The 2014 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards

[Jack-Hammer]

Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter has announced the winners of its annual awards.

Wrestler of the Year - Shinsuke Nakamura

MMA Most Valuable Fighter - Ronda Rousey

Most Outstanding Wrestler - AJ Styles

Best Box Office Draw - Ronda Rousey

Feud of the Year - Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier

Tag Team of the Year - The Young Bucks

Most Improved - Rusev

Best On Interviews - Paul Heyman

Most Charismatic - Shinsuke Nakamura

Best Technical Wrestler - Zac Sabre, Jr.

Best Brawler - Tomohiro Ishii

Best Flying Wrestler - Ricochet

Most Overrated - Kane

Most Underrated - Cesaro

Promotion of the Year - New Japan Pro Wrestling

Best Weekly Television Show - WWE NXT

Most Outstanding Fighter - Ronda Rousey

Match of the Year - A.J. Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki

Fight of the Year - Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler

Rookie of the Year - Dragon Lee II

Best Non-Wrestler - Paul Heyman

Best Television Announcer - William Regal

Worst Television Announcer - JBL

Best Major Show - G1 Climax 24: Day 7

Worst Major Wrestling Show - WWE Battleground

Best Wrestling Maneuver - The Young Bucks: Meltzer Driver

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic - WWE Insulting Fans Who Purchased PPV

Worst Television Show - WWE Raw

Worst Worked Match of the Year - John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt: Extreme Rules

Worst Feud of the Year - Brie Bella vs. Nikki Bella

Worst Promotion of the Year - Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

Best Booker - Gedo and Jado: New Japan Pro Wrestling

Promoter of the Year - Dana White: Ultimate Fighting Championship

Best Gimmick - Rusev & Lana

Worst Gimmick - Adam Rose

Best Pro Wrestling Book - The Death of WCW: Bryan Alvarez and R.D. Reynolds

Best Pro Wrestling DVD - Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Paul Heyman​

Pretty much par for the course. Meltzer is an absolutely massive mark for Japanese wrestling, I don't mean that in a negative way as it's just abundantly clear it's what he prefers.

Some of the awards are pretty contradictory. I don't see how WWE Raw can be viewed as the Worst TV show, yet TNA "wins" the award for Worst Promotion of the Year for the 8th year in a row.

Also, the notion of Cena vs. Wyatt being the worst worked match of the year is beyond laughable. There've been far worse matches this year, so I'm thinking that this was given just because is was such a major Cena lovefest.

I think the Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic is nothing more than an award created just so Meltzer can rail on WWE without looking like he's heavily biased. I don't see how WWE insulted fans for buying ppvs. How pointing out the fact that it's a much, much cheaper alternative to pay $10 bucks for the WWE Network instead of paying an average of $55 on ppv insulting is beyond me.

As for most overrated, I don't see why Kane got this. It's not as if Kane has been pushed as champion or anything. He's essentially been what he's always be, an upper mid-card guy who ultimately acts in a supporting role in the major storylines. I thought this would probably go to Roman Reigns as he just seems like the kind of wrestler that Meltzer loves to lay into. If he gets the big push this year, then he may well get it next time around.

I'm also surprised that the WON showed Rusev love. Again, he just seems like someone that'd be raked over the coals.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Point one, Dave Meltzer doesn't vote in the awards. The awards were voted on by an average of 3,000 people per at least class "A" polls, so the NJPW bias isn't so much bias as it's the fact NJPW can't help they do things right and WWE, TNA and pretty much everyone else doesn't do as much right.

Point two, AJ Styles was the most outstanding wrestler of the year. There shouldn't of even been a vote, although he should have won wrestler of the year too but the outstanding award goes to someone who did something remarkable in the year as well as perform to a top level.

And an honorable mention, happy ROH did so well in the awards this year. Second best wrestling promotion, albeit just under 1,000 votes less than NJPW, and second best wrestling show of the year, behind NXT by only 600 votes.

 

[klunderbunker]

Every year I have the same complaints about Meltzer's awards and I'll make them again here: if you want to talk about MMA, stop putting it in the WRESTLING Observer Newsletter. They're entirely different sports on entirely different playing fields and it's unfair and ridiculous to put them on the same list of nominations. As a wrestling fan and someone paying to read his work, why would I care about mixed martial arts? I might, but why is it in this newsletter? I love baseball but I don't see a section here on the MLB MVP or who gives the best quotes at press conferences or the great feud of Bud Selig vs. everyone else who realizes he's a moron. If you want to talk about MMA, stop making wrestling fans who want to read about wrestling go through it.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Every year I have the same complaints about Meltzer's awards and I'll make them again here: if you want to talk about MMA, stop putting it in the WRESTLING Observer Newsletter. They're entirely different sports on entirely different playing fields and it's unfair and ridiculous to put them on the same list of nominations. As a wrestling fan and someone paying to read his work, why would I care about mixed martial arts? I might, but why is it in this newsletter? I love baseball but I don't see a section here on the MLB MVP or who gives the best quotes at press conferences or the great feud of Bud Selig vs. everyone else who realizes he's a moron. If you want to talk about MMA, stop making wrestling fans who want to read about wrestling go through it.

Not going to disagree with you on the MMA thing, I sometimes hate how the newsletter starts off with his big piece being on something in MMA so I got to cypher through that first before getting to wrestling. But I do know he has a big MMA fan following, because whenever they do their call-in shows a lot of the time the people calling in are either people asking questions about MMA or MMA fighters themselves.

I also think that you and Jack Hammer seem to think that these awards, or even the nominations are decided by him, because they're not. They're decided by according to the voting page, by the subscribers of Wrestling Observer, select journalists covering wrestling AND MMA across the world and select wrestlers, active and inactive who still actively follow the industry. I know that Lance Storm for example voted because he mentioned it on Twitter weeks ago. So I'd imagine he asked years ago whether he should include MMA into the awards too and the vote he got back was yes, because there is always the intertwining relationship between MMA and wrestling.

 

[klunderbunker]

Not going to disagree with you on the MMA thing, I sometimes hate how the newsletter starts off with his big piece being on something in MMA so I got to cypher through that first before getting to wrestling. But I do know he has a big MMA fan following, because whenever they do their call-in shows a lot of the time the people calling in are either people asking questions about MMA or MMA fighters themselves.

I also think that you and Jack Hammer seem to think that these awards, or even the nominations are decided by him, because they're not. They're decided by according to the voting page, by the subscribers of Wrestling Observer, select journalists covering wrestling AND MMA across the world and select wrestlers, active and inactive who still actively follow the industry. I know that Lance Storm for example voted because he mentioned it on Twitter weeks ago. So I'd imagine he asked years ago whether he should include MMA into the awards too and the vote he got back was yes, because there is always the intertwining relationship between MMA and wrestling.

If you believe that this is more than Meltzer's followers repeating whatever he tells them to think, you're more delusional than Eva Marie thinking she's skilled in the ring. I'm sure there's a small percent that thinks for themselves, but I don't buy for a second that the majority does anything other than just voting whatever Meltzer has said he finds the best.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

If you believe that this is more than Meltzer's followers repeating whatever he tells them to think, you're more delusional than Eva Marie thinking she's skilled in the ring. I'm sure there's a small percent that thinks for themselves, but I don't buy for a second that the majority does anything other than just voting whatever Meltzer has said he finds the best.

I'm sure some do, but again, it's 3,000 subscribers, wrestling and MMA journalists and wrestlers themselves. I really don't think the guy is that entrancing or anything.

 

[ABMorales787]

It certainly doesn't kill him to make separate MMA awards and they know they catch a ton of flack for it.

I'm not gonna deny Shinsuke Nakamura's awards because, let's face it. WWE and TNA were shitholes most of 2014, Lucha Underground aired all of two months at the end of the year and NXT is for the most part very niche.

I call total and utter bullshit on the Young Bucks winning Tag Team of the Year which I bet it's because of why they won Best Move of the Year. They're horeshit. On a year with the Wolves, Hardy's, Red Dragon, Time Splitters, Usos, Wyatts and the Shield tearing it regularly, it is absolute bullshit to have those two win.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I call total and utter bullshit on the Young Bucks winning Tag Team of the Year which I bet it's because of why they won Best Move of the Year. They're horeshit. On a year with the Wolves, Hardy's, Red Dragon, Time Splitters, Usos, Wyatts and the Shield tearing it regularly, it is absolute bullshit to have those two win.

Your blind hatred for The Young Bucks is still hilarious.

They were at one point simultaneously ROH World Tag Team, IWGP Jr. Tag Team and PWG Tag Team Champions at one point in the year, they had a multitude of great matches everywhere they went, all of their matches vs. reDRagon, match vs. Joey Ryan & Candice LeRae, vs. The Briscoes at Death Before Dishonor, a lot of good matches in NJPW against The Timesplitters and Forever Hooligans, so on so forth. Extremely creative, extremely popular, one of the most booked, notable and over tag teams there is right now and members of the most over stable in wrestling, the Bullet Club.

You can hate them but there's no denying they're probably the best tag team going in the world right now. Maybe second. Maybe. To reDRagon.

 

[ABMorales787]

Yeah, no. You have to be a professional wrestler (or MMA fighter apparently) I'd say to qualify. The Buck's lack that whole "professional" aspect. They can have as much workload as they want, work 50 different companies, hold 3 titles at once. Doesn't change their terrible moveset which is rife of overblown spots that make luchadores look tame and spamming Superkicks like videogame characters, the stupid name of their finisher and their lack of basic wrestling psychology. I can't count the number of Moonsaults they do without looking at where they're going. Or the amount of matches where they're heels but fly all over the place like a pair of rookie faces. I still don't buy them as close to the best.

Is it really blind hatred if you have a thorough, explained reason for it? Or are you gonna tell me I'm wrong? I can go fetch sound bites of Corino going "Superkick!!" 50 times in one match like a total jackass.


Nevermind.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Question 1) Are The Young Bucks one of the most over tag teams in wrestling as a whole, right now?

Answer) Yes.

Question 2) Are The Young Bucks working for two of the top promotions in the world, have rejected and it is public knowledge that they rejected a tryout offer from WWE, and over the past year have became staples of the second top wrestling company in the world?

Answer) Yes.

Question 3) Does this mean that their shtick, where they are spot monkeys, where they don't care what people think, where they make sure fans are entertained and that people have a good time working, even if it doesn't fit well with some who think wrestling has to fit into a restricted, "this is how it should be, it should never be anything different, if you do it different you're wrong" bubble?

Answer) You know the answer.

Those are facts, amigo.

 

[ABMorales787]

Question 1) Are The Young Bucks one of the most over tag teams in wrestling as a whole, right now?

Answer) Yes.

Polarizing would be the right term.

Question 2) Are The Young Bucks working for two of the top promotions in the world, have rejected and it is public knowledge that they rejected a tryout offer from WWE, and over the past year have became staples of the second top wrestling company in the world?

Answer) Yes.

I recall them disrespecting Booker T at a try-out. I also recall TNA not interested in re-signing them. They were given an offer by Lucha Underground and like jackasses, they made it public that it was a lowball. I hope the offer was 2 burritos, because that's what they seem to be worth. I hardly call the Jr. Tag Team Division a highlight of New Japan when it's the same guys having the same match over and over. Unless you're actually referring to ROH as #2. In which case don't go that road and save the markdom that's clearly pouring out of you as it is.

Question 3) Does this mean that their shtick, where they are spot monkeys, where they don't care what people think, where they make sure fans are entertained and that people have a good time working, even if it doesn't fit well with some who think wrestling has to fit into a restricted, "this is how it should be, it should never be anything different, if you do it different you're wrong" bubble?

Answer) You know the answer.

So you're telling me that "either like it or fuck off" is marketable. Or good. In pro wrestling. This is coming from the same person that will not shut up about how terrible TNA is but ROH can do no wrong. Somehow I'm the blind one though.

Those are facts, amigo.

According to who? Tyson Kidd? What's your source? The same exact people we're disputing? Sorry, I'm clearly the blind one.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Polarizing would be the right term.

So... popular than? Cause I'd classify The Rock as a polarizing figure, and I don't even think they're on that level.

I recall them disrespecting Booker T at a try-out.

Which Booker T has said they made amends, it was a misunderstanding and he thinks they're really talented.

I also recall TNA not interested in re-signing them.

Which is why they were brought in for a One Night Only show, and were promoted as one of the top matches on that show with Daniels and Kaz which even the commentators labeled a, "dream match".

They were given an offer by Lucha Underground and like jackasses, they made it public that it was a lowball.

Frankie Kazarian, Joey Ryan, Candice LeRae and Rocky Romero have all came forward and said the same thing. Does that make them jackasses? Cause I don't see why their jackasses that they want to make public that they were being offered less than $300 for an entire weekend of tapings when they want to put so much money into production. I think that's fair if anything.

I hope the offer was 2 burritos, because that's what they seem to be worth.

Not in Japan. Or America. Or Canada. Or that promotion in the UK who booked them last year. Or by the WWE. You know, the WWE who apparently know without question who the top talent in the world are? That WWE.

I hardly call the Jr. Tag Team Division a highlight of New Japan when it's the same guys having the same match over and over.

So... it's the exact same thing as lucha libre then? Cause lucha libre is effectively the same guys having the same matches over and over again with the same spots, who are also spot monkeys, yet we won't call them out on their issues because, fuck it, Mexico!

Unless you're actually referring to ROH as #2.

NJPW is undoubtedly the #2 promotion in the world. Don't even go there amigo, it's not a secret or anything. Unless TNA are secretly packing 40,000 people into arenas somewhere in Nashville you want to tell me about.

So you're telling me that "either like it or fuck off" is marketable. Or good. In pro wrestling.

Nope. There are a ton of wrestlers I don't like or care for but I will admit they are talented or deserve what they're getting. I'm just defending The Young Bucks, the tag team of the year and arguably the best tag team in the world on this one from your blind hatred.

This is coming from the same person that will not shut up about how terrible TNA is but ROH can do no wrong

.

Lets not act like I'm the only one who doesn't talk about how terrible TNA is. It just so happens that for years whenever anyone would say, "ROH is better than TNA", TNA marks would reply with, "where's your TV deal on Spike? Where's the PPV deal in the States? We got AJ Styles, who you got?", and now the tide has turned and I have a blast stating it over and over again how in 2015, it's pretty much the same playing field their on and ROH is currently ahead.

 

[jmt225]

Killjoy if the Young Bucks were Mexican and doing their shtick in a Lucha Libre organization, I'm pretty sure you'd love it.

But people have this warped view of how American pro wrestling is supposed to be. It's like people don't realize it's 2015 and the artform has evolved, the entertainment industry as a whole has evolved.

Think about this.... look at the movie industry. What's making more money than anything right now? Marvel films, right? What are Marvel films? High octane comic action flicks where you have to go the extra mile to suspend disbelief.

And Young Bucks matches are basically the Marvel films of the industry right now (without drawing the money, of course, lol). They do not take their foot off the gas pedal and that's what makes them so fun to watch for the people who enjoy them. I GUARANTEE they would be over as fuck in WWE. Those crowds would eat up every second of every match. And even their biggest detractors can't deny that.

But, people want to be old farts and snobs. They think American pro wrestling should be done only one super formulaic, robotic way where every match is the same (babyface beats up heel, heel cheats to get the upper advantage and dominates for a while, a few failed comebacks by face, then the ultimate comeback by face, then the finish). Guys, it's 2015. We've been seeing that same formula for well over 60 years now. Let's move on, please, for the love of God.

ANYWAYS

Nakamura winning is cool, but I've never got the difference between Wrestler of the Year and Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. Having both of these categories is so stupid. AJ Styles was the clear cut best pro wrestler in 2014 as far as I'm concerned.

I love Ronda Rousey but her dominating all the MMA awards is a joke. A card with her as the main focal point wouldn't draw shit.

Don't really have much to say about the rest, except that I don't remember thinking Cena vs. Wyatt from Extreme Rules was all that bad. Surely there were hundreds of matches last year worse than that.

 

[Gibby]

Young Bucks are great. I didn't vote them #1 (Dangan Yankees got the nod) but they're a lot of fun. They do what the booker asks them to do. Their match against Time Splitters from Dominion was slower and far less "spotty" than usual and was probably the best match they put together. I do enjoy the PWG uberindy version of them as well. And god, how dare they disrespect Booker T! Crime of the century!

Largely I was into the results of the vote and think I voted for 8 eventual winners but it's one of those years where I'm a bit more in sync with the world, where NJPW and Japanese stuff is kind of hip now. I know that it won't be in a few years, these things are cyclical, WWE are too stacked to not happen upon a winning combo. So I'm just enjoying the guys I like getting a day in the sun. And let's face it, promotions in the harsh glare of the spotlight in the US have just not cut it. It's a fair set of results from my standpoint and I have no real dog in the fight. I like most styles equally. They all fit.

As for the awards being Meltzer's influence writ large: he barely said a peep about Zack Sabre Jr. for the calendar year and he won Best Technical Wrestler. That's a guy that works low card for NOAH and very occasionally does US & UK indy shots.

 

[ABMorales787]

Killjoy if the Young Bucks were Mexican and doing their shtick in a Lucha Libre organization, I'm pretty sure you'd love it.

No, I wouldn't. Jack Evans and Angelico do a similar shtick and it just looks silly compared to everyone else. Lucha Libre isn't all about high flying insanity. Most companies are far more tame than Lucha Underground with guys like Pentagon or Sexy Star not even bothering with the high flying.

But people have this warped view of how American pro wrestling is supposed to be. It's like people don't realize it's 2015 and the artform has evolved, the entertainment industry as a whole has evolved.

Unlike Saga, I respect you. Because you're not constantly being a stuck up snob trying to paint your favorites as utterly flawless. Or turning "polarizing" into "popular". But there's some things that I believe are basic functions to a match. I've seen the Bucks play heels and play the exciting fast pace role instead of the faces (NJPW). I've seen them perform moves that require other wrestlers to move into position for them because they don't look where they go. Simply put, I see flaws in their style that I greatly dislike. And I've seen other people agree with me. Like I said, they're polarizing. People either love or hate them with no in between. And to me, that's not good.

Think about this.... look at the movie industry. What's making more money than anything right now? Marvel films, right? What are Marvel films? High octane comic action flicks where you have to go the extra mile to suspend disbelief.

Ummmm...... Some Marvel movies have slow builds and strong story and character development. I know what you're aiming for, but.... I'd compare them more to Michael Bay films. BOOM, product placement, pretty things, minimal substance.

And Young Bucks matches are basically the Marvel films of the industry right now (without drawing the money, of course, lol). They do not take their foot off the gas pedal and that's what makes them so fun to watch for the people who enjoy them. I GUARANTEE they would be over as fuck in WWE. Those crowds would eat up every second of every match. And even their biggest detractors can't deny that.

I bet they would get cheered, yeah. Kids would love them and that would be great. But not everyone would be entertained. Though to be honest, in todays WWE, they would probably end up the butt a million creative jokes.

But, people want to be old farts and snobs. They think American pro wrestling should be done only one super formulaic, robotic way where every match is the same (babyface beats up heel, heel cheats to get the upper advantage and dominates for a while, a few failed comebacks by face, then the ultimate comeback by face, then the finish). Guys, it's 2015. We've been seeing that same formula for well over 60 years now. Let's move on, please, for the love of God.

I'd ease up if they stop spamming Superkicks. For Christ's sake there's a million moves to make.

I love Ronda Rousey but her dominating all the MMA awards is a joke. A card with her as the main focal point wouldn't draw shit.

The guys who write this say otherwise. But MMA isn't my thing.

Don't really have much to say about the rest, except that I don't remember thinking Cena vs. Wyatt from Extreme Rules was all that bad. Surely there were hundreds of matches last year worse than that.

Try that God awful 20 minute Divas match at Survivor Series. The commentators ran out of material mid-match.