WWE Divas Championship


 * This article is about the championship that is currently defended on the Raw brand of WWE. For SmackDown's female championship, see WWE Women's Championship.

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Divas Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It is competed for by WWE Divas only on the Raw brand. The championship was created by WWE in 2008, and was introduced in storyline by then-SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero as an alternative to Raw's Women's Championship. Michelle McCool became the inaugural champion on July 20, 2008 when she defeated Natalya at The Great American Bash. After former Divas Champion Maryse was drafted to Raw as part of the 2009 WWE Draft, she took the title with her. WWE Divas Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries. These narratives create feuds between the various competitors, which cast them as villains and heroes.

History
With the first WWE Brand Extension, a storyline division in which WWE assigns its employees to a different program, the others being Raw and ECW, in 2002, the WWE Women's Championship was to be defended on both brands. At some point that year, however, it became exclusive to the Raw brand. Thereafter, only Divas on the Raw brand were able to compete for the WWE Women's Championship, while the Divas on the SmackDown brand were unable to compete for a women's-exclusive championship.[1] However, on at least two occasions the regulation was bypassed with Melina, and Ashley Massaro challenging for the title while on the SmackDown! brand, but neither were successful.[2] [3]

As a result, WWE created the WWE Divas Championship and introduced it in a storyline on the June 6, 2008 episode of Friday Night SmackDown when then SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero announced the creation of the title.[4] The championship belt was officially unveiled on the July 4, 2008 episode of SmackDown. After winning respective matches to earn the opportunity to wrestle for the new championship, Michelle McCool defeated Natalya at The Great American Bash to become the inaugural champion.[5] [6] When Maryse won the title from McCool in December 2008, she dislocated her kneecap at a live event later that month. Similar to how Trish Stratus kept the Women's Championship when she was sidelined with a herniated disc in 2005,[7] Maryse was able to keep the Divas Title upon her return in late January 2009. As part of the 2009 WWE Draft, then-Divas Champion Maryse was one of the people drafted to the Raw brand, in the process making the championship exclusive to Raw.[8]

Reigns
Main article: List of WWE Divas ChampionsThe inaugural champion was Michelle McCool, who defeated Natalya at The Great American Bash on July 20, 2008 in Uniondale, New York.[6] Maryse is currently the longest reigning WWE Divas Champion in history, holding the belt for 216 days, while Jillian is the shortest reigning champion, with her reign lasting four minutes and thirty seconds. The title has been vacant since January 4, 2010, after the previous champion Melina suffered an injury. An eight-woman tournament to crown a new champion started on the January 4, 2010 edition of Raw.[9]

2010 Divas Championship tournament
On January 4, 2010, Melina relinquished the Divas Championship due to a torn ACL. A tournament to determine a new Divas Champion was started. Round One Semi-Finals Final
 * Maryse defeated Brie Bella on January 4, 2010 on Raw
 * Gail Kim defeated Jillian on January 7, 2010 on Superstars
 * Alicia Fox defeated Kelly Kelly on January 11, 2010 on Raw
 * Eve defeated Katie Lea on January 11, 2010 on Raw
 * Maryse defeated Eve on January 25, 2010 on Raw
 * Gail Kim defeated Alicia Fox on January 25, 2010 on Raw
 * Maryse Vs Gail Kim At The Royal Rumble