2012 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Announced

Wrestler of the Year – Hiroshi Tanahashi (CM Punk, Kazuchika Okada)

CM Punk was WWE Champion for the entire year.  I think that sums up the case against Tanahashi pretty well.

Most Outstanding Wrestler – Hiroshi Tanahashi (Kazuchika Okada, CM Punk)

I’m still not sure what the difference between this and wrestler of the year is.

Best Box Office Draw – The Rock (John Cena, Brock Lesnar)

I had a feeling he’d beat out Edge for Bending the Rules.  Lesnar at 3 though is kind of a headscratcher.  I guess it’s because of not enough appearances.

Feud of the Year – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuchika Okada (Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, John Cena vs. The Rock)

Hey look: more Japanese guys.  Punk vs. everyone?  Bryan vs. the crowd?  Punk vs. Jericho?  Rock vs. Cena?  Maybe?  No wait they’re American.  Never mind.

Tag Team of the Year – Bad Influence (Kane and Daniel Bryan, Young Bucks)

This was a toss up between them and HELL NO.  I would have gone with the WWE guys but I can live with this.

Most Improved – Katsuchika Okada (Michael Elgin, Rush)

This would be Samoa Joe’s friend who was in TNA for like five minutes.  Eh I guess this is fine.  No one jumped out for me in this category.  Oh wait: BULLY FREAKING RAY ANYONE???

Best on Interviews – CM Punk (Chael Sonnen, Rock)

No problem there, but I could see HELL NO getting this.  They were hysterical.

Most Charismatic – The Rock (Hiroshi Tanahashi, John Cena)

Fine again here.

Best Technical Wrestler – Daniel Bryan (Prince Devitt, Davey Richards)

That’s 8 years in a row.  Just name the thing after him already.  Oh and unless Davey Richards has COMPLETELY changed his style, that’s absolutely absurd.  Brodus Clay is more technical than Richards.

Best Brawler – Kevin Steen (Togi Makabe, Bully Ray)

Not many people brawl anymore so this is no surprise.

Best High Flier – Kota Ibushi (Ricochet, Pac)

No surprise there either as he’s won three out of four years in a row and was injured the year he didn’t win.

Most Overrated – Ryback (The Miz, Garrett Bischoff)

You mean the guy who caused HIAC to get its highest amount of buys in two years?  Yeah there’s no value there.  Who actually rates Garrett Bischoff as anything?

Most Underrated – Tyson Kidd (Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan)

Eh he’s good but the day people buy a ticket to see Tyson Kidd is the day I learn to do the Charleston.  The runners up here blow my mind.  Dolph Ziggler is apparently the second coming and Bryan has been a champion forever, yet he’s UNDERrated?

Promotion of the Year – New Japan (UFC, WWE)

Well it certainly wasn’t anything in America.  I’ll let this one go.

Best Weekly Television Show – Impact Wrestling (Ring of Honor, NXT)

VIVA LOS ACES AND 8’S!  First time it’s ever won this.  If they’re counting the end of the fifth season of NXT in there, I can certainly understand this.

Match of the Year – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Minoru Suzuki (John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar, Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin)

Having not seen this, I’m going to go on a limb and say HHH vs. Undertaker inside the Cell at Wrestlemania was about ten times better.

Rookie of the Year – Dinastia (Mr. Touchdown, Eita Kobayashi)

Anyone from Mexico that can help me out here?  This depends on your definition of rookie so I can live with this one going another way.

Best Non-Wrestler – Paul Heyman (Ricardo Rodriguez, Vickie Guerrero)

He could sit in the back reading the newspaper and earn an award from an internet wrestling writer.  He was fine but as usual, I don’t get the massive appeal of him.  Ricardo continues to crack me up though.

Best Television Announcer – Jim Ross, Nigel McGuinness, William Regal)

He’s on TV enough to qualify for this?

Worst Television Announcer – Michael Cole (Taz, Booker T)

Oh come on.  King had a heart attack and nearly died on Raw.  That has to make him worse.

Best Major Show – King of Pro Wrestling – New Japan (Extreme Rules, Wrestlemania)

Is anyone surprised at this point?

Worst Major Wrestling Show – No Surrender

Final Resolution was worse but whatever.  Actually I’m getting two reports for who won this so after the UFC (IT ISN’T A FREAKING MMA AWARD) show, the worst WRESTLING show might have been Extreme Reunion

Best Wrestling Manuever – Rainmaker: Kazuchika Okada (Neutralizer, NO Lock)

It’s an arm thing apparently.  Sure why not.

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – WWE broadcasting a dead Jerry Lawler being revived after a heart attack, and then having CM Punk and Paul Heyman mock the heart attack in front of Lawler (Extreme Rising using a photo of Sabu passing out from an overdose to promote, some UFC thing)

Someone answer this for me: does Meltzer EVER complain about the show being PG?  If he does, he’s a hypocrite for this one.

Worst Television Show – Raw (Impact, Ultimate Fighter)

Eh yeah probably.  Also, Impact WINS best and comes second in worst?  These are some fickle voters.

Worst Match of the Year – John Cena vs. John Laurinitis (Santino Marella vs. Ricardo Rodriguez, some UFC fight)

No.  Aksana vs. Kaitlyn was literally a four minute headlock.  No way this was worse.

Worst Feud of the Year – John Cena vs. Kane (TNA vs. Aces and 8’s, John Cena vs. John Laurinitis)

It was bad yeah but I don’t think it was even around long enough to qualify as bad.  Seriously, Aces and 8’s?  Clair Lynch?  They’re better than Cena vs. Kane?  I don’t think so.

Worst Promotion of the Year – TNA (ROH, WWE)

Their only US TV show is the best show but they’re the worst company?  How do these awards work anyway?

Best Booker – Jado and Gedo (UFC guy, Mike Quackenbush)

New Japan, duh.

Best Gimmick – Joseph Park (Damien Sandow, Daniel Bryan)

If this didn’t win, the awards are a joke.

Worst Gimmick – Aces and 8’s (Tensai, Natalya)

You knew they were winning SOMETHING.  But hey, the show they’re ALWAYS ON is still the best show right?

Best Wrestling Book – Shooters by Jonathan Snowden (Heroes and Icons by Oliver/Johnson/Mooneyham, From Prison to Promise by Booker T)

Never heard of it but sure why not.

Best Wrestling DVD – CM Punk: Best in the World (Last of McGuinness, some UFC thing)

If you didn’t see this coming, go watch PBS as it’s more your speed.

So yeah, Japan rules the internet wrestling world again, and no I don’t want to watch puro.