WON awards front-runners for the first half of the year

[Bix]

Well, that is true, it's early and I didn't read close enough to realize he wasn't dragging out the "they were all watching Larry King theory" I guess.

[Bix]

FYI, fighters are no longer eligible for WOTY due to the death of Pride. Most Valuable Fighter and Most Outstanding Fighter have been added.

[S.L.L.]

FYI, fighters are no longer eligible for WOTY due to the death of Pride. Most Valuable Fighter and Most Outstanding Fighter have been added.

Woah, woah, woah.....Dave's doing a workrate award for MMA? I mean, I knew he was mixed up, but...damn.

 

Still, step in the right direction, separating the two.

[Bix]

Outstanding takes wins into account.

[S.L.L.]

Outstanding takes wins into account.

What's the distinction between Most Valuable Fighter and Most Outstanding Fighter?

[Bix]

Drawing/star power.

 

By the way, doesn't this mean that by Dave's criteria, he shouldn't be covering MMA in the WON anymore?

[tomk]

So year is more or less over and time to start submitting ballots so looking at this we have:

 

1.Lou Thesz Award

 

 

This is John Cena's award with no other really legit candidates.

 

Struggled to come up with a number two. Mitsuhara Misawa is the guy on top of NOAH right now and really a guy who clearly had no desire to be on top and is holding that role until they can find someone else. Normally when you talk about a wrestler being selfless your talking about a wrestler who is willing to put others over, with Misawa one gets the sense that putting himself over is the selfless act for the promotion. I really liked his title match vs. Sano and Bison Smith. That said I could see doing a ballott with no number two or three.

 

1.John Cena

2. Mitsuhara Misawa

3. Undertaker

 

2.MMA Most Valuable Fighter:

 

Not sure if I fully understand this category. Meltzer has seperated Most Valuable Fighter from most Outstanding fighter. Most outstanding fighter is the fighter with best in ring ability and wins over top level competition. Which I guess means Most Valuable Fighter is the fighter that meant most to a promotion despite their in ring stuff being irrelevant. This will eventually become the Ken Shamrock Memorial award?

 

1. Chuck Liddell

2. Kimbo Slice

3. Cung Le

 

 

3. Most Outstanding Wrestler:

 

1. John Cena

2. Finlay

3. Bryan Danielson

 

4. Most Outstanding Fighter:

 

Not watched any shooto this year so Faber is top featherweight gotten to see.

 

1. Quinton Jackson

2. Uriah Faber

3. Randy Couture

 

 

5. Best Box Office Draw-

 

Again like Lou Thesz award this is all Cena.

 

Meltzer says that this is based on “drawing big houses (or for that matter selling tickets to small houses as the case may be):

 

 

1. John Cena

 

I guess I could do the same 2 and three

 

2. Mitsuhara Misawa

3. Undertaker

 

But this just feels like you vote number one with a bullet

 

6. Feud Of the Year

 

This isn’t a year that had a lot of feuds. WWE ran lots of good matches but not a ton in the way of feuds. WWE booked early part of the year around shows of respect angles. Michaels v Cena, Benoit v MVP, Batista v Undertaker. None of those were feuds. They did a really nice slow build to Hardys v Cade/Murdoch but as soon as Cade/Murdoch turned it was essentially over (built to a feud which never happened). As a feud Mcmahon v Lashley wasn’t compelling storyline and the matches stank. The same is true of Rated RKO v DX. Edge v Batista wasn’t good either. The matches in the Vicky Guerrero/Chavo vs. Rey and Benoit were really good but the less said about the actual “storyline” of that feud the better.

 

1. Jimmy Jacobs v. BJ Whitmer

2. Great Khali v. John Cena

3. Takeshi Morishima v. Bryan Danielson

 

Chris Harris v James Storm resulted in the best match in TNA’s history but also had the blindfold match and also marked by TNA writing. And I could see that being another candidate.

 

7. Most Improved

 

I’ve consisted enjoyed Hacksaw on Heat all year and all his offense (punches/big knee shoulder tackle have looked better than they have in years) but seems goofy to put him down as candidate. And well Misawa being forced into big title matches at point where he’s completely physically broken down has resulted in him working smarter than I remember him working at any other point this decade.

 

So top candidates would be Misawa, Hacksaw, John Cena, MVP, Taji Ishimori

 

8. Best on Interviews

 

1. Jimmy Jacobs

2. Booker T

3. James Storm

 

9. Most Charismatic

 

1. John Cena

2. Rey Mysterio

3. Umaga

 

10. Best Technical Wrestler

 

I only got to see two or three Navarro matches this year. And while Finlay was working a bunch of technical matches, he mostly stuck to brawling. Rey had a bunch of neat technical matches but also was mostly brawling, But top candidates.

 

1.Bryan Danielson

2.Finlay

3.Negro Navarro

 

12. Bruiser Brody Award

 

Wow this real competition this year as lots of good candidates:

Necro Butcher, Cena, Jimmy Jacobs, Nigel McGuiness, and Finlay are all worthy candidates.

 

 

13. Best Flying Wrestler:

 

1. Ricky Marvin

2. Rey Mysterio

3. Matt Sydal

 

14. Most Overrated

 

 

This is Meltz’ goofy definition of overrated where refers to wrestler who gets biggest push vis-à-vis lack of ring ability or charisma.

 

Top candidates here would be Shawn Michaels, Angle, Helmsley, 3D and Kane.

 

And while it is kind of preposterous that Kane gets to be your non-Batista face challenger to Edge, it should be said that Kane was willing to hang around in the undercard for good chunk of the year in meaningless tag series with Boogeyman vs. Regal/Finlay. That’s kind of what all five of the candidates should be doing. Kane is the only one who actually did so that’s a strong thing in his favor and should keep him off the ballot.

 

15. Most Underrated

 

Again this is with Meltz’ definition of underrated being wrestler with most ability/charisma, etc who doesn’t get push commensurate with that ability.

 

Several strong candidates here:

 

A) The Naturals.

 

Really nothing says lack of push more than lack of job altogether. Chase Stevens really consistently one of best in ring workers in TNA, Naturals really solid heel tag team that the TNA “braintrust” couldn’t figure out how to use.

 

b)London/Kendrick-

 

Both as individuals and a team these guys have been given squat to do this year.

 

c) Matt Hardy

 

Kind of preposterous to complain that a guy who is getting long showcase matches every week isn’t getting pushed enough. But after this years roster split Smackdown was anchored by a heel Edge and with undertaker and Rey injured had a tiny face roster of Kane, Eugene, Flair, Matt Hardy, Batista, and Jimmy Yang. When Edge went down with injury, show with title on the heel Khali and essentially same face roster (minus Eugene and Flair but with Chuck Palumbo). That at no point did it look like WWE even contemplated mixing Hardy into the face challenger mix with Kane and Batista seems kind of silly.

 

d) Chavo Guerrero Jr

 

e)Hector Guerrero

 

f)sure I’m missing a bunch of folks

 

16. Promotion of the Year

 

Top candidates would be CMLL, WWE, ROH

 

 

17. Best Weekly TV Show

 

1.Smackdown

 

Not going to even bother with a two or three here.

 

18. Pro –Wrestling Match of the Year

 

Top candidates would include:

Nigel McGuinness v. Bryan Danielson ROH 6/23, Nigel McGuinness v. Samoa Joe ROH 3/3, and

John Cena v. Umaga WWE 1/28

 

20. Rookie of the Year

1. La Sombra

Really is there another candidate besides the 17 year old sensation.

 

21. Best Non-Wrestling Performer

 

Does a ref count for this? Cause Scott Armstrong has really delivered.

 

If not top candidates are Sharmell, Julius Smokes, and El Guapito.

 

22. Best Television Announcer

 

1.JBL

2.Frank Mir

3. Javier Llanes

 

23.Worst Television Announcer

 

1. Mike Tenay

 

Really no one else comes close

 

24. Best Major Wrestling Show

 

1. Royal Rumble

 

Royal Rumble had both the WWE’s best singles match this year (Cena v Umaga) and their best tag match (Hardys v MNM).

 

[b]CATEGORY B AWARDS [/b]

 

These all single picks

 

1. Worst Major show of the Year:

I’m assuming this is some TNA thing but I didn’t watch it.

 

2. Best Wrestling Maneuver

 

Nigel McGuiness Lariat

 

My other top candidates would be Finlay’s Indian death lock and Necro Butcher’s punch.

 

3. Most Disgusting Promotional tactic

Vince McMahon's death and mourning

 

4. Worst Television Show

TNA Impact

 

5. Worst Match of the Year

Rocky Romero v. Marifjui - Respect Is Earned

 

6. Worst Feud of the Year

 

So the definition of feud of the year is based on “combination of having compelling storyline along having great matches that should strengthen the box office.”

 

Worst Feud is the one where the storyline wasn’t compelling, the matches weren’t good and hurt the box office than this should be DX v. Rated RKO.

 

They needed to drag out Flair to bleed to get anyone to care about the storyline.

 

The matches were a mess.

 

And having your secondary faces squash top two heels (and the heels that the promotion wanted to carry both brands) hurt the promotion at the box office.

 

7. Worst Promotion

 

Is this which promotion has the worst shows, or which one is made up of the worst human beings. Assuming it's the first then:

 

TNA

 

8. Best Booker

 

Jimmy Jaccobs

 

I assume he's booking his own stuff. Other candidates would be choshu and is Inoki booking IGF?

 

10. Best Gimmick

 

Jimmy Jacobs Emo to Screamo

 

I also like Festus but that’s really an undercard gimmick.

 

11.Worst Gimmick

 

Born Again Shawn Micheals

 

12. Best Wrestling book

 

Derek Bush’s “ The History of World Championship wrestling”

 

13. Best Wrestling DVD

 

DVDVR Best of the 80's Mid-South/UWF

[Bix]

Did you miss a category B award or just count wrong?

[tomk]

Fuck, it looks like I missed two categories

#7 in Category one was supposed to be Tag Team of the year

#9 in Category two is best promoter.

 

But I don't know who the candidates would be for either. I mean the Hardys had the match with MNM and the series with Cade/Murdoch and then it ended. Cade/Murdoch had the stuff with Hardys and then were sacrificed for the build to Michaels v Cena. Then there is the Briscoes and I need to watch more Noah tags.

 

And promoter?

[Bix]

Here's my ballot:

 

Thesz/Flair Award

1. John Cena

2. The Undertaker

 

MMA Most Valuable Fighter

1. Randy Couture

2. Chuck Liddell

 

Most Outstanding Wrestler

1. John Cena

2. Matt Hardy

3. Finlay

 

Most Outstanding Fighter

1. Urijah Faber

 

Best Box Office Draw

1. John Cena

 

Feud Of the Year

1. Gran Apache vs Billy Boy/Alfa

2. MVP vs Matt Hardy

 

Tag Team of the Year

1. The Hardys

2. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch

 

Most Improved

1. John Cena

2. MVP

 

Best on Interviews

1. King Booker

2. MVP

 

Most Charismatic

1. John Cena

2. Rey Mysterio

 

Best Technical Wrestler

1. Finlay

2. Negro Navarro

 

Bruiser Brody Award

1. John Cena

2. Finlay

3. Umaga

 

Best Flying Wrestler

1. Aero Star

2. John Morrison

3. Super Fly

 

Most Overrated

1. Mr. Kennedy

2. Kurt Angle

3. Shawn Michaels

 

Most Underrated

1. Paul London & Brian Kendrick (as a team)

2. Val Venis

3. Matt Hardy

 

Promotion of the Year

1. AAA

2. WWE

 

Best Weekly TV Show

1. AAA

2. Smackdown

3. ECW

 

Pro Wrestling Match of the Year

1. MNM vs The Hardys (1/28/07 wWE Royal Rumble)

2. John Cena vs Umaga (1/28/07 WWE Royal Rumble)

3. Finlay vs The Undertaker(3/7/07 WWE Smackdown)

 

Best Non-Wrestling Performer

1. Guapito

2. Sharmell

3. Vince McMahon

 

Best Television Announcer

1. JBL

 

Worst Television Announcer

1. Mike Tenay

2. Joey Styles

 

Best Major Wrestling Show

1. WWE Wrestlemania

2. WWE Royal Rumble

3. AAA Triplemania

 

Best Wrestling Maneuver

1. Aero Star's missile tope suicida

 

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic

1. WWE handling of Benoit murders & fallout

 

Worst Television Show

1. TNA

 

Worst Match of the Year

1. "Donald Trump" vs "Rosie O'Donnell" (1/28/07 WWE Raw)

 

Worst Feud of the Year

1. DX vs Rated RKO

 

Worst Promotion

1. TNA

 

Best Booker

1. Joaqin Roldan

 

Promoter of the Year

1. Dorian Roldan

 

Best Gimmick

1. MVP

 

Worst Gimmick

1. Shawn Michaels as an aging born-again male stripper

 

Best Wrestling book

1. Hitman

 

Best Wrestling DVD

1. The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA

[Dan]

Promotion of the Year

1. AAA

2. WWE

When did AAA start getting good? I don't think I've seen it since Pena was alive.

[Al]

For my money, best wrestling book is Tim Hornbaker's book on the National Wrestling Alliance. Wrestling fans have needed a book like that for a LONG time.

[Guest Spunk]

Promotion of the Year

1. AAA

2. WWE

When did AAA start getting good? I don't think I've seen it since Pena was alive.

 

AAA started to improve a few years ago, but 2006 and most of 2007 really stand out in a big way. Some of the uppercard stuff can be painful, but this summer was really the apex of the AAA main event style of brawls, garbage and dome cage matches. I don't think that anybody would say that Cibernetico, Mesias, Kenzo Suzuki or Charly Manson are the best pro-wrestlers in the world, but its really hard to not see that these guys work their asses off, as well as work a style that works for all of them. Plus there have been guys like Chessman and X-Pac to do a bulk of the work and make people look good.

 

The real charm of AAA is the undercards, though. You have stuff like the Billy Boy/Apaches feud that has been going on for a long time, you had Apache/Calo/etc vs Fuerza Area, anything involving any of the above, as well as anything involving Los Guapos VIP and GUAPITO. The only part of the show that ever really didn't work was the long Mexican Powers matches that always happened. I actually like Juvy pretty well, and his match with his pop was pretty great this summer, but Lider and Crazzy Boy just suck.

 

AAA has just been the best weekly TV show for just about the entire year.

[Tim Evans]

Ciber wouldn't have been as over if he wasn't with Mesias, Chessman, Mesias and the other guys. They make him look like superman. But Spunk is right, the real treasure is the undercards. Hopefully Konnan doesn't fuck that up in 2008 with more Americans and Mexican Powers.

[S.L.L.]

Hopefully Konnan doesn't fuck that up in 2008 with more Americans and Mexican Powers.

Man, two of the biggest attractions in the company for me are X-Pac and Kenzo Suzuki. Okay, Suzuki isn't exactly an American, but still. Wouldn't mind seeing a Rene Dupree or a Sandman making his way south of the border.

 

Actually, my main interest in 2008 lucha is seeing if Santo's promotion ends up being any good, but you get the idea.

[Guest Spunk]

From what I've heard Carlito is, if he leaves WWE, going to be a regular in AAA. This could either be kinda cool or kinda really awful.

[sek69]

From what I've heard Carlito is, if he leaves WWE, going to be a regular in AAA. This could either be kinda cool or kinda really awful.

That was apparently his plan, but then Vince convinced him to stay.

[Guest STAN]

From what I've heard Carlito is, if he leaves WWE, going to be a regular in AAA. This could either be kinda cool or kinda really awful.

Maybe he'll be stabbed in the shower and suffocate on his own bile mebbe

[sek69]

Right, because not being a great wrestler means you should be killed.

[Tim Evans]

Morshima is coming to AAA in either January or February. That will be interesting to say the least.