2019 Wrestling Observer Awards Announced

Believe it or not, they like these AEW and New Japan guys.

It’s that time of year again. Dave Meltzer and his minions have voted on their End of Year Awards for 2019 (which makes me feel better for only getting mine done the day after the Rumble). I’m sure there are going to be a lot of AEW/New Japan stuff in here and that’s fine enough. I’ll throw in a few thoughts on each but some of them aren’t going to have much need. I’ll so be skipping the MMA awards because they’re not wrestling and I still have no idea why they’re included here.

Wrestler of the Year – Chris Jericho

Jericho was a nominee for me so it’s far from out there. I’m not sure I could go with him as he only wrestled a dozen times last year, but he carried AEW on his back for the first three months of Dynamite so I can see where this would make sense.

Outstanding Wrestler of the Year – Will Ospreay

I’m still not sure why this needs to be two awards (I’ve had it explained to me every year, still don’t see the need) but Ospreay had a heck of a year and some outstanding matches so I can see this. There are a lot of people with some great matches this year so you could pick from a bunch here. Ospreay is fine enough though.

Tag Team Of The Year – Lucha Bros

That breaks a six year run for the Young Bucks and it should. The Bucks are good but the Bros are on another level every time they’re out there. WWE’s tag teams are nothing for the most part so it’s not like there was much competition. I went with Undisputed Era but I consider stables as well.

Best on Interviews – Chris Jericho

The only person in his league is Maxwell Jacob Friedman but Jericho’s stuff has had me cracking up multiple times. I can’t bring myself to argue against Jericho’s talking so no complaints here.

Promotion of the Year – New Japan Pro Wrestling

They had a down year but there isn’t anything that jumps off the page for this one. It kind of amazes me that WWE has won this award twice in the nearly forty years they’ve been running. I’m not saying they should win it, but you would think they would sneak in a win here or there.

Best Weekly TV Series – Dynamite

I couldn’t go with a show that was on the air for a fourth of the year. NXT was its usual self for most of the year and better than Dynamite most weeks, but you knew AEW was going to get some major accolades this year.

Match of the Year – Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi (Best of the Super Juniors)

Didn’t see the match so can’t comment on it, though I did hear great things.

US/Canadian MVP – Chris Jericho

Japan MVP – Kazuchika Okada

Mexico MVP – Rey Fenix

Europe MVP – Walter

Non-Heavyweight MVP – Will Ospreay

Women’s Wrestling MVP – Becky Lynch

I’m going with a collective “uh, sure” on these as I’m not sure how much need there was for individual MVP awards by continent and weight class. Lynch winning was as much of a layup as you can get, as it should be.

Best Box Office Draw – Chris Jericho

I’m assuming there are numbers to back this up so sure.

Feud of the Year – Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano

Same for me.

Most Improved of the Year – Lance Archer

I didn’t see much of him this year but I heard this over and over so fair enough.

Most Charismatic – Chris Jericho

One question: how in the world has he never won this before???

Best Technical Wrestling – Zack Sabre Jr.

Six in a row and like it could be anyone else.

Best Brawler – Tomohiro Ishii

Six years in a row as well.

Best High Flying Wrestling – Will Ospreay

Only four years in a row for him. Pick up the pace man.

Most Overrated – King Corbin

I’m torn here. On the one hand, yeah. On the other hand, anything involving Corbin receiving praise is too much for me.

Most Underrated – Shorty G

I think you can call this “Wrestler We Feel Most Sorry For” and it would apply just as well.

Rookie of the Year – Jungle Boy

Normally I would say I don’t know how you can be a rookie in 2019 when you started in 2018 but I gave it to Ricochet as newcomer of the year so I can’t complain much. And yeah Jungle Boy has been rather good.

Non-Wrestler of the Year – Paul Heyman

This is your safe default pick and I didn’t have anyone jump out in front so that’s fine.

Best Television Announcer – Kevin Kelly

It was him or Mauro Ranallo and I can see why Mauro isn’t the biggest favorite.

Worst Television Announcer – Corey Graves

It’s going to be whomever has the most Vince McMahonisms in their ear but Graves can get especially annoying in a hurry. As long a she doesn’t have Renee Young there to bicker with, things are at least looking up a bit.

Best Major Wrestling Show of the Year – Double Or Nothing

I’m not sure if Takeovers are eligible in this one (they very well may be) but I had Double Or Nothing nominated so it’s not a big stretch.

Worst Major Wrestling Show Of The Year – Super ShowDown

This was one of my three nominees but WOW that’s an upset over Hell in a Cell. My goodness I’m actually surprised by this one.

Best Wrestling Maneuver – Storm Breaker (Will Ospreay)

Really? I mean….it’s fine but…..really? There’s nothing better? Not a 630 or anything else?

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – WWE’s Relationship With Saudi Arabia

Could it be anything else?

Worst Television Show – Monday Night Raw

Not only is it not even the worst WWE show, but am I really the only person who watches Ring of Honor? This feels like a bunch of people who don’t watch Raw voting for it as the worst show because they don’t watch it. It’s bad, but there are multiple worse shows out there.

Worst Match of the Year – Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend – Hell In A Cell

That’s going to be an all timer so it was going to run away with this one.

Worst Feud of the Year – Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend

Like it could have been anything else.

Worst Promotion of the Year – WWE

Ring of Honor was literally drawing a few hundred fans a year and had people falling asleep during a World Title match at a major show, with the year capped off by PCO winning the World Title. But yeah, it’s WWE, because WWE SUCKS AND IT ALWAYS WILL! Give me a break.

Best Booker of the Year – Gedo (New Japan)

They might as well name it after him anymore.

Promoter of the Year – Tony Khan (AEW)

Again: you might want to wait until they’re running for the full year before calling it the best thing around. But that’s not fair to AEW or something I’m assuming.

Best Gimmick – The Fiend

Like it could have been anything else.

Worst Gimmick – Shorty G

It takes something special to actually make me mad in wrestling and that’s what they did here. Easy win.

Best Pro Wrestling Book – 100 Things A WWE Fan Should Know Before They Die – Bryan Alvarez

I’m sure the author has nothing to do with this.

Best Pro Wrestling DVD/Streaming Documentary – Dark Side of the Ring

Given how much people have been drooling over the second season trailer, this was a pretty easy pick.

So yeah, not as many annoying ones but it was the AEW/New Japan love fest that you knew it would be. The Worst Promotion of the Year award though is rather ridiculous