Welcome to the results of the 2012 Rec.sport.pro-wrestling Awards.
This year we got a healthy resurgence in voting, thanks to large numbers of voters coming in from Withleather, Wreddit, Scott Keith’s blog and numerous other smaller wrestling fan enclaves all around the internet, which produced well over 400 voters who completed their votes. (And about a thousand more who started voting and then abandoned it, which just goes to show we need to incorporate more ideas to streamline the voting. We’re working on that for next year.) In any case, as a result this year’s Awards have more voters than we’ve had in almost any year except the height of the Attitude Era, and it’s only upwards from here.
I would also note that this year we got a couple of wrestlers voting in the awards, which I do not believe has ever happened before. (I am not going to say which ones, as one of them emailed me after finishing their ballot and requested anonymity because he didn’t want to hurt his potential employability – not that I would have publicized their participation on a non-anonymous basis anyway.) Personally, I think that’s great. These awards are about wrestling fans and what wrestling fans like, and if INSERT WRESTLER NAME HERE wants to go on Twitter and ask his fans to vote for him, and they do, then those are wrestling fans demonstrating their fandom, and that’s really the point, isn’t it?
Anyway. Here, we present the “best” Awards – those Awards which celebrate the greatest things in wrestling of 2012. If you would rather be a Negative Nancy and go read the “worst” Awards, they’re over here.
Finally, I’d like to thank Justin Henry, Christopher Robin Zimmerman, Herb Kunze and all those who have previously run the Awards and contributed to their legacy; Brandon Stroud of WithLeather, Pudie of Wreddit, Scott Keith, Maffew of BotchaMania fame, and everybody else who chipped in to promote the Awards in their corners of the internet; all of you voters, of course; and finally and most importantly an extra-double-sized thanks to mgkdotcom’s Tech Guy, James Young, without whose invaluable assistance these Awards would almost certainly have failed to be anywhere near as successful and user-friendly as they in fact were.
And without further ado…
To be given to the athlete who was the best overall wrestler of the year. This includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability, interviews, charisma, value to his/her promotion, etc. In 1994, this award was split into three separate sub-awards: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In 1998, it was recombined into one.
Previous Winners:
1990: Curt Hennig
1991: Ric Flair
1992: Ric Flair
1993: Big Van Vader
1994: Bret Hart (overall) / Sabu (North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1995: Shawn Michaels (overall / North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1996: Shawn Michaels (overall / North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1997: Shawn Michaels (overall / North American) / Taka Michinoku (non-North American)
1998: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1999: Chris Benoit
2000: Triple H
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Kurt Angle
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Samoa Joe
2007: John Cena
2008: Chris Jericho
2009: Chris Jericho
2011: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK | 201 | 112 | 35 | 1411 |
| Daniel Bryan | 112 | 111 | 44 | 981 |
| Austin Aries | 19 | 47 | 48 | 332 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 21 | 32 | 63 | 327 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 9 | 11 | 26 | 130 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Given the level of angry discourse following the Royal Rumble, it isn’t surprising to see Punk clear 1000 vote points, and nab 200+ first place votes for this one. Represent the theoretical “IWC” and you get their vote for the major categories. I foresee him and Bryan clogging the works for a few more years to come, not undeservedly so.
POGBOGGLER: This has to be Daniel Bryan. Has to be. Nobody sold angles or worked matches harder this year than Bryan did, nobody.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Hiroshi Tanahashi wasn’t going to win this because the typical “IWC” doesn’t follow puro that closely, but he’s the one who should win it. For people who don’t follow Japanese wrestling: Imagine if CM Punk became the WWE’s new star, and as a result, increased TV ratings, PPV buys, ticket sales, merch sales and the company’s public profile, and did so dramatically. Well, yeah, CM Punk did that last year. But Tanahashi did it this year, and given that New Japan has been in a slow decline for years, it’s all the more important that he did it.
To be given to the tag team who were the best overall team of the year. This includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability, interviews, charisma, hot team moves, value to their promotion, etc. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In 1998, it was recombined into one.
Previous Winners:
1990: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
1991: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
1992: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
1993: The Hollywood Blonds: Brian Pillman & Steve Austin
1994: The Steiners: Rick & Scott (overall / North American) / Los Gringos Locos: Eddy Guerrero and Art Barr (non-North American)
1995: Public Enemy: Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge (overall / North American) / Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi (non-North American)
1996: Harlem Heat: Booker T & Stevie Ray (overall / North American) / Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat (non-North American)
1997: The Eliminators: John Kronus & Perry Saturn (overall / North American) / NWO: Masahiro Chono & Great Muta (non-North American)
1998: New Age Outlaws: Road Dogg Jesse James & Badd Ass Billy Gunn
1999: Hardy Boyz: Matt & Jeff
2000: Edge & Christian
2001: Edge & Christian
2002: Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
2003: Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team: Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
2004: America’s Most Wanted: Chris Harris & James Storm
2005: America’s Most Wanted: Chris Harris & James Storm
2006: A.J. Styles & Christopher Daniels
2007: Paul London & Brian Kendrick
2008: John Morrison & The Miz
2009: Chris Jericho and Big Show
2011: Beer Money – James Storm and Robert Roode
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM HELL NO: KANE AND DANIEL BRYAN | 210 | 89 | 37 | 1391 |
| Bad Influence/World Tag Team Champions Of The World: Christopher Daniels and Kazarian | 99 | 69 | 25 | 752 |
| Team Rhodes Scholars: Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes | 23 | 78 | 63 | 475 |
| Briscoe Brothers: Jay and Mark Briscoe | 15 | 31 | 20 | 208 |
| Prime Time Players: Titus O'Neil and Darren Young | 4 | 25 | 39 | 173 |
JUSTIN HENRY: I was kind of hoping for Bad Influence in this one, as WWE tends to beat their jokes into the ground with bludgeon-force. Bryan and Kane were funny at first, but like anything in WWE that gets a reaction, they overdo things to the point where eye-rolling becomes your only defense.
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: I know “millions of dollars millions of dollars” should be tired by now, but it isn’t.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I voted for Daniels and Kazarian first as well. Kane and D-Bry were funny, but they wrestled in exactly one great match as a tag team this year (the TLC six-man). Daniels and Kazarian were funny as well – maybe not as deliciously inspired as the Kane/Bryan teaming was, but just hilarious old-school mockery of heroic faces all year long, plus plenty of appletinis. On top of that, though, they wrestled in a ton of great matches. There was one string of about three months where you got to see a terrific Daniels/Kazarian match practically every week! And that is why the World Tag Team Champions Of The World were robbed, albeit by almost-as-deserving competition.
To be given to the person who was the best villain this past year. This person should bring out the fans’ wrath. Match quality is not paramount here; this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in the past year.
Previous Winners:
1990: Ted DiBiase
1991: Cactus Jack Manson
1992: Jake Roberts
1993: Big Van Vader
1994: Bob Backlund
1995: Big Van Vader
1996: Steve Austin (Ring Master)
1997: Shawn Michaels
1998: Mr. McMahon (Vince McMahon)
1999: Triple H
2000: Triple H
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Chris Jericho
2004: Triple H
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Edge
2007: Edge
2008: Chris Jericho
2009: Chris Jericho
2011: Dolph Ziggler
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK | 154 | 62 | 35 | 1026 |
| Bully Ray | 38 | 34 | 22 | 336 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 36 | 28 | 28 | 320 |
| Bobby Roode | 34 | 27 | 24 | 299 |
| Paul Heyman | 16 | 27 | 37 | 235 |
JUSTIN HENRY: This one’s always hard to pick, because heels are so worthy of positive fan response these days, particularly when WWE portrays their heels as having legitimate, well-rationalized gripes, and their faces are such hypocrites. Punk deserves this for simply making the most sense.
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: The only way CM Punk could have been a better heel is if he somehow became obsessed with Twitter, but then maybe WWE would have ruined that with their constant social media pimping.
To be given to the person who best portrayed the hero this past year. This person should get lots of fan support. Match quality is not paramount here; this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in the past year.
Previous Winners:
1990: Hulk Hogan
1991: Brian Pillman
1992: Sting
1993: Bret Hart
1994: Bret Hart
1995: Shawn Michaels
1996: Shawn Michaels
1997: Steve Austin
1998: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1999: The Rock
2000: The Rock
2001: The Rock
2002: Booker T
2003: Kurt Angle
2004: Eddie Guerrero
2005: Batista
2006: Rob van Dam / Rey Mysterio (tie)
2007: CM Punk / John Cena (tie)
2008: Jeff Hardy
2009: Jeff Hardy
2011: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 81 | 51 | 32 | 622 |
| CM Punk | 59 | 27 | 10 | 396 |
| El Generico | 42 | 37 | 26 | 373 |
| The Rock | 35 | 18 | 15 | 259 |
| John Cena | 32 | 15 | 20 | 245 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Let the record show that Daniel Bryan is the only babyface in the big two these days that gets cheered via the IWC’s free will, not because they feel obligated.
POGBOGGLER: El Generico is a real face – he doesn’t mock bad guys or do bad things to them “because they deserve it.” He is upstanding and noble, like all heroic luchadors. Why is it that only luchadors get to be real faces any more?
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Well, if Steve Austin could win Best Face in 1997 despite being a total tweener at best, I suppose Daniel Bryan can win it this year with a sillier version of the same thing.
To be given to the wrestler with, on average, the best workrate and most pure in-ring skill, regardless of their style. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In 1998, it was recombined into one.
Previous Winners:
1990: Ric Flair / Randy Savage (tie)
1991: Jushin Liger
1992: Jushin Liger
1993: Bret Hart
1994: Sabu (overall / North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1995: Shawn Michaels (overall / North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1996: Rey Mysterio, Jr. (overall / North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1997: Shawn Michaels (overall / North American) / Taka Michinoku (non-North American)
1998: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)
1999: Chris Benoit
2000: Chris Benoit
2001: Chris Benoit
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Kurt Angle
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Chris Benoit
2006: Samoa Joe
2007: Bryan Danielson
2008: Chris Jericho
2009: Chris Jericho
2011: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 163 | 89 | 36 | 1154 |
| CM Punk | 97 | 113 | 50 | 924 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 69 | 50 | 60 | 614 |
| Austin Aries | 21 | 29 | 38 | 268 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 24 | 26 | 27 | 252 |
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: Everybody is going to vote for Punk or Bryan on this, and certainly they are both deserving. But Antonio Cesaro is just SO GOOD. Everything he does is amazing. He sells great. He does moves great. He waves his flag great. He even gets that neck-crack thing he does over.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Dolph Ziggler made an immense jump in his working ability this year, and I think he deserved a better showing than third. He’s always been good at selling other people’s moves like he died from them, sure, but this year he really worked on making his offense cleaner and meaner. Not that he had to bother given that he loses all the time anyway, but you have to appreciate it when a guy tries to get through the glass ceiling by perfecting his superkick.
To be given to the wrestler who did the most and the best high-flying maneuvers throughout the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North American and Non-North American. In 1998, it was recombined.
Previous Winners:
1991: Jushin Liger
1992: Jushin Liger
1993: 1-2-3 Kid (Lightning Kid)
1994: 1-2-3 Kid (North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1995: Sabu (North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1996: Rey Mysterio, Jr. (North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1997: Rey Mysterio, Jr. (North American) / Taka Michinoku (non-North American)
1998: (Billy) Kidman
1999: Jeff Hardy
2000: Jeff Hardy
2001: Rob van Dam
2002: Rey Mysterio
2003: Rey Mysterio
2004: Rey Mysterio
2005: A.J. Styles
2006: A.J. Styles
2007: Paul London
2008: Evan Bourne (Matt Sydal)
2009: Evan Bourne
2011: John Morrison
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAC (ADRIAN NEVILLE) | 57 | 31 | 17 | 412 |
| Kofi Kingston | 47 | 33 | 37 | 408 |
| Tyson Kidd | 41 | 37 | 42 | 400 |
| Austin Aries | 36 | 25 | 18 | 291 |
| AJ Styles | 34 | 22 | 19 | 274 |
JUSTIN HENRY: I’m still in the infancy of familiarizing myself with Neville/PAC’s body of work, but having enjoyed Mysterio’s rise in ECW, as well as the X Division’s better years, I’m delighted to see such crisp daredevil antics. It’s especially welcome when WWE’s TV shows feature such heavily-scripted, homogenized action for the most part.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: This came down to the wire. PAC only won when we checked all the votes for duplicate voting (e.g. people illegally voting for the same guy 1st, 2nd and 3rd – it happened a few times in every category) and it turned out that one person had voted for Kofi with all three votes. That was a loss of five points and Kofi lost, since at that point he had 413 to PAC’s 412. I am thankful Kofi lost because now Brandon Stroud will not be forced to commit MURDER.
To be given to the wrestler who has the most technical ability. The number of holds and moves you see this person do and the crispness with which the moves are executed makes his/her matches a pleasure to watch. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In 1998, it was recombined into one.
Previous Winners:
1991: Bret Hart
1992: Bret Hart
1993: Bret Hart
1994: Bret Hart (overall / North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1995: Dean Malenko (overall / North American) / Chris Benoit (non-North American)
1996: Dean Malenko (sweep)
1997: Dean Malenko (overall / North American) / Jushin Liger (non-North American)
1998: Dean Malenko
1999: Chris Benoit
2000: Chris Benoit
2001: Chris Benoit
2002: Chris Benoit
2003: Rey Mysterio
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Chris Benoit
2006: Kurt Angle
2007: Kurt Angle
2008: Kurt Angle
2009: Kurt Angle
2011: Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 314 | 49 | 14 | 1745 |
| CM Punk | 25 | 97 | 53 | 522 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 13 | 39 | 39 | 260 |
| Kurt Angle | 10 | 34 | 43 | 238 |
| Mike Quackenbush | 8 | 20 | 18 | 136 |
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: As with the Wrestling Observer awards, I suspect this award is D-Bry’s to lose for at least the next three or four years.
To be given to the wrestler who brawled his/her way through the year most convincingly. This award would go to Frank “Bruiser Brody” Goodish if he were still around or Mick Foley if he had not retired. In 1994, this award was split into two: North American and Non-North American. In 1998, it was recombined.
Previous Winners:
1991: Stan Hansen
1992: Cactus Jack
1993: Big Van Vader
1994: Cactus Jack (North American) / Stan Hansen (non-North American)
1994: Cactus Jack (North American) / Stan Hansen (non-North American)
1996: Mankind (North American) / Terry Funk (non-North American)
1997: Mankind (North American) / Stan Hansen (non-North American)
1998: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Mick Foley / Dude Love)
1999: Mankind
2000: Mick Foley (Cactus Jack / Mankind)
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Brock Lesnar
2003: Brock Lesnar
2004: Batista
2005: Batista / Samoa Joe (tie)
2006: Samoa Joe
2007: Samoa Joe
2008: Awesome Kong
2009: Undertaker
2011: Sheamus
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROCK LESNAR | 81 | 41 | 31 | 590 |
| Sheamus | 55 | 44 | 37 | 481 |
| Kevin Steen | 65 | 25 | 22 | 444 |
| Bully Ray | 43 | 39 | 29 | 390 |
| Wade Barrett | 21 | 30 | 38 | 271 |
JUSTIN HENRY: The fact that Lesnar can win this after having just 2 matches all year (one phenomenal, the other dull) speaks volumes to just how refreshing that Extreme Rules match was. Bully Ray was my pick, simply because he can make a brawl stand out week to week, PPV to PPV.
POGBOGGLER: People who didn’t vote for Kevin Steen are people who haven’t seen Kevin Steen wrestle – Steen’s matches are the most brutal things I have ever seen. The guy just tries to kill himself and the other guy at the same time. He’s channeling indie-level Mick Foley. Steen will probably end up in a wheelchair eventually, but in the meantime all you can say is HOLY SHIT.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Sheamus won last year and I think he should have won this year, because dude is a HOSS. He just beats the shit out of people and is willing to take his own shitkicking in good spirit – remember that great match he had against Tensai? Just two big dudes clubberin’ the crap out of each other. It was great. Sheamus is great at that.
To be given to the wrestler you like the most, regardless of the reason.
Previous Winners:
1991: Ric Flair
1992: Ric Flair
1993: Ric Flair
1994: Ric Flair
1995: Shawn Michaels
1996: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1997: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1998: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)
1999: Chris Jericho
2000: Triple H
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Kurt Angle
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Kurt Angle
2007: Samoa Joe / CM Punk (tie)
2008: Chris Jericho
2009: Chris Jericho
2011: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK | 141 | 68 | 29 | 967 |
| Daniel Bryan | 111 | 97 | 40 | 926 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 18 | 32 | 38 | 262 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 12 | 21 | 27 | 177 |
| Austin Aries | 11 | 15 | 15 | 130 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Well, duh.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Another one that came down to the wire, because look at the totals – D-Bry came very close to winning this. Another 9 first place votes would have been enough. I don’t think next year’s Awards will nearly be the CM Punk Awards For Excellence In Being CM Punk (TM Scott Keith) because other wrestlers like D-Bry are challenging for it – and if Ziggler or Cesaro or even Mark Henry get a decent world title run I think all bets are off. Which is good, because we should all like more than one wrestler.
To be given to the wrestler who most improved himself/herself in all facets of the sport in the past year.
Previous Winners:
1990: Lex Luger
1991: Ron Simmons
1992: Steve Austin
1993: Marcus Alexander Bagwell
1994: Diesel
1995: Johnny B. Badd
1996: Wildman Marc Mero (Johnny B. Badd)
1997: Ken Shamrock
1998: The Rock
1999: Hardcore Holly
2000: Triple H
2001: Rob van Dam
2002: Trish Stratus
2003: John Cena
2004: Batista
2005: Batista
2006: Johnny Nitro
2007: MVP
2008: The Miz
2009: The Miz
2011: Zack Ryder
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BULLY RAY | 59 | 27 | 15 | 406 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 39 | 27 | 15 | 306 |
| Damien Sandow | 25 | 27 | 14 | 234 |
| Ryback | 20 | 17 | 24 | 199 |
| Heath Slater | 12 | 27 | 21 | 183 |
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: Bully Ray’s rise to main eventhood was the least likely thing in wrestling last year and I think it was also one of the best things. Nobody predicted this, and Bully pointed that out in more than one promo, and good for him. He really is at a whole new level – and the guy is forty years old!
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: It’s a shame Eve Torres retired just as she got really good, but – she got really good! I mean, she went from “awful” to “tolerably okay” as far as the wrestling went, but her conniving heel character was just perfect – everything from the disingenous smile-at-the-fans-and-then-wince-if-too-close to the posing after the match with the defeated opponents was simply golden. Thus, it is a pity that Eve realized that there are careers both more lucrative and more safe for her than pro wrestling.
To be given to the person whose ability merits a far greater push than the person receives. There may be many such people, but the winner of this award should have the most ability with least push.
Previous Winners:
1990: Terry Taylor
1991: Cactus Jack Manson
1992: Owen Hart
1993: Chris Benoit
1994: 1-2-3 Kid
1995: Barry Horowitz
1996: Owen Hart
1997: Chris Benoit
1998: Chris Benoit
1999: D-Lo Brown
2000: Al Snow
2001: Lance Storm
2002: D-Lo Brown
2003: Matt Hardy
2004: Paul London
2005: Shelton Benjamin
2006: Shelton Benjamin
2007: Alex Shelley
2008: Shelton Benjamin
2009: Evan Bourne
2011: Samoa Joe
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYSON KIDD | 72 | 32 | 25 | 506 |
| Daniel Bryan | 37 | 17 | 11 | 258 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 33 | 20 | 15 | 255 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 27 | 23 | 16 | 236 |
| Zack Ryder | 24 | 13 | 13 | 185 |
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: The proper answer to this question is ALWAYS Colt Cabana.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Tyson Kidd was so obviously and tremendously underused that CM Punk cut a promo about it. I don’t think we’ve ever seen someone’s lack of push get used as promo fodder before.
To be given to the wrestler who had the best character gimmick in the past year.
Previous Winners:
1991: The Undertaker
1992: The Undertaker
1993: The Undertaker
1994: Bob Backlund as the real WWF champ
1995: Goldust
1996: NWO
1997: Mick Foley’s multiple personalities
1998: Lionheart Chris Jericho as a Paragon of Virtue
1999: Hardcore Holly as The Big Shot and a Superheavyweight
2000: Edge & Christian, for the benefit of those with flash photography
2001: His name is Steve Austin – WWF Champion – he does not deserve this
2002: Matt Hardy’s Mattitude
2003: John Cena as the Minister of Thuganomics
2004: Trish Stratus as an insincere meddler
2005: Mr. Kennedy handling his own ring introductions
2006: Booker T, after winning King of the Ring, becomes King of the World
2007: Black Machismo Jay Lethal
2008: How you say…Santino Marella
2009: CM Punk as the Straight Edge Savior
2011: CM Punk: The Voice of the Voiceless
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAMIEN SANDOW AS THE INTELLECTUAL SAVIOR OF THE WWE | 55 | 49 | 34 | 490 |
| Daniel Bryan, self-aggrandizing egomaniac in need of anger management | 60 | 45 | 22 | 479 |
| CM Punk is the Best In The World and demands RESPECT | 54 | 25 | 18 | 381 |
| Team Hell No as argumentative and constantly angry champions | 32 | 38 | 42 | 358 |
| Christopher Daniels and Kazarian as the appletini-drinking World Tag Team Champions Of The World | 26 | 30 | 14 | 248 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Sandow’s a fine choice, but Cesaro deserves it more, just for taking a passe concept (“Americans are incompetent and disgusting!”) and making it novel again.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: It really bears mentioning how brilliant the Joseph Park character is. At first everybody was just waiting for the reveal of him being Abyss except he’d temporarily lost his memory or something like that, but then they just ran with the Park character and it was genius because Abyss, when you get right down to it, was kind of boring and Park is constantly hilarious. Perfectly booked, perfectly executed, the best promos the wrestler has ever done and he’s a total babyface to boot, which is rare. I don’t think there’s been a face this… innocent… since Nick Dinsmore played Eugene.
To be given to the move that is just the damn best thing you’ve seen this past year. This should probably be a “finishing” move or something really spectacular.
Previous Winners:
1990: Scott Steiner’s Frankensteiner
1991: Scott Steiner’s Frankensteiner
1992: Jushin Liger’s moonsault off the second ropes to floor
1993: Big Van Vader’s moonsault
1994: Vader’s moonsault
1995: Hakushi’s Space Flying Tiger Drop
1996: Wildman Marc Mero’s Wild Thing shooting star press
1997: Bret Hart’s figure four leglock around the ringpost
1998: Rock’s People’s Elbow elbowdrop
1999: Jeff Hardy’s senton bomb
2000: Jeff Hardy’s swantonbomb senton
2001: Rob van Damn’s Five Star frog splash
2002: Brock Lesnar’s F-5 fireman carry neckbreaker
2003: Brock Lesnar’s F-5 fireman carry neckbreaker
2004: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver
2005: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver
2006: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver
2007: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver / Homicide’s Gringo Killer back to back double underhook piledriver (tie)
2008: Evan Bourne’s shooting star press
2009: Evan Bourne’s Air Bourne shooting star press
2011: Sheamus’ Brogue Kick pump kick / Randy Orton’s RKO (tie)
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTONIO CESARO'S SWISS DEATH / VERY EUROPEAN UPPERCUT | 78 | 39 | 19 | 545 |
| Antonio Cesaro's Neutralizer cradle belly-to-back inverted mat slam | 46 | 18 | 10 | 304 |
| Daniel Bryan's Lebell/Yes/No-Lock | 23 | 47 | 21 | 298 |
| El Generico's Braaaaaainbustaaaaaah! turnbuckle brainbuster | 32 | 26 | 18 | 274 |
| CM Punk's Go To Sleep fireman's carry into kneelift | 23 | 15 | 12 | 184 |
JUSTIN HENRY: The only move that made me jump out of my seat this year was Sonjay’s moonsault stomp. How do you even FAKE that?
CHRIS SIMS: When I was a kid, I never really understood the European uppercut. I didn’t quite get what it was supposed to do, even though I’d see it used by guys like William Regal, who, in retrospect, are really good at making that move look great. Cesaro, though, makes that move look like it is going to literally kill you. It’s like Daniel Bryan’s missile dropkick, in that I see it and go “oh, if someone hit me like that, I would actually die.” It’s not just that it looks stiff, but that it’s a showcase of everything great about Cesaro. The brute strength he uses to do the press into the air, the timing and positioning to make it look that good? They’re what he brings that makes him better in the than most everyone else you can name. If nothing else, it looks better than that weird Styles Clash he’s been using.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I voted for Swiss Death first, but Kazuchika Okada’s Rainmaker was a very, very close second. It’s just a short-arm clothesline, but Okada makes it look like death.
To be given to the best wrestling match you’ve seen this year, either live, on TV, PPV, or in an arena, or on tape. If it took place in the past year, it is eligible. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall. In 1997, it was recombined.
Previous Winners:
1990: 04/22/90 – Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart vs. Marty Janetty & Shawn Michaels (SNME)
1991: 03/21/91 – Steiners vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase (Tokyo, aired on taped PPV)
1992: 01/18/92 – Royal Rumble
1993: 10/24/93 – Cactus Jack vs. Big Van Vader
1994: 03/20/94 – Razor Ramon (WWE IC) v. Shawn Michaels (ladder match) (Overall / North American) / 04/16/94: Chris Benoit vs. Great Sasuke (Super J Cup final) (non-North American)
1995: 08/27/95 – Shawn Michaels (WWE IC) vs. Razor Ramon (ladder match) (Overall / North American) / 11/20/94: Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota (AJW V*TOP Tourney final) (non-North American)
1996: 03/31/96 – Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE title, ironman) (Overall / North American) / 03/17/96: Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani (non-North American)
1997: 10/05/97 – Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker (Hell in the Cell cage)
1998: 06/28/98 – Undertaker vs. Mankind (Hell in the Cell cage)
1999: 10/17/99 – Brood (Matt & Jeff Hardy) vs. Edge & Christian (ladder)
2000: 08/27/00 – Edge & Christian (WWE tag) vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz (tag TLC)
2001: 05/21/01 – Steve Austin & Triple H (WWE tag) vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho
2002: 10/20/02 – Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio (WWE tag final)
2003: 01/19/03 – Kurt Angle (WWE title) vs. Chris Benoit
2004: 03/14/04 – Triple H (WWE WHC) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels
2005: 04/03/05 – Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
2006: 03/31/06 – Dragon Kid & Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito vs. CIMA & Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino (ROH Supercard of Honor)
2007: 04/23/07 – John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
2008: 03/30/08 – Ric Flair (career) vs. Shawn Michaels
2009: 04/05/09 – Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels
2011: 07/17/11 – John Cena (WWE title) vs. CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/16/12: RYBACK, DANIEL BRYAN AND KANE v. DEAN AMBROSE, SETH ROLLINS AND ROMAN REIGNS (TLC) | 75 | 54 | 51 | 639 |
| 04/01/12: Undertaker v. Triple H | 75 | 41 | 23 | 544 |
| 04/29/12: John Cena v. Brock Lesnar (No DQ) | 47 | 27 | 31 | 378 |
| 05/20/12: CM Punk (WWE World) v. Daniel Bryan | 31 | 39 | 33 | 338 |
| 04/29/12: Sheamus (WWE WHC) v. Daniel Bryan (2/3 falls match) | 25 | 18 | 19 | 217 |
CHRIS SIMS: This may not have been the best wrestling match of the year, but it was probably the most fun wrestling match seen by the most people. I think what was really great about it was that everybody got their chance to shine. Daniel Bryan looking like Bruce Lee when he was just standing there kicking dudes, Seth Rollins looking like he was going to kill himself to take out Ryback, Ambrose making his hilariously enjoyable :O face, and Kane being a monster that could only be stopped by burying him alive under a bunch of rubble. Ryback might’ve done some stuff too, but, I dunno, I was too busy laughing at Kane napping under a pile of wreckage.
JUSTIN HENRY: I’m just happy that Taker and HHH’s “take turns doing slow offense while Shawn hangs his hand and frowns” match didn’t win. The Shield match is a fine choice, simply for exceeding the expectations of many. And how.
DANIELLE MATHESON: Never before have I attempted to write about what happened at King of Trios. Every time I do, inevitably I end up staring at a blank page, thinking about warm sunny days, new friends that became best friends, and the best, most emotional weekend of wrestling I’ve ever experienced. Trying to put into words what I took away from the weekend is the most frustrating thing. It’s an event that has taken residence in the happiest place in my heart, and sharing memories that I treasure turns me selfish and I want to keep them all for myself. Just go buy the DVDs, you jerks, and leave me alone with my feelings.
Warm fuzzies and Ophidian hugs aside, the actual wrestling was, in short, amazing. For a lot of people it changed the idea of how wrestling could be – how wrestling should be. Whether it was seeing Mike Bennett in a new light, or wanting to throw yourself headlong into joshi puroresu, I don’t think anyone came away from that weekend unchanged. I know this seems hyperbolic and overstated, but if you were there, you know. There’s a chance you may remember good wrestling from an event a hundred pay per views later, but the effect this kind of great wrestling has on you will never leave you, and serve as a constant reminder of why you watch in the first place.
If you weren’t there, there is one match I would point to above all others as the best match of the weekend, and by and large the best match I have seen all year. Opening up night 3, Team Sendai Girls vs. Team Ring of Honor set the bar for not just the weekend, but for any match that came after it. It is 15 minutes of pure. Wrestling. heaven.
The Young Bucks found their niche as smarmy little conceited jerks long before this match, and were the perfect foils for Team Sendai. These three ladies walked into the weekend, to the great excitement some but unknown to most, and made every person fall in love with them. And I’m not saying they flirted and flaunted themselves. They kicked the ass of everyone who stepped in front of them, and stood as heroes in the end, even if victory wasn’t in the cards. The indomitable spirit of the Chisako sisters, and the joy they bring to the ring is infectious. I dare you to find someone in any of the top organizations in North America who throws kicks and elbows like Meiko Satomura. Her pele kick….her pele kick gives me feelings. If I were AJ Styles and I saw that, I would immediately retire it from my repertoire and feel ashamed I had ever attempted it in the first place.
There is a clear and concise story being told throughout the match by everyone. It has moments of comedy (see the ROH 3MB + Maria), feats of strength, high spots, submissions, just…everything. If you don’t have an emotional reaction to Satomura, left on her own, near beaten and exhausted, fighting off all three members of team ROH in the biggest show of heart since Boromir had to defend those damn hobbits…well…I don’t think you have any feelings in you at all.
The entire event is worth owning if you couldn’t be in attendance, and the fact that there were multiple matches listed from the event to choose from speaks volumes when you compare it to some of the major pay per views that happened in 2012. But for every Shield member put through a table, and every Money in the Bank briefcase won, there is a little piece of your heart waiting to be stolen by King of Trios, while this match runs off with the rest.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I really wish I had seen the Sendai Girls/RoH match before nominations closed, or I would have nominated it. As it stands, it had to settle for my first-place vote, because it really, really was that good.
To be given to the feud that gave us the most heated and best wrestling match(es) of the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North American and Non-North American. In 1996, it was recombined.
Previous Winners:
1990: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Horsemen: Arn Anderson & Barry Windham
1991: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Steiners
1992: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
1993: Big Van Vader vs. Cactus Jack
1994: Cactus Jack vs. Nasty Boys (North American) / All Japan Women vs. JWP (non-North American)
1995: Dean Malenko vs. Eddy Guerrero / Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota (non-North American)
1996: NWO vs. WCW
1997: Bret Hart / Hart Foundation vs. Steve Austin
1998: Mr. McMahon vs. Steve Austin
1999: Mankind vs. Rock
2000: Triple H vs. Mankind / Cactus Jack
2001: Rock vs. Chris Jericho
2002: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle
2003: Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar
2004: Randy Orton vs. Mick Foley
2005: Matt Hardy vs. Edge
2006: Edge vs. John Cena
2007: Matt Hardy vs. MVP
2008: Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
2009: CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy
2011: CM Punk vs. John Cena
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK v. DANIEL BRYAN | 51 | 34 | 17 | 391 |
| The Shield v. WWE Injustice | 30 | 35 | 31 | 317 |
| CM Punk v. John Cena | 29 | 17 | 17 | 230 |
| Bobby Roode v. James Storm | 27 | 22 | 12 | 225 |
| CM Punk v. WWE Corporate | 29 | 15 | 14 | 218 |
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: Bobby Roode and James Storm SHOULD take this, but I think it’ll end up being something with Punk because everybody loves Punk. Which is too bad, because the Roode/Storm feud was epic, and it ended epic with one of the best matches of the year. I can’t remember the last time I watched two wrestlers and thought “wow, it’s like they really hate each other” but Storm and Roode managed it.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I am shocked, shocked I say, that the two leading awardwinners this year would win for their feud in Best Feud!
To be given to the manager who outperformed their peers at ringside and behind the microphone in interviews. This award was discontinued after the 2001 awards and reinstated in 2006.
Previous Winners:
1990: Jim Cornette
1991: Bobby Heenan
1992: Mr. Perfect
1993: Jim Cornette
1994: Jim Cornette
1995: Jim Cornette
1996: Sunny
1997: Chyna
1998: Chyna
1999: Dawn Marie
2000: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley
2001: Stacy Keibler
2006: Armando Alejandro Estrada (Osama Rodriguez Alejandro)
2007: James Mitchell
2008: Santino Marella
2009: Natalya
2011: Vickie Guerrero
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL HEYMAN | 217 | 75 | 36 | 1382 |
| Ricardo Rodriguez | 98 | 115 | 71 | 977 |
| AJ Lee | 38 | 56 | 57 | 472 |
| Vickie Guerrero | 13 | 47 | 66 | 338 |
| A.W. | 13 | 16 | 22 | 157 |
POGBOGGLER: Will probably be Heyman (because he’s so good). It’s a shame the Awards don’t recognize 2nd place, though, because I think Ricardo deserves that. He’s been fantastic this year. (Who says we don’t recognize second place? Look right there. Who’s in second place? — CB)
To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the most insightful and entertaining comments while pushing his product. “Ring announcers” don’t qualify here. As of 1992, the difference between this and colour commentator will be enforced.
Previous Winners:
1990: Jesse Ventura
1991: Jesse Ventura
1992: Jim Ross
1993: Jim Ross
1994: Jim Ross
1995: Jim Ross
1996: Jim Ross
1997: Jim Ross
1998: Jim Ross
1999: Jim Ross
2000: Jim Ross
2001: Jim Ross
2002: Michael Cole
2003: Michael Cole
2004: Jim Ross
2005: Joey Styles
2006: Joey Styles
2007: Jim Ross
2008: Jim Ross
2009: Jim Ross
2011: Jim Ross
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JIM ROSS | 238 | 52 | 28 | 1402 |
| Michael Cole | 24 | 34 | 32 | 286 |
| Josh Matthews | 17 | 39 | 36 | 274 |
| Matt Striker | 16 | 37 | 30 | 251 |
| Scott Stanford | 14 | 37 | 28 | 237 |
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: The continued dominance of Jim Ross in this – he has won now sixteen times out of twenty-two – is one of the reasons I’m strongly considering merging the two announcing categories next year. Maybe if color commentators can compete as well JR won’t win for once? No, he’ll probably still win. Which is a shame because while he’s still good, he’s not the best play-by-play announcer working any longer – I would put Gavin Loudspeaker or Leonard F. Chikarason over him easily. They both channel a mix of Joey Styles and Jim Ross and they’re both really, really good at calling a match. But not as many people watch Chikara as they do the WWE, so JR wins again.
To be given to the color commentator who provides the most insightful and entertaining comments.
Previous Winners:
1991: Bobby Heenan
1992: Bobby Heenan
1993: Jesse Ventura
1994: Bobby Heenan
1995: Bobby Heenan
1996: Bobby Heenan
1997: Jerry Lawler
1998: Jerry Lawler
1999: Jerry Lawler
2000: Jerry Lawler
2001: Paul Heyman
2002: Tazz
2003: Tazz
2004: Tazz
2005: Tazz
2006: John Bradshaw Layfield
2007: John Bradshaw Layfield
2008: Matt Striker
2009: Matt Striker
2011: William Regal
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL | 200 | 50 | 37 | 1224 |
| William Regal | 62 | 93 | 55 | 699 |
| CM Punk | 54 | 58 | 51 | 546 |
| Booker T | 14 | 28 | 28 | 210 |
| Jerry Lawler | 19 | 23 | 19 | 202 |
JUSTIN HENRY: The best commentators are the ones who aren’t trying to sell me the show that I’m already watching. JBL does his thing, gets some legit chuckles out of myself and others, and it’s such a breath of fresh air compared to Lawler being an outdated shill.
To be given to the person who gives the best interview in the biz. This could be a wrestler or a manager.
Previous Winners:
1990: Ric Flair
1991: Ric Flair
1992: Ric Flair
1993: Ric Flair
1994: Ric Flair
1995: Shawn Michaels
1996: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1997: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1998: Mankind (Dude Love / Cactus Jack / Mick Foley)
1999: Mankind
2000: The Rock
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Chris Jericho
2004: Chris Jericho
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Mick Foley
2007: Edge
2008: Chris Jericho
2009: Chris Jericho
2011: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK | 227 | 61 | 25 | 1368 |
| Daniel Bryan | 29 | 42 | 35 | 341 |
| Paul Heyman | 25 | 28 | 33 | 275 |
| Dean Ambrose | 26 | 20 | 28 | 246 |
| Damien Sandow | 12 | 28 | 34 | 212 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Punk is the only performer in wrestling that doesn’t get criticized when his promos are (sometimes) filled with logic holes, and are (sometimes) reiterating points that were already made. Instead, the fans blame WWE for giving him bad material to work with. That’s how you know a performer is respected on the mic.
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: Like this is anyone other than Punk. Come on.
POGBOGGLER: Punk, a-doy.
To be given to the best angle you’ve seen in the sport this year.
Previous Winners:
1990: Horsemen turn heel
1991: “Real World Champion” Ric Flair challenges Hulk Hogan
1992: Ric Flair “knew Elizabeth first”
1993: WWF brings in Sean Waltman as 1-2-3 Kid
1994: Shane Douglas forfeits NWA title moments after winning it
1995: Barry Horowitz finally wins on WWF television
1996: NWO forms and attempts takeover of WCW
1997: Bret Hart turns on USA, reforms Hart Foundation
1998: Mr. McMahon offers Steve Austin the easy way – or the hard way
1999: “Countdown to the Millennium” ends with Chris Jericho’s WWF debut
2000: Triple H, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, Kurt Angle love triangle
2001: ECW joins WCW, forms alliance
2002: Goldust, Booker T turn “At the Movies” gig into friendship
2003: Paul Heyman presents Kurt Angle with Team Angle
2004: Chris Benoit’s world championship journey ends with WrestleMania win
2005: Matt Hardy returns to WWE to seek revenge on Edge & Lita
2006: Joey Styles quits RAW during live broadcast
2007: Chris Jericho inserts viral messages into WWE programming
2008: Chris Jericho forces Shawn Michaels into, out of retirement
2009: CM Punk wants to rescue us from Jeff Hardy
2011: CM Punk shoots on WWE, beginning “The Summer of Punk”
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN AND KANE MUST RESOLVE THEIR ISSUES BY HUGGING IT OUT AND BECOMING TEAM HELL NO | 80 | 52 | 39 | 634 |
| CM Punk has been the WWE champion for (X) days and YOU WILL RESPECT HIM | 66 | 39 | 25 | 497 |
| The Shield debut and attack Ryback – declaring they will protect the WWE from injustice | 33 | 35 | 58 | 386 |
| Brock Lesnar returns after WrestleMania and attacks John Cena | 49 | 23 | 27 | 368 |
| Daniel Bryan goes crazy and starts screaming NO NO NO | 18 | 33 | 21 | 231 |
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: The Team Hell No angle was hilarious and it’s a good winner… but if the Brock Lesnar angle had been extended out for a few months instead of the weird stop-start-stop-start rhythm it had because they only had Brock for limited dates, it could have been truly epic.
To be given to the organization/promotion that has the best product. This is the organization whose TV and house shows you just can’t miss.
Previous Winners:
1990: NWA
1991: WWF
1992: WCW
1993: SMW
1994: ECW
1995: WWF
1996: WWF
1997: WWF
1998: WWF
1999: WWF
2000: WWF
2001: WWF
2002: WWE (WWF)
2003: WWE
2004: WWE
2005: TNA
2006: WWE
2007: WWE
2008: WWE
2009: WWE
2011: WWE
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE | 203 | 74 | 35 | 1307 |
| Chikara Pro | 69 | 54 | 40 | 587 |
| TNA / Impact Wrestling | 48 | 77 | 37 | 545 |
| RoH | 17 | 45 | 61 | 342 |
| New Japan Pro Wrestling | 33 | 19 | 23 | 268 |
CHRIS SIMS: WWE: The Wrestling Promotion That Is On Television™.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: To everybody saying that their favorite indie promotion deserved this more than the WWE: look, it’s a fan-voting contest. You win it by getting your fans to vote. Chikara put on a better voting performance than I’ve seen an indie fed manage in years; imagine what could happen if they organized a get-out-the-vote rally of some kind! They might actually stand a chance at winning. And if you don’t believe me, just scroll down a bit.
To be given to what is on average the best wrestling TV show. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were given separate award categories.
Previous Winners:
1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
1994: WWF Monday Night RAW
1995: WWF Monday Night RAW
1996: WWF Monday Night RAW
1997: WWF Monday Night RAW (WWF RAW is War / WWF RAW / WWF War Zone)
1998: WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / War Zone)
1999: WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / War Zone)
2000: WWF RAW is WAR (RAW / War Zone)
2001: WWF RAW (RAW is War / War Zone / RAW Zone)
2002: WWE SmackDown!
2003: WWE Smackdown
2004: WWE RAW (RAW / RAW Zone)
2005: TNA iMPACT! (TNA Wrestling Impact!)
2006: WWE Smackdown
2007: WWE RAW (RAW / RAW Zone) / WWE Smackdown (tie)
2008: WWE RAW
2009: WWE Smackdown
2011: WWE Raw
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOTCHAMANIA | 163 | 27 | 28 | 952 |
| WWE RAW | 89 | 66 | 41 | 725 |
| WWE Are You Serious? | 30 | 43 | 44 | 367 |
| WWE NXT | 33 | 31 | 32 | 322 |
| TNA Impact Wrestling | 27 | 28 | 30 | 279 |
JUSTIN HENRY: I write for WrestleCrap. WrestleCrap and Botchamania have a working agreement, and I discuss ideas with Maffew here and there. That said, I claim .001% ownership of this award. It’s going next to my various Participation ribbons.
FIVE DOLLAR SMARK: WWE Main Event is the best thing WWE puts out each week: you get some recaps, a little bit of setup, and you get a good, long match. Frequently the matches are so much fun that they’ve started repeating them on RAW, mostly because nobody watches Main Event and they don’t want people to miss Antonio Cesaro giving the Great Khali a Neutralizer.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: While I’m happy to see BotchaMania win – and it won, make no mistake, because Maffew mentioned it to his fans and we promptly got a massive surge of votes – I had to give my Wrestling Show On The Internet vote to the late, great Thrillmurray’s RAW In Five Minutes, which was more focused and clever than BotchaMania – and which probably got slammed by WWE’s copyright trolling even worse than Botchamania for just that reason.
To be given to the best major event. This could be a pay-per-view, a TV special, or any big arena event. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were given separate award categories.
Previous Winners:
1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
1994: 03/20/94: WWF WrestleMania X
1995: 08/27/95: WWF SummerSlam
1996: 03/31/96: WWF WrestleMania XII
1997: 04/14/97: ECW Barely Legal
1998: 03/24/98: WWF WrestleMania XIV
1999: 08/22/99: WWF SummerSlam
2000: 01/23/00: WWF Royal Rumble
2001: 04/01/01: WWF WrestleMania X-7
2002: 08/25/02: WWE SummerSlam
2003: 03/30/03: WWE WrestleMania XIX
2004: 03/14/04: WWE WrestleMania XX
2005: 04/03/05: WWE WrestleMania 21
2006: 04/02/06: WWE WrestleMania 22
2007: 04/01/07: WWE WrestleMania 23
2008: 03/30/08: WWE WrestleMania XXIV
2009: 04/05/09: WWE WrestleMania 25
2011: 07/17/11: WWE Money in the Bank
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE WRESTLEMANIA 28 | 105 | 69 | 38 | 808 |
| WWE Extreme Rules | 83 | 50 | 35 | 635 |
| WWE Tables, Ladders and Chairs | 71 | 53 | 51 | 616 |
| Chikara King of Trios 2012 | 50 | 19 | 33 | 373 |
| WWE Royal Rumble | 20 | 24 | 30 | 232 |
POGBOGGLER: Extreme Rules had the epic Bryan/Sheamus match, the epic Cena/Lesnar match, a decent Punk/Jericho match, and that fun bit where Big Show lost a match because he was too fat and went through a table accidentally. But all of that pales besides the fact that it kicked off Layla’s run as Divas Champion! NEVAR FORGET!
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: TLC was a better show than WrestleMania. Extreme Rules was a much better show than WrestleMania. King of Trios was a glorious experience that was superb and better than WrestleMania. However, WrestleMania is the PPV Everybody Watches, so… yeah.
To be given to the best move made by a promotion this past year. This could include giving somebody a push, demoting someone, firing someone hiring someone, or anything of a promotional nature.
Previous Winners:
1991: WWF signs Ric Flair
1992: WCW signs Jake Roberts
1993: WWF works with SMW & USWA
1994: WWF pushes Bret Hart as champion again
1995: WCW signs Sabu, Chris Benoit, Eddy Guerrero & Dean Malenko away
1996: WCW signs Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ted DiBiase & Syxx
1997: ECW uses “working agreement” with WWF
1998: WWF books Vince McMahon into top storyline role
1999: WWF signs Chris Jericho
2000: WWF signs Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn
2001: WWF adds ECW to “invasion” angle
2002: WWE names Paul Heyman head of SmackDown! writing team
2003: NWA TNA offers one cent PPV
2004: WWE books Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero to World, WWE championships
2005: TNA gains Spike TV timeslot
2006: TNA signs Kurt Angle soon after WWE releases him
2007: TNA, Spike TV agree on expanding “iMPACT!” to second hour
2008: WWE airs tribute to Ric Flair the night after WrestleMania
2009: WWE books Undertaker vs. Michaels match for WrestleMania
2011: WWE allows smaller, internet-popular talents to reign (CM Punk, Daniel Bryan)
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE BOOKS CM PUNK AS YEARLONG CHAMPION | 107 | 50 | 44 | 773 |
| WWE continues to push internet-popular talents like Antonio Cesaro/Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins | 50 | 29 | 42 | 481 |
| WWE pushes Daniel Bryan after fans react angrily to WrestleMania squash | 49 | 39 | 40 | 442 |
| TNA fires Vince Russo | 38 | 26 | 17 | 302 |
| TNA pushes Austin Aries to World title | 28 | 34 | 20 | 282 |
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I don’t care what the WWE did with CM Punk or Daniel bryan this year, because there is never anything better you can do for your promotion than fire Vince Russo. If RoH hired Vince Russo tomorrow and then fired him an hour later, that would instantly be a frontrunner for next year’s Best Promotional Move award, because Vince Russo is terrible.
