Wrestling observer awards 2006

Vince135792003

The results from the readership based upon MMA and professional wrestling went as follows:

Thesz/Flair Award (performer of the year)
1 Mistico 220 (1st time ever a Mexican wrestler has won)
2 Edge 134
3 Tito Ortiz 261
4 Bryan Danielson 83

OUTSTANDING WRESTLER
1) Bryan Danielson 401
2) Kenta 98
3) Samoa Joe 86
4) Fit Finlay 65

BEST BOX OFFICE DRAW
1) Mistico 377
2) Tito Ortiz 258
3) Matt Hughes 53
4) John Cena 80

PROMOTION OF THE YEAR
1) UFC 743
2) Ring of Honor 124
3) CMLL 55
4) NOAH 65


WORKED MATCH OF THE YEAR
1) Dragon Kid & Ryo Saito & Horiguchi vs Naruki Doi & Cima & Masato Yoshino (March 31, 2006, Ring of Honor, Chicago Ridge, IL) 305
2) Marufuji vs. Kenta (October 29, 2006) 263/
3) Danielson vs. Kenta (September 16, 2006--NY) 185
4) Danielson vs. Mc Guiness (August 12, 2006) 51


WORST PROMOTION
1) WWE
2) NJW
3) TNA

BEST INTERVIEW
1) Mick Foley 159
2) Edge 127
3) Konnan

Mr.Nice Guy

Totally farcical awards sadly, and straight off the bat too. Having taken the time to watch Mistico, this guy is unfit to lace Rey Mysterio's boots and is unbelievably overrated.

Edge is the wrestler of 2006 without a doubt. Won the title at the start of the year and bumped up the ratings in the process, didn't bitch or moan when he lost the belt but instead stole the show at WM22, made a great impression at ECW One Night Stand having been taunted and mocked there the year previously, went on to win back the belt and engaged in a fantastic feud with Cena before having arguably the match of the year with Cena at Unforgiven, where he made a heroic and emotional return to his hometown of Toronto.

It's embarrassing that the smarks decided to overlook all that in favour of a guy who can do a pretty armbar...

Fozzy

I was just watching CMLL there, Mistico losing his mask and the match in one. Fair play to him anyway! He's done very well this year. Just to clarify what that first award is for: "This award is given to performers (Professional Wrestlers/Mixed Martial Artists) who have the ability to carry an entire promotion by themselves." And Mistico certainly deserves it more than Edge with that criteria, I don't see how it can be argued

No doubt about Do Fixer vs Blood Generation being match of the year, that was amazing to witness. Anyone who hasn't seen it should try check it out, ROH Supercard of Honor

Vince135792003

Fozzy wrote:

"This award is given to performers (Professional Wrestlers/Mixed Martial Artists) who have the ability to carry an entire promotion by themselves." And Mistico certainly deserves it more than Edge with that criteria, I don't see how it can be argued

Exactly. The key is in the criteria and thats basuically it in its simplest from as written by Fozzy. And the guy on a week to week basis was a phenomenal draw from looking at the attendence's and sold out shows from 2006.

Meltzer wrote that "Mistico was the greatest weekly drawing card in a single arena anywhere as long has this publication has been around".

From that perspective, its not embarrassing to me that he got voted number 1. It seems pretty logical but whatever. There's never unanimity when it comes to things like these. Thats why they are interesting.

On the Match of the year, I think I've said it 3 times on here how much I loved that match. I'm generally more of a traditionalist when it comes to my wrestling in terms of it telling a story and making sense. But I swear to God I've never seen a match like it in my life. The pace of it alone is phenomenal.

Mr.Nice Guy

Fozzy wrote:

Just to clarify what that first award is for: "This award is given to performers (Professional Wrestlers/Mixed Martial Artists) who have the ability to carry an entire promotion by themselves." And Mistico certainly deserves it more than Edge with that criteria, I don't see how it can be argued

If that's true then the award is very flawed in my opinion. What does carrying a promotion have to do with being the best performer in the world?

That means Edge is hurt by the fact he works for the largest company. Common sense dictates that being the top performer in the largest company is a positive rather than a negative.

Vince135792003

Its my fault. I copied and pasted that off another board so having best performer beside the award is misleading. Obviously wrestling ability comes into play but theres more to it than that. Fozzy pretty much summed it up in a line however.

In last weeks observer, theres a 3 page article on the criteria in detail. Its fun a read particuliarly with MMA guys now coming to prominence in this award.

Most Outstanding wrestler is (I think, haven't got my issue yet) more about pure wrestling ability hence the great Bryan Danielson steam rolling that award.

On another note, if anyone has bought more ROH dvd's that they think are worth buying, let me know. I know most of them are very good but if anyone has a particuliar shout out for a show, by all means tell me.

Vince135792003

Some more of the awards went as follows:


PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
1) Dana White 834 UFC
2) Paco Alonso 77 CML

SHOOTFIGHTER OF THE YEAR
1) Mirko Cro Cop
2) Georges St Pierre
3) Chuck Liddell
4) Matt Hughes
5) Tito Ortiz

BEST BRAWLER
1) Samoa Joe
2) Fit Finlay

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR
1) Homicide & Hernandez (LAX)
2) Austin Aries & Roderick Strong

MOST IMPROVED
1) Takeshi Morishima
2) Johnny Nitro

Gillie

Mr.Nice Guy wrote:

Totally farcical awards sadly, and straight off the bat too. Having taken the time to watch Mistico, this guy is unfit to lace Rey Mysterio's boots and is unbelievably overrated.

Edge is the wrestler of 2006 without a doubt. Won the title at the start of the year and bumped up the ratings in the process, didn't bitch or moan when he lost the belt but instead stole the show at WM22, made a great impression at ECW One Night Stand having been taunted and mocked there the year previously, went on to win back the belt and engaged in a fantastic feud with Cena before having arguably the match of the year with Cena at Unforgiven, where he made a heroic and emotional return to his hometown of Toronto.

It's embarrassing that the smarks decided to overlook all that in favour of a guy who can do a pretty armbar...

I am in total agreement with you on this.
Edge is the wrestler of the year in my book but admittedly I don't get to see much of the competition!

Fozzy

Interest in wrestling has grown a lot in Mexico in the last year, and CMLL get more people to their shows than any other promotion in the world, WWE included. A lot of that is due to Mistico

I wouldn't have any major complaints about anything there. I still don't think Nitro improved as much as he actually got a push. I hear Cena won most charismatic as well

Fozzy

Just something I noticed now that I disagree with a lot! Worst ppv of the year was given to UFC 61. As boring as that turned out to be, not living up to its promise at all, ECW's last ppv was much worse! Maybe I'm missing something, like the match taking place after voting had begun, that would explain it. Or maybe because so many more people bought the UFC event. But either way, ECW's ppv was a lot lot worse!

Vince135792003

Fozzy wrote:

ECW's ppv was a lot lot worse!

I think the voting takes place before that. But I could be wrong.

Jerichoholic

I wouldn't even try to dispute these awards, aren't they voted for by people in the business or is that the HOF?

Vince135792003

Jerichoholic wrote:

I wouldn't even try to dispute these awards, aren't they voted for by people in the business or is that the HOF?

Thats the hall of fame.