Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards – 2014

They’re out again and as usual here are my thoughts on each one of them.  After reading these, I’m very glad I watched Wrestle Kingdom.

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MMA Most Valuable Fighter – Ronda Rousey

Most Outstanding Wrestling – AJ Styles

Best Box Office Draw – Ronda Rousey

See all my other MMA responses. For actual wrestlers, probably Cena.

Feud of the Year – Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier

Good grief we get it already. For a wrestling feud, eh probably Rollins vs. Ambrose or whatever I picked for my award.

Tag Team of the Year – Young Bucks

Most Improved – Rusev

Best on Interviews – Paul Heyman.

Next.

Most Charismatic – Shinsuke Nakamura

Based on Wrestle Kingdom, I have no issue with this one.

Best Technical Wrestler – Zac Sabre Jr.

Best Brawler – Tomohiro Ishii

Best Flying Wrestler – Ricochet

You might know him better as Prince Puma. No one really springs to my mind to beat him so I can live with this again.

Most Overrated – Kane

Most Underrated – Cesaro

You mean the guy that everyone raves about? How is that underrated? This award usually comes off like “Most Underutilized” as opposed to the previous one being “Most overused.” I get the idea but the award name is kind of misleading.

Promotion of the Year – New Japan

Yeah probably. WWE had a really, really bad year, at least in the second half.

Best Weekly TV Show – NXT

Most Outstanding Fighter – Ronda Rousey

Just stop already. Or go post about it on an MMA site.

Match of the Year – AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki

Fight of the Year – Johnny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler

Good grief. Next.

Rookie of the Year – Dragon Lee II

This would likely be another guy that only Meltzer has ever seen/heard of unless you watch a bunch of obscure wrestling.

Best Non-Wrestler – Paul Heyman

Best Television Announcer – William Regal

Worst Television Announcer – JBL

Best Major Show – G1 Climax 24:Day 7

Wrestlemania just means nothing nowadays does it?

Worst Major Wrestling Show – Battleground

Best Wrestling Maneuver – Meltzer Driver

Ok I totally get why he went with this one.

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – WWE Insulting Fans Who Bought PPV

Yep. That made me roll my eyes harder than I have in a long time.

Worst Television Show – Monday Night Raw

Oh come on. Raw was bad but Impact could be unwatchable at times and Smackdown was a waste of air time more often than not.

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

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

Worst Promotion of the Year – TNA

Best Booker – Gedo and Jado – New Japan

Sure why not.

Promoter of the Year – Dana White – UFC

NEXT.

Best Gimmick – Rusev and Lana

…Worst Gimmick – Adam Rose

Best Pro Wrestling Book – The Death of WCW

Best Pro Wrestling DVD – Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman