Mick Foley defends the Bellas following AJ's "Pipebombshell"

The Hall of Famer takes to Facebook to defend the Bella Twins against accusations that they haven't earned their spots following AJ Lee's explosive promo on the August 26th episode of Raw. Plus, some Twitter responses from the cast of Total Divas.

Mick Foley and the Bellas are veterans of WWE public relations tours - especially Tribute to the Troops and other events centered on the military. Given that, it probably isn't a surprise that Mama Foley's baby boy took to his Facebook page for a long post praising AJ Lee's promo from last night (Aug. 26th)'s Raw, but largely aimed at defending his friends. Especially the insinuation that they have not earned their jobs with the company.

IN DEFENSE OF BRI AND NIKKI

It's been a memorable Raw; an intense and disturbing physical encounter between Paul Heyman and CM Punk, a tremendous match-up between Christian and Randy Orton..and the looming danger to Orton's new Escalade (which, as of this writing, is still unscathed.) So why is it that I'm writing this post about the Divas division, feeling as if if I need to intervene and stick up for Bri and Nikki Bella - two young ladies who seem more than capable of sticking up for themselves?

First, before I speak up for the Bellas, how about I acknowledge that AJ Lee delivered one of the finest promos - male or female - that I've seen on Raw in quite a while. That's really saying something, considering that Paul Heyman and CM Punk have been doing some of their finest mic work on the show on a regular basis, and that Daniel Bryan has been (wait, the Escalade just got spray-painted) an absolute joy to watch, as he finds new depth in his persona on an almost weekly basis.

Yes, that was an amazing promo by AJ - primarily because she believed every word of it to be true..or at least it seemed that way to this 28 year wrestling veteran. After all, going back to the lessons I learned from Michael PS Hayes, a heel is always at their most believable and frightening and believable when they absolutely believe in their own words and actions. AJ's words were convincing and seem to be the ones being embraced by the WWE Universe. I know many people look at Bri and Nikki and see two beautiful women who have been given their spot in the company due to their beauty and choice in boyfriends.

That's not what I see when I look at Bri and Nikki. I see two strong, proud women who walked away from WWE in April 2012 following a legitimate business disagreement with the company. Bri and Nikki wanted to have more say in what they could and could not do outside of WWE. The company disagreed. I know that feeling. I've been there. The Bellas took a stand and walked away. I know that feeling too. But they didn't do it the Mick Foley way - whining and complaining, and (ask Layla about this sometime) even yelling a little bit. They did it the right way. They took a stand, did everything they were asked to do, and left with their heads held high; earning a heightened respect from everyone they dealt with on their way out.

And when they returned, they came back with a piece of the puzzle that had been missing from the Divas division. They returned with "Total Divas" - the vehicle the entire Divas division has driven to new heights of acceptance and mainstream recognition. I've often wondered why AJ wasn't part of the show. Obviously, she's a unique character and an an extremely talented wrestler. I would have really enjoyed the opportunity to see her outside the ring - to see how much AJ the performer and AJ the character had in common. I could completely understand any hard feelings she might harbor against the Bellas in that regard. But the idea that the Bellas haven't worked for everything they've received is just plain wrong from this Hall of Famer's perspective.

The other women targeted in what CM Punk dubbed AJ's "Pipebombshell" also took to Twitter to respond. While the Bellas themselves and Ariane Andrew (Cameron of the Funkadactyls) took the Jerry Lawler low road, Naomi and Natalya stayed more in character and aimed to answer the Pint-sized Powder Keg in the ring.

Whether you're with her or against her, it's clear that the Divas champion has generated more buzz for the exploits of WWE women on a pro wrestling show than anyone in quite some time. The fact that E!'s Total Divas factors so prominently in her rant and the aftermath has to make everyone at WWE and NBC/Universal pretty pleased.

What about you Cagesiders? Team AJ, or Team Total Divas?