Nikki Bella Deserves to Break AJ Lee's Record vs. Charlotte

Nikki Bella is perhaps the most polarizing figure the WWE Divas division has ever known. She's brash, boastful and arrogant to the point of disgust.  She is everything a heel should be and is currently on track to break AJ Lee's record for the longest Divas Championship reign of all time.

While Charlotte poses a huge threat to Nikki's title, the time is just not right for the belt to change hands. Nikki deserves to break AJ's record.

Nikki is just on her game right now and must be allowed to keep going. She is to the women's division what Seth Rollins is to the men's division: the top heel and so very good at being bad. At this point, it's automatic for her.

She really doesn't have to try hard anymore; she just shows up, brags about how good she is and says mean things about her opponent. She cheats to win her match thanks to either Brie or Alicia Fox and then goes back through the curtain.

She's been doing this for nearly 300 days and shows no signs of slowing down.

She has her critics, of course. and those critics do not want to see her break AJ's record, believing that Nikki does not really seem to be in it for the love of the game. This notion is not lost on fans who appreciated AJ's hard work and commitment to being something more than just an athletic runway model.

Nikki has that image and may never be able to shake it.

But she really shouldn't have to. She is a natural heel because of who she is. She's just very unlikable, and while WWE has struggled with her character in the past, she is now exactly who she should be.  

The fact that The Bella Twins have been at the center of WWE's Divas division for so long only helps her now. Many fans are sick of The Bellas and their dominance in WWE. Nikki bears the brunt of that hate when she takes the criticism on the chin.

She's handling the pressure like a pro and playing her part like one, too. Nikki is doing exactly what she should be doing and should not be penalized for it.

Keeping the Divas title around her waist is the right move because there's nothing like the chase for fans. Charlotte is the protagonist of this story, and fans who have followed her from NXT have been waiting for the moment when she steps up to challenge for the belt. But that chase is only just beginning, and it will get better if Nikki retains the title on September 14.

Losing to Nikki will only stoke the fire for Charlotte and her fans. The desire to see the champ drop her belt on Raw is surely big, but if that happens, what happens next?

Will Charlotte just begin defending the championship? Will she face Nikki, win the strap and then just take her spot? Where is the drama in that scenario? Where is the long-lasting storyline with the satisfying payoff in the end?

Charlotte is fully capable of being the Divas champion, but her ability is not the issue; it's her connection to fans.

How over is Charlotte right now? Is she so over that she can just step in, take the belt and become the new top female star in WWE? Or does the crowd need a bit more time to emotionally invest in her before crowning her the new leader of the Divas division?

The truth is that there's no way to know that if Nikki loses the belt right now.

The Divas Revolution has been top-notch thus far, but for many fans, it's losing steam. To hook the crowd and keep them coming back for more, the end cannot come this quickly. Charlotte needs more time on the hunt.

The only way to build a strong hero in WWE is to provide depth of character through trials and tribulations. In other words, Charlotte must go through hell to get to heaven.

Getting the fans more involved and caring about this feud is perhaps the best reason to keep the title on Nikki. She is the best villain WWE has to offer right now in the Divas division, and allowing Charlotte to chase her will make fans hate her even more.

The anticipation to see Charlotte win will build until it reaches a fever pitch, and only then should the belt change hands.

In the meantime, Nikki would break AJ's record and become not only the longest-reigning champ but the most hated Diva of all time as well. It's a spot she's worked to get, and one that she is very capable of keeping.

A heel champ keeps the babyface on the chase and the fans interested in the end result. If WWE truly wants to keep the Divas division going strong and build in relevance, then this is what must happen between Nikki and Charlotte.

Tom's work can be regularly found on Bleacher Report and his podcast Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here