411’s Wrestler of the Week 6.04.13: Year Nine, Week 8

Welcome to YEAR NINE, WEEK 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 Tuesday (the voting week runs Monday through Sunday). Let’s see who wins this week…

Larry Csonka
1) Kurt Angle
It was a big week for Kurt Angle, and it all happened at Slammiversary. First Angle was announced as the second event TNA Hall of Fame inductee, and then he defeated AJ Styles in a very good match on the show. Angle takes the top honors from me this week due to that, and to be honest; it is pretty hard to top.

2) Bully Ray: Defeated Sting in the main event at Slammiversary to retain the TNA World Title.
3) Chris Sabin: Won the Ultimate X at Slammiversary to win the TNA X-Division Title.
4) La Sombra
5) James Storm and Gunner

Ryan Byers
1) Team Hell No / Roman Reigns & Tyler Black (TIE)
Normally my voting in this column is based more on accomplishments than it is performances, but, sometimes, a performance grabs me so much that I can’t help but give it the top spot. The television match between Kane, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and Tyler Black was probably my favorite Shield free TV match since their debut, which is saying a lot. It was good enough that I’m not just believing in the Shield . . . I’m also starting to believe in tag team wrestling again.

2) Go Shiozaki: Shiozaki pinned reigning All Japan Triple Crown Champion Suwama in a match in which Shioazki and partner Jun Akiyama retained their AJPW World Tag Team Titles over Suwama and partner Joe Doering. A win like that usually means Shiozaki is in line for a Triple Crown shot.
3) Prince Devitt: Devitt has been ON FIRE since turning heel earlier this year, and now he’s on a big run in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, opening up a big league in the standings at the end of the week, besting all of the competitors in both blocks.
4) La Sombra
5) AR Fox

Jack McGee
1) Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle had the best week ever for the purposes of this column. Not only was Angle announced as the second ever TNA Hall of Fame Member; but he also defeated AJ Styles on the best match of the Slammiversary PPV. Angle continues to deliver, and the HOF honors on top of that made him an easy choice for #1 this week.

2) Bully Ray: Still the TNA world champion and centerpiece of the show.
3) Taryn Terrell: Had the best match of her short career at Slammiversary in a very good match with Gail Kim.
4) La Sombra
5) Chris Sabin

Greg DeMarco
1) Kurt Angle
What an amazing week for the Olympic Gold Medalist and a man once regarded as the greatest wrestler alive. Kurt Angle was named the second TNA Hall of Famer (not his first pro wrestling hall of fame honor, nor will it be his last). He went on to defeat AJ Styles in a great match at Slammiversary.

2) Chris Sabin: Sabin captured the TNA X-Division Championship in a great Ultimate X Match at Slammiversary, and was further put over by Hulk Hogan’s references to a potential “Destination X” title shot and the “Future of the Company” label.
3) Taryn Terrell & Gail Kim: Taryn & Gail stole the show at Slammiversary, which was hard to do given the other matches we saw. Terrell won the feud ender, and would seem poised to be Mickie James next challenger once her issue with Velvet Sky is complete.
4) The Shield
5) James Storm & Gunner

Francisco Ramirez
1) Kurt Angle
I don’t agree with it, but Kurt Angle is the next entrant into the TNA Hall of Fame. Not that I don’t agree in him going in, just not at this point. Regardless, Angle his been a positive part of TNA for years now and it definitely will not be his last HOF entry. Oh, and he also defeated AJ Styles at Slammiversary, not a bad week for Angle.

2) La Sombra: Japan has been good to and for La Sombra, once just another CMLL high flyer, it wasn’t until his visit to Japan for the Best of the Super Juniors tourney that we saw some evolution with him. Japan has been high on him since and he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura on 05/31/2013 to become the new IWGP Intercontinental Champion. The first luchadore to hold an IWGP title since the original Mistico in 2009.
3) Chris Sabin: After a highly promoted return, Chris Sabin once again became X-Division Champion at Slammiversary.
4) Bully Ray
5) Team Hell No

Tony Acero
1) Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan was on fire this week, and for my money, no one tops this. Not Angle getting into the only Hall of Fame more laughable than the WWE’s, and not Bully Ray, who kept his title from Sting. Daniel Bryan made me excited to end Smackdown. He allowed a story to be told within the ring that coincided with what was happening outside of the ring. He is part of the issue with The Shield that has taken over the first half of 2013, and he is continuously entertaining. I said it in the Rs, but let me say it again, if you weren’t elated at the end of Smackdown, then you are probably jaded, or simply don’t like Bryan. I do, and I was happy.

2) The Shield: The Shield continues to be consistently great and unique. Each member is growing into their own character as well as allowing the group to grow, too. Their matches are all given time, and they are allowed to create something within the ring that is lasting and different, even if only slightly.
3) Kurt Angle: I don’t watch much TNA, but I do try to catch specific matches, and one person that I still try to watch on a fairly regular basis is Kurt Angle. Whether we feel the HOF of TNA is worth anything or not, I will applaud the man for being entered into some sort of accolade-weilding hall.
4) AJ Lee
5) Bully Ray

Michael Benjamin
1) Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan killed it this week. He stole every show he was on and the crowd is giving him a bigger reaction than anybody else on the roster.

2) The Shield: These guys just keep on delivering. I’ve looked over every result this week and I simply can’t find a reason to not vote for these guys again. Like Tony said, they’re each growing into their own unique character while the group continues to grow as a sum as well.
3) Chris Sabin: Sabin snatched up the X-Division title again and will continue to be a highly promoted member of the roster moving forward.
4) Kurt Angle
5) Bully Ray

THE WINNERS~!

And 411’s Wrestler of the Week is…

Kurt Angle – 25 Votes

Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles in a great match at Slammiversary and was also announced as the next inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.

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

Dean Ambrose – 64pts.

Seth Rollins – 60pts
Roman Reigns – 60pts

Brock Lesnar – 18pts

Ryback – 17pts

Kurt Angle – 15pts.
Bully Ray – 15pts.
Dolph Ziggler – 15pts.
Kofi Kingston – 15pts.
Kenta Kobashi – 15pts.
Ricochet – 15pts

Daniel Bryan – 12pts.
Curtis Axel – 12pts.
Mark Henry – 12pts.

Big E. Langston – 9pts.
Abyss – 9pts.
Wade Barrett – 9pts.
The Undertaker – 9pts
Jun Akiyama – 9pts.

AJ Styles – 6pts.
Chris Sabin – 6pts.
Fandango – 6pts.
KENTA – 6pts.
Yoshihiro Takayama – 6pts.
Kazuchika Okada – 6pts.
Jigsaw – 6pts.
The Shard – 6pts.

Mickie James – 4pts.

John Morrison – 3pts.
Jack Swagger – 3pts.
Sting – 3pts.
Hernandez – 3pts.
Chavo Guerrero – 3pts.
Seita Sanada – 3pts.

CIMA – 1pt
Ethan Page – 1pt
Alberto Del Rio – 1pt
Mikey Nicholls- 1pt
Shane Haste – 1pt
Eddie Kingston – 1pt
La Sombra – 1 pt

Year-End Rankings Key:

WWE 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.

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**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 Year Eight Winner: CM Punk