4. Paddle On A Pole Match
YouTubePole matches rose to popularity in the late '90s, early '00s as writers continued to find new ways to present wrestling matches to fans. While not all were terrible ideas, the execution typically sucked. Superstars such as The Rock and Mankind were given the unenviable task of trying to make chicken salad out of chicken s***, to borrow a phrase. It was far more difficult to achieve, as they and so many others found out. In 2002, the Divas to turn on the pole. So to speak. On the first Raw following the Brand Extension, Trish Stratus met Terri Runnels in a Bikini Paddle on a Pole match, the stipulation being that the winner would be the Diva to retrieve the paddle from the pole. As a result of her victory, she would then be allowed to use the paddle on the loser, to the delight of the fans who applauded the idea of one bikini-clad Diva spanking another. Molly Holly put a damper on the mood, however, when she broke said paddle over Stratus' head before she could use it on the backside of the "Horny Little She Devil" Runnels. Months later, during the first broadcast of Raw Roulette, Stratus once again competed in a Paddle on a Pole match. This time, the contest would blend with another popular gimmick match to create a mega-gimmick match for the Women's Championship. Dubbed a Bra and Panties Paddle on a Pole match, the winner would be the Diva to strip their opponent of their clothing, then climb the turnbuckles and retrieve the paddle from the pole. With Stacy Keibler providing the competition, it was clear that the match would not only generate a response but it would be fondly remembered thanks to the star power of those involved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Ydn6DoMDA Trish won the match and actually carried out the spanking of her opponent before Victoria got involved and earned a plethora of haters for breaking it up. A year later, Torrie Wilson and Nidia met in a straight-forward Paddle on a Pole match. Neither a particularly strong worker, the weaknesses of both were exposed in a fairly uneventful bout. In 2006, the match returned for one night only when Torrie lost a Schoolgirl Paddle on a Pole match to Candice Michelle.