WWE NXT: And the winner is ... Kaitlyn
WWE NXT Season 3 is in the books, and for the first time in the brief history of the series, I did not correctly pick the winner.
While I wouldn’t say that it was a no-brainer the way it was with Seasons 1 and 2 winners Wade Barrett and Kaval, I did think that Naomi distinguished herself as the best all-around performer this season.
It was Kaitlyn, however, who was the last rookie Diva standing at the end of Tuesday night’s show.
Judging by what WWE looks for in its Divas, I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised that Kaitlyn beat Naomi (Kaitlyn also prevailed in our online poll, 57 percent to 43 percent).
Kaitlyn definitely has more of the “Diva look” and she did show some personality. It also didn’t hurt her in the voting that she was paired with heat magnet Vickie Guerrero and placed in a story line on Smackdown with Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler.
She was very green in the ring, and even though she got better as the season went on, she was still way behind Naomi as far as wrestling ability and athleticism. Of course, we all know that for WWE Divas, being a good worker is less important than how you look in a swimsuit.
But despite Kaitlyn’s positive attributes, I still thought Naomi was more of a total package. In addition to what she could do in the ring, Naomi – who also is attractive in my opinion – did a decent job on the mic and she came across as spunky and likable. She did a pretty good job of rapping during the talent competition, too (that’s the contest that Kaitlyn won by drawing an unflattering stick figure of Guerrero).
In the big picture, it doesn’t really matter all that much who wins the NXT competitions anyway. The entire Season 1 cast was signed to the main roster for The Nexus story line, and Alex Riley, Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris from Season 2 are getting more TV time than that season’s winner, Kaval.
My guess is that Naomi and A.J. will both make it to Raw or Smackdown in the near future, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Aksana did, as well. And I’m sticking with my initial prediction that Naomi ends up making the biggest impact of all of the Season 3 rookies.
Other thoughts on Tuesday’s show:
Judging by the looks on their faces when the winner was announced, I think Kaitlyn and Naomi both knew that Naomi should have won. Naomi, who was clearly disappointed, gave a classy concession speech. Kaitlyn was a gracious winner, but as she thanked everyone for their support, the crowd booed her. ...
I liked the way Michael Cole acknowledged his interference in the Miz-Jerry Lawler match on Raw but refused to elaborate on the subject until this Monday’s Raw. He said that he wasn’t sure why he did what he did and that he wanted to speak with Lawler privately this week. ...
The Kaitlyn-Naomi match was a little sloppy. When Kaitlyn pulled the upset, I had a feeling that things weren’t going to turn out well for Naomi at the end of the show. ...
The commentary by Cole and Josh Matthews during the Kaitlyn-Naomi match was really distracting. Making sarcastic remarks and burying the show during the inane competitions throughout the season was fine (and entertaining), but when the two remaining competitors are wrestling on the series finale, I think the announcers should give them a little more respect. ...
In a story line development, A.J. made out with Primo in the ring after she and the Bella twins defeated Alicia Fox, Aksana and Maxine. ...
It was announced that there will be an NXT Season 4. Here are the rookies and their pros: Johnny Curtis and R-Truth; Byron Saxton (yes, the former ECW announcer) and Chris Masters; Brodus Clay and Ted DiBiase Jr.; Jacob Novak and Ziggler; Derrick Bateman and Daniel Bryan; and Conor O’Brian and Alberto Del Rio. ...
Clay was referred to as “The World’s Greatest Suplex Machine." Cole said, “I know someone who’s going to be mad about that.” Matthews shushed him.







Comments
Kaitlyn won for me when she first appeared in the first episode wearing that dress!
She is the only one I would look forward to seeing more of.
I guess I am just a male pig wrestling fan. So shoot me....
Posted by: AMC | December 1, 2010 9:06 PM
I think Kaitlyn should win she's pretty same with Naomi! I love them both they're AWESOME divas!
Posted by: Taylor Lanier | December 1, 2010 9:36 PM
Kaitlyn is the prettiest Diva on the whole entire roster beating even Maryse and Natalya Neidhart. I`m so glad that she won the NXT competition and I think she deserved to because she is entertaining, strong and beautiful. She has such a great build and adds a dimension of power to the Diva division that rivals Beth Phoenix, Natalya Neidhart and Tamina. I`m thrilled that she won because she is a stunner and sure to be a future Women or Diva`s champion. Go Kaitlyn!
Posted by: Blowbangfan | December 2, 2010 1:20 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the WWE just needs to get rid of women's wrestling all together. Turn them all into valets and managers and let them dress up for some holiday themed costume contest.
Think of all the "great" women wrestlers going back to China, they all need to be with men to really get over. China - DX. Trish - Y2J and Christian, Lita - Hardy and Edge. Yeah, Trish was hot for a while on her own and so was Mickie, but it wasn't sustainable. I hate to sound misogynistic here, but that's how the WWE runs their women's division. All they want are good looking women to put out there for 5 minutes to get a rise out of guys who haven't discovered the internet yet. They don't want wrestlers. Take Gail Kim for example, if I remember right she was with WWE for a little while and than was let go. When she came back to the WWE she just happened to have a bigger cup size. Look at China, once DX was done she had loads of plastic surgery to help sustain her stay in the WWE. Mickie wasn't a size 1, so she was let go. I can go on and on, I mean if Natalya was an A cup, do you think she'd be champ? I don't. Heck, Eve was awesome on the microphone about 3-4 weeks back. I was shocked and couldn't help but wonder where that had been for the past year or so. What has she done since? Nothing but dance to R-Truth's "music."
Sorry for the rant, but they need to either hire the best workers they can get and let them wrestle or just find something else for them to do so they can still be on TV. The whole thing is a farce.
Posted by: Bill H | December 2, 2010 3:22 AM
I think if Kaitlyn will not have won if she didn't made some progress (same as McGillicutty ! Congrats anyway! can be said that hardwork and looks pays better than talent!
Also, it's quite awkward to see Daniel Bryan as pro given the fact he was a rookie months before even if he's US champ!
Posted by: BG56 | December 2, 2010 3:44 AM
The Next Breakout Diva can't wrestle. Disgusting, disgraceful, disappointing. Why didn't she use her self-absorbed unfunny victory speech to at least say that she will TRY to honor the business?
Her FIRST match was on NXT. That's how much of a wrestler, and wrestling fan, she is.
When you see the brilliant female wrestlers working their heinies off in Sparkle or Chikara, and think of all the talent that used to be in TNA's knockout division... it's sickening.
Kaitlyn winning NXT is the Diva division's David Arquette moment, for sure.
Posted by: Jules B. | December 2, 2010 9:18 AM
I think A.J should of won if between the both Katlyin and Namoi because they didn't have what it takes in the ring. A.J. has the looks and the talent to be in that wrestling ring competting.
Posted by: Michael Letizio | December 2, 2010 10:32 AM
"Kaitlyn won for me when she first appeared in the first episode wearing that dress!"
Preach the gospel my brother!
Posted by: loco | December 2, 2010 11:36 AM
As a fellow Welshman, I was hoping Mason Ryan was going to be a participant in NXT Season 4, so feel a little disappointed with the upcoming roster. Although he is still a little green, he's on the right side of 30 and has done well for himself in FCW. Maybe they are saving him for Season 5?
As for Season 3, I think it will probably be the last Divas season they do. It was pretty obvious they exhausted the female roster from FCW and OVW by baulking and adding the evergreen Kaitlyn in at the last minute.
I have to be honest, I marked out for AJ and totally loved her character (as well as her Halloween costume). She's obviously a huge WWE fan and completely embarrassed the other Divas when quizzed on WWE trivia. She also seemed heartbroken when having to leave after her elimination. Isn't that the sort of passion for the industry you want from a potential star? She can actually wrestle a good match too.
Kev, any word on the long-term future of NXT? How many more developmental wrestlers can they churn out before the rosters on Raw and SD explode and/or the format gets stale?
Posted by: Adam, San Diego | December 2, 2010 2:05 PM
Now why would Scott Steiner be mad about
that?
Posted by: Bob | December 2, 2010 2:32 PM
I agree with you, Eck, about Naomi being quite attractive but i disagree that Kaitlyn has more of a 'diva' look.
Obviously Kaitlyn has a very pretty face but given her bodybuilding history she's got anything but a diva's body, unlike Naomi.
Obviously Kaitlyn is in the process of turning her body from a strict bodybuilder physique into a more WWE friendly body but she's definitely not a cookie cutter WWE diva and i like that.
Posted by: John | December 2, 2010 3:59 PM
I read somewhere that the fan vote for Kaitlyn was overwhelming, which is why she was given the nod to win it.
Also color me somewhat intrigued by the guys on the 4th season of NXT. The huge dude in particular, Brodius Clay or whatever.
Posted by: King Tony | December 2, 2010 6:23 PM
I wish AJ had won, but I agree that she and Naomi will be on the roster sooner or later. I see Kaitlin losing her title match and settling in as the valet for Dolph Ziggler while AJ and Naomi show up the whole roster except for maybe Gail, Melina, Beth, and Natalya. Out of all the Season 4 guys, I'd have to say the most impressive of the 4 is Johnny Curtis, but I liked what I saw when I watched a Brodus Clay match the other night on Youtube. He has strength and agility and his finishing move is a chokeslam that reminds me of the Wall from WCW. Besides Mason Ryan, a few other names that were being tossed around were Seth Rollins (former ROH champ Tyler Black), Richie Steamboat (the son of WWE Hall of Famer Ricky the Dragon Steamboat), and the wrestler formerly known as Idol Stevens (I forget what his current ring name is).
Posted by: paul | December 3, 2010 3:31 AM
Now why would Scott Steiner be mad about that?
Posted by: Bob | December 2, 2010 2:32 PM
Really. Especially since Taz(z) is known as the suplex machine.
Posted by: Marko50 | December 3, 2010 2:23 PM
The whole thing is a farce.
Posted by: Bill H | December 2, 2010 3:22 AM
Um, yeah. That's pro wrestling.
Posted by: Marko50 | December 3, 2010 2:24 PM
Farce - a ludicrous, empty show.
That's what the Diva division is, a ludicrous and empty show.
Posted by: Bill H | December 4, 2010 9:18 AM
i think kaitlyn shouldn't have one. she has 0 talent. sure she's got the looks but as far as athletic ability,she sucks. melina is the perfect example of athletic ability,strength,looks, & talent.....she is the full package. and you dont have to be a size one to be a wwe diva because melina is not,kaitlyn's definitely not either. i'll admit that some divas got the jobs because of their looks and bodies but some have really showed that there not just pretty faces. divas like melina,kelly kelly,eve & layla have all showed that they can be sexy & powerful at the same time. but i think aj and naomi are the future in the wwe are what you call "talent" anyhow.....not kaitlyn....she has nothing but looks and thats not strength on her...thats fat. im a size two and im stronger then that. lol i think i have the potential to be a wwe diva. im a blonde,size two,look good in a swimsuit,.....but im also very athletic so i think im the full package. i look better then avery wwe diva.i resemble maryse.
Posted by: kalie | December 19, 2010 1:47 PM
kaitlyn won season 3,she does have very,beautiful legs. she seems to need alittle,more training but who,am I to say who needs what. I miss AJ hope to that,little hot,sexy spitfire soon.
Posted by: Daniel | March 20, 2011 7:08 PM