2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Announced

I’ll give some quick thoughts on them here. A few quick notes though:

I don’t particularly care for Dave Meltzer and find him to be biased and overrated at times, but the guy is a force in the IWC and should be acknowledged. I also don’t subscribe to his newsletter. I’m not paying a month or whatever to hear about stuff that either might happen, has already happened, that I don’t care about, or that I’ll see on TV in a few months max.

I don’t watch puro period so if I don’t know someone or skip something from there, go ahead and complain that I have no idea what I’m talking about. I’ll gladly call you a lunkhead for it.

I will probably complain about MMA being compared to wrestling because of a lot of reasons. In short, there is no logical reason to put them together. If you’d like to know why, ask and I’m sure I can find something to rant about for awhile.

Also, I watch Brock and GSP fight and whomever else is fighting on their shows. That’s the extent of my MMA watching habits.

I don’t know who finished 2nd, 3rd or anything other than first, nor do I really care.

Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year): Winner – Hiroshi Tanahashi

I know who he is and I know he’s (I think) New Japan’s best, but I have a problem with CM Punk not being the best wrestler of the year. That being said, Punk’s first 4-5 months did pretty much bomb so I can live with this.

MMA Most Valuable Fighter: Winner – Georges St-Pierre

I’ll take his word for that.

Most Outstanding Wrestler: Winner – Davey Richards

And we’ve already lost all credibility in these for me. Richards is one of the least interesting whatever he is (it’s not wrestling as far as I can tell) that I’ve ever seen but if you like 75 kicks and strikes a match followed by an ankle lock, he’s your boy. How this isn’t Punk is beyond me.

Best Box Office Draw: Winner – The Rock

Real hard to argue here. If you count Rock as a wrestler/wrestling guy which is certainly fair to do, there’s not much argument to be made here.

Feud of the Year: Winner – John Cena vs. CM Punk

I think I’d go with Christian vs. Orton (I think I did actually) but this beats anything else for second place. Not what I’d pick, but I’m ok with this.

Tag Team of the Year: Winner – Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson)

I think I’ve seen one of their matches so I can’t really comment on them. I know they’re a big deal over there and since tag wrestling is dead in mainstream American wrestling, I’ll go with this.

Most Improved: Winner – Dolph Ziggler

Uh…..ok I guess as I can’t really think of anyone else that jumps off the page at me. Punk maybe? Storm? I think Dolph gets this by default and I’m totally ok with that.

Best on Interviews: Winner – CM Punk

His interviews were the strong point of Raw over the Summer. That sums it up just fine.

Most Charismatic: Winner – The Rock

Ignoring the fact that I’ve given Cena the edge in every promo war they’ve had, Rock oozes charisma so again this is fine.

Best Technical Wrestler: Winner – Daniel Bryan

This is something like his 7th in a row so I’m cool with this. Since most everyone anymore is a brawler more often than not, he doesn’t have much competition. No complaints again.

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler): Winner – Kevin Steen

Again, I’ve only seen a handful of his matches but from what I’ve heard he gets crazy at times. If he breathes some much needed fresh air into ROH, I might start watching again.

Best Flying Wrestler: Winner – Ricochet

Don’t know anything but his name so moving on.

Most Overrated: Winner – Crimson

A-Men. I’m totally in agreement here as Crimson hasn’t had a single memorable match and yet TNA feels the need to cram him down our throats about how he’s undefeated. He’s also perfect in terms of making me not care but that doesn’t sound good on TV.

Most Underrated: Winner – Dolph Ziggler

….huh? Ziggler was World, US and IC Champion this year. He stole the show a lot of the time and he’s apparently on the verge of the main event. How is he underrated? I don’t understand this at all. I’ll go with Storm as underrated because he was overshaddowed by Roode all year. I don’t get this one.

Promotion of the Year: Winner – UFC

See my complaints about how this is a wrestling awards list, not MMA.

Best Weekly Television Show: Winner – WWE Friday Night SmackDown!

Perfect choice. Smackdown is a wrestling show that airs for two hours every week and they get stuff done. I honestly don’t remember the last time there was a truly bad Smackdown. With Raw or Impact, you’re lucky to go .500 every month.

Most Outstanding Fighter (formerly Shootfighter of the Year): Winner – Jon Jones

Sure why not.

Worked Match of the Year: Winner – John Cena vs. CM Punk @ MITB 2011

Is there another option? Didn’t think so. Next.

Fight of the Year: Winner – Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua

Sure why not.

Rookie of the Year: Winner – Daichi Hashimoto

Bring him to NXT. He has to be better.

Best Non-Wrestler: Winner – Ricardo Rodriguez

Well since he and Vickie are pretty much all that are left and Dolph hasn’t needed Vickie for months, this is fine.

Best Television Announcer: Winner – Joe Rogan

Well he’s better than Cole.

Worst Television Announcer : Winner – Michael Cole

Believe it or not, I’m going to disagree. Cole is INCREDIBLE at ticking people off and getting on their nerves. He’s outstanding at what he does. The problem is the job he’s been given is a horrible one. Make this guy a manager and he’s perfect, but I see the argument here for sure.

Best Major Show: Winner – Money in the Bank 2011

No argument there. It was indeed an awesome show.

Worst Major Wrestling Show: Winner – TNA Victory Road 2011

And yet the TNA diehards still try to defend what happened here. They’re consistent, I’ll give them that.

Best Wrestling Maneuver: Winner – Ricochet for the Double Rotation Moonsault

Nothing else jumps out at me so ok.

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic: Winner – WWE anti-bullying campaign & treatment of Jim Ross

Uh…..no. I get annoyed by the anti-bullying campaign but there’s a point to it and WWE is trying to help others rather than themselves. I get the Stand Up For WWE being blasted, but this? Not so much. JR I understand but I’d give this to TNA for pushing Jeff Hardy as a main event guy again after the debacle at Victory Road. Or Garrett Bischoff. Either one.

Worst Television Show: Winner – TNA Impact/Impact Wrestling

I really am the only person that watches NXT aren’t I? And yes I know I am.

Worst Worked Match of the Year: Winner – Sting vs. Jeff Hardy @ Victory Road 2011

I went with something else (probably a Divas match) because I didn’t consider this a wrestling match. No complaints again though.

Worst Feud of the Year: Winner – Triple H vs. Kevin Nash

No. The feud was bad and all, but stuff like Pope vs. D-Von and Bateman vs. Curtis and Immortal vs. TNA (I guess) and NXT vs. my sanity trump this.

Worst Promotion of the Year: Winner – TNA

Yeah I guess, although I’ve heard Botswana Pro and Czech Championship didn’t have the best years either.

Best Booker: Winner – Jado & Gedo

Sure why not.

Promoter of the Year: Winner – Dana White

Sure why not.

Best Gimmick: Winner – CM Punk as the anti-corporate rebel

Aside from the fact that it’s hurt the ratings a good bit and not many casual viewers seem to care, it was certainly the most interesting, even if it probably went over most people’s heads.

Worst Gimmick: Winner – Michael Cole as a heel announcer

Now this I can get behind.

Best Pro Wrestling Book: Winner – Chris Jericho: Undisputed

Haven’t read a wrestling book this year so ok.

Best Pro Wrestling DVD: Winner – Greatest Rivarlies: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart

Gave it as a Christmas gift and I don’t remember the rest of the DVDs that came out this year so I’m ok with this. Although WHY WAS MONTREAL JUST ON THE BLU RAY???

And that’s it. I’m sorry if I wasn’t as argumentative as I was expected to be but this year a lot of the awards were layups so there wasn’t much to argue. Not many arguments this year but any thoughts/complaints from you all?