Beth Phoenix’s second reign as Women’s Champion has been littered with decimated opponents. But on Raw, she’ll be forced to defend her title against the Diva she won it from, Mickie James. Will Mickie be able to reclaim the Women’s title, or will The Glamazon stand tall against the challenge?

In this week’s Diva Dish, Mickie James hits the rink, Maryse proves she’s a star, Divas Champion Michelle McCool spends quality time with her family and Jillian wows her former schoolmates.

Roller derby Diva
Mickie James fans, get Psych-ed! The Diva will be a guest star on the USA Network hit show Psych tonight at 10 p.m.

“My name is Rita Westwood, and I am roller derby chick. But, I’m also in a band of thieves, which are my roller derby partners-in-crime. That’s all I’m going to say. I don’t kiss and tell,” the Raw Diva teased about her role.

Mickie said she’s “super-psyched” for the opportunity to be a guest on Psych, and that she’s sure her roller skating skills won’t disappoint – she has a history in the rink.

“When I was younger, my mom worked at a roller rink, so I’d go all the time. I learned to skate pretty well. I won the limbo all the time. The fact that I’m so vertically challenged helped me win the limbo championships,” she laughed.

WWE.com have added a photo of Mickie as part of the Summer Skin Encore Gallery.

Click here to view the full sized photo.

WWE at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions
Written: August 22, 2008

WWE Superstars and Divas will be attending the Democratic and Republican National Conventions over the next two weeks as part of our Smackdown Your Vote! efforts to encourage more voters, ages 30 and younger, to vote in this year’s election.

Batista, Shelton Benjamin and Candice Michelle will attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver from Aug. 26 to 31. Shawn Michaels, Mr. Kennedy and Mickie James will attend the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., from Sept. 1 to 4.

On Monday, WWE will post its version of an online debate between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain based on their written responses to Smackdown Your Vote!’s national 18-30 Voter Issues Paper (VIP), which outlines the critical issues and questions from younger voters based on national polling.

During the conventions, to promote voter registration, WWE will feed video footage from WWE Superstars’ activities at the conventions into WWE programming, and WWE.com will provide complete convention coverage. In partnership with Cable in the Classroom, WWE also will videotape footage for use in a series of videos for K-12 schools nationwide via Cable in the Classroom’s free, online learning game, eLECTIONS: Your Adventure in Politics. eLECTIONS is a standards-based election simulation being used in classroom’s nationwide featuring content from CNN Student News, C-SPAN and History Channel. WWE has already worked with one of its partners, University of Virginia’s Youth Leadership Initiative, to create curriculum materials for use in 8,000 classrooms based on the 18-30 VIP.

WWE also has created video PSAs featuring John Cena and Mr. Kennedy to promote a voter registration initiative with AT&T and Rock the Vote.

Following the conventions, WWE.com will continue to cover the election and encourage young Americans to vote. WWE Magazine, one of the most popular men’s magazines on newsstands, will feature WWE Superstars and Divas discussing the issues in the election in its November issue, which hits newsstands before Election Day.

This is the third presidential election in which WWE’s Smackdown Your Vote! has been active. The program has been engaged in national, state and local elections each year since 2000. In 2004, 20.1 million 18-29-year-olds voted, a 4.3 million jump over 2000. The turnout increase among the youngest voters was more than double that of any other age group. Young voter turnout is one of the top news headlines of 2008 with turnout doubling and tripling in early 2008 contests. Partners in the Smackdown Your Vote! initiative include Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, League of Women Voters, National Association of Secretaries of State, University of Virginia’s Youth Leadership Initiative, Sacred Heart University and Mobilize.org.

WWE Universe, stay tuned to WWE.com for complete coverage of WWE’s involvement at the upcoming Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Make your voice heard. Join WWE and Smackdown Your Vote! Visit SmackdownYourVote.com to learn more and register to vote.

Mickie James is today’s Daily Diva for the second time in 3 days. Anyone else desperately after a new Mickie photoshoot?

Click here to view the full sized photo.

View Photo

Mickie is today’s Daily Diva with a photo from Mickie’s Sunny Photoshoot.

Be sure to check back later for Summerslam Coverage and Media!

In this week’s Diva Dish, celebrate SummerFest with Lena Yada, Candice Michelle, Maryse, Eve and Lilian Garcia; make front-page news with Victoria; visit wounded soldiers with Mickie James; and read Maryse’s rebuttal to Maria.

Uplifting visit
On a recent day off, Women’s Champion Mickie James accompanied Raw’s Chuck Palumbo and WWE Legend “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“It was an amazing experience. We were only seeing the lightest part of these injuries, and even still, they were heartbreaking. It was very sad, but they were so happy to have us,” the Diva said.

Mickie recalled her first Tribute to the Troops trip to Iraq, calling it an “eye-opening experience.” But her visit to Walter Reed was especially moving because there she saw wounded soldiers first-hand.

“It was a good experience. I think it was really great because I was able to give back to the military for all their valiant efforts and for putting their lives on the line on a daily basis,” she said. “To actually see some of the repercussions of them putting their lives on the line really touched my heart and broke my heart at the same time. But it was a rewarding experience.”
On a recent day off, Women’s Champion Mickie James accompanied Raw’s Chuck Palumbo and WWE Legend “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“It was an amazing experience. We were only seeing the lightest part of these injuries, and even still, they were heartbreaking. It was very sad, but they were so happy to have us,” the Diva said.

Mickie recalled her first Tribute to the Troops trip to Iraq, calling it an “eye-opening experience.” But her visit to Walter Reed was especially moving because there she saw wounded soldiers first-hand.

“It was a good experience. I think it was really great because I was able to give back to the military for all their valiant efforts and for putting their lives on the line on a daily basis,” she said. “To actually see some of the repercussions of them putting their lives on the line really touched my heart and broke my heart at the same time. But it was a rewarding experience.”

“The winner takes it all.
The loser has to fall.” – ABBA

Double the pleasure, double the pain. That’s the catalyst behind the Winners Take All Match pitting Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston & Women’s Champion Mickie James against Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix.

Raw General Manager Mike Adamle created the stipulations for the intergender bout, which dictate that whichever team prevails, that team will earn both titles.

As if the rules governing the bout weren’t unusual enough, there is also the added element of a strange love affair between the Italian Stallion and The Glamazon. The pair has been nurturing a budding, if odd, romance for several weeks now. Ever since Phoenix, a former Women’s Champion, defeated Marella, a former Intercontinental Champion, in an intergender encounter, the two have succumbed to their amorous feelings for one another.

For their part, Kingston & Mickie have been proud defenders of their respective titles. The Intercontinental Champion made an immediate impact when he was brought over from ECW during the WWE Supplemental Draft on WWE.com. Mickie claims the Women’s Championship for her fourth time, most recently after defeating former champion Phoenix.

How will the romance between Santino and The Glamazon fare under the strain of competing for two championships in one match? Will their chemistry outside of the ring relate to gold inside? Or will the reigning champions make easy work of bickering opponents?

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam, live and only on pay-per-view.

[Screen Captures] [WWE.com Digitals]

In the first of the night’s three title matches, Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston defeated Paul Burchill to retain gold. After the match, when Kingston chased Paul away from the ring, the brutal Englishman’s sister Katie Lea was left in the ring by herself. She was soon joined, however, by WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James, beginning the night’s second title match. Mickie defeated Katie Lea to retain her championship gold, but before she could leave the arena, the Women’s Champion was attacked by Beth Phoenix, accompanied by what appears to be The Glamazon’s new beau, Santino Marella.

After the match, both The Glamazon and the Italian Superstar confronted Mike Adamle about their desires for championship matches at SummerSlam. Hoping to satisfy both competitors, Adamle created another match for the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer: A Winner Takes All Match between Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston & WWE Women’s Champion Mickie James and Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix, with both titles going to the winning team.

Recap Source: WWE.com

n this special edition of Superstar to Superstar, Women’s Champion Mickie James chats with actress and Generation Rescue spokeswoman, Jenny McCarthy. WWE has joined forces with Generation Rescue to support the fight against autism through Saturday Night’s Main Event, which airs this Saturday, Aug. 2, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

Mickie James: First of all, I want to say that I think this is wonderful, what you’re doing with Generation Rescue. It’s amazing.

Jenny McCarthy: Well, also for WWE, it’s really huge of you guys to come in and do this for us.

Mickie: We’re honored. What made you want to do this with WWE?

Jenny: You know, I worked with Vince McMahon about 14 years ago. I was hired to do an appearance with Pamela Anderson before anyone really knew who I was. (more…)