Thoughts on the 2016 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards

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Category A Awards

Wrestler of the Year – AJ Styles

MMA Most Valuable – Conor McGregor

Most Outstanding Wrestler – AJ Styles

Most Outstanding Fighter – Conor McGregor

Enough MMA in the wrestling awards.

Best Box Office Draw – Conor McGregor

Feud of the Year – Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz.

Erg here we go again. The top wrestling feud was AJ Styles vs. John Cena, which was nearly quadrupled in points.

Tag Team of the Year – Young Bucks

Most Improved – Matt Riddle

Best on Interviews – Conor McGregor

Most Charismatic – Conor McGregor

Nakamura was second.

Bryan Danielson Award (Best Technical Wrestler) – Zack Sabre Jr

Hard to argue that one, especially with some of the stuff he did in the Cruiserweight Classic.

Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler) – Tomohiro Ishii

Best Flying Wrestler – Will Ospreay

Most Overrated – Roman Reigns

Most Underrated – Cesaro

Promotion of the Year – New Japan

Best Weekly TV Show – New Japan

Match of the Year – Tanahashi vs. Okada (January 4)

MMA Match of the Year – Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit – January 2

Rookie of the Year – Matt Riddle

Best Non-Wrestler – Dario Cueto

Best TV Announcer – Mauro Ranallo

Was this ever in doubt? Corey Graves was a close second.

Worst TV Announcer – David Otunga

Why does he have a job? Aside from being married to Jennifer Hudson that is.

Best Major Wrestling Show – Wrestle Kingdom

Category B Awards

Worst Major Wrestling Show – Wrestlemania XXXII

I was there and I got bored.

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – Bellator Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 500 Fight

Worst TV Show – Raw

Am I really the only person who still watches Impact?

Worst Match of the Year – Shelley Martinez vs. Rebel – TNA One Night Only

Makes sense. It also makes my head hurt.

Worst Promotion of the Year – TNA

Best Booker – Gedo

Of course. He scored 851 points, or nearly ten times second place.

Promoter of the Year – Dana White

Real promotion/sport. Fake promotion/sport. Totally the same thing.

Best Gimmick – Broken Matt Hardy

If this was ANYTHING else, they were kidding themselves.

Worst Gimmick – Bone Soldier

Best Pro Wrestling Book – Ali vs. Inoki

Best Pro Wrestling DVD – Seth Rollins: Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim

People still watch DVDs in the Network Era?