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2014 WON Year End Awards


Dylan Waco

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This is my rough draft ballot for the Class A Awards. I've got thoughts I'll add later and will answer any questions about anything here. I encourage others to post theirs. This year feels really wide open and there are several categories where I'm still unsure what I will do. There are probably fifteen-twenty matches I could see in my top three this year to take the most extreme example, and that "top three" is something I sort of threw together on a whim to fill slots I don't know what to do with.

 

Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year)

 

1. Shinsuke Nakamura

2. Rush

3. Cavernario

 

On the bubble: AJ Styles, Tomohiro Ishii, Rusev

Most Outstanding Wrestler

 

1. Cavernario

2. Hechicero

3. Timothy Thatcher

 

On the bubble: Tomohiro Ishii

Best Box Office Draw

 

1. Atlantis

2. Ultimo Guerrero

3. Shinsuke Nakamura

 

On the bubble: Rush

Feud of the Year

 

1. Rush v. Negro Casas

2. Rusev v. Jack Swagger

3. Briscoes v. Matt Hardy

 

On the bubble: Stephanie McMahon v. Brie Bella, Wyatts v. The Shield, Gunner v. James Storm

Tag Team of the Year

 

1. The Briscoes

2. The Usos

3. Young Bucks

 

On the bubble: The Hardys, Harper/Rowan, Dust Brothers, reDRagon, The Twin Towers

Most Improved

 

1. Rusev

2. Caleb Konley

3. Eric Rowan

 

On the bubble: Gunner, Biff Busick

Best on Interviews

 

1. Stephanie McMahon

2. Paul Heyman

3. MVP

 

On the bubble: Zeb Colter, Brock Lesnar, Jay Briscoe

Most Charismatic

 

1. Negro Casas

2. Rush

3. Shinsuke Nakamura

 

On the bubble: Cavernario, John Cena

Best Technical Wrestler

 

1. Timothy Thatcher

2. Hechicero

3. Virus

 

On the bubble: Drew Gulak, Zack Sabre Jr.

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler)

 

1. Rush

2. Kongo Kong

3. Pentagon Jr.

 

On the bubble: Negro Casas, Mark Briscoe, Villano IV

Best Flying Wrestler

 

1. Dragon Lee

2. Titan

3. Aerostar

 

On the bubble: Australian Suicide

Most Overrated

 

1. Kane

2. YujiroTakahashi

3. Randy Orton

 

On the bubble: Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar

Most Underrated

 

1. Tomoaki Honma

2. Sami Callihan

3. Titus O'Neil

 

On the bubble: Cesaro, Shibata, Gunner

Promotion of the Year

 

1. NJPW

2. CMLL

3. Evolve/WWNLive

 

On the bubble: ROH, AAA

Best Weekly Television Show

 

1. Ring of Honor

2. CMLL

3. NXT

 

On the bubble: AAA, Anarchy

Match of the Year

 

1. AJ Styles v. Minoru Suzuki - New Japan 8/1

2. Biff Busick v. Drew Gulak - CZW 4/27

3. Ultimo Guerrero v. Atlantis - CMLL 9/19

 

On the bubble: The Wyatts v. The Shield Elimination Chamber, Timothy Thatcher v. Zack Sabre Jr. 9/13 Evolve, Virus/Cachorro/Hechicero vs. Negro Casas/Cavernario/Dragon Lee CMLL 5/23, Hechicero vs. Cavernario CMLL 6/20, The Briscoes v. The Hardys OMEGA, Jun Akiyama vs. Takao Omori, AJPW 6/15, Tomoaki Honma vs. Katsuyori Shibata, NJPW 8/3, et., et., et.

Rookie of the Year

 

1. Hechicero

2. Timothy Thatcher

3. Cachorro

 

On the bubble: Dragon Lee, Australian Suicide

Best Non-Wrestler

 

1. Stephanie McMahon

2. Zeb Colter

3. Lana

 

On the bubble: Bruce Tharpe, Paul Heyman

Best Television Announcer

 

1. ?

2. ??

3. ???

Worst Television Announcer

 

1. Nick Nitrus

2. Taz

3. JBL

 

On the bubble: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, Mike Tenay

Best Major Show

 

1. G1 Night Seven

2. CMLL Anniversary Show

3. G1 Night Four

 

On the bubble: WWE Payback, Wrestlemania XXX, Elimination Chamber, NJPW 12/21/13 Korakuen Hall show

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Hechicero for rookie of the year is so crazy, that dude has been wrestling a decade. I know that is Meltzer's fault for making him a candidate, but damn vote Cacharro or Dragon Lee because they are actually rookies

If you define rookie as a newcomer in a regular promotion, than he is a rookie. I am all for voting the way it's listed, as opposed to intended. Maybe it will make him change the rules in the future.

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Surprising to just about no one:

 

1.) I've got very few problems with Dylan's list.

2.) I'm not going to be watching any New Japan anyway, except for maybe that Styles match.

 

I am less high on the Thatcher/Gulak Evolve match. I haven't seen the CZW match. I could probably find a few Ingobernales trios I like more than the former though, at least. I much prefer dickish bitching heel Thatcher to highly technical and very serious Thatcher. I'm not convinced on Cavernario yet but that's why I'm going through a ton of his stuff on Segunda Caida right now.

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Hechicero for rookie of the year is so crazy, that dude has been wrestling a decade. I know that is Meltzer's fault for making him a candidate, but damn vote Cacharro or Dragon Lee because they are actually rookies

If you define rookie as a newcomer in a regular promotion, than he is a rookie. I am all for voting the way it's listed, as opposed to intended. Maybe it will make him change the rules in the future.

 

 

He worked Monterey which runs weekly in a big arena and has TV, how is that not a regular promotion?

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How about KUSHIDA for most underrated? Probably the best NJPW juniors worker right now. Had a borderline MOTYC and arguably the best match of the BOSJ with Liger. He has had two title reigns this year but both were short-lived and he's still stuck in the same spot, working in multiman tags that don't highlight his strengths. Almost seems like he pissed someone off.

 

There have to be some really talented guys buried deep in the CMLL undercard too, right?

 

What are the notable Rush/Casas matches other than their apuesta and the Aniversario tag? I'm leaning towards The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family for Feud of the Year right now but could be swayed.

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Hechicero for rookie of the year is so crazy, that dude has been wrestling a decade. I know that is Meltzer's fault for making him a candidate, but damn vote Cacharro or Dragon Lee because they are actually rookies

If you define rookie as a newcomer in a regular promotion, than he is a rookie. I am all for voting the way it's listed, as opposed to intended. Maybe it will make him change the rules in the future.

 

 

He worked Monterey which runs weekly in a big arena and has TV, how is that not a regular promotion?

 

 

Monterrey doesn't have a singular promotion.....different people run the building sure there are regular promoters but not a promotion per se

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I'm still working on mine's. Like you said everything is wide open.

 

 

Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year)

???

 

Most Outstanding Wrestler

Tomohiro Ishii

 

Best Box Office Draw

​???

 

Feud of the Year

​???

 

Tag Team of the Year

The Young Bucks

 

Most Improved

​???

 

Best on Interviews

Paul Heyman

 

Most Charismatic

Shinsuke Nakamura

 

Best Technical Wrestler

​???

 

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler)

​???

 

Best Flying Wrestler

Ricochet

 

Most Overrated

​???

 

Most Underrated

​???

 

Promotion of the Year

New Japan Pro Wrestling

 

Best Weekly Television Show

Lucha Underground

 

Match of the Year

AJ Styles Vs. Minoru Suzuki – G1 Climax 24 Day 7

 

Rookie of the Year

Cavernario

 

Best Non-Wrestler

Stephanie McMahon

 

Best Television Announcer

​???

 

Worst Television Announcer

JBL

 

Best Major Show

???

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Very rough draft produced on my phone thanks to Hales plugging it on twitter. Turned out a bit differently than I thought it would after looking at everything. Will probably change a month from now or so but here's where I stand right now. (With somewhat shaky confidence knowing Zack gets so much love on mine.)

 

Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year)

*

1. Rush

2. Hiroshi Tanahashi

3. AJ Styles

 

Most Outstanding Wrestler

*

1. Hechicero

2. Zack Sabre Jr.

3. Takashi Sugiura

 

Best Box Office Draw

*

1. Ultimo Guerrero

2. Atlantis

3. Rush

 

Feud of the Year

*

1. Rush v. Negro Casas

2. Rusev v. Jack Swagger/Zeb Colter

3. Dangan Yankees vs. TMDK

 

Tag Team of the Year

*

1. Dangan Yankees (Takashi Sugiura & Masato Tanaka)

2. The Usos

3. The Hardys

 

Most Improved

*

1. Atsushi Kotoge

2. Taiji Ishimori

3. Rusev

 

Best on Interviews

*

1. Konnan

2. Dario Cueto

3. Ethan Carter III

 

Most Charismatic

*

1. Rush

2. Negro Casas

3. Rockstar Spud

 

Best Technical Wrestler

*

1. Hechicero

2. Zack Sabre Jr.

3. Timothy Thatcher

 

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler)

*

1. Rush

2. Negro Casas

3. Takashi Sugiura

 

Best Flying Wrestler

*

1. Aerostar

2. Dragon Lee

3. Taiji Ishimori

 

Most Overrated

*

1. Bullet Club

2. Kane

3. Diamante Azul

 

Most Underrated

*

1. Justin Gabriel

2. Tomoaki Honma

3. Koji Kanemoto

 

Promotion of the Year

*

1. CMLL

2. NJPW

3. Evolve/WWNLive

 

Best Weekly Television Show

*

1. CMLL on Fox D

2. NXT

3. ROH

 

Match of the Year

*

1. Ultimo Guerrero v. Atlantis - CMLL 9/19

2. Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Takashi Sugiura - 11/8 NOAH

3. Timothy Thatcher v. Zack Sabre Jr. 9/13 Evolve

 

Rookie of the Year

*

1. Hechicero

2. Cachorro

3. Timothy Thatcher

 

Best Non-Wrestler

*

1. Bruce Tharpe

2. Zeb Colter

3. Konnan

 

Best Television Announcer

*

1. Hugo Savinovich

2. Shinpei Nogami

3. Renee Young

 

Worst Television Announcer

*

1. JBL

2. Taz

3. Michael Cole

 

Best Major Show

*

1. CMLL Anniversario 81

2. G1 Night Seven

3. G1 Night Four

 

Class B Awards

 

Worst Major Wrestling Show

1. TNA Sacrifice

2. WWE Royal Rumble

3. TNA Lockdown

 

Best Wrestling Maneuver

1. Corner Dropkick (Rush)

2. Titanics - Handspring back flip into a victory roll (Titán)

3. Arcoiris de Io - Package German suplex transitioned into a leg clutch hold (Io Shirai)

 

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic

1. Bullet Club's nWo ripoff gimmick getting pushed

2. DJ Hyde booking blowjob stipulations at CZW shows

3. Chikara's "Revival" taking over National Pro Wrestling Day

 

Worst Television Show

1. Smackdown

2. Raw

3. Impact Wrestling

 

Worst Worked Match of the Year

1. Big Daddy Yum Yum vs Satoshi Kojima - NJPW New Beginning, February 9th

2. Naomi vs Cameron - Raw, September 15th

3. Sam Shaw vs Ken Anderson (Committed Match) - TNA Sacrifice, April 27th

 

Worst Feud of the Year

1. Sam Shaw vs Ken Anderson

2. Stephanie McMahon vs Brie Bella

3. Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins

 

Worst Promotion of the Year

1. TNA

2. WWE

3. Wrestle-1

 

Best Booker

1. Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH)

2. Glen Joseph (PROGRESS)

3. Dusty Rhodes (NXT)

 

Promoter of the Year

1. Paco Alonso

2. Naoki Sugabayashi

3. Dorian Roldan

 

Best Gimmick

1. Rush (Asshole)

2. Kenou (P.Y. Chu-Hi tribute)

3. Tyson Kidd (Neglectful Husband)

 

Worst Gimmick

1. The Bunny (Rapist Furry)

2. Bullet Club (nWo Ripoff)

3. Adam Rose (Party Guy)

 

Best Pro Wrestling Book

1. -

2. -

3. -

 

Best Pro Wrestling DVD

1. -

2. -

3. -

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What are the notable Rush/Casas matches other than their apuesta and the Aniversario tag? I'm leaning towards The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family for Feud of the Year right now but could be swayed.

My favorite is probably:

 

Aired 2014-07-26
taped 2014-07-18 @ Arena México
Negro Casas & Shocker © vs La Sombra & Rush for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
That's not the title change but the rematch. I covered probably 25 of their matches this year on Segunda Caida though.
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I think in general Segunda Caida's a great resource for Lucha (really any type, pretty sure I read a review for the Aja Kong/KAORU brawl from 2000 on there at some point) matches for everybody as a reference point. Really enjoy all you guys' various reviews and definitely helped me out earlier in the year when I was digging up some older stuff. Thanks y'all.

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I hope that no irregularly-used Diva makes the "Most Overrated" Top 10 results this year, like Eva Marie last year. I don't see where she was rated at all, much less overrated. I wonder if Bray Wyatt will crack the list, since it seems he's been soured on as of late. Maybe AJ Lee too.

 

Is it safe to say the "Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic" will be something Network/9.99 related? Possibly also add on "WWE announcers saying fans who paid full price for PPVs are stupid".

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What are the notable Rush/Casas matches other than their apuesta and the Aniversario tag? I'm leaning towards The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family for Feud of the Year right now but could be swayed.

My favorite is probably:

 

Aired 2014-07-26
taped 2014-07-18 @ Arena México
Negro Casas & Shocker © vs La Sombra & Rush for the CMLL World Tag Team Championship
That's not the title change but the rematch. I covered probably 25 of their matches this year on Segunda Caida though.

 

 

I really enjoyed this. As seems to be the trend with big lucha matches for me, structurally it was excellent (all those awesome comebacks) but mechanical issues took it down a little bit.

 

Is anyone feeling Casas for Most Outstanding? I've really enjoyed the Rush matches I've seen, the Titán and Volador Jr. matches in January were both very good... maybe he doesn't have the portfolio of a Hechicero or Cavernario by virtue of not having been in a tournament where he got to have a ton of good matches, but everything I've seen has been very good to great.

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  • 1 month later...

"CATEGORY A" AWARDS. PICK A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PLACE FINISHER IN EACH CATEGORY. POINTS WILL BE AWARDED ON A 5-3-2 BASIS. THE WINNER OF THE AWARD IS DETERMINED BY TOTAL POINTS.

1. LOU THESZ/RIC FLAIR AWARD

1. Shinsuke Nakamura
2. Rush
3. Titan

2. MMA MOST VALUABLE FIGHTER

Abstain

3. MOST OUTSTANDING WRESTLER

1. Titan
2. El Barbaro Cavernario
3. Rey Hechicero

4. MOST OUTSTANDING FIGHTER

Abstain

5. BEST BOX OFFICE DRAW

1. John Cena
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi
3. Shinsuke Nakamura

6. FEUD OF THE YEAR

1. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family
2. Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority
3. Rush vs. Negro Casas

7. TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR

1. The Usos
2. The Young Bucks
3. Las Traumas I y II

8. MOST IMPROVED

1. Rusev
2. Erick Rowan
3. Biff Busick

9. BEST ON INTERVIEWS

1. Rush
2. Stephanie McMahon
3. Paul Heyman

10. MOST CHARISMATIC

1. Daniel Bryan
2. John Cena
3. Hiroshi Tanahashi

11. BEST TECHNICAL WRESTLER

1. Negro Navarro
2. Black Terry
3. Virus

12. BRUISER BRODY MEMORIAL AWARD

1. Dean Ambrose
2. Rush
3. Pentagon Jr.

13. BEST FLYING WRESTLER

1. Fenix
2. Aero Star
3. Ricochet

14. MOST OVERRATED

1. Roman Reigns
2. Cibernetico
3. Randy Orton

15. MOST UNDERRATED

1. Cesaro
2. Tomoaki Honma
3. Titus O'Neill

16. PROMOTION OF THE YEAR

1. New Japan Pro Wrestling
2. Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
3. World Wrestling Entertainment

17. BEST WEEKLY TV SHOW

1. WWE NXT
2. Lucha Underground
3. Ring of Honor

18. PRO WRESTLING MATCH OF THE YEAR

1. Atlantis vs. Ultimo Guerrero = 9/19/14 = Arena Mexico
2. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family = 2/23/14 = Elimination Chamber PPV
3. AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki = 8/1/14 = Korakuen Hall

19. MMA MATCH OF THE YEAR

Abstain

20. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1. Dragon Lee II
2. Cachorro
3. Black Panther

21. BEST NON-WRESTLER PERFORMER

1. Stephanie McMahon
2. Dario Cueto
3. Lana

22. BEST TELEVISION ANNOUNCER

1. William Regal
2. Leobardo Magadan
3. Julio Cesar Rivera

23. WORST TELEVISION ANNOUNCER

1. Matt Striker
2. Vampiro
3. John Bradshaw Layfield

24. BEST MAJOR SHOW

1. CMLL Anniversario Show = 9/19/14
2. New Japan G1 Climax at Korakuen Hall = 8/1/14
3. Wrestlemania XXX = 4/6/14

"CATEGORY B" AWARDS. PICK ONE IN EACH CATEGORY. WINNER CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF FIRST PLACE VOTES.

1. WORST MAJOR SHOW OF THE YEAR

1. WWE Battleground = 7/20/14

2. BEST WRESTLING MANEUVER

1. Titanics by Titan

3. MOST DISGUSTING PROMOTIONAL TACTIC

1. WWE not delivering Ambrose vs. Rollins at Battleground

4. WORST TELEVISION SHOW

1. WWE Smackdown

5. WORST MATCH OF THE YEAR

1. Layla vs. Summer Rae = Money in the Bank PPV = 6/29/14

6. WORST FEUD OF THE YEAR

1. Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

7. WORST PROMOTION

1. Total Nonstop Action

8. BEST BOOKER

1. Ryan Katz = NXT

9. PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

1. Takaaki Kidani

10. BEST GIMMICK

1. Los Ingobernales

11. WORST GIMMICK

1. Adam Rose

12. BEST WRESTLING BOOK

1. The History of Professional Wrestling: Jim Crockett Promotions & the NWA World Title 1983-1988 (Volume 3) = Graham Cawthon

13. BEST PRO WRESTLING DVD

1. Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story

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Here's my full ballot. Posted on our website so as not to have to C&P on a few boards.

 

http://www.shakethemropes.com/2015/01/12/rob-mccarrons-2014-wrestling-observer-awards-ballot/

 

Here's a couple:

 

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
2) Rush
3) AJ Styles

 

MATCH OF THE YEAR

1) Brock Lesnar vs John Cena (WWE SummerSlam 8/17)
2) Tomohiro Ishii vs Tomoaki Honma (NJPW G1 7/26)
3) AJ Styles vs Chris Hero (ROH 3/22)

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My final ballot:

 

Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year)

1. Shinsuke Nakamura

2. Rush

3. AJ Styles

Most Outstanding Wrestler

1. Cavernario

2. Timothy Thatcher

3. Hechicero

Best Box Office Draw

1. Atlantis

2. Ultimo Guerrero

3. Shinsuke Nakamura

Feud of the Year

1. Rush v. Negro Casas

2. Rusev v. Jack Swagger

3. Briscoes v. Matt Hardy

Tag Team of the Year

1. The Briscoes

2. The Usos

3. The Twin Towers (Kohei Sato/Shuji Ishikawa)

Most Improved

1. Rusev

2. Caleb Konley

3. Erick Rowan

Best on Interviews

1. Stephanie McMahon

2. Jay Briscoe

3. Paul Heyman

Most Charismatic

1. Negro Casas

2. Rush

3. Shinsuke Nakamura

Best Technical Wrestler

1. Timothy Thatcher

2. Drew Gulak

3. Virus

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler)

1. Rush

2. Pentagon Jr.

3. Kongo Kong

Best Flying Wrestler

1. Titan

2. Dragon Lee

3. Aerostar

Most Overrated

1. Kane

2. Brock Lesnar

3. Yujiro Takahashi

Most Underrated

1. Tomoaki Honma

2. Sami Callihan

3. Titus O'Neil

Promotion of the Year

1. CMLL

2. NJPW

3. ROH

Best Weekly Television Show

1. Ring of Honor

2. CMLL

3. NXT

Match of the Year

1. Biff Busick v. Drew Gulak - CZW 4/27

2. Ultimo Guerrero v. Atlantis - CMLL 9/19

3. Jun Akiyama v. Takao Omori - AJPW 6/15

Rookie of the Year

1. Dragon Lee II

2. Cachorro

3. Australian Suicide

Best Non-Wrestler

1. Stephanie McMahon

2. Zeb Colter

3. Lana

Best Television Announcer

Abstain

Worst Television Announcer

1. Nick Nitrus

2. JBL

3. Taz

Best Major Show

1. G1 Night Seven

2. CMLL Anniversary Show

3. G1 Night Four

"CATEGORY B" AWARDS. PICK ONE IN EACH CATEGORY. WINNER CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF FIRST PLACE VOTES.

1. WORST MAJOR SHOW OF THE YEAR

WWE Battleground = 7/20/14

2. BEST WRESTLING MANEUVER

Cavernario's splash to the floor

3. MOST DISGUSTING PROMOTIONAL TACTIC

WWE bait and switch on Ambrose vs. Rollins at Battleground

4. WORST TELEVISION SHOW

TNA Impact

5. WORST MATCH OF THE YEAR

Ken Anderson V. Samuel Shaw - I Quit Match

6. WORST FEUD OF THE YEAR

John Cena v. Bray Wyatt

7. WORST PROMOTION

TNA

8. BEST BOOKER

Ryan Ward

9. PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

Drew Delight

10. BEST GIMMICK

Rusev w/Lana

11. WORST GIMMICK

Kurt Angle as TNA GM/Sexual Deviant

12. BEST WRESTLING BOOK

Bluegrass Brawlers

13. BEST PRO WRESTLING DVD

abstain

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