WWE Classic of the Week: Mickie James vs. Melina from Backlash 2007

When WWE rolls into Chicago for Extreme Rules on April 26, current Divas champion Nikki Bella will defend her title against Naomi in a match between two women who entered the world of sports entertainment from modeling and dance, respectively, but have worked hard to develop into professional wrestlers.

With Bella's power-based offense and Naomi's energetic and athleticism-based skill set, the match has the potential to be a quality one. Both women must avoid a scenario where the moment is too big for them, thus leading to a sloppy performance or disjointed match.

Nearly a decade ago, Melina defended her WWE Women's Championship in a match against Mickie James that is arguably the best Divas bout in April pay-per-view history.

A heated rivalry over the top prize in women's wrestling fueled that match while the two immensely talented competitors held up their end of the deal by crafting an extraordinary bout.

In preparation for Extreme Rules and the showdown between Naomi and Nikki Bella, hop in the DeLorean and travel back to 2007 for a war over women's superiority as James battled Melina at Backlash.

But first, their story.

The Background

Upon entering WWE in 2005, Melina was used primarily as manager for the tag team of Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro. As one-third of MNM, the Diva became one of the standout Divas, transcending women's wrestling and appearing on screen with some of the biggest stars of the era.

But by late 2006, it was clear that the veteran of WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, was capable of so much more than playing cheerleader at ringside.

She began regularly competing in in-ring action before winning a No. 1 Contender's Battle Royal to earn a shot at Mickie James and the women's championship. She failed to wrest the gold away from her but received another opportunity thanks to a victory in a mixed tag team match.

In her second opportunity to capture gold, she succeeded, ending James' reign and then retaining in a subsequent Falls Count Anywhere match.

After Melina dispatched of Diva Search winner and Playboy covergirl Ashley Massaro at WrestleMania 23, they rekindled their rivalry, leading to a championship clash at Backlash—a show that ranks among the most underrated in WWE history.

The Match

The Analysis

Jim Ross put the match over as the "Red Sox vs. Yankees" of the Divas division, which it certainly was. As the two elite workers on the women's roster at that point, their rivalry certainly felt more special and important than anything else WWE could have presented.

Jerry Lawler chimed in as well, putting over the wrestling abilities of the women in what felt very much like an indictment on the rest of the roster.

Those skills were on display early as champion and challenger chain-wrestled, proving themselves the complete opposite of the cover girls who made up the majority of the Divas roster at that point.

Melina's heel psychology was strong early. She faked an eye injury to gain the momentum, then blatantly delivered a throat thrust that momentarily stunned the challenger. A great villainess, she pushed the boundaries of the rules to the limit and released whatever hold she was applying just before the official counted to five.

The champion cheated at every turn, but then followed it up with a textbook wrestling maneuver like the Crossface Chicken Wing, which may even make her that much more unlikable.

The double-split spot late in the match, which ignited Mickie's comeback, popped the crowd and made for a cool visual.

To top off what was a masterclass in villainy, Melina delivered a rake of the eyes, setting up the inverted DDT finish.

The Aftermath

Following her victory over James, Melina transitioned into a feud with Candice Michelle. The former Diva Search contestant and GoDaddy.com spokeswoman had begun to show flashes of brilliance between the ropes and was in line for a huge push.

They would compete in a Pudding match at One Night Stand in June before Melina dropped the title to the Wisconsin native just weeks later at Vengeance: Night of Champions. Their third and final pay-per-view encounter would occur at the Great American Bash, with Candice retaining her title.

James would have to wait for the second half of 2007 to get a measure of revenge on Melina. It was then that they revisited their rivalry once more, leading to a series of WWE Raw matches.

They would clash again in May of 2008 at the Judgment Day pay-per-view as part of a huge Triple Threat women's title match that also involved Beth Phoenix.

For the most part, though, that contest would wrap up their rivalry.