GIIG Take on The 2015 WON Awards

Dave Meltzer released his 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards recently. Cageside Seats broke down the list here. Here’s our take on the list.

First, a couple things:

1. By “our,” I mean “my.”
2. My list is limited to shows on TV in America. NXT is included. NJPW on AXS is not, since that show is made up of highlights of matches from prior NJPW PPVs. It’s a great show, but I can’t include it here, except when it comes to the commentary.

Wrestler of the Year (MVP)

1. Jay Lethal (ROH)
2. Brock Lesnar (WWE)
3. Seth Rollins (WWE)
4. Finn Balor (WWE-NXT)
5. Kevin Owens (WWE/NXT)

Most Outstanding Wrestler

1. Kevin Owens (WWE/NXT)
2. Cesaro (WWE)
3. Roderick Strong (ROH)
4. Finn Balor (WWE-NXT)
5. Seth Rollins (WWE)

Tag Team of the Year

1. The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)(ROH)
2. War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Rowe)(ROH)
3. ReDRagon (Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish)(ROH)
4. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (WWE-NXT)
5. The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods)(WWE)

Feud of the Year

1. Kevin Owens vs. John Cena (WWE)
2. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (WWE)
3. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (WWE-NXT)

Most Improved

1. Moose (ROH)
2. Michael Elgin (ROH)
3. Rusev (WWE)

Best on Interviews

1. Paul Heyman (WWE)
2. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (WWE-NXT)
3. The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods)(WWE)

Most Charismatic

1. Enzo Amore (WWE-NXT)
2. Sami Zayn (WWE-NXT)
3. Dalton Castle (ROH)

Best Technical Wrestler

1. Cesaro (WWE)
2. Roderick Strong (ROH)
3. Finn Balor (WWE-NXT)

Best Brawler

1. Kevin Owens (WWE/NXT)
2. Dean Ambrose (WWE)
3. Brock Lesnar (WWE)

Best Flying Wrestler

1. Prince Puma (Lucha Underground)
2. Matt Sydal (ROH)
3. Neville (WWE/NXT)

Most Overrated

1. Sheamus (WWE)
2. Roman Reigns (WWE)
3. Kane (WWE)

Most Underrated

1. Cesaro (WWE)
2. Kevin Owens (WWE/NXT)
3. Dean Ambrose (WWE)

Promotion of the Year – Ring of Honor

Best Weekly TV Show

1. Ring of Honor Wrestling
2. WWE NXT
3. Lucha Underground

Match of the Year – Kevin Owens vs. John Cena (WWE Elimination Chamber 2015)

If NJPW was included in our list, Tanahashi vs. Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 9 wins this.

Rookie of the Year – Chad Gable (WWE-NXT)

Best Non-Wrestler

1. Paul Heyman (WWE)
2. Truth Martini (ROH)
3. Dario Cueto (Lucha Underground)

Best TV Announcer

1. Kevin Kelly (ROH)
2. Mauro Ranallo (NJPW on AXS)
3. Steve Corino (ROH)
4. Josh Barnett (NJPW on AXS)
5. Corey Graves (WWE-NXT)

Worst TV Announcer

1. Josh Matthews (TNA)
2. Matt Striker (Lucha Underground)
3. Michael Cole (WWE)
4. Rich Brennan (WWE-NXT)
5. The Pope (TNA)

Best Major Wrestling Show – WWE-NXT TakeOver Respect

Worst Major Wrestling Show – WWE Royal Rumble 2015

Best Wrestling Maneuver – Meltzer Driver – The Young Bucks (ROH)

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic – WWE using Reid Flair’s death in an angle between Paige and Charlotte

Worst Television Show

1. WWE Raw
2. TNA Impact
3. WWE Smackdown

Worst Match of the Year – Ryback vs. Mark Henry vs. R-Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus vs. King Barrett, Elimination Chamber Match – WWE Elimination Chamber 2015

Worst Feud of the Year

1. Team PCB vs. Team BAD vs. Team Bella (WWE)
2. Charlotte vs. Paige (WWE)
3. Dolph Ziggler and Lana vs. Rusev and Summer Rae (WWE)

Worst Promotion of the Year – World Wrestling Entertainment

Best Booker – Hunter Johnston (ROH)

Promoter of the Year – Paul Levesque (WWE-NXT)

Best Gimmick

1. Bullet Club (ROH)
2. The New Day (WWE)
3. Kevin Owens (WWE/NXT)

Worst Gimmick

1. Mahabali Shera (TNA)
2. Adam Rose (WWE)
3. Stardust (WWE)

Twitter: @KSchroeder2325

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com