Major Extensive Update - Melina/Morrison Heat & Egos

Partial Source: The Pro Wrestling Torch

To follow up on the story of John Morrison snubbing Trish Stratus at WrestleMania XXVII, friends of the RAW Superstar were shocked by his cold behavior. The assumption of many within WWE is that real-life girlfriend Melina was in his ear all week because she believed Stratus was taking her spot at the pay-per-view event.

WWE sources say as Status was presenting her match suggestions to Morrison backstage, he said things such as "I'm not feeling that" (coined several years ago by Hulk Hogan in WCW) and "I don't want to look at you."

Kelly Kelly was scheduled for the Six-person Mixed Tag Team Match at one point, but the addition of Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi to the bout apparently led to a change in plans. It has been speculated that WWE instigated rumors of Kelly Kelly appearing in the match to prevent news of Snooki wrestling from leaking out.

Multiple people within WWE are blaming the entire situation on Melina as they feel she's primarily responsible for the friction between Morrison and Stratus. Melina has been a heat magnet within the locker room for years, which is why a number of her pushes have been derailed.

Comparisons to former WWE talent Tammy Sytch (a/k/a Sunny) were drawn early in her WWE run as many people felt she was similarly difficult to deal with and that her ego was out of control. Melina was sentenced to face The Undertaker in "Wrestler's Court" in early 2006 due to her unscrupulous behavior, which is the unofficial forum among WWE talent for the policing of wrestlers that violate the rules and traditions of the company. Her ill-behaved manners persisted and she found herself transferred from SmackDown to Raw.

There have been numerous other accounts of friction between Melina and her locker room peers dating back to her time in WWE's developmental system.

* She had issues with veteran female talent such as Amy "Lita" Dumas kicking her out of the locker room and forcing her to change in the hallway. Melina carried on the tradition with some of the younger Divas once she became a veteran herself.

* Melina was involved in a backstage altercation with Sharmell on May 13, 2006 at a SmackDown live event in El Paso, Texas. The incident was triggered by Batista's fistfight with Booker T the week prior during shooting for the SummerSlam commercial.

* Melina engaged in a war of words with Candice Michelle via blog postings on WWE.com. In early 2007, Michelle accused Melina of stealing one of her signature wrestling maneuvers. Melina responded to her accusation by posting a picture of herself performing the maneuver in question during an independent wrestling event in 2003, proving that she was using it long before Michelle joined WWE. Michelle fired back with a defamatory post, which WWE.com deemed unsuitable to publish. Michelle also took exception to Melina claiming that she had a "spare tire" during an episode of Raw, saying she was jealous. The off-screen animosity ultimately shifted on-screen via storyline.

* Taryn Terrell (a/k/a Tiffany) stated during an interview following her elimination from the 2007 Diva Search that Melina was the one Diva she was warned about by WWE personnel.

* Maria Kanellis was not complementary of Melina's backstage demeanor in interviews following her release from WWE last year.

* Brooke Adams, who now performs as Miss Tessmacher in TNA Wrestling, revealed in an interview earlier this year that her departure from WWE in 2007 had nothing to do with Melina?as rumored. She did, however, disparage her former colleague's character. Adams stated, "The reason I left WWE never had anything to do with her, that was just a rumor. When I left I was actually the only person that liked her. She was such a rude, fake, b—h to everyone. She then tried to turn my girls Layla and Kelly Kelly against me by telling them a lie that I said which in reality was a rumor that she started. It was never anything I said. I can't stand her and neither can most of the rest."

* Melina harbored great animosity towards Mickie James early in her career. She trashed James for months on the message forum of her official website while the two worked side by side in Ohio Valley Wrestling, going as far to call her a 'slut' in one post (while also belittling future TNA Knockout Angelina Love).

Melina wrote: "I'd rather work with a Diva who has no training than work with Alexis Laree.

"She steals other girls moves. Is lazy and doesn't care about anyone but herself. It's justice that she isn't on tv.

"But I do want to see hard working girls such as Beth Pheonix and Shelly Martinez up on the show... as for Angel Williams... she can cry on a pillow with Alexis – slut – Laree."

Shortly after James' promotion to the main roster in October 2005, Melina posted a lengthy commentary alleging she was victimized by the Richmond native?without referring to her by name.

Melina wrote: "I know that there's going to be people who don't understand. I'm sorry... I can't help the way I feel about HER (I Hope you know who HER is). I tried my best to get along with the girl. It's just not meant to be. I don't know if you've seen America's Next Top Model and how cady girls can be on that show... well, welcome to my world with HER. She hated me from the day I showed up to Louisville. She made sure my life there wasn't great. You WOULD think it was a new person thing, but when new people came around, I was still the one who got her crap. But you know, as she tried to break me.... I just got stronger and tried harder. Our work got us on tv and She hated that I was on tv first.

"She hated that I got any attention at all. You know.... I don't consider myself pretty. Not at all. Not like the other girls. And I am cool with that. Like I have said before, looks come and go but the way I am, the way i treat people and the things I accomplish in life... that can never be taken away from me. I can die right now knowing how I touched peoples lives.... I know that I did things on my terms. I never took off my clothes, kissed ass or slept with anyone to get my spot. I worked hard. I'm not perfect but I give the people my all."

The entire post can be read at this link.

In general, Melina has a reputation behind the scenes for being 'a head case'. People within WWE were praising her for returning with a improved attitude following her long injury layoff last year, but others immediately predicted that it wouldn't last long.