Welcome to the results of the 2014 Theszies / Rec.sport.pro-wrestling Awards.
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.
This year we officially hit 1,000 voters – and I mean exactly 1,000 voters, after we manually eliminated the usual bunch of duplicate/scam voters (seriously, guys, why do you do that, it just makes this all take longer). We came out to exactly one thousand, which is pretty amazing.
For next year, we’re looking at some ways to improve the Awards. We may end up killing some of the “worst” Awards – not all of them, but people are generally less enthusiastic about them, and also it gets boring seeing people use various awards to complain about how much they dislike John Cena (or, presumably, Roman Reigns next year). We’re also looking at ways to streamline the nominations process for at least some of the awards.
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.
Previous Winners:
1990: Curt Hennig
1991-92: 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
2002-03: Kurt Angle
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Samoa Joe
2007: John Cena
2008-09: Chris Jericho
2011-12: CM Punk
2013: Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMI ZAYN | 263 | 170 | 113 | 2051 |
| Seth Rollins | 148 | 119 | 105 | 1307 |
| Daniel Bryan | 147 | 94 | 102 | 1221 |
| Shinsuke Nakamura | 90 | 65 | 48 | 741 |
| Cesaro | 56 | 88 | 86 | 716 |
SPNA001: Dragon Gate has quietly been having one of the best years in wrestling, and the story of BxB Hulk’s redemption and his struggle to prove to his contemporaries that he is worthy of the Dream Gate title has been the most compelling story in wrestling this last half of 2014. The fact that he’s going out there and giving MOTY performances every show is icing on the cake. My second write-in: Io Shirai of Stardom. Single-handedly getting and keeping me interested in joshi. She’s all around amazing.
RREED: Roman Reigns deserves to be considered; he proved he could compete in singles matches. The guy has outstanding moves for a big guy. He gives everything he has night after night. Seeing him work a crowd it’s hard to believe he’s not a veteran; he takes bumps well, works well with anyone, and is separating himself from being known as the muscle of the Shield.
YOUR HOT CUP OF RANT: From every perspective possible, this was Nakamura’s year, and given that NJPW is getting real US exposure on its own, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I don’t think Seth Rollins was anyone’s pick to be the breakout star of The Shield, but he spent 2014 proving that not only was that the case, but we were all idiots for not seeing it sooner. He had multiple amazing moments in the early part of the year, anchoring 3-man tags and pulling some Jeff Hardy-esque stunts, but he came into his own post-break up, when Rollins slowly morphed into the #1 heel on Raw. The WWE gave Seth the ball, and he didn’t just run with it – he flat-out sprinted (and he does CrossFit, so he can sprint very fast).
CINCY: The PWI Awards named Lesnar Wrestler of the Year; I can’t name him number one, because he wrestled a handful of times. I pick Nakamura as my number one, principally on the fact that he won the top award in the Observer awards. Bryan would have been my pick, but he gets second due to the fact he was out of action for months after WrestleMania.
R. MANNING: Sami has had a more consistently great year than anyone else I’ve seen, bar none.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: For me this came down to a three-man race: Sami Zayn, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Seth Rollins. Each was by far the most valuable performer their promotion had this year (well, NXT isn’t a separate promotion, but you get the idea) and each constantly delivered great promos, insane matches and drew in the fans. I ultimately went with Tanahashi, Rollins and Zayn in that order, but really, any of them would make for a perfectly acceptable winner – and Sami did, so there’s that.
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:
1990-91: 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
2000-01: Edge & Christian
2002: Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
2003: Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team: Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas
2004-05: 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
2012: Team Hell No: Kane and Daniel Bryan
2013: The Shield: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE SHIELD: SETH ROLLINS AND ROMAN REIGNS AND DEAN AMBROSE | 313 | 102 | 70 | 2011 |
| Young Bucks: Nick and Matt Jackson | 185 | 91 | 74 | 1346 |
| The Miz and Damien Mizdow | 59 | 84 | 72 | 691 |
| reDRAGON: Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish | 56 | 85 | 48 | 631 |
| Cody Rhodes and Goldust (Stardust and Goldust) | 49 | 61 | 93 | 614 |
CAP’N ANDY: I just want to point out real quick that Cody cribbed a lot of his crazyface babbling about a cosmic key that unlocks a realm of light directly from the plot of Kingdom Hearts, and that is hilarious.
OCOURT: The Millennials have worked with just about every other Dragon Gate tag team this year, and every match is an awesome one.
DANIELLE MATHESON: My vote in this category is the Blade Runner vote: just tears in rain against the Young Bucks. But while the Bucks have been making a spectacle of themselves all over the world, Dan Barry and Bill Carr have secretly been racking up accomplishments and killer matches up and down the east coast. It takes a strong tag team to make everybody around them look good, but this year Team Tremendous really came into their own. And hey, they beat the Young Bucks, so I guess technically they’re the best, right?
WAX: This is such a close race between Bucks and Redragon, but I think the Bucks get the nod here thanks to some higher-profile amazing matches.
J. STOPFORD: I really wish I could answer here, but as WWE is the only ticket I’ve caught much of, because of the anemic and unsupported languishing of their tag team section I honestly can’t place anyone.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: The Shield ran away with this one, which surprised me because I thought it was the Young Bucks’ time and the Shield hasn’t been a thing for over two-thirds of a year. But the Shield wrestled in higher-profile matches and had several amazing match of the year candidates as a team, and the rest of WWE’s tag teams have been stuck in such a boring morass, so it’s not surprising.
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)
1999-2000: Triple H
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003: Chris Jericho
2004: Triple H
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006-07: Edge
2008-09: Chris Jericho
2011: Dolph Ziggler
2012: CM Punk
2013: Paul Heyman
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SETH ROLLINS | 270 | 139 | 81 | 1929 |
| Stephanie McMahon | 205 | 112 | 73 | 1507 |
| Paul Heyman | 134 | 107 | 92 | 1175 |
| Brock Lesnar | 82 | 66 | 78 | 764 |
| Triple H | 52 | 84 | 59 | 630 |
B. CANZE: Tyson Kidd is the best. He’s been a great wrestler and just hasn’t found that foothold, but now his cocky heel persona with the headphones and the love of cats has really made him into the total package. If Kidd can wash the years of lower-card stink off him, his 2015 could be a red letter year.
C. GUND: I haven’t enjoyed hating anyone more than I hated Seth Rollins during his win by default over Roman Reigns.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Brock Lesnar broke The Undertaker’s streak. Go back and look at those people’s faces. Listen to their reactions. I honestly don’t think we’ll ever see another moment like it. Even if he immediately left the WWE, and all of Pro Wrestling, he’d STILL be last year’s biggest heel.
GAME OF FIREFLIES: Chavo Guerrero Jr. His work opposite Blue Demon Jr. and Sexy Star has been top notch. I care about Chavo getting beat up now. That’s how good Chavo was in 2014 – and he did it in, like, two weeks.
INVISIBLE COLA: Paul Heyman is the kind of guy who, by the time he’s done talking, could make you hate Mother Teresa.
CAP’N ANDY: Steph has been incredible since she ate Vince’s heart and gained his powers. She’s his daughter in every way; so smug and hatable in everything she does, and so willing to throw herself headfirst into being humiliated when it’s time to lose.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Tyler Breeze got overshadowed as the year progressed by bigger-time main roster heels, but man, he’s so good at being such a preening dick. He’s hilarious and I am proud to be one of his Wannabreeze.
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
1993-94: Bret Hart
1995-96: Shawn Michaels
1997-98: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1999-2001: 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)
2008-09: Jeff Hardy
2011: CM Punk
2012-13: Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMI ZAYN | 479 | 196 | 67 | 3117 |
| Daniel Bryan | 279 | 209 | 127 | 2276 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 65 | 116 | 146 | 965 |
| Bayley | 31 | 102 | 92 | 643 |
| Dean Ambrose | 32 | 65 | 92 | 539 |
R. MANNING: Really, Sami and Ziggler are pretty much even in fan support at this point, but I put Sami higher for having had a better story arc than Dolph. Finn Balor very nearly made the list, too; he could have easily been substituted in for Zayn or Ziggler. Meanwhile, despite bad booking and a long injury layoff, D-Bry continues to get the most massive consistent pops I’ve seen since Austin’s heyday.
NICK J. MANCUS: Rusev: He doesn’t cheat, he’s patriotic, and doesn’t lose. Isn’t that the definition of a babyface?
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Sami Zayn takes this in a walk (and it’s well-deserved), but Icarus deserves some praise as well. He had a redemption arc that culminated in him winning the Grand Championship and literally resurrecting a wrestling company. It doesn’t get more babyface than that.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I haven’t desperately cheered for a babyface to win a match, really been invested in the face winning the match, so much as I was when Bayley finally got her title shot against Charlotte. How do you not love Bayley? ARE YOU SOME KIND OF COMMUNIST?
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)
1991-92: 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)
1999-2001: Chris Benoit
2002-03: Kurt Angle
2004-05: Chris Benoit
2006: Samoa Joe
2007: Bryan Danielson
2008-09: Chris Jericho
2011: CM Punk
2012-13: Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESARO | 232 | 138 | 149 | 1871 |
| Sami Zayn | 143 | 153 | 102 | 1378 |
| Daniel Bryan | 147 | 75 | 91 | 1142 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 107 | 86 | 72 | 937 |
| Seth Rollins | 78 | 107 | 70 | 851 |
OBILLENESS: Katsuyori Shibata, who hasn’t performed anything below 100% and four stars all year long.
DUNNE’S WORDS: Rusev’s selling is fantastic. There’s a reason behind everything he does in the ring and it feels like there’s even more in the tank in terms of what he can do.
R. MANNING: Really, this is a three-way tie between Bryan, Zayn, and Cesaro, but I did have to order them, and I did it based on who gets more “holy shit” reactions out of me per match.
W. BROWN: I hope Rusev gets a significant write-in vote. He’s a better version of Bam Bam Bigelow, which is not praise I throw around lightly.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I’m sure Daniel Bryan will take back the throne that is rightfully his next year, but for now the King of Strong Style reigns.
FLYNN J.A.: Rusev. The man always remembers to sell a body injury, even in matches the next day. Best version of the unbeatable monster character thus far.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Cesaro is very nearly a perfect worker. It’s just that simple. He’s strong enough to wrestle power wrestlers, fast and agile enough to wrestle flyers, tough enough to brawl with the best and knows his technical wrestling inside and out. He can wrestle a great match with literally anybody, up to and including the Great Khali.
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:
1991-92: 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
1999-2000: Jeff Hardy
2001: Rob van Dam
2002-04: Rey Mysterio
2005-06: A.J. Styles
2007: Paul London
2008-09: Evan Bourne (Matt Sydal)
2011: John Morrison
2012: PAC (Adrian Neville)
2013: Sami Zayn
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADRIAN NEVILLE | 323 | 156 | 133 | 2349 |
| Ricochet (Prince Puma) | 180 | 118 | 65 | 1384 |
| Sami Zayn | 114 | 116 | 48 | 1014 |
| Kota Ibushi | 64 | 70 | 55 | 640 |
| Kalisto | 40 | 67 | 84 | 569 |
SPNA001: Is there anyone who does what Ricochet does and makes it look so effortless?
W. BROWN: Adrian Neville should win this in a WALK. Nobody approaches him for believably violent high-flying. When he impacts with a move, it looks deadly; not all flyers can manage that.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Is it possible to just give this award to Lucha Underground in its entirety?
DYLAX: Seth Rollins’ high flying has been downplayed with his heel turn, but at the height of the Shield’s babyface run his crazy spots and maneuvers were some of the most exciting parts of their epic matches.
C. GUND: Probably could’ve done a top 5 with only Lucha Underground guys… until I remembered ACH exists.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: When Uhaa Nation was nominated I said “wait, who is Uhaa Nation?” So I went and saw some Uhaa Nation matches. Then I voted for Uhaa Nation, because WHAT THE HELL.
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)
1998-2000: Mick Foley (Cactus Jack / Mankind / Dude Love)
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002-03: Brock Lesnar
2004: Batista
2005: Batista / Samoa Joe (tie)
2006-07: Samoa Joe
2008: Awesome Kong
2009: Undertaker
2011: Sheamus
2012-13: Brock Lesnar
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROCK LESNAR | 346 | 112 | 74 | 2214 |
| Dean Ambrose | 153 | 118 | 97 | 1313 |
| Kevin Steen (Kevin Owens) | 118 | 129 | 90 | 1158 |
| Luke Harper | 75 | 110 | 103 | 911 |
| Cesaro | 72 | 105 | 74 | 823 |
R. MANNING: Luke Harper is the closest thing we have today to Bruiser Brody.
WAX: Kevin Steen is in a category of his own here. Tommaso Ciampa and Bully Ray are nice, but none can compare to the viciousness of Steen’s offense this year.
NASTY YAFFA: Katsuyori Shibata is one of the baddest guys in Japan. He is an absolute machine.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: For one, Brock Lesnar is really good at this whole wrestling thing. It’s not often stated because he works such a light schedule, but the fact is the man’s a master of his craft. But moreover, brawling is all about a sense of legitimate danger, and no one does that quite like Brock.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: After the awards were live, I went back and realized that Tomohiro Ishii hadn’t been nominated, even though I thought I had nominated him myself. He deserved to be nominated. Nobody brawls quite like Ishii, and nobody makes Strong Style look as realistic as Ishii does. You legitimately believe he draws power from being hit in the face.
To be given to the wrestler you like the most, regardless of the reason.
Previous Winners:
1991-94: Ric Flair
1995: Shawn Michaels
1996-97: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1998: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)
1999: Chris Jericho
2000: Triple H
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002-03: Kurt Angle
2004: Chris Benoit
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Kurt Angle
2007: Samoa Joe / CM Punk (tie)
2008-09: Chris Jericho
2011-12: CM Punk
2012: Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN | 212 | 138 | 82 | 1638 |
| Sami Zayn | 164 | 138 | 95 | 1424 |
| Cesaro | 88 | 69 | 75 | 797 |
| Dean Ambrose | 57 | 56 | 53 | 559 |
| CM Punk | 63 | 35 | 33 | 486 |
KURASHIMA: BOMAAAAAAAAA YE!
T. STOCKEL: John Cena. Don’t judge me!
JESSE M. CAMPBELL: Shinsuke Nakamura. I can’t fathom why this would even need to be explained.
W0M29: JTG cause he always lost and he didn’t deserve to get fired
CROSSFELLA: Damien Sandow. He’s the best comedic guy on the WWE roster, he’s great in the ring when he gets a chance, and he can work a crowd so well. I’m a big Sandow mark.
JAMES O’CONNOR: Drago. (He’s a shoot dragon!)
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
1995-96: Johnny B. Badd / Marc Mero
1997: Ken Shamrock
1998: The Rock
1999: Hardcore Holly
2000: Triple H
2001: Rob van Dam
2002: Trish Stratus
2003: John Cena
2004-05: Batista
2006: Johnny Nitro
2007: MVP
2008-09: The Miz
2011: Zack Ryder
2012: Bully Ray
2013: Roman Reigns
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLOTTE | 192 | 65 | 52 | 1259 |
| Tyson Kidd | 103 | 124 | 87 | 1061 |
| Seth Rollins | 119 | 63 | 68 | 920 |
| Rusev | 95 | 87 | 71 | 878 |
| Sasha Banks | 97 | 102 | 40 | 871 |
R. MANNING: Big Ryck (the former Ezekiel Jackson) has turned into one of the best parts of Lucha Underground–largely because he’s learned that in a promotion where he’s a giant, he can get massively over by swatting people like flies and being a giant prop for the other guys to bump off of.
DYLAX: I now actually look forward to seeing The Miz.
B. CANZE: Sasha Banks in a walk. She’s morphed from Developmental Diva #7 to The Boss, fully formed, fully fabulous, and one of the best heels in the game between the ropes. Even her promos are starting to sound like a real person instead of a short-circuited Fembot. Kidd gets a nod for transforming into the most fun heel in wrestling this side of the Young Bucks, and Ricochet for easing off the flippy shit and dialing in his mat wrestling and psychology.
GIGGAB: Juan Francisco de Coronado, who really clicked in both his in-ring ability and his inherent smarminess this year.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I feel like NXT is going to start dominating this category, if only because it’s proven to be fertile ground for wrestlers looking to kick it up a notch. This year’s winner is probably its biggest success story – one year ago Sasha Banks was awkward, with potential but not much polish. Now she’s anchoring feuds in the NXT Women’s division, a monster in the ring, and the most obviously TV-ready superstar at Full Sail.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: I love Sasha Banks, but Charlotte’s improvement has been faster and more dramatic and she’s just better at everything, and that’s no slouch on Sasha Banks but rather an indication of how good Charlotte has become.
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
1997-98: Chris Benoit
1999: D-Lo Brown
2000: Al Snow
2001: Lance Storm
2002: D-Lo Brown
2003: Matt Hardy
2004: Paul London
2005-06: Shelton Benjamin
2007: Alex Shelley
2008: Shelton Benjamin
2009: Evan Bourne
2011: Samoa Joe
2012: Tyson Kidd
2013: Antonio Cesaro
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESARO | 468 | 97 | 76 | 2783 |
| Cody Rhodes (Stardust) | 79 | 106 | 78 | 869 |
| Tyson Kidd | 58 | 95 | 87 | 749 |
| Damien Sandow | 42 | 85 | 62 | 589 |
| Dolph Ziggler | 33 | 57 | 57 | 450 |
CAP’N ANDY: This is Cesaro’s award to lose. Just like he loses everything else. 🙁
SPNA001: Minoru Suzuki is so so good and him wasting away in multi-mans against Toru Yano has been one of the greatest squandering of talents in Japanese wrestling.
MY AWESOME REPOSITORY OF JUNK: I suppose you wouldn’t accept a write-in vote for “The Entire WWE Roster”? An honourable mention goes out to the three workers WWE most blatantly sabotaged in a quixotic attempt to eliminate all competition to Roman Reigns: Cesaro, Ambrose and Ziggler. However, in protest of WWE’s utter disdain for women’s wrestling and perhaps women generally, my vote goes to Paige, Naomi and Emma (and further HMs to Sasha Banks, AJ Lee and Bayley). It’s bad enough that they’re all buried below the Bella Twins, who can only be enjoyed as a self-parody. The way WWE treats that division as a whole demeans me as a fan.
SWC: Michael Bennett. The dude is kind of overlooked a lot in ROH; you’d think he should have been signed by one of the majors by now. No idea why he’s not being mega-heely on RAW.
G.I. JOEFAN: In lieu of how much attention her peers got on NXT and even Main Event, I feel Bayley is underrated by WWE. Girl can make so much money with the same young crowd they want to appeal to.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: WWE’s slowly turning ‘Underrated’ into a character trait, so this category is becoming harder to call. That said, Tyler Breeze is being underrated in NXT, aka The Place Where Talented Wrestlers Go To Get Pushed. I’m as excited as anyone for the NXT Five, but the fact is some talented home-grown wrestlers have been pushed to the side to make room for the likes of Balor and Itami, and Breeze is easily the most qualified of the bunch.
To be given to the wrestler who had the best character gimmick in the past year.
Previous Winners:
1991-93: 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
2012: Damien Sandow as the Intellectual Savior of the WWE
2013: Bray Wyatt / The Wyatt Family
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAMIEN SANDOW/MIZDOW AS THE MIZ' STUNT DOUBLE | 318 | 162 | 90 | 2256 |
| The Vaudevillains | 59 | 64 | 61 | 609 |
| Bad News Barrett | 52 | 44 | 78 | 548 |
| Finn Balor and his war paint | 49 | 66 | 46 | 535 |
| Brock Lesnar as the 1 in 21 and 1 | 59 | 38 | 54 | 517 |
CAP’N ANDY: An unabashed Cold War gimmick in 2014 should not have worked, and then Putin invaded the Crimea like two weeks later and WELP.
B. CANZE: If the whole Devastation Corporation had been on the ballot, instead of just Sidney Bakabella, that probably would have taken the top spot. Those guys live the gimmick every step of the way.
CINCY: Triple H in 2014: Vince McMahon in 1998.
JBKMDX: “Shinsuke Nakamura as a guy who overdosed on cocaine and now believes he’s Michael Jackson” is about how I describe him.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Mizdow was hilarious, but it wouldn’t have worked without The Miz reinventing himself as a Hollywood Celebrity (In Capital Letters), just as The Miz being an enormous dickwad is currently making that angle red-hotter with every passing week.
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:
1990-91: 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
1999-2000: Jeff Hardy’s swantonbomb senton
2001: Rob van Damn’s Five Star frog splash
2002-03: Brock Lesnar’s F-5 fireman carry neckbreaker
2004-06: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver
2007: Petey Williams’ Canadian Destroyer flip piledriver / Homicide’s Gringo Killer back to back double underhook piledriver (tie)
2008-09: Evan Bourne’s Air Bourne shooting star press
2011: Sheamus’ Brogue Kick pump kick / Randy Orton’s RKO (tie)
2012: Antonio Cesaro’s Swiss Death / Very European Uppercut
2013: Antonio Cesaro’s Cesaro Swing giant swing
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMI ZAYN'S THROUGH-THE-TURNBUCKLES DDT | 183 | 128 | 59 | 1417 |
| Adrian Neville's Red Arrow corkscrew shooting star press | 136 | 78 | 98 | 1110 |
| The Young Bucks' Meltzer Driver springboard somersault spike piledriver | 76 | 52 | 41 | 618 |
| Cesaro's Swiss Death uppercut | 57 | 65 | 68 | 616 |
| Brock Lesnar's German suplex | 66 | 37 | 40 | 521 |
SPNA001: SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT SUPLEX REPEAT.
R. MANNING: I can never believe it when Sami pulls that through-the-ropes DDT. The timing involved is just incredible. Owens’s apron powerbomb makes me cringe every time I see it, and Lesnar’s German suplexes should be registered as lethal weapons.
STRONGBADFREAK: Seeing as it was voted Best Move at the WON awards, I have to ask: people are voting for the Meltzer Driver as a joke, right? The Bucks just added a front flip to a move they’ve been using for years.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I think it helps that he has the cream of the NXT crop selling it, but the Helluva Kick just looks gorgeous. Zayn is at his best when he’s pulling a fired-up babyface comeback, and that running kick is the perfect exclamation point to said comebacks. It hits hard, looks great, and it seems like it carries all the momentum in the world behind it.
PLAYER ICHI: Begrudgingly: Deucalion’s chokeslam backbreaker. Now, let us never speak of it again.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Brock Lesnar’s German suplex isn’t a finisher, but it’s now The Move That Killed John Cena, so I guess I have to vote for it at least a little bit, right?
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 – Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart vs. Marty Janetty & Shawn Michaels (SNME)
1991: 03/21 – Steiners vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase (Tokyo, aired on taped PPV)
1992: 01/18 – Royal Rumble
1993: 10/24 – Cactus Jack vs. Big Van Vader
1994: 03/20 – 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 – 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 – 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 – Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker (Hell in the Cell cage)
1998: 06/28 – Undertaker vs. Mankind (Hell in the Cell cage)
1999: 10/17 – Brood (Matt & Jeff Hardy) vs. Edge & Christian (ladder)
2000: 08/27 – Edge & Christian (WWE tag) vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz (tag TLC)
2001: 05/21 – Steve Austin & Triple H (WWE tag) vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho
2002: 10/20 – Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio (WWE tag final)
2003: 01/19 – Kurt Angle (WWE title) vs. Chris Benoit
2004: 03/14 – Triple H (WWE WHC) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels
2005: 04/03 – Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
2006: 03/31 – Dragon Kid & Genki Horiguchi & Ryo Saito vs. CIMA & Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino (ROH Supercard of Honor)
2007: 04/23 – John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
2008: 03/30 – Ric Flair (career) vs. Shawn Michaels
2009: 04/05 – Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels
2011: 07/17 – John Cena (WWE title) vs. CM Punk
2012: 12/16 – Team Hell No and Ryback v. The Shield (TLC match)
2013: 08/18 – John Cena (WWE title) v. Daniel Bryan
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/12: SAMI ZAYN v. ADRIAN NEVILLE (NXT TITLE) | 217 | 139 | 82 | 1666 |
| 02/23: The Shield v. The Wyatt Family | 162 | 104 | 108 | 1342 |
| 02/27: Sami Zayn v. Antonio Cesaro (2/3 falls) | 136 | 101 | 95 | 1173 |
| 04/06: Daniel Bryan v. Triple H | 73 | 71 | 64 | 706 |
| 04/06: Daniel Bryan v. Randy Orton v. Batista (WWE world title) | 55 | 45 | 36 | 482 |
CAP’N ANDY: The Survivor Series main event had eighteen participants (ten wrestlers, The Authority, J&J Security, three refs, and Sting). It had a mid-match SHOCKING SWERVE. It had multiple fuck finishes and run-ins. On paper, it’s an overbooked mess that never should have gotten out of the meeting where someone came up with it. And in execution, it was perfect. Just… perfect. The good guys were put into absolutely believable peril, Dolph Ziggler got to be a superhero (while John Cena got chumped out), and the whole thing culminates in ten minutes of non-stop mark out moments. I can’t say enough good things about it.
JODORISIO: All three of my votes went to Sami Zayn’s NXT don’t-call-them-PPVs matches, all of which were absolutely outstanding, with great opponents each time out.
R. MANNING: I attempted to nominate my #1 pick (Zayn vs. Neville from R-Evolution) before the match was even over – AND SOMEONE HAD ALREADY BEATEN ME TO IT. The match was THAT good.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Looking back, this year was kind of stacked. We could have voted on this in February and had at least 3 or 4 easy #1 picks, and the quality only went up from there. But the best match of 2014 was a late entrant, and fittingly the culmination of a year long storyline. Zayn and Neville were always going to tear the house down – they’re both too good not to. But the sheer emotion both men brought to the table truly separated them from the pack. Zayn’s win was pure catharsis, and it pushes this match to the top.
B. CANZE: There are so many matches in this category I can’t be sure I didn’t miss something great. Also next year, I am stopping with the fooling around and watching the entire G1 Climax already.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Shield v. Wyatt Family came close to winning despite having taken place in February, which says quite a lot about how utterly amazing it was and how absolutely stoked every fan was to see it. Just about perfect, as brutally ridiculous six-man tags go. And hey, Roman Reigns ate the pinfall and STILL looked strong.
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.
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
2012: CM Punk v. Daniel Bryan
2013: The Rhodes Family v. The Authority
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN v. THE AUTHORITY (incl. HHH/Batista/Kane/Randy Orton) | 230 | 146 | 99 | 1786 |
| Adrian Neville v. Sami Zayn | 166 | 145 | 151 | 1567 |
| WWE v. WWE fans | 203 | 91 | 106 | 1500 |
| Dean Ambrose v. Seth Rollins | 113 | 102 | 68 | 1007 |
| The Shield v. The Wyatt Family | 79 | 114 | 102 | 941 |
OCOURT: #2 BxB Hulk breaking away from and then feuding with the evil MAD BLANKEY stable was probably the best long term story told in wrestling since Austin vs McMahon. It was immensely satisfying and led to a lot of great matches.
R. MANNING: It’s sad when an insane elderly promoter versus his customer base in a shoot feud is the best feud of the year.
STRONGBADFREAK: On the one hand, Daniel Bryan’s feud with the Authority had heart, but on the other hand, Lance Hoyt scaring Brandon Stroud shitless had a Lance Hoyt scaring Brandon Stroud shitless.
MY AWESOME REPOSITORY OF JUNK: I’m terrified that WWE v. WWE fans is going to win this category. If pro wrestling in North America gets obliterated as collateral damage, was it really that good?
B. CANZE: Smooth Sailin’ and The Ecuadorian Aristocrat were made for each other. They are both great in their roles, you understand their characters and why they are at odds as soon as you see each other, and they worked a simple yet engaging old-school feud over who had the best German Suplex. My favorite feud of 2014 could have easily been a stand-out feud of 1986 Mid-South.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins was great – the kind of old school blood feud that WWE seems to shy away from, which is sad because it’s pretty much pro wrestling distilled to its purest form. I don’t like you, you don’t like me – let’s throw hands. Ambrose and Rollins are both top notch performers, and they brought their A-game for this feud. Hopefully it’s a rivalry we can enjoy for years to come.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: “You boys picked a hell of a hill to die on.” “OOOOOOOO we’re SO SCARED of you Bray Wyatt.” “War, justice… that’s y’all’s game. I dig it. I like games too. War? That’s my favorite.” “You can’t hang with the best. You can’t even try.” “I WELCOME THIS WAR!” “We don’t care if you’re monsters or if you’re men. It’s all the same.” “…Run.” Seriously, why did you people vote for anything 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.
Previous Winners:
1990: Jesse Ventura
1991: Jesse Ventura / Bobby Heenan
1992: Jim Ross / Bobby Heenan
1993: Jim Ross / Jesse Ventura
1994-96: Jim Ross / Bobby Heenan
1997-2000: Jim Ross / Jerry Lawler
2001: Jim Ross / Paul Heyman
2002-03: Michael Cole / Tazz
2004: Jim Ross / Tazz
2005: Joey Styles / Tazz
2006: Joey Styles / JBL
2007: Jim Ross / JBL
2008-09: Jim Ross / Matt Striker
2011: Jim Ross / William Regal
2012: Jim Ross / JBL
2013: William Regal
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM REGAL | 427 | 156 | 60 | 2723 |
| Renee Young | 157 | 119 | 80 | 1302 |
| Rich Brennan | 72 | 69 | 46 | 659 |
| Corey Graves | 22 | 80 | 80 | 510 |
| Tom Phillips | 37 | 45 | 41 | 402 |
OCOURT: Shinpei Nogami gets me more invested in a match than any other announcer in the world, and I don’t understand a word he is saying.
SPNA001: Excalibur. He’s pretty much the perfect indy wrestling announcer, and his laid back yet informative calling of this year’s BOLA was truly a breath of fresh air from the forced sterility of WWE.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Rich Brennan is proof that WWE announcing need not be as terrible as it is. He essentially works Michael Cole’s style, but in a way that allows him to call the action, further stories, and generally improve matches without getting in their way. He’s a consummate professional, and an anchor in a booth that features Alex Riley far too often.
T. DAWG: I see your note about Jim Ross being ineligible and counter with him saying nothing still trumped a majority of those eligible.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: William Regal can make any wrestling move seem kayfabe deadly because he understands how to sell each move at the announce table. He could likely make the Flair Flop seem like a cunning strategy.
To be given to the person who gives the best interview in the biz. This could be a wrestler or a manager.
Previous Winners:
1990-94: Ric Flair
1995: Shawn Michaels
1996-97: Stone Cold Steve Austin
1998-99: Mankind (Dude Love / Cactus Jack / Mick Foley)
2000: The Rock
2001: Stone Cold Steve Austin
2002: Kurt Angle
2003-04: Chris Jericho
2005: Eddie Guerrero
2006: Mick Foley
2007: Edge
2008-09: Chris Jericho
2011-13: CM Punk
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL HEYMAN | 474 | 111 | 55 | 2815 |
| Dean Ambrose | 74 | 96 | 104 | 871 |
| Stephanie McMahon | 75 | 114 | 61 | 839 |
| Enzo Amore | 60 | 64 | 72 | 636 |
| Bray Wyatt | 49 | 81 | 62 | 619 |
J.J. LAZARZ: Can we please give Marcus Louis some credit? From the second the promo classes leaked online and he delivered the Frenchman sexual innuendo promo I was hooked. His willingness to shave his hair (and eybrows!) to create a character only adds to his greatness. He has hit the nail on the head with each opportunity he’s been given and his promos are slowly developing a believable psychotic character. Hats off.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Enzo’s an easy choice for #1, but honestly I feel like we haven’t even seen his best work yet. Sami Zayn, meanwhile, is the hottest thing going right now. The fact that this man never really talked in the indies is incredible, because he’s a straight up natural on the mic.
CINCY: Why doesn’t Heyman have anyone else be his guys other than Lesnar anymore?
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: There hasn’t been a truly great Road Dogg-style call-and-response promo guy since, well, Road Dogg, and Enzo Amore likely does it better than Road Dogg ever did. And that says a hell of a lot.
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”
2012: Daniel Bryan and Kane resolve their anger issues by hugging it out, become Team Hell No
2013: Mark Henry pretends to retire to ambush John Cena
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL BRYAN FINALLY WINS THE WORLD TITLE AT WRESTLEMANIA | 396 | 156 | 77 | 2602 |
| Brock Lesnar brutalizes John Cena at Summerslam | 113 | 104 | 135 | 1147 |
| Sami Zayn proves he can 'win the big one' by finally winning NXT title | 85 | 143 | 80 | 1014 |
| Seth Rollins sells out and betrays the Shield | 55 | 83 | 80 | 684 |
| Kevin Owens debuts on NXT and immediately attacks Sami Zayn | 53 | 70 | 88 | 651 |
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Just to be clear – WWE sent their baby-faced Golden Boy, the man who moves merch like no other and has literally visited more sick children than anyone else on the planet, out to be brutalized for 15 minutes by Brock Lesnar. It was a bold move, one that many (myself included) didn’t believe the company had the courage to go through with. But they did, and the end result was one of the most compelling and dominant monsters the WWE has created in years. Brock’s a great wrestler, but a huge chunk of his recent success is owed to this victory, and what a masterpiece of an angle it was.
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
1995-2002: WWF
2003-04: WWE
2005: TNA
2006-13: WWE
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING | 274 | 150 | 67 | 1954 |
| WWE | 256 | 113 | 118 | 1855 |
| AAA (incl. Lucha Underground) | 77 | 124 | 95 | 947 |
| CHIKARA | 49 | 95 | 75 | 680 |
| Inspire Pro Wrestling | 75 | 35 | 40 | 560 |
OCOURT: This is the year that WWE loses this award. I’d bet my mother on it. (Good bet. — MGK)
SPNA001: Dragon Gate is amazing and is everything I love about wrestling in one place. I was always a big fan of the cruserweight style and to find a place where it’s basically the law without being a mindless indy spot fest as well as compelling story telling was a godsend for my wrestling fandom.
B CANZE: New Japan has been firing on all cylinders and has been seemingly unable to do wrong for several years now. In my mind it would take something truly special to knock them out of the top spot, or NJPW has to lose like half of its roster.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I think WWE’s still going to win this, because it’s ‘Wrestling That Is On TV’, but I feel like there’s a number of alternatives that are quickly gaining steam. My vote goes to Chikara, who does long-form storytelling better than a lot of major TV shows. It’s very much an acquired tasted, but in my mind it’s the most inventive and interesting wrestling promotion currently running.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: “I want to vote for NXT as separate from WWE” got over a hundred write-in votes, and… look. Guys. It’s not separate. It’s the same company running a combination of a developmental fed and a brand-split. WWE guys show up on NXT, NXT guys occasionally show up on WWE programming or get promoted to the main roster. You gotta take the good with the bad when it comes to WWE, I’m afraid.
To be given to what is on average the best wrestling TV show produced by a wrestling company. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were given separate award categories. In 2014, this award was distinguished from Youtube shows that are acts of criticism/commentary in their nature.
Previous Winners:
1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
1994-2001: WWF Monday Night RAW (RAW is WAR / War Zone)
2002-03: 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
2012-13: Botchamania
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE NXT | 682 | 104 | 23 | 3768 |
| Lucha Underground Weekly TV | 110 | 316 | 66 | 1630 |
| WWE RAW | 48 | 57 | 88 | 587 |
| Ring of Honor Wrestling | 20 | 59 | 87 | 451 |
| CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go | 14 | 28 | 86 | 326 |
ARTGSD: Write-in for Tercera Caida, TVC Deportes/YouTube. The best, most consistent spotlight for lucha libre this past year. Its abrupt cancellation will leave a gap for both fans and independent workers.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: I said it last year, and I’ll say it this year – I bought the WWE Network solely for NXT, and it’s an investment I do not regret.
CHRISTOPHER BIRD: Despite us explicitly explaining that Botchamania and the like were now eligible in Best Wrestling Media instead of Best TV/Youtube Show, they still got over a hundred write-in votes (with a bunch more going to Old School Wrestling Review), a lot of which didn’t vote for them in Media. It’s kind of a shame, really. That having been said, we’re sticking to our position: Botchamania doesn’t belong in this category for the same reason “Siskel and Ebert at the Movies” never won an Oscar.
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: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
1992: WWF Royal Rumble
1994: WWF WrestleMania X
1995: WWF SummerSlam
1996: WWF WrestleMania XII
1997: ECW Barely Legal
1998: WWF WrestleMania XIV
1999: WWF SummerSlam
2000: WWF Royal Rumble
2001: WWF WrestleMania X-7
2002: WWE SummerSlam
2003: WWE WrestleMania XIX
2004: WWE WrestleMania XX
2005: WWE WrestleMania 21
2006: WWE WrestleMania 22
2007: WWE WrestleMania 23
2008: WWE WrestleMania XXIV
2009: WWE WrestleMania 25
2011: WWE Money in the Bank
2012: WWE WrestleMania 28
2013: WWE Summerslam
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE NXT TAKEOVER: R-EVOLUTION | 398 | 208 | 104 | 2822 |
| WWE WrestleMania XXX | 275 | 169 | 107 | 2096 |
| NJPW G1 Climax | 50 | 67 | 47 | 545 |
| WWE NXT Takeover: Fatal Four-Way | 25 | 80 | 78 | 519 |
| NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 8 | 42 | 48 | 50 | 454 |
LAZYNAP69: If you are going to count the entire G1 Climax as a single show, then it automatically wins on sheer content of top matches.
JONAHHHHHH: It was a tough choice between R Evolution and WMXXX, but WMXXX was mostly about one man (Daniel Bryan) whereas the NXT show was spectacular from top to bottom. R Evolution gets my vote.
R. MANNING: This was absolutely the year of NXT. Vince should pay attention to what HHH is doing down in Orlando. Or, better yet, retire and dote on his grandchildren.
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)
2012: WWE books CM Punk as yearlong champion
2013: WWE pushes Daniel Bryan to World title
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WWE AIRS LIVE NXT SPECIALS | 232 | 163 | 136 | 1921 |
| WWE pushes Daniel Bryan to win World title at WrestleMania | 198 | 134 | 71 | 1534 |
| WWE signs indie talents like KENTA/Prince Devitt/Kevin Steen | 83 | 155 | 107 | 1086 |
| WWE launches WWE Network | 151 | 73 | 53 | 1080 |
| AAA airs Lucha Underground on El Rey Network | 80 | 79 | 102 | 841 |
CAP’N ANDY: Yeah, I know it’s not getting great numbers — which is actually sorta shocking, considering what amazing value for money it is — but the WWE Network is an amazingly foward-looking, intelligent move (doubly so, considering how often Vince seems to be stuck ten years behind everyone else). This is the wave of the future (see also: HBO and ESPN in 2015). In five to ten years, when this is how we get all our TV and cable networks start collapsing, the WWE’s going to be in the enviable position of having gotten there first with a ton of back content and all the kinks worked out. They’ll get to sit pretty as a lot of other brands scramble around. Good for them, and seriously, why are you people not buying it?
B. CANZE: Daniel Bryan winning the title would probably be at the top if that was ever their actual intention, and not just what they settled for when Punk left and they realized the planned matches they were left with were terrible.
CINCY: You heard it right. NJPW World gets a vote over WWE Network. WWE Network showed the WWE 2K15 roster reveal ad nauseam and ad infinitum, while not showing more of Mid-South, WCCW, AWA, JCP or any other older promotion for which they have the libraries.
The best work or body of work of wrestling-focused journalism, criticism or commentary in the past year, be it a written work, podcast, video, or anything else. Works created by pro wrestling companies are not eligible for this award; works created independently by individual wrestlers are.
| NOMINEE | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WITH SPANDEX (UPROXX / WITH LEATHER) | 522 | 97 | 40 | 2981 |
| Botchamania | 61 | 103 | 86 | 786 |
| The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana | 42 | 98 | 138 | 780 |
| The Steve Austin Show | 40 | 116 | 88 | 724 |
| Cheap Heat with 'The Masked Man' David Shoemaker / David Shoemaker's Grantland column | 45 | 97 | 60 | 636 |
AULAYAN: Three Man Booth. It’s what keeps me watching when the main WWE product is what it is.
SPNA001: I generally find Art of Wrestling fairly underwhelming, but the CM Punk show was one of the most important pieces of wrestling media in years, so I can’t really ignore it.
B. CANZE: With Spandex is my favorite place to go for wrestling features and commentary on a regular basis, because though they upped their output this year they still tend to take a quality-over-quantity approach that the dirtsheets could learn from. Between Brandon Stroud’s numerous Best And Worst columns and Danielle Matheson’s insightful looks at feminism in wrestling and life as a feminist wrestling fan, they have done some of the best wrestling commentary I have read all year. Cabana’s podcast wouldn’t make the top three for me were it not for the three-week stretch of the 2 CM Punk episodes and the Dr. Tom Prichard episode. Talk Is Jericho regularly has the best interviews of any of PodcastOne’s wrestling line-up, if you can make it through/skip the first 20-30 minutes of intro.
DANIEL M. DAMICO: Cheap Heat can be occasionally grating (damn you Heel Rosenberg!), but overall it’s a great podcast. But frankly David Shoemaker could take this category on his own. The man gets wrestling, both its past and its present.
