
• Nikki avoided the lockup and scooted to the outside for some final warm-ups and was sent out again by a headscissors by AJ. The challenger went outside to go after her opponent, fighting off Brie at the same time – though was punished with a spine buster by Nikki, who then took the advantage.
• Bella went after AJ’s back by wrapping her around the ringpost before stretching her with a surfboard and a rear chinlock, with AJ trying to fight back with a guillotine choke – though both women ended up being grounded with a double clothesline. When both women regained their feet it was AJ who took over with a Thesz press, corner avalanche and a neck breaker for a two count, before connecting with a tornado DDT for another near fall.
• Another corner charge saw AJ come unstuck and Nikki hit her with an elbow then hit a springboard roundhouse kick, though AJ almost scored the win with a wheelbarrow bulldog before hitting the Shining Wizard. However, Brie intervened to put her sister’s foot on the ropes to stop the pinfall. However, while the ref was ejecting Brie, Nikki sprayed something in AJ’s eyes before hitting her big forearm and nailing the Rack Attack for the victory.
Thoughts
• The crowd did not care a jot for this match, and to be honest, they were right for doing so. With no real developments between the parties involved since Survivor Series and the Bella feud being botched is so many ridiculous ways, there was no reason to be enthused about the match.
• Before discussing the action, I must point out Brie’s work on the outside. it was piggin’ awful. Her mannerisms, verbiage and actions were wooden, forced and pretty cringeworthy. I don’t think any other wrestler has devolved as much as Brie has in 2014.
• As for the contest itself, it felt awkward and mushy in a lot of places. The opening headscissors was soft, the wheelbarrow bulldog was awkward and it just felt disjointed all the way though. It seems like AJ and Nikki don’t have any real chemistry together. A nothing match which didn’t matter and was just there.
– Photos by WWE
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