Welcome to the results of the 2013 Rec.sport.pro-wrestling Awards.
We saw a marked increase in voting this year, thanks to large numbers of voters sent our way from Scott Keith, Wreddit, The Mandible Claw, Botchamania, Old School Wrestling Review and lots of other wrestling fan sites. As a result, this year’s total votes came out to a whopping 767 – well over a 50% increase over last year. We also saw this year a trend I personally welcome, which was some wrestlers actively campaigning on Twitter – at least a little bit – for victory in the Awards. Granted, none of those campaigns worked, but at least one major fan campaign did, as you shall see.
We also saw a whole ton of ineligible write-ins this year. The biggest in the “best” was for the WWE Network as Best Promotional Move, which was not eligible since it didn’t happen in 2013. Also, the one guy who voted Chris Benoit for best everything. You were really clever, that one guy!
Anyway. Here, we present the “best” Awards – those Awards which celebrate the greatest things in wrestling of 2013. 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; everybody who chipped in to promote the awards; 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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 507 | 85 | 35 | 2860 |
| CM Punk | 61 | 218 | 78 | 1115 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 21 | 62 | 81 | 463 |
| Kazuchika Okada | 25 | 39 | 21 | 284 |
| Sami Zayn (El Generico) | 11 | 29 | 67 | 276 |
SEZEN: William Regal is older and hasn’t been terribly active in years – but out of two matches he wrestled this year, he had two top-10 matches of 2013, versus Antonio Cesaro and versus Kassius Ohno. That’s a hell of a thing.
MAD CONSERVATIVE CRIMEFIGHTER: Keep an eye on Christian Rose, coming out of the midwest, who holds victories over wrestlers such as Matt Hardy, John Morrison, Rhino, and now AJ Styles. He’s the real deal.
CALM LIKE A BOMB: Tomihoro Ishii, the unsung hero of NJPW, only just finally won his first ever title despite being a fan favourite for years. He makes anybody he’s up against look amazing.
XAER0KNIGHT: Icarus gets my first-place vote : not for just his wrestling ability, but how he handled the Chikara Ashes series, Chikara fan meetups, and social networking necessary to sustain the angle.
LUCIOLA LOCKHEART: I hate Cena being in here, but listen to him talk. Then: Cena Vs Damian Sandow, Cena dropping to Bryan, Cena taking a piledriver from Punk… He’s been having some real solid matches this year with actual moves.
JEFF STORMER: I don’t feel like any wrestler has shown the growth, or given the room to grow, that Icarus was given in 2013. He took viewers on a journey from hated heel to the top good guy in the company, and made it feel like it was the only option that existed.
DANNY KEY: Kana is the only joshi wrestler daring to do something different and creating some great moments in JWP, whilst seemingly actually raising joshi’s profile in America and Japan.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Bryan winning isn’t really a surprise to anybody since this was, after all, the year of Daniel Bryan. I will say, straight up, that my first-place vote here went to Kazuchika Okada; I think Okada excelled at all aspects of the sport and there is at least an argument to be made that Bryan doesn’t necessarily draw money for all that he is loved. Also, Okada is awesome so there’s that. But, like almost everybody who didn’t vote for Bryan first, I voted for him second.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SHIELD: SETH ROLLINS AND ROMAN REIGNS AND DEAN AMBROSE | 342 | 125 | 45 | 2175 |
| Cody Rhodes and Goldust | 128 | 161 | 82 | 1287 |
| Bad Influence: Christopher Daniels and Kazarian | 65 | 58 | 52 | 603 |
| Real Americans: Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger | 32 | 42 | 79 | 444 |
| Team Hell No: Kane and Daniel Bryan | 29 | 40 | 47 | 359 |
DANIEL M. DAMICO: The Shield takes this by a mile, but The Usos really deserve some attention. They’ve quietly had a great year, putting on some amazing matches with The Shield and generally being the kind of high-flying team the WWE was sorely lacking. Now we just need to get them into a TLC match.
SLEEPY SUPERHERO: The Rhodes lack the sweet gimmicks and cohesive theme of the other two, but what they lack in plot/style they make up for with their skill in the ring. I hope 2014 gives me a reason to like Cody Rhodes on his own and not just for his moves and legacy; meanwhile, Goldust has never been better.
MAD CONSERVATIVE CRIMEFIGHTER: If the Hooligans – the Cutter Brothers – aren’t on a national stage by next year, I’ll be stunned. Top tag team of the midwest going today.
DANIELLE MATHESON: Freebird rules! The Submission Squad have it all – brains, comedy, a brutal brawler in Gary Jay, and Davey Vega, who’s the best kept secret on the independent circuit. They wrestle from coast to coast, and can easily go from fan favourites to clever heels (as the Commission in KC Metro Pro) without missing a beat.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: The Shield got my top vote here for simply being, I would argue, the single best thing about WWE wrestling this past year. Every single episode of RAW featured one or more of them wrestling and they did not have a single bad match. They wrestled good matches against teams like Tons of Funk or R-Truth and Anybody Who Is With R-Truth, which we all thought impossible. And my second-place vote went to the Time Splitters, because they are great at absolutely everything.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL HEYMAN | 175 | 81 | 36 | 1190 |
| Bray Wyatt | 112 | 80 | 49 | 898 |
| Bully Ray | 76 | 41 | 36 | 575 |
| CM Punk | 67 | 24 | 27 | 461 |
| Brock Lesnar | 35 | 62 | 37 | 435 |
LAVA: CM Punk had one of the most realistic, believable heel runs ever this year. Punk proves that he doesn’t need SES or any other gimmicky thing to be awesome.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Punk’s only heel action this year could have been emptying the urn on The Undertaker and I think he could still win this. Also, it’s handicapped because of the smaller audience, but I don’t think there’s a wrestler around right now more universally reviled as Bo Dallas is in NXT.
DUBRICO187: Condor Security! A force so powerful only the fans could defeat them. There was no actual wrestling done by them, but they are the ultimate heels.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 589 | 43 | 14 | 3102 |
| CM Punk | 21 | 162 | 54 | 699 |
| Sami Zayn (El Generico) | 14 | 93 | 62 | 473 |
| John Cena | 13 | 46 | 39 | 281 |
| Goldust | 10 | 40 | 39 | 248 |
SLEEPY SUPERHERO: John Cena is Hogan 2.0, except that he seems to silently acknowledge the real life stuff and not be a total shithead/crackhead/asshole. He’s done more Make A Wish appearances than anyone else, across the board, in entertainment, period. He’s good at what he does.
RMANNING: Can I write in Daniel Bryan for all three places? Because I haven’t seen anyone get consistent pops this big since Austin’s heyday.
PRIMOF: You put Icarus in the Heel category but he spent over half the year leading the WeAreChikara movement, and stood with the faces to revive Chikara Pro. He’s a babyface now.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 442 | 100 | 38 | 2586 |
| CM Punk | 59 | 147 | 56 | 848 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 56 | 93 | 85 | 729 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 39 | 45 | 50 | 430 |
| Sami Zayn (El Generico) | 11 | 25 | 41 | 212 |
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Daniel Bryan’s going to walk away with this, and he definitely deserves it, but as good as he is Antonio Cesaro might be just a little bit better. They both have that freakish crispness we’ve come to expect from our great workers, and Bryan has the edge on the mat, but Cesaro’s freakish strength puts him on another level.
TOKYO MAGNUM: Yuji Nagata is still the man. YOU CAN’T ARGUE THIS WITH ME.
DANIELLE MATHESON: For some reason, Davey Vega often gets lost in the shuffle, but he’s the best worker on the indie circuit you’ve probably never heard of. His style is incredibly versatile, and he elevates every one of his opponents to a great match. If he’s not your favourite wrestler now, guaranteed he will be by this time next year.
FOR PRIVATE LEAGUES ONLY: Gregory Iron, because anyone that can put on a great match with only one arm deserves a mention.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMI ZAYN (EL GENERICO) | 137 | 88 | 37 | 1023 |
| Adrian Neville | 113 | 52 | 35 | 791 |
| Seth Rollins | 59 | 57 | 54 | 574 |
| Kofi Kingston | 42 | 26 | 43 | 374 |
| Kota Ibushi | 41 | 27 | 27 | 340 |
RUADHRI: There isn’t really a stand out this year, so I’ll going with El Torito for those death defying hurricanranas.
SHOGUN MAN: Goldust, because you try pulling off a top rope Hurricanrana, Yoshi Tonic or senton splash when you’re over 40.
HAMBURGERLAR: The great thing about flying is almost more knowing when to do it as compared to what they actually do. For me, no one gets me on the edge of my seat for the high flying moment quite like Christopher Daniels can. Simply an amazing sense of timing.
ANTHONY RUSSELL: Kitsune in ISW is fantastic. In a year or two he’s going to be huge on the indie scene. He’s simply too talented not to be.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Kota Ibushi only placing fifth is nuts, because I don’t think there’s a better flyer working today; he’s just absolutely perfect at every move he does, and knows how to build his crazy stunts into his matches flawlessly so they make sense (and it’s hard to make some of the stuff he does make sense). Meanwhile, here in the other hemisphere, I can’t believe AR Fox, ACH and Rich Swann all did so poorly.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROCK LESNAR | 246 | 77 | 50 | 1561 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 63 | 42 | 37 | 515 |
| Roman Reigns | 52 | 50 | 52 | 514 |
| Bully Ray | 50 | 49 | 35 | 467 |
| Kevin Steen | 57 | 29 | 21 | 414 |
RUADHRI: There’s just something about the former Brodie Lee that screams brutality. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!
HAMBURGERLAR: The character of a giant has to be played a certain way. As a 25 year fan, for my money, no one has ever played that role quite as effectively as the Big Show.
GRAHAM ROBERTS: Katsuyori Shibata. To me the best brawler in pro wrestling is the man who has the most realistic “fight.” The guy who makes it look like someone is really getting their teeth kicked in. Shibata is the best at this.
CROWDRAVEN: Paige. She exudes coolness. Her look is rad. She takes basic strikes like kicks and elbows and makes them look vicious.
VANDAMDAZ: Togi Makabe is NJPW’s resident mad brawler. I love his work, and thought his match at the Dome with Shibata was excellent. And Shibata is pretty damn good too!
To be given to the wrestler you like the most, regardless of the reason.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 311 | 106 | 39 | 1951 |
| CM Punk | 117 | 134 | 55 | 1097 |
| Antonio Cesaro | 34 | 43 | 46 | 391 |
| AJ Lee | 16 | 23 | 41 | 231 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 21 | 21 | 30 | 228 |
JUSTIN HENRY: Well, duh.
RUADHRI: The only thing wrong with Austin Aries is that he is not Antonio Cesaro.
INSANITY INC: AJ Lee succeeded where many have failed before, making Divas storylines and matches interesting and watchable seemingly by sheer force of will and in spite of disinterested or even openly hostile commentary.
SCENT OF TOMMY: Jeff Hardy has been my favourite wrestler since 1999 and always will be. He has a different way of doing things that no one else can touch, rarely has a bad match and has more personality than the entire NXT roster put together.
SLEEPY SUPERHERO: Undertaker because HE’S FUCKING UNDERTAKER. He is what Hogan should have been: a legend, dignified, intimidating, skilled, with great stories and gimmicks. HE’s the wrestlers all other wrestlers love and respect and 5 years ago he would have been on the top of my list instead of my third choice; but I know he’s on the way out and I want the new guys to go over in your results.
MUSK: Goldust has pulled off easily one of the greatest comebacks in a long time. In the best shape of his career, and pulling spots that put younger guys to shame while also giving Cody and others a great push.
C. GUND: Jervis Cottonbelly: How is he a nominee for Best Babyface but not Most Favorite? He is the world’s sweetest man. BOO your list of choices! BOOOOOOOOO
To be given to the wrestler who most improved himself/herself in all facets of the sport in the past year.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROMAN REIGNS | 190 | 75 | 54 | 1283 |
| Goldust | 148 | 75 | 35 | 1035 |
| Bray Wyatt | 99 | 79 | 43 | 818 |
| Big E Langston | 38 | 53 | 46 | 441 |
| Cody Rhodes | 47 | 34 | 22 | 381 |
BOLO912: I would have never guessed that Husky Harris would develop into the second coming of Jake Roberts.
INSANITY INC: Magnus. Who would have thought the guy plucked from UK Gladiators would make good, stay in TNA, and actually become World Champion? Not even me!
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Goldust’s comeback is nothing short of brilliant, but I think Randy Orton just beats him out. Orton last year was slow, boring, and generally unengaged with the product. Orton this year might just be the best overall wrestler in the company not named “Daniel Bryan.” That’s incredible.
SLEEPY SUPERHERO: Naomi. I know I know, a DIVA? I don’t think she’s holding herself back; I think she’s fighting like hell to be taken seriously and she’s held back by having to have reality show slap fights with the Bellas. I think if the management and coaches backstage took her seriously, she could be a legit competitor to Natalya (who’s fucking amazing) and AJ (who doesn’t do a ton, but she does it well).
C. GUND: Bo Dallas has been un-BO-lieveable lately.
THAT I NEVER HAD: Roman Reigns is simply a beast – and to think i didn’t give a shit about him when the Shield first started, to think I thought he was just the obligatory muscle to give a couple of smaller indie guys cred.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTONIO CESARO | 224 | 98 | 42 | 1498 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 134 | 77 | 49 | 999 |
| Damien Sandow | 37 | 52 | 40 | 421 |
| Wade Barrett | 29 | 35 | 47 | 344 |
| Seth Rollins | 27 | 30 | 39 | 303 |
BOLO912: A number of former Nexus members are withering on the vine. The exception, Daniel Bryan, is obvious, but really, Wade Barrett should have been at least in the upper-mid card.
NOISE LIBERATION: Alberto Del Rio does the best he can with the crap they give him. Every time, he gives it his all. Even if it means throwing a teddy bear at John Cena.
BRODIE WILLIAM: Everybody was booing Tetsuya Naito, thinking he shouldn’t be in the same ring as Kazuchika Okada – and at Wrestle Kingdom, Naito showed everyone that he deserved that spot.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I think it’s weird to call any member of The Shield underrated, but Seth Rollins fits the category. He’s often forgotten, which is a shame because he might just be the best in-ring member, and he’s got a CM-Punk like gift for mid-match trash talking.
CJDEACS: Kofi Kingston: He has been overlooked for so long it stopped being funny in May, despite giving amazing performances and remaining popular with the fans. He snapped Antonio Cesaro’s months long US Title reign, brought out some fire in his feud with the Miz, and turned out a great elimination dodge in the Rumble. I really want a push to happen for him, but I know it won’t anytime soon, which is why he goes here.
J.P. SNYDER: My write in is for the Big Show. As often as he is in major storylines I feel as if the fans don’t give him the credit he deserves for everything he can do. He always plays face and heel equally well. He cuts good promos and puts on solid matches for a guy who doesn’t have much variance in his moveset. Also, he made a PUNCH a believable finish.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I had to vote for Sami Zayn in this category, because he is so very clearly ready for the big time right now, so much so that WWE seems to be skipping the “we need to give him an NXT title run” step. Which is to the good.
To be given to the wrestler who had the best character gimmick in the past year.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAY WYATT (THE WYATT FAMILY) | 294 | 74 | 39 | 1770 |
| Daniel Bryan as the uncrowned champion of the WWE | 117 | 78 | 51 | 921 |
| The Shield as unstoppable goons-for-hire | 62 | 100 | 60 | 730 |
| AJ Lee: psycho-doll Diva | 21 | 42 | 60 | 351 |
| Zeb Colter is a Real American | 29 | 36 | 36 | 325 |
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Triple H essentially took every bit of online criticism about himself and turned it into a character. It’s an awesome creative move, and one that expertly crosses the line of fiction and reality in the way that the best wrestling stories do. It’s a great gimmick, and in any year besides the one where the Wyatt Family debuted it’d probably be worth a win. But…Bray Wyatt, man.
BOKMAN7757: One thing the WWE had definitely gotten better at is giving its undercard wrestlers easy to identify gimmicks, so that even if they don’t have star power they’re entertaining to watch and you can remember who they are.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I didn’t even think to vote for him until someone wrote him in, but Adam Cole’s hyper-obnoxious heel character he’s been rocking this year is simply splendid.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANTONIO CESARO'S CESARO SWING GIANT SWING | 133 | 57 | 45 | 926 |
| Daniel Bryan’s Busaiku Knee | 93 | 102 | 60 | 891 |
| Antonio Cesaro’s Swiss Death/Very European Uppercut | 80 | 69 | 38 | 683 |
| Roman Reigns’ spear | 67 | 50 | 58 | 601 |
| Adrian Neville’s Red Arrow corkscrew shooting star press | 64 | 36 | 25 | 478 |
RMANNING: You may notice a theme with my votes. Roman Reigns has the best spear since Goldberg, bar none–it looks like it could legit cut someone in half. Likewise, the Buisaku Knee never fails to make me WINCE when I see it. Finishers should look absolutely brutal, and both of those do. Meanwhile, since when could Dustin do a rana?!
PLAYER ICHI: Hallowicked’s step-up enzuigiri is flawless, much better than Alberto Del Rio’s – and Alberto’s is impressive enough to begin with.
CJDEACS: Bray Wyatt’s Sister Abigail spinning reverse STO. Not only does he make it look more devastating than other practitioners of the move, it fits his character so well, since it looks like he is really taking control of his prey. He also has been able to make the move mobile, either catching is prey in motion or executing it when he’s moving himself.
INSANITY INC: IS THERE NO MAN CESARO CANNOT SWING?
DANIEL M. DAMICO: The Young Bucks’ More Bang For Your Buck is absolutely ridiculous, totally unrealistic, and overall just impractical. Fortunately, those are all things I love about wrestling.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/18: JOHN CENA v. DANIEL BRYAN (WWE TITLE) | 111 | 85 | 64 | 940 |
| 06/12: Antonio Cesaro v. Sami Zayn (2/3 falls) | 117 | 73 | 51 | 906 |
| 08/18: Brock Lesnar v. CM Punk (No DQ) | 103 | 78 | 51 | 851 |
| 04/07: CM Punk v. Undertaker | 83 | 60 | 53 | 701 |
| 02/25: CM Punk v. John Cena (WWE title #1 contendership) | 76 | 50 | 44 | 618 |
RMANNING: When you have two teams as hot as Dustin/Cody and the Shield hook up, with a storyline as perfectly executed as that one was, magic happens. You could have substituted in any of their meetings this year, but I went with the one that had that little bit extra in Ambrose and Dusty at ringside. Meanwhile, John Cena once again proved my theory that he can keep up with anyone, but doesn’t know how to carry people, by putting on one hell of a match to put Daniel Bryan over, while working hurt. (We’ll just pretend that the post-match shenanigans never happened…)
BOKMAN7757: Cena vs. Bryan was booked and executed beautifully (even if the twist at the end ended up really not paying off). It’s a great example of how Cena can rise to the level of his opponent with ease.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: The final moment of Zayn/Cesaro, when Cesaro counters Zayn’s Springboard DDT into Swiss Death, is what really sells it as match of the year for me. Cesaro nearly drops Zayn midway through, but is able to muscle through on nothing but his freakish strength. It’s an incredible moment, the kind of unpredictable thing that, I think, separates great matches from the truly one-of-a-kind. Zayn/Cesaro was one of the later.
FILM DIRECTORZ: That no.1 contender’s match between Cena and Punk is probably the best match I have ever seen; it was epic. Reversals, cool spots, near falls, finishers and amazing ring work from both men.
HAMBURGERLAR: As an aside, what a year for wrestling. Some years it’s tough put together a top 10. This year, I’d have a hard time narrowing it down to 25. Long live the 3 hour era!
DANIELLE MATHESON: #1 – 8/18/13 Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada, DDT. Most people will talk about the chemistry between Devitt and Ibushi, or Okada and Tanahashi, but when Ibushi and Okada faced off back in August, it was phenomenal. It’s a shame this seemed to slip through the cracks, because as a fan of both, this is everything you could want from either of them.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHODES FAMILY v. THE AUTHORITY/THE SHIELD | 106 | 103 | 50 | 939 |
| Daniel Bryan v. The Authority | 122 | 69 | 40 | 897 |
| CM Punk v. Paul Heyman | 128 | 60 | 35 | 890 |
| CM Punk v. Undertaker | 67 | 48 | 36 | 55 |
| Antonio Cesaro v. Sami Zayn | 49 | 47 | 36 | 458 |
INSANITY INC: AJ Lee Vs Kaitlyn is the only Divas feud in years that has actually been worthwhile, attention grabbing, and put both women on the map.
DANIELLE MATHESON: As Tim Donst went further and further off the rails, his needless attacks on Gavin Loudspeaker became more cruel and calculated. This gave us the great North Carolina show where Donst filled in for Gavin, and turned the crowd vehemently against him for daring to insult Cookout. Tim Donst was even hospitalized for eating Gavin’s hair at one point. This all culminated in their David vs. Goliath match at Aniversario, with Gavin showing more heart and fortitude than you’ll see anywhere else.
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. From 1992 to 2012, announcers and colour commentators were given separate awards. In 2013, the awards were re-combined into one.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM REGAL | 195 | 106 | 67 | 1427 |
| JBL | 204 | 92 | 58 | 1412 |
| Paul Heyman | 74 | 86 | 58 | 744 |
| Renee Young | 47 | 70 | 50 | 545 |
| Jerry Lawler | 28 | 20 | 18 | 236 |
KEVIN SHELD: Sean Orleans, the heel commentator for Missouri indy promotion MMWA. He channels Bobby Heenan and tries to make announcing fun and character driven.
HAMBURGERLAR: Renee Young is the best interviewer since Gene Okerlund. It’s nice to have a talent lend a little gravitas to situations, and come off like she takes her position seriously (which I’m confidant she does). Huge props. Her interview style makes those stick moments more interesting, intense, and captivating than I can recall in years. It’s like I didn’t even know what I was missing until she showed up on Raw, and then it hits you – this is how it’s done when it’s done right. This is how it’s supposed to be. Huge props to her. She makes my favorite show more enjoyable every week.
ANTHONY RUSSELL: Denver Colorado; the man, not the place. Does a great job with Beyond Wrestling.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I was very glad to see William Regal squeak out a win over JBL, because JBL started out great when he came back and has since devolved into a terrible cariacature of what a wrestling announcer should be. But even so, a lot of people love him? I guess every generation gets the Jerry Lawler they deserve. But yes, William Regal deserves it and not just to keep JBL from winning; he sells wrestling as a whole, which is increasingly a lost art.
To be given to the person who gives the best interview in the biz. This could be a wrestler or a manager.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM PUNK | 270 | 108 | 49 | 1772 |
| Bray Wyatt | 117 | 87 | 52 | 950 |
| Dean Ambrose | 70 | 80 | 64 | 718 |
| AJ Lee | 26 | 26 | 57 | 322 |
| Paul Heyman | 48 | 9 | 10 | 287 |
BOKMAN: Bray Wyatt has done what heels in the WWE have been trying to do for years, to shut up the idiots who keep chanting WHAT (and thus neutering said heels). He found a rhythm that works and manages to be genuinely scary.
CJDEACS: Paul Heyman, without a doubt, gave some of the best promos and did more to further his story lines with his voice than anyone else this year. He was the most consistent on the mic, and moments such as the Paulcano Eruption and his berating of Punk while hitting him with the Singapore Cane made for some amazing microphone moments.
FILM DIRECTORZ: Can you beat Punk singing “I feel pretty” to Renee Young? Nope. You can’t. It is not possible.
To be given to the best angle you’ve seen in the sport this year.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARK HENRY PRETENDS TO RETIRE TO AMBUSH JOHN CENA | 175 | 74 | 47 | 1191 |
| CM Punk taunts Undertaker with the late Paul Bearer’s urn | 109 | 88 | 48 | 905 |
| Paul Heyman betrays CM Punk | 80 | 55 | 62 | 689 |
| AJ Lee calls out the Total Divas as reality stars instead of wrestlers | 63 | 72 | 77 | 685 |
| The Authority screws Daniel Bryan out of the WWE title | 53 | 46 | 40 | 483 |
INSANITY INC: The Pipebombshell promo put AJ Lee back firmly on the map amongst all the reality show plugs, and that promo still stings the cast members to this day.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Chuck Taylor’s Wrestling Is 24/7 Championship is probably the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen, and is my FAVORITE angle this year. But the BEST? Mark Henry’s fake retirement was nothing less than perfect.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE | 387 | 98 | 45 | 2319 |
| New Japan | 134 | 94 | 39 | 1020 |
| RoH | 31 | 75 | 77 | 534 |
| PWG | 40 | 49 | 57 | 461 |
| TNA | 19 | 36 | 47 | 297 |
CHRIS SIMS: WWE: The Wrestling Promotion That Is On Television™.
SEZEN: #1: Five Dollar Wrestling, just out of pure entertainment. They accomplish what they set out to do.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I think if Chikara hadn’t inexplicably been left off as a nominee (and whose fault was that? Ours, I guess), it probably would have had a much stronger showing. As it was, if you add together its votes plus the votes from the Wrestling Is spinoffs, it’s in fourth place.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOTCHAMANIA | 235 | 215 | 52 | 1924 |
| Old School Wrestling Review | 290 | 35 | 17 | 1589 |
| WWE NXT | 131 | 92 | 80 | 1091 |
| WWE RAW | 49 | 78 | 98 | 675 |
| Wrestling Is 24/7 Instagram | 11 | 30 | 18 | 181 |
NICK J MANCUSO: Old School Wrestling Review (OSW)is as hilarious as it is informative. The three Irish mates (Jay Hunter, V1 and Mr. OOC)have transcended what is typically associated with wrestling podcasts with a unique and fun outlook on some of the worst angles as well as embracing their inner mark when they witness a great event in the history of wrestling. After one episode you cannot stop as each episode has almost a storyline, not just connected to wrestling world, but with inside jokes (Virgil the $10 Man, What Bar is He?!, Noggers) and references that demand that you follow along it makes for addictive watching.
ART: Voting for Tercera Caida out of Mexico in 1st. Covers just about all of the top lucha promotions, including many of the indies, for an hour a week, and lots of good interviews. By fans for fans.
SCENT OF TOMMY: WWE Vintage Collection: The best weekly wrestling show on tv. Provides classic matches, segments and well-produced video packages. I’d much rather relive the glory days of Wrestling than sit through any other show. RAW is the only one worth watching and thats far too long!
DANIEL M. DAMICO: The Wrestling Is 24/7 Instagram is brilliant, the kind of blending of social media and wrestling that the WWE wish they could come up with. If you’re not following it, you should definitely check it out. I promise, it won’t take up too much time. (Also, NXT is by far and away the best show WWE puts out. I’m buying the Network just to watch it.)
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: This is the second year in a row Botchamania has won, and its only competition has come from Old School Wrestling Review – another fan-made review program. I’m not saying these don’t have their place in the awards, but several voters suggested that perhaps fan shows should be given a separate category from original content shows, and it may be worth considering.
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE SUMMERSLAM | 272 | 73 | 54 | 1680 |
| WWE Money In The Bank | 69 | 76 | 72 | 719 |
| WWE WrestleMania 29 | 90 | 64 | 37 | 718 |
| NJPW G1 Climax 2013 | 67 | 33 | 28 | 490 |
| Chikara El Anniversario 2013 | 41 | 34 | 20 | 347 |
HAMBURGERLAR: As an aside, how did Survivor Series get nominated, but Elimination Chamber and Royal Rumble did not? (Because they were both terrible. –MGK)
FILM DIRECTORZ: I hated everything about Wrestlemania 29, The Rock vs Cena match was one of the worst matches I have ever seen but luckily I loved the Punk vs Undertaker match enough to choose that PPV. (…okay? –MGK)
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.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE PUSHES DANIEL BRYAN TO MAIN EVENT | 227 | 112 | 61 | 1593 |
| WWE doesn’t use Darren Young’s homosexuality for an angle | 97 | 57 | 86 | 828 |
| Chikara runs closing conspiracy/resurrection angle | 60 | 23 | 31 | 431 |
| WWE opens Performance Center | 46 | 35 | 37 | 409 |
| WWE unifies primary championships | 34 | 40 | 33 | 356 |
DANIEL M. DAMICO: The Wrestling Is 24/7 title seems like such a small thing, but I think it could very well be not only the best promotional move of the year, but also the biggest. WWE’s been pulling their hair out trying to find ways to incorporate social media into wrestling, and rightly so: it’s a great combination, with a lot of potential storytelling options. The 24/7 title exemplifies that.
