LAYLA (C) VS. EVE TORRES

 Earlier in the night Kaitlyn, the arranged challenger for tonight, was attacked backstage. Teddy Long decided with the medics that Kaitlyn couldn’t compete and would have to be replaced by his assistant, Eve. Layla makes her way out first, she’s been the champion since April. Eve makes her way out as Cole says he thinks Eve had something to do with Kaitlyn’s injury. JBL calls him a conspiracy theorist.

John “Bradshaw” Layfield and Michael Cole are on commentary for this match.

LAYLA © VS. EVE TORRES

(WWE Divas Championship)

WWE Night of Champions 2012 (16^th September 2012)

  They lock up and Layla rolls Eve up for 2. Back to the lock up and Eve Torres takes Layla down in a headlock, it’s countered with headscissors on the mat.

  Eve Kicks out but is taken down with an arm drag. They trade arm wringers, Eve counters and goes into a hammerlock but that’s reversed. Layla gets a headlock and gets sent off the ropes, but she knocks Eve down with a shoulder block. Layla rolls Eve up and ends up in a pinfall, but it looked like two moves in one, Eve reverses into a pin of her own but Layla gets her shoulder up at 2, bringing Eve back to her feet in the headlock. Eve Torres sends the champion off the ropes but eats a dropkick. Layla checks on Eve, making sure she’s OK and takes a kick to the midsection, Eve sends Layla to the floor, Layla says fuck going through the middle and slides out of the ring. Eve sends Layla’s head into the floor and then focuses on the ribs, sending Layla into the ring apron before bringing it back in the ring at the count of 8. Eve carries on the attack to Layla’s ribs and sends her into the corner. Layla is choked on the middle rope, Eve climbs to sit on the top rope and lifts Layla into choke holds, breaking before the count and shoves Layla down with her foot. Eve covers but only gets 2. Eve puts Layla in a bodyscissors. Michael Cole gets his Von Erichs mixed up as Layla tries to elbow her way out. Eve transitions into a Figure Four on Layla’s upper body. Eve slams Layla into the mat and some sick part of me still wants a turn. Eve tries to use the ropes for leverage but the referee makes her break the hold as the fans chant “Ole” to amuse themselves. Layla reverses a neckbreaker into a DDT, she kicks Eve in the midsection and drops her with a running dropkick. Layla knocks Eve down with a clothesline and facebuster into the mat.

  Layla misses a springboard crossbody from the corner and Eve gets to her feet. She hits the spinning neckbreaker and covers for the win.

WINNER: EVE TORRES (NEW WWE Divas Champion)

This wasn’t a terrible match, but even at 7 minutes it felt like it was slow, the beginning could have done with less stop-and-start, although it made sense with Eve being a surprise challenger. This just didn’t click and went at a terrible pace for the time they had. [*¼] 2/10