The 2019 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Are Out

Yes, in MARCH, though I still have a few thoughts.  It’s the middle of March and the Wrestling Observer Awards have FINALLY been released for 2018 (after I got yelled at for taking until the Royal Rumble last year). These awards are often rather questionable, but there’s a rather predictable pro-Japan bias in them, which is perfectly understandable and something that I’d do with WWE as well. Here they are, with a few comments (some more than others, as a few of these just don’t require an explanation). Let’s get to it.

Wrestler Of The Year – Kenny Omega

You knew that was coming. I’d have gone with Gargano/Ciampa for the crazy amount of great matches and incredible story but that’s probably a bit too WWE.

Mixed Martial Artist Of The Year – Conor McGregor

Didn’t actually win a fight in 2018, but as usual: IT’S NOT THE MMA OBSERVER NEWSLETTER!

Most Outstanding Wrestling – Kenny Omega

Heaven forbid they just call it Worker of the Year to make things a little clearer you see. Again, this feels like a “we’re sorry we didn’t give you this earlier.”

Most Outstanding Fighter Of The Year – Daniel Cormier

At least he won something in 2018.

Tag Team Of The Year – The Young Bucks

Fifth year running and no you shouldn’t be surprised.

Best On Interviews – Daniel Bryan

One of the last people you would expect to win this but yep. Bryan was on another level with his mic work, especially after the heel turn. This is well deserved as he’s actually better as a heel than as a face, which I didn’t think possible.

Promotion Of The Year – New Japan

I didn’t even look at the results. Seventh year in a row.

Best Weekly TV Show – NXT

At least they got this one right. It’s not like there was anything else in serious contention.

Match Of The Year – Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada – Dominion

Another obvious one, though a seven star match still doesn’t exist. I’d have gone with Ciampa vs. Gargano I, but there was no way Omega finally winning the IWGP World Title wasn’t winning this. It’s the moment a lot of fans have been waiting for and that’s a fair point. Also it’s not like the match was bad.

MMA Match Of The Year – Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poinier

Sure.

USA/Canada MVP – AJ Styles

This is a new one and sounds rather patronizing but at least WWE had a chance for once.

Japan MVP – Kenny Omega

Now some might say this is a bogus way to get Omega/New Japan another award. I would be one of those people saying that, but I’m sure I just don’t like New Japan or something.

Mexico MVP – LA Park

While I don’t watch lucha libre, really? The guy whose gut is bigger than my head?

Europe MVP – Walter

Eh fair enough. He’s had a rocket attached to his back over the last year.

Non-Heavyweight MVP – Will Ospreay

I feel like I need a chart to keep track of all these qualifications.

Women’s Wrestling MVP – Becky Lynch

Not for most of the year, but it was either her or Ronda Rousey.

Women’s MMA MVP – Amanda Nunes

This would be like me making a Best KB Award.

Best Box Office Draw – Conor McGregor

We can have an MMA MVP but this is still on the same footing as wrestling. Time for my annual headache.

Feud Of The Year – Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa

I actually breathed a sigh of relief when I saw this one. This is reaching all time status and nothing came close all year.

Most Improved – Adam Page

I can go with this as I’ve said something similar all year. Back in 2014, Page was the young boy for the Decade in ROH and now he’s as steady of a mid/upper midcard performer as you’ll get in ROH. Well until a few months ago at least.

Most Charismatic – Tetsuya Naito

Works for me as that grin is hard to ignore.

Best Technical Wrestler – Zack Sabre Jr.

At what point is it the Bryan Danielson/Zack Sabre Jr. Award? Five years in a row here and given that I can’t even describe some of the things he does, it’s one of the easiest layups of the year.

Best Brawler – Tomohiro Ishii

I’m too scared of him to argue so we’ll move on.

Best Flying Wrestler – Will Ospreay

I’m not sure about best but he’s on the short list. Bandido did things that blew my mind this year so I would have considered him, but Ospreay had far more success and is hardly a bad pick.

Most Overrated – Baron Corbin

I still think this should be Most Overpushed because who sees Corbin as someone with a high rating in the first place? But yeah, either him or Nia Jax and Jax actually has something unique about her.

Most Underrated – Finn Balor

In other words, most underpushed. Balor has started to get some more attention this year (again, because it’s MARCH and we’re just getting these) but a lot of fans have been begging to get more of him this year so it’s a good choice.

Rookie Of The Year – Ronda Rousey

I was wrong. THIS is the biggest layup of the year and no one was in her universe.

Best Non-Wrestler – Paul Heyman

This feels like a default winner as Heyman is the go to person if no one else springs to mind. I do it too and while Heyman is still great, his material is tired because he has nothing new to work with.

Best Television Announcer – Kevin Kelly

I….you know what, I can live with this. I’d have gone with Nigel McGuinness, but Kelly has been as steady and consistent of an announcer as you’ll get.

Worst Television Announcer – Jonathan Coachman

I must have blocked this out, though almost anyone on Raw should be an option here given how atrocious that stuff has gotten. I’m not as critical of the Raw commentary as some but it’s gotten terrible in recent years.

Best Major Wrestling Show – Dominion

Takeover New Orleans had two five star matches. Moving on.

Worst Major Wrestling Show – WWE Crown Jewel

There were no other real options.

Best Wrestling Maneuver – One Winged Angel

Another one for the pile. At least it’s not the Rainmaker again, which is still just a clothesline.

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – Business Ties With Saudi Arabia

Yep again as it was making headlines for WWE being pretty much the only company still willing to work with them after everything that was happening. Wrestlers were bailing on the show and there was nothing that could be argued against them.

Worst Wrestling Television Show – Raw

Given how bad the last third of the year was, this should have won two awards instead of just one.

Worst Match Of The Year – Triple H/Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker/Kane

I can understand this, but there were too many factors weighing against it. Like “what did you expect” and HHH’s injury. That and it didn’t have the fans playing with beach balls during the main event of Wrestlemania.

Worst Feud Of The Year – Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

SERIOUSLY? In a world where Baron Corbin exists, this wins? By the way, the last time WWE didn’t win this award: 2000.

Worst Promotion Of The Year – WWE

That ends an eleven year run by Impact, which did get a lot better this year. I’m fine with saying Raw was bad, but NXT, 205 Live and Smackdown were more than good if not excellent. Saying it was WWE overall isn’t fair and suggests that a lot of people only watch the main show.

Best Booker – Gedo

New Japan gets another one and I’m running out of ways to say “well duh”.

Promoter Of The Year – Takaaki Kidani

That would be New Japan again and at least it’s not another MMA winner in the wrestling awards.

Best Gimmick – Velveteen Dream

I wasn’t sure about this one but when I saw the winner, my reaction was “well yeah, of course”. I’m still not sure how exactly to define Dream, and I think that’s what makes it work.

Worst Gimmick – Constable Corbin

If this was ANYTHING but Corbin, I would have needed to take a break. Corbin was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen in WWE and yet he’s still in a prominent role. It’s almost like WWE doesn’t learn from its mistake.

Best Pro Wrestling Book – Eggshells: Pro Wrestling In The Tokyo Dome

Another one on my list.

Best Pro Wrestling DVD/Streaming Documentary – Andre the Giant

It was certainly the most prominent and I liked it so I can’t complain much.

So yeah, another year of NEW JAPAN IS AMAZING before AEW gets to take over next year. I don’t agree with a lot of the picks here but it wouldn’t be normal if I did. There’s certainly a heavy Meltzer influence here and that makes perfect sense. The awards are voted on by people who pay to read his opinions. That would be the case with any awards and while it may make your eyes roll at times, it’s completely expected and not a bad thing.