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Post by elliott on Jan 8, 2024 0:35:02 GMT -5
Thought this might be fun. Here are the WON Wrestler of the Year Award Winners over the years. What stands out as good/bad?
1980 - Harley Race 1981 - Harley Race 1982 - Ric Flair 1983 - Ric Flair 1984 - Ric Flair 1985 - Ric Flair 1986 - Ric Flair 1987 - Riki Choshu 1988 - Akira Maeda 1989 - Ric Flair 1990 - Ric Flair 1991 - Jumbo Tsuruta 1992 - Ric Flair 1993 - Vader 1994 - Toshiaki Kawada 1995 - Mitsuharu Misawa 1996 - Kenta Kobashi 1997 - Mitsuharu Misawa 1998 - Steve Austin 1999 - Mitsuharu Misawa 2000 - HHH 2001 - Keiji Muto 2002 - Kurt Angle 2003 - Kenta Kobashi 2004 - Kenta Kobashi 2005 - Kenta Kobashi 2006 - Mistico 2007 - John Cena 2008 - Chris Jericho 2009 - Chris Jericho 2010 - John Cena 2011 - Hiroshi Tanahashi 2012 - Hiroshi Tanahashi 2013 - Hiroshi Tanahashi 2014 - Shinsuke Nakamura 2015 - AJ Styles 2016 - AJ Styles 2017 - Kazuchika Okada 2018 - Kenny Omega 2019 - Chris Jericho 2020 - Jon Moxley 2021 - Kenny Omega 2022 - Jon Moxley
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Post by puroraisedme on Jan 8, 2024 0:40:30 GMT -5
Omega for 2021 is something I would highly disagree with.
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Post by tetsujin on Jan 8, 2024 3:54:45 GMT -5
This is the "overall best wrestling star" right? And the "best in ring worker" is the Danielson award iirc.
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Post by kas on Jan 8, 2024 7:48:18 GMT -5
WOTY is a combination of everything while Most Outstanding is purely in-ring. I think Omega's a worthy winner for 2021, the two that stick out to me are 2019 and 2022, I think Mox should've won in 2019 and Roman should've won in 2022. Also, Chigusa probably should've won in 1985 and 1986, but I'd imagine there was just a lack of footage of AJW in those days.
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Post by puroraisedme on Jan 8, 2024 8:21:35 GMT -5
WOTY is a combination of everything while Most Outstanding is purely in-ring. I think Omega's a worthy winner for 2021, the two that stick out to me are 2019 and 2022, I think Mox should've won in 2019 and Roman should've won in 2022. Also, Chigusa probably should've won in 1985 and 1986, but I'd imagine there was just a lack of footage of AJW in those days. Mox for 2019 is an interesting one unless I'm misremembering that the time period for that to be evaluated is July-June correct? If that is the case though than Mox for 2019 is probably the best pick for that year.
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 8, 2024 8:25:52 GMT -5
Everything makes sense to me except any instance I see Chris Jericho. I don’t know what the other options were though.
For 2021 it’s either Omega or Roman even if I think Darby was the best in ring wrestler.
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Post by puroraisedme on Jan 8, 2024 8:32:32 GMT -5
Everything makes sense to me except any instance I see Chris Jericho. I don’t know what the other options were though. For 2021 it’s either Omega or Roman even if I think Darby was the best in ring wrestler. Jericho for 2008 could easily be swapped out with Danielson probably.
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Post by [Darren] on Jan 8, 2024 8:35:39 GMT -5
Everything makes sense to me except any instance I see Chris Jericho. I don’t know what the other options were though. For 2021 it’s either Omega or Roman even if I think Darby was the best in ring wrestler. Jericho for 2008 could easily be swapped out with Danielson probably. I think 2008 was one of his best in ring years but he wasn’t the top guy in the promotion.
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Post by timm on Jan 8, 2024 8:38:02 GMT -5
It's an award prone to meaning too different things to different people. But Hogan never winning seems glaring. And Misawa over Austin in 99.
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Post by nintendologic on Jan 8, 2024 8:38:44 GMT -5
Wrestler of the Year (aka the Thesz/Flair Award) is for combination in-ring and drawing power. Most Outstanding Wrestler is for purely in-ring. The Danielson Award is for best technical wrestler. None of the past WOTY selections strike me as particularly egregious, although Hogan probably should have won at least once during the 1980s. I can't agree with Roman as the pick for 2022 because I think the Tribal Chief run has been actively terrible from an in-ring standpoint. Even so, he probably deserves it for 2023 because the gap between WWE and everyone else business-wise has become too overwhelming to deny.
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Post by Control21 on Jan 8, 2024 11:33:42 GMT -5
Kiyoshi Tamura probably should have won in 1998 or 1999, but that's probably my bias speaking.
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Post by rana on Jan 8, 2024 15:46:57 GMT -5
Nagayo and Tamura are great shouts, I'd like to mention Akira Hokuto's 1993 as well. Mistico really stands out as the only lucha guy but I'm not familiar enough with him to judge.
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Post by elliott on Jan 8, 2024 18:01:06 GMT -5
I love Chigusa but realistically those mid 80s years should've gone to Hogan. It's hilarious that they didn't. He probably should've won in 97 too.
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Post by makaiclub on Jan 8, 2024 21:17:47 GMT -5
The worst winner is tricky because often the wrong winner gets the award such as Misawa over Austin in 1999 or Vader over Genichiro Tenryu in 1993 but they aren't terrible choices either.
There aren't many out right NOs. Jericho in 2019 is probably the strangest. His case really only started in September when Dynamite began. He really benefited from AEW being a new fresh company that everyone wanted to reward for existing, and given that he was champion (for cred reasons), he was chosen as the winner. I get why but I think it's very short sighted to crown someone off 3-4 months. He deserves credit but to win the top award? Hmmm. Okada should've won. New Japan business was as strong as it's been since the 90s, very successful feuds with Jay White and SANADA, main eventer MSG, Budokan, Ryogoku. Had some incredible matches against Suzuki, White, Ibushi, SANADA.
The best winner is Austin 1998. He was wrestling.
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Post by tactician on Jan 8, 2024 22:20:10 GMT -5
At first glance, Kurt Angle in 2002 seems confusing. Wasn’t he slotted in the mid-card for almost the whole year actually? I know it was a very acclaimed year for him in-ring which obviously explains a Most Outstanding win but unless I’m missing some significant context, how was he chosen as the wrestler having the most significant year in the business. He wasn’t even headlining shows that year so I can’t imagine drawing power was a rationale.
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