Rookie Of The Year

[klunderbunker]

Yeah some of these are stretches.

 

[Bagpipes]

Rusev is what he is but when it boils down to it, he isn't much more than a squash match talent without Lana.

Paige had a hell of a rookie year, 2 titles and the only meaningful feud in the Divas division for a long time with AJ.

 

[SpoodBeest]

Rusev is the only actual relevant rookie in this poll so I have to cast my vote for him. This will be the last year he'll have any momentum so yea.

 

[Alex]

It has to be EC3.

Put it this way he hasn't held a title all year and has been more over than many people who have. He didn't need to use America vs Foreign Power to get people to care, he is just that good as a talker, reasonable enough in the ring and has loads of charisma that he can get people to care about him just by saying how much better he is than everyone else.

 

[Bernkastel]

Clearly the answer is Rusev. I've seen some of Havok's matches in TNA because I was a fan of hers on the Indy's, but Rusev is the next big thing in wrestling.

 

[jmt225]

Man I was tempted to vote for EC3. The fact he went from a guy the WWE shit on and saw nothing in, to a top guy in TNA actually WORTHY of the position and became one of the very few entertaining characters/wrestlers in the company, it speaks volumes of his talent and his potential for the future.

That said, I got to also vote for Rusev. In the Non-Wrestler thread, I basically gave Lana all the credit for his success, but that's unfair. While she is definitely the key for him getting over, if he sucked in the ring it wouldn't matter. But he doesn't suck, in fact he's quite good, and better than anyone else on this list in that regard. The sky is the limit for this guy and his rookie year was an incredible kick-off to what I hope will be a long lasting, very successful career.

 

[The Holy One]

I went with EC III for as great as Rusev has been, Carter has been just as great without the need of Lana to back him up. The guy has truly turned his career around and managed to shine in TNA when they were taking a step backwards, and I hope he continues to prosper after he comes back from his injury.

 

[DontshowfearBunny]

Rusev since he is probably the most competently booked wrestler this year next to Rollins.

 

[Dirk]

KB, if YOU consider EC3 a rookie, I'll gladly give him my vote.

 

[jack knife bad guy]

Rusev totally belongs. . I'm actually surprised he's a rookie. . Lana too.. the rock moment with those two was great. . They both have really good add libs nothing to much or overacted. Better than Ziggler. . No offense to Ziggler but have a connection w/ ur partner when walking down the hall not just some stupid improv that feels awkward. No one's perfect but I've always thought Rusev has the skill set to stay. . The dudes 250 and can super kick. . I like the no boots and the blonde from Rocky 3.. and the times he said Big Show were spot on haha but don't make them into comedy sketches. . NOT NEEDED

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

For me, Havok does what Rusev is supposed to do and flounders at and has brought life back into the knockouts with relative ease.

 

[.]

Rusev is the real deal. There's many ways you can convey yourself as a monster heel but showing how fantastic of a seller you are is one of the most bizzare means of doing so but by george for Rusev it's fucking paid dividends. I can watch Havok no sell everything and win a match and think "man that's kinda cool that nothing hurts her" but it's far more terrifying to watch a big Bulgarian scream in agony for the most of a match because he cannot walk on his ankle but in the end just think fuck it and put himself in immense pain and bear it just so he can win the match. Then afterwards for shits and giggles kick an old man in the head.

I wrote Rusev off as nothing more than generic foreign heel when he first popped up but man oh man was I wrong, he never showed half of this promise in NXT. His smack talk translated is also a pleasure to read.

Rusev is what he is but when it boils down to it, he isn't much more than a squash match talent without Lana

Let's disregard all those good matches he had with Swagger, Dolph, Big E & Sheamus shall we? Lana wrestled those.

For me, Havok does what Rusev is supposed to do and flounders at and has brought life back into the knockouts with relative ease.

If she was booked half as impressive as she appears then maybe. Rusev is booked impeccably however.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

If she was booked half as impressive as she appears then maybe. Rusev is booked impeccably however.

Hence why nobody cares until Lana opens her mouth. Be honest, if she wasn't there, they'd have given up on him by now. His matches are just nothing to write home about. And given all the fire he's been given, he's reaching ADR levels of fulfillment. He's alright. There's better options, though.

 

[.]

Hence why nobody cares until Lana opens her mouth. Be honest, if she wasn't there, they'd have given up on him by now. His matches are just nothing to write home about. And given all the fire he's been given, he's reaching ADR levels of fulfillment. He's alright. There's better options, though.

Yeah, it's not like Rusev has had great matches or anything right and shown an unbelievable ability to sell right?

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

Tough between Rusev and EC3. Even though I have trouble calling Ethan Carter the third a rookie due to his WWE experience as Derek Bateman, I have to give him the vote because he is one of my favourite wrestlers on tv. No offence to Rusev, it's just that I like EC3 better

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Yeah, it's not like Rusev has had great matches or anything right and shown an unbelievable ability to sell right?

I know you're trying to be sarcastic, but I agree with the notion. You really want to reserve the word unbelievable for when it's warranted. Ric Flair was amazing at selling, Shawn Michaels... Rusev can sell, that's it.

 

[.]

I know you're trying to be sarcastic, but I agree with the notion. You really want to reserve the word unbelievable for when it's warranted. Ric Flair was amazing at selling, Shawn Michaels... Rusev can sell, that's it.

Nah Rusev is just as good. I'll reserve my full opinion until I see Rusev oversell everything from Hulk Hogan because he doesn't get to go over.

I do know Rusev as that guy who will sell an ankle injury weeks after it happened and scream in agony when trying something like stomping on another persons back.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I had to give it to Rusev. Rusev has been, in my opinion, properly and strongly booked since his first appearance in WWE. He's been given consistently good booking from WWE creative, which gives me the impression that Triple H somehow managed to convince Vince McMahon to give him final say over booking Rusev or, even more miraculously, Trips & Vince have been on the same page.

Rusev was slowly built up and, surprisingly, creative managed to get great heat & interest by dusting off the old foreigner who hates America gimmick. As a result, Rusev's probably benefitted more from being United States Champion than Sheamus & Dean Ambrose combined.