wrestling / Columns

411’s Wrestler of the Week 12.25.12: Year Eight, Week 38

December 25, 2012 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Welcome to WEEK 38, YEAR EIGHT of 411’s Wrestler of the Week. A quick overview of the rules to kick things off for us as a reminder…

Each writer chooses FIVE wrestlers from any promotion and each wrestler gets a point total attached to that ranking. It looks a little like this…

1st – 5
2nd – 4
3rd – 3
4th – 2
5th – 1

Then we tally up the votes and the official 411 Wrestler of the Week is crowned. But wait, there’s more! Each week the top SIX vote getters get a points value for their ranking which looks something like this…

1st – 15
2nd – 12
3rd – 9
4th – 6
5th – 3
6th – 1

…and they go towards the 411 Wrestler of the Year award to be announced each year around WrestleMania. This will be posted every Monday (the voting week runs Monday through Sunday). Let’s see who wins this week…


Larry Csonka
1) CIMA
On the most recent Dragon Gate PPV, CIMA retained the Open the Dream Gate Title in a three way main event, defeating Shingo Takagi & BxB Hulk. Not only did he retain the title, but also it was elimination rules, and CIMA eliminated both challengers himself. This was great work by the champion to close out the year.

2) Jeff Hardy: Retained the TNA Title in a good match on Impact against Austin Aries.
3) Big E. Langston: Big E. Langston and has targeted John Cena. That’s a pretty big deal, and while Langston is filled with question marks as far as how much he will accomplish, he debut week was big.
4) Kenny Omega
5) Ric Flair

James Wright
1) Austin Aries
He might not have won his TNA title shot on Impact but he put on one hell of a match and probably would have won the damn thing had Roode not attacked him. Roode attacking Aries I think cements Aries as the top heel in TNA as Roode must now at least partially be viewed as a face, costing Aries the match while not attacking Hardy in the process. Apart from anything else Aries took the time to mock Hardy for his stupid inner monologues that have been cropping up ever since he became TNA champion.

2) Jeff Hardy: On the other hand it takes two to tango and as much as I hate Hardy he did successfully defend his world title this week and was part of a great match on Impact. He is still a deluded, self-indulgent douche though.
3) Dolph Ziggler: While not as good as his last week the Show Off is now in a much better position with the back up of AJ and Big E. Already he has been saved from a pinfall or tap out to Cena in two matches and that is pretty good going for a guy that has been known this year for eating a Brogue Kick 3,492 times.
4) Team Hell No
5) Devon

Ryan Byers
1) Ric Flair
Nobody generated as much hype in the wrestling world this week and dare I say that nobody had a performance as great as Ric Flair. I disagree wholeheartedly with how WWE chose to book the return of the Nature Boy, because it basically wasted what could have been a hot angle to pop a one-time rating, but, if you accept the fact that they were going to do it that way, it was entertaining professional wrestling television, and it did attract a pretty decent audience per WWE programming standards of the last several months.

2) CIMA: If you asked me a couple of years ago what I thought CIMA would be doing in pro wrestling in 2012, I would’ve guessed he’d be near retirement. However, what he has actually done has been one of the most impressive, dominant major title runs in the world. That continued this week, as he retained his Open the Dream Gate Championship in a three-way on Dragon Gate’s latest pay per view, pinning both Shingo Takagi and BxB Hulk to keep the belt.
3) Kenny Omega: After years of being the most frequent foreign guest in Japan’s Dramatic Dream Team (DDT) promotion, Omega now holds the company’s top prize, as he defeated El Generico to become the new KO-D Openweight Champion this past week.
4) Team Hell No
5) Sheamus

Jeremy Thomas
1) Dolph Ziggler
The ZigglePush continues, as Dolph gained ever more credibility as a main eventer due to the latest developments in his character’s storyline and his feud with John Cena. Now that they seem ready to accept Dolph as a main eventer and actually build him up before his Money in the Bank shot, they’re doing a killer job with him.

2) Big E. Langston: Okay, so we know how things turned out when Tensai came into WWE and went after Cena right off the bat. It could be the same with Big E., but at least at the moment he’s in a huge spot right now for a new guy on the main roster.
3) Ric Flair & Tommy Dreamer (tie): The Nature Boy returned on Raw, got a huge pop, got in a mini-feud with CM Punk and became the most talked-about guy of the week, while Dreamer made a much more surprising Raw return that warmed the cockles of my heart. Need I say more?
4) Kenny Omega
5) Austin Aries

Trent Howell
1) Ryback:
Two victories over the US Champion and regaining his shot at the WWE Championship in what could (should) be a well promoted and entertaining TLC match seals up a slow news week win.

2) Big E Langston : Questions about where we’re going aside, Big E Langston is clearly beginning his post developmental career squarely in a main event feud.
3) Tommy Dreamer: I’ll probably get some heat for not putting Flair on here, but Dreamer was the one who actually worked a match, looked decent in the process, and took a solid Shield beat down. Plus I marked out over his return since it was completely out of nowhere. What about it?
4) Dolph Ziggler
5) Jeff Hardy

James Gold
1) Ric Flair
What can I say Flair half an hour of TV on Raw was great advanced several different branching storylines and will mean that we will not remember Flair last appearance in WWE shilling that Million Dollar Lottery from 4 years back.

2) New Age Outlaws: Short cameo appearance for the Outlaws but I love seeing them back on TV and hope that will Billy signed now we will see more of them in the future
3) Tommy Dreamer : Enjoyed seeing Dreamer back on WWE TV, and helping to further the Shield road to dominance
4) Dolph Ziggler
5) Big E Langston

Jack McGee
1) Jeff Hardy
Defended the TNA World title in a very good match on Impact against Austin Aries. I think I can really get onboard with the Jeff Hardy Title run if he keeps having good matches like this.

2) Big E. Langston: Made his debut by destroying John Cena. That’s pretty big if you ask me.
3) Ric Flair: “Wooooooooooooooo!”
4) AJ Lee
5) Dolph Ziggler


THE WINNERS~!

  • Special Mention…Kenny Omega – 7 Votes
  • Fifth Place…Tommy Dreamer & CIMA – 9 Votes
  • Fourth Place…Dolph Ziggler – 13 Votes
  • Third Place…Jeff Hardy – 14 Votes

    Still your current, reigning and defending TNA World Champion…

  • Second Place…Big E. Langston – 16 Votes

    The newest call up from NXT put John Cena on notice with his debut…

  • Wrestler of the Week…Ric Flair – 17 Votes

    Woooooooooooooooo!

    Year-End Standings~!
    And here are the standings after week 38…

    1. CM Punk – 131 points (WWE)

    2. Daniel Bryan – 87 points (WWE)

    3. Jeff Hardy – 75 points (TNA)

    4. Dolph Ziggler – 72 points (WWE)

    5. Sheamus – 69 points (WWE)

    6. Austin Aries – 63 points (TNA)

    7. Samoa Joe – 62 points (TNA)

    8. Big Show – 57 points (WWE)

    9. Brock Lesnar – 55 points (WWE)

    10. James Storm – 54 points (TNA)

    Bobby Roode – 53 points (TNA)

    Bully Ray- 51 points (TNA)
    Kevin Steen – 51 points (ROH)

    John Cena – 40 points (WWE)
    The Ryback – 40 points (WWE)
    Kane – 40 points (WWE)

    Hiroshi Tanahashi – 36 points (NJPW)

    Antonio Cesaro – 33 points (WWE)

    Johnny Gargano – 31 points (US Independent)

    Kazuchika Okada – 28 points (NJPW)

    Alex Shelley – 27 points (US Independent)
    Alberto Del Rio – 27 points (WWE)

    KUSHIDA – 24 points (NJPW)

    Seth Rollins – 22 points (WWE)
    Dean Ambrose – 22 points (WWE)
    Roman Reigns – 22 points (WWE)

    Kofi Kingston – 21 points (WWE)
    Christopher Daniels – 21 points (TNA)
    Kazarian – 21 points (TNA)
    Kenny King – 21 points (TNA)
    Christian – 21 points (WWE)

    Player Uno – 19 points (US Independent)
    Stupified – 19 points (US Independent)
    Damian Sandow – 19 points (WWE)

    CIMA – 18 point (Dragon Gate)
    Samuray del Sol (aka Octagon Jr.) – 18 points (US Independent)
    Adam Cole – 18 points (ROH)
    Wade Barrett – 18 points (WWE)
    Chuck Taylor- 18 points (US Independent)

    Hirooki Goto – 15 points (NJPW)
    Masata Tanaka – 15 points (ZERO1)
    Ryusuke Taguchi – 15 points (NJPW)
    Nick Jackson- 15 points (US Independent)
    Matt Jackson- 15 points (US Independent)
    Tyson Kidd – 15 points (WWE)
    Rhett Titus – 15 points (ROH)
    Portia Perez – 15 points (US Independent)
    Nicole Mathews – 15 points (US Independent)
    Ric Flair – 15 points (US Independent)

    Karl Anderson – 13 point (NJPW)
    The Miz – 13 points (WWE)
    El Generico – 13 point (US Independent)
    Devon – 13 points (TNA)

    Big E. Langston – 12 points (WWE)
    Tim Donst – 12 points (US Independent)
    Sweet Saraya Knight – 12 points (US Independent)
    Masakatsu Funaki – 12 points (AJPW)
    Magnus – 12 points (TNA)
    AJ Styles – 12 points (TNA)
    Zema Ion – 12 points (TNA)
    Tensai – 12 points (WWE)
    Dr. Wagner Jr. – 12 points (AAA)
    Texano Jr. – 12 points (AAA)
    Kenta Kobashi – 12 points (Retired)

    RVD – 10 points (TNA)

    Rey Mysterio – 9 points (WWE)
    R Truth – 9 points (WWE)
    Kurt Angle – 9 points (TNA)

    Low Ki – 7 points (US Independent)
    AR Fox – 7 point (US Independent)
    Cody Rhodes – 7 points (WWE)

    Sting – 6 points (TNA)
    Taiyo Kea – 6 points (AJPW)
    Lance Archer – 6 points (NJPW)
    Davey Boy Smith Jr. – 6 points (NJPW)
    KAI – 6 points (AJPW)
    Adam Pearce – 6 points (US Independent)
    17 – 6 points (US Independent)
    Shard – 6 points (US Independent)
    assailANT – 6 points (US Independent)
    combatANT – 6 points (US Independent)
    Colt Cabana – 6 points (US Independent)
    Ultramantis Black – 6 points (US Independent)
    Hallowicked – 6 points (US Independent)
    Frightmare – 6 points (US Independent)
    Mr. Touchdown Mark Angelosetti – 6 points (US Independent)

    AJ Lee – 5 points (WWE)

    Mark Henry – 4 points (WWE)
    PAC – 4 points (WWE)

    Michael Elgin – 3 point (ROH)
    Paul Heyman – 3 points (WWE)
    Jerry Lawler – 3 points (WWE)
    Gran Akuma – 3 points (US Independent)
    Sara Del Rey – 3 points (WWE)
    Chris Sabin – 3 points (TNA)
    Chavo Guerrero – 3 points (TNA)
    Hernandez – 3 points (TNA)
    Robbie E – 3 points (TNA)
    Christian York – 3 points (TNA)
    Genki Horguchi – 3 point (Dragon Gate)
    Tommy Dreamer – 3 point (US Independent)

    Jon Davis – 2 point (US Independent)
    Kota Ibushi – 2 point (NJPW)

    Mick Foley – 1 points (WWE)
    Shuji Kondo – 1 point (Japan)
    Akebono – 1 point (Japan)
    Dick Togo – 1 point (Japan)
    Yujiro Takahashi – 1 point (NJPW)
    Tara – 1 point (TNA)
    Miss Tessmacher – 1 point (TNA)
    Katsuhiko Nakajima – 1 point (NOAH)
    Charlie Haas – 1 point (ROH)
    Shelton Benjamin – 1 point (ROH)
    Layla – 1 point (WWE)
    Dmitrious “The Greek God” Papadon – 1 point (US Independent)
    Kenny Omega – 1 point (US Independent)
    Sami Callihan – 1 point (US Independent)
    El Terrible – 1 point (CMLL)
    Rush – 1 point (CMLL)

  • Voting began 4.09.12
  • Year-End Rankings Key:

    WWE, Raw, SmackDown and NXT-Contracted Wrestlers are represented in BLUE.

    TNA Contracted Wrestlers are represented in GREEN.

    ROH Contracted Wrestlers are represented in RED.

    US Independent Wrestlers are represented in MAROON.

    Japanese Contracted Wrestlers are represented in BLACK.

    Mexican Contracted Wrestlers are represented in MAGENTA.

    Other International Wrestlers are represented in INDIGO.



    **PREVIOUS WINNERS**

    Year One Winner: Ric Flair


    Year Two Winner: Samoa Joe


    Year Three Winner: John Cena


    Year Four Winner: Chris Jericho


    Year Five Winner: CM Punk


    Year Six Winner: The Miz


    Year Seven Winner: CM Punk

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    Larry Csonka