The WWE MVP of 2014

[Johnny Scumm]

Yes, it's January 23rd 2015, but after a good thought, I've finally decided to go on & build a thread based on the WWE MVP of 2014 (No, not that MVP)

2014 was a good wrestling year. I'm going to run through some options, there'll be a poll for you to vote. If you think the answer is someone else, pick "Other" & mention it in a post below.

WWE

First off, there can only be the mention of this man; Brock Lesnar. He'd been lurking around the past few years, facing off against CM Punk & HHH, but 2014 had to be the "Best of the Beast". At Wrestlemania, Lesnar faced The Undertaker in the traditional streak match. It wasn't the greatest match ever, nothing to rave about...until the end. After an F-5, Lesnar pinned Undertaker, finally ending the streak & bringing it to 21-1. Then, Lesnar moved on to challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena. In what seemed like the easiest win anyone has ever had against Cena, Lesnar became the new champion. As I write this he still holds the belt and rarely looks weak. Surely, he was 2014's man?

Or maybe, it was Seth Rollins. The man that won the Money In The Bank briefcase in 2014 and went on to become The Shield's breakout star has definitely took everyone by surprise. The moment he turned on his two teammates was one of the shocks of the year, joining The Authority. Since then, Rollins has been one of the strongest looking superstars of the year, even if he's had some help. He's defeated Dean Ambrose in one of 2014's most entertaining feuds, fighting in Lumberjack matches to a Hell in A Cell. He's beaten John Cena & even hit Brock Lesnar with 2 Curb Stomps. He's definitely been booked well & maybe 2014 could've really been Seth's strongest year.

Daniel Bryan definitely had a good, then bad 2014. But the time he was around was definitely special. After having the crowd turn on the Royal Rumble just because he wasn't in it, through to getting to the Wrestlemania main event, Bryan has been pure gold. Not only that, but he put on TWO classic matches at Wrestlemania, against HHH, then Orton & Batista. He was then the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but unfortunately, it didn't last long. Injury forced Bryan to vacate the belt and that was it for Bryan for 2014. But did he put up a good showing to earn your vote?

Then again, why does it have to be a main roster superstar? Why couldn't it be Adrian Neville? He held the NXT Title for 287 days after winning it in a ladder match in February at NXT Arrival. Neville went on to defend the title multiple times. Firstly against Brodus Clay, then Tyson Kidd. Moving on, he successfully defended against Kidd, Breeze & Zayn in a Fatal-4 Way match & even made a successful pinfall against Breeze on an episode of Raw. Surely Neville had a very good year?

My final option is Rusev. Rusev is yet to be pinned or submitted since he debuted on the main roster in January 2014. He was a member of the 2014 Royal Rumble, where it took four wrestlers to eliminate him. In April, Lana joined him for his permanent fixture on the main roster. He's squashed many a wrestler and won many "big name" PPV matches. He's beaten Sheamus to become the US Champion & defended the belt successfully since. He may not be the cleanest wrestler on the books, but he definitely gets the job done. Can he ever be defeated or will Rusev's brilliant 2014 move into 2015 as well?

So there we have it! Feel free to vote in the poll & pick "other" if you don't feel any of my options fit your opinion!

 

[stonecoldstunner]

My 2014 MVP is the Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose. This is just my personal opinion. 2 of your choices weren't even around in Lesnar and Bryan so how can they even be a factor. Ambrose was simply the most entertaining and put on great matches, I can't wait to see this guy come on my tv screen when I watch WWE. That's how I judge it. Him and Ziggler are 1a and 1b, but I just love the whole lunatic angle. Also #1 Black Friday merchandise seller, so it's not just me that loves this Unstable character...he's the man!

 

[rmp0012002]

Brock was part-time as per his contract and Bryan would have easily been the choice had he not missed so much time with injuries so it's hard to pick who the MVP was. Reigns is more set up for this year. Ambrose has all the tools and is probably the only reason I'll tune in so I'll give him my vote.

 

[Jtrivera]

You're clueless if you say anyone other then Rollins, who in 2014, feuded with the Wyatts, Evolution, Dean, Roman, won money in the bank, beat John Cena, Curb Stomped Brock Lesnar, feuded with Orton, and also became the top singles heel, joining up with The Authority, love or hate him Seth Rollins was the most consistent non injured, non part time wrestler of 2014

 

[Johnny Scumm]

My 2014 MVP is the Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose. This is just my personal opinion. 2 of your choices weren't even around in Lesnar and Bryan so how can they even be a factor. Ambrose was simply the most entertaining and put on great matches, I can't wait to see this guy come on my tv screen when I watch WWE. That's how I judge it. Him and Ziggler are 1a and 1b, but I just love the whole lunatic angle. Also #1 Black Friday merchandise seller, so it's not just me that loves this Unstable character...he's the man!

I love Ambrose, I think he's a pure genius both in the ring & on the mic, but he is no way the MVP of 2014. Personal opinion's are fine, but Amrbose didn't pull anything out of the bag. Brilliant promo's and wrestling good matches aren't enough to get you to be "MVP" when all you do is lose every high profile match you're in.
Ambrose never managed to beat Rollins or Wyatt & just seems to trip at the last hurdle each time.
Great man yes, but no MVP.

 

[The Samoan Heritage]

[/QUOTE=Jtrivera;5106119]You're clueless if you say anyone other then Rollins, who in 2014, feuded with the Wyatts, Evolution, Dean, Roman, won money in the bank, beat John Cena, Curb Stomped Brock Lesnar, feuded with Orton, and also became the top singles heel, joining up with The Authority, love or hate him Seth Rollins was the most consistent non injured, non part time wrestler of 2014[/QUOTE]

Dude, just because I don't agree with you I'm clueless? The MVP of 2014 was Roman Reigns. He feuded with the Wyatts, Evolution, Rollins(and beat, beat ORTON (Cleanly unlike Rollins with Cena). If he hadn't gotten injured he would've have wins over Triple H also. The guy was voted Superstar of the year by the fans for a reason.


..............OK ............I like Reigns, but to be serious, there's no denying that Rollins was Wwe's 2014 MVP. He basically carried Wwe with the Authority last year. For a while he was more important then the WWE title itself. Rollins is THE Top heel, along side Triple H and Stephanie. With the way Wwe has been backing Rollins you can almost guarantee that he's going to be 2015's MVP also. There's no way wwe isn't going to allow him to not win the wwe title, being the MITB winner, and already in wwe title matches, this year.

 

[GeminiGarlord]

Companywide I'd say Sami Zayne. We already knew he was a tremendous in-ring performer, but this year he showed that he's also completely confortable with a mic in his hand, and has enough charisma to carry a brand. Helped by great booking he became NXT's top face and made me honestly believe that, if they don't screw it up when he gets on raw, in a couple of year he could easily be the new WWE top guy.

Looking only at the main rooster I'd go with Rollins. He's awesome. Wish they'd let him wrestle a bit more and do less chicken heel stuff, but honestly, everything he does is pure gold.

To sum up: three years from now, top feud of wwe: the upcoming underdog and IC champion Sami Zayn against the devious WWE champion seth rollins and his stable of lackeys (not the authority I'd hope, but something with Seth in "charge").

 

[willross]

It's gotta be a tie between Rollins and Ambrose.

Rollins stepped up huge with Lesnar being absent and did a great job, along with creative, to present himself as a top guy.

Ambrose I think gets the edge cause he needed to be the #2 babyface, main event PPVs and house shows, and not make it seem like a farce when not only was Bryan gone but Reigns as well.

 

[MC_Live]

I'd have to vote Rollins. From his work with The Shield, to breaking up the Shield, to Money in the Bank, to becoming the top heel in the company. Rollins is on fire and nearly everything he does is perfect. He's very good, and really helped push the biggest storylines in the company this year.

Although, technically, Cena is most valuable. WWE is a business, the most valuable asset to a business is money, and Cena makes WWE more money than everyone else. So from a technical standpoint, it's Cena. But from a storyline point of view, I say Rollins.

 

[Navi]

I'll give the edge to Ambrose as well. Bryan was out for most of the year, and even though Lesnar ended the streak and has been champion since the summer, he hasn't been seen a lot.

Everything Rollins touched turned to gold, but he had a lot of help along the way. He became part of the Authority and went on to become the biggest heel in the company. But like I said with help. He couldn't have done it on his own.

Ambrose on the other hand got himself over and into the number two babyface spot. He had no help from management just a burning desire to get his hands on Seth Rollins. Fans rallied behind him because of it and while he's been on a losing streak it's not going to hurt him in the long run. Not like it would do for other wrestlers.

Plus Ambrose is responsible for a lot of the heat first generated towards Rollins. It was his pursuit of Rollins guaranteed that. Yea he's my pick for the MVP of the year.

 

[ComeOnVince]

I know he was out due to injury much of the year, but any man who is worth hijacking the entire company for gets my vote.

Daniel Bryan.

Seth Rollins is a very close #2.

Dolph Ziggler is a very close #3.

 

[MERPER]

I voted other.

Ziggler was the guy for me.

Really enjoyed his matches, got the Survivor Series win in what was billed as a major historic match at the time.

 

[Aquaman6686]

Dolph Ziggler. He stole the show on every card he was on as long as he wasn't stuck in a Battle Royal, won one of the best Survivor Series matches in history, and got great matches out of inferior opponents like Luke Harper. In-ring nobody else came even close to Ziggler last year. Bryan would likely have been my pic if he hadn't missed most of the year due to injury.

 

[ColeMc]

Although I don't agree with calling people clueless for having a different opinion, I agree that it's Rollins.

Great year, great feuds, great matches, pushed right to the main event. Wish he'd lose the cowardly heel gimmick but he's made it work.

 

[Mark Henrys Sandwich]

Seth Rollins all the way, the guy is golden, he is the millennial Triple H.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Neville is a very good shout, he has anchored NXT for most of the year, giving it a solid champion for Zayn, Breeze and Kidd to face off against and is a big part of why NXT was so compelling, but so were the Asencion and even for a shorter time Kenta and Devitt... Neville DID get onto RAW at least once and score a win so he's up there.

Ambrose is on balance gonna be most people's pick... he did get over on his own, helped keep RAW and Smackdown compelling while there were SO many injuries on the roster... even now I am not sure that for all the "Rollins and Reigns are the next big thing" talk that the plan hasn't ALWAYS been Ambrose...they've just built it like they did Austin and Savage rather than catapulting him like the Rock.

My winners however are not main eventers by any stretch but to me have had a big BIG role to play this year in WWE... Stardust & Goldust.

Their team has been a lynchpin of WWE TV for 2 years now, great matches and compelling stories told. While the Uso's held the belt the most, the Outlaws brought nostalgia, MizDow have brought some fun and The Asencion are the future... it's the Dusts/Brotherhood who have made people care about tag teaming again.

Goldust has now thankfully shit on the retirement rumors... there is no need for this guy to EVER retire unless his in ring ability drops and it shows no sign of it. This isn't a Regal or Christian where health has dictated he step away... Dustin is still in the peak of his career, having a blast and setting a great example to the younger talents. Arguably it's because he has the best job in the WWE... he doesn't get the pressure that a Brock, Cena etc has to carry the show or the younger guys expectations and desire to "be the guy"... he has been there, done it... but he now gets to go to work with his kid brother... Anyone who knows their tale knows they didn't grow up close, so you can imagine it being a major thing for Dustin to be there for Cody now, guiding and helping his career as an equal. Once Dustin does end his in ring career, you know he's going backstage or to the Performance Centre and will be training those guys for the future...and it'll be a brighter future with him there... to put it in perspective... we are nearing the 20th anniversary of Dustin being pitched that gimmick... did ANY of us see it not only still being there today? Much less being in the discussion for MVP of the year? Dustin and Vince clearly did...

Then we come to Cody... He's always been a great character actor... in that whatever gimmick he gets, he commits to and can make work...but in Stardust he came up with the "definitive" Cody... as much as people expected it to be a short term thing, leading to a turn he's actually made Stardust one of the most fun things on WWE TV... sure as a heel he's creepy... but while everyone thought Ambrose would end up the "Joker" of WWE, it's actually Stardust.

The main reason Stardust/Cody is one of the MVP's is that they have a persona/character that like Goldust that can be a major part of the show for YEARS to come... it'll sell merch, it lends itself to a bigger push down the line for him or remaining in the mid card... Dustin/Goldust has proven, along with Kane that these type of gimmicks can last near 20 years in the WWE... He could do the "Foley" and switch at times but he has that gimmick now that he was always seeking... while Kallisto will likely be their new "superhero" I am betting Stardust is pitched very quickly as his nemesis... and it's a feud that could go for years.

So to me that's why the Dusts are the MVP's...right now.... great TV in 2014 and a big part to play in the future, both in and out of the ring.

 

[beefthelegend]

I love Daniel Bryan. But his injury and shitty fued with Kane really stain a marvelous ascension to the top. If he would have won the Rumble and competed at Summer Slam he would have had my vote.

Who had a better 2014 than Brock Lesnar? 0 losses - first of all. It's not like Rusev- where you can quantify no "pin falls or submission"- he has Zero losses.

Second- look at his victories. He ended the Streak. Something that many other men failed- including Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Kevin NasH, Randy Orton - etc .

How did he follow that up? By dominating Cena. DOMINATING.

And finished strong by carrying the Title through the new year.

People will bitch because he was never around- but that is the point of the reign- beat the best, and leave until someone else proves they deserve it.

 

[Boring]

Dean Ambrose.

If you want to use kid logic, go ahead and pick Brock Lesnar. "Oh, he beat everyone in the 3 matches he was in. He beat Undertaker and he's immortal." First of all, Undertaker is more valuable then Lesnar just for giving him the rub.

Ambrose is the MVP because he loses and he makes his opponents better off such as Rollins and Bray. Bray can thank Ambrose for his WM match and at the same time and still being young in the WWE, Ambrose remains relevant whether he wins or loses. He's a team player and does what's asked of him and actually wrestles and sells. Who else you see constantly selling an injury (concussion, neck injury, knee injury etc) and doing exactly what it means to be a professional wrestler, walking the walk, talking the talk, putting people over and selling every obstacle put in his way.

Rollins rolls out there with the Authority, with the money in the bank, with McMahon/Triple H backing, and he wouldn't be where he is without the rub Ambrose gave him through their matches and story.

Dean Ambrose is the most valuable player in the WWE because he makes anyone he works with better (Rollins challenging for title tomorrow, Wyatt set for big WM match.) We don't know what Ambrose WM match/fate will be, because he's put over his opponents, not the other way around, but he's managed to remain popular and relevant despite that. MVP does what's best for the team, whose done more then him?

Entertaining promos, exciting/grueling matches, always having to sell an injury all the while being a lone man not involved in Cena's story (given the most attention year round by WWE) and has remained healthy with all his fake injuries/grueling matches and was able to make a movie for the company while he sold his biggest injury of the year(cinder blocks), like it should be done.

Edit: Aside from him, Rollins would of been my #2, but Dean's had to put way more work in while Rollins has much more opportunity because of WWE's direction with him.

 

[StevieJ]

Ambrose all the way. He's doing his job perfectly and even though he loses a lot, he is STILL rising to the top.

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

Rollins all the way. A year ago we thought that the inevitable Shield split would result in an Ambrose/Reigns feud with Rollins left behind. Fast forward to now. Rollins is Main Eventing Rumble with Lesnar and Cena. Rollins took advantage of key injuries to the likes of Bryan and Reigns amongst others and took the ball and ran with it in 2014. He is the MVP of 2014. Runner up Adrien Neville then Dean Ambrose

 

[kadroan]

My pick is John Cena. He help put Orton over as the top heel from the end of 2013 to early 2014, I'm sure I'm not the only who thought Cena would have been the first WWE WHC.

He took the backseat to Bryan going into WrestleMania, facing Bray, instead of having Bryan trying to get a win against Bray after losing to him at Royal Rumble 2014. He was tied up with Bray for three consecutive PPVs (WrestleMania, Extreme Rules, Payback) while Bryan remained champion.

He filled the void as top face while Bryan recovered for injury. Rumors say Bryan was supposed to lose to Brock at Summerslam, however, Cena took the fall to put Brock over, just after a month of holding the title whereas his last reign was from WM 29 to Summerslam. He failed to win the WWE WHC back last fall, making Brock seem even more as a threat. He took the backseat at HIAC, by having Ambrose/Rollins to main event the show. At Survivor Series, he made Ziggler look better by being eliminated. At TLC, Reigns returned to save him when we all know Cena could easily take out Show and Rollins himself.

 

[sanefan_har]

Breaking Taker's streak is a huge thing. It's the one defining moment of 2014 in professional wrestling. That's why my vote goes to Brock Lesnar. But I do see Rollins and Ambrose being MVPs for 2015.

 

[Dagger Dias]

The WWE MVP of 2014 was Seth Rollins. He remained a focal point all year long providing us with great matches and promos throughout the whole year. Whether it was during the last part of The Shield's run together, his betrayal of The Shield, his time with The Authority, the best feud of the year (Ambrose VS Rollins), his feud with Cena, or his Money In The Bank push.... all of the above can be attributed to why Rollins is the 2014 WWE MVP. It may have ended up being Daniel Bryan had he not been injured, but these things happen.

Anyone who answered Brock Lesnar is looking at it incorrectly. Sure, he ended The Streak and was dominant.... when he actually showed up.... Which brings me to my main argument against Lesnar. He was hardly ever around and we went three entire PPV cycles without a single World Heavyweight Championship defense. That was inexcusable and WWE should never have let Lesnar hold the belt without defending it. How can anyone say he was the MVP when he wasn't even around? ANYONE on the roster deserves the MVP title more than Lesnar. MVP's are the Most Valuable Player. Rollins was counted on the entire year to show up, steal the show, and get heel heat. Lesnar vanished for three PPV cycles. That speaks for itself.

Now, as for the other options.... Adrian Neville shouldn't even be on the poll. He is still in NXT and spent the entire year as part of that roster. Was he the NXT MVP of 2014? Quite possibly, it's down to him or Zayn, but that's not what the thread is asking about. Bryan got injured halfway into the year, so sadly it's not him. It's not Rusev either. At least he stuck around unlike Lesnar, but I cannot call him the MVP of 2014. All he did was squash kayfabe'd "American Heroes" (for lack of a better term) and then he won the US Championship. Not as impressive as what Rollins did during the year overall. Why did Dean Ambrose not make it onto the poll when some of these guys did? He would be my runner-up.