2008 Wrestler of the Year
My look back at 2008 concludes with the announcement of the 2008 Wrestler of the Year. The two wrestlers mentioned below provided wrestling fans with more thrills than any other two did this year. One is mentioned for the work he did inside of the ring while the other provided wrestling fans with a roller coaster ride that featured the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Runner-Up: Jeff Hardy
What a strange year it was for Jeff and what a ride he provided for his fans. The year began with Jeff looking as though this might finally be his year to become the champion. However, Jeff''s history of poor decisions led to his push getting jeopardized as he missed 60 days of action for failing the Wellness Policy for a second time. Things got worse for Jeff as during his time away, his house went on fire and he lost all of his possessions including his dog.
However, Jeff was able to come back and provide fans with a thrilling chase to the gold. He appeared to be seconds away from winning the title during a scramble match only to see Triple H retain the title at the last second. Jeff proceeded to have two singles matches with Triple H on PPV that saw him come as close as possible to winning the belt only to have defeat crop up at the last possible moment.
A triple-threat match at the Survivor Series saw Jeff have to miss the battle due to being found unconscious at the bottom of a stairwell the morning of the event. Fans immediately though the worst about Jeff but were relieved and disgusted to find out it was just a wrestling angle.
After all this heart-break, Jeff gave all of his fans an early Christmas gift. At the final PPV event of the year, Jeff finally reached the top of the mountain and won the WWE Championship.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Just as Jeff had a bad time out of the ring, Kurt suffered a similar fate. In a bizarre case of life imitating art, Kurt's feud with his wife carried to their real life and the two have filed for divorce. While Kurt's actions in the business might have cost him his family, he can take some solace in knowing that his work this year won him this award.
When I look back at this year's PPV events, it seemed that Kurt's matches were consistently the best matches on any TNA PPV event. He had some great matches this year in a variety of settings against a variety of opponents. His matches against Christian Cage, AJ Styles, Abyss, and Jeff Jarrett were all great matches and his match against Samoa Joe in the six sides of steel was the best match TNA put on this year.
However, it wasn't just Kurt's in-ring work that garnered him this award. His work on he microphone was incredible and it seemed that the actions of almost every main event wrestler in TNA this year somehow revolved around what Kurt either said or did.
Photo of Kurt is © 2008 TNA Entertainment, LLC.
Comments
Eric, great column about the Wrestler of the Year. I was pleased to find it covered pro wrestling, not covering the WWE claiming to be about Pro Wrestling. It’s kind of like a column claiming to be about the NBA and then you find every column talks about only one team at the expense (ignoring) of others.
That having been said, great column, and I’d agree with both choices (though I might post a sentimental vote for the Nature Boy in his ‘retirement year’). However, for sheer wrestling achievements (as well as personal drama), these are clearly the two best choices. Jeff Hardy’s struggles and subsequent triumphs both professionally and personally are hard NOT to follow. We all root that he’s over his demons, but part of the fascination with watching Jeff Hardy is wondering if he’ll find a way to undermine himself once more (though I feel most wrestling fans including myself are rooting for his overcoming his past issues). That having said that, his mic skills, though improved, are still weak. He often seems uncomfortable even being in an interview. And, most importantly, he again exhibits a weakness of many WWE champions—he’s an undistinguished wrestler. Sure, who can turn away when Hardy does yet another risky and acrobatic stunt—but as far as actual wrestling skills, a Flair, Michaels, HHH, Shelton Benjamin (a talent sadly wasted by the WWE)or possibly even a Cena can outwrestle him easily. Can you imagine watching a Hardy match if going to the top rope, use of ladders and backflips were not permitted? (YAWN). Yet most of the others listed could create a match you could still watch, even with these limitations. So congratulations to Jeff for a year that certainly wasn’t boring.
Most importantly I’m pleased to see you acknowledge Kurt Angle. Aside from missing having the lucisous Karen Angle to look at, her departure seems to have fired up Kurt even more.
His matches are always great to watch, without almost any peer in either of the two major wrestling federations—Kurt is one of the stiffest workers today, and his work rate is always amazing. He’s willing to take risks (ala Hardy)—can anyone remember his high-dive backflip from an audience balcony unto Samoa Joe on the concrete arena floor? A true OMG moment worthy of the original ECW (not the watered down Smackdown-LITE versioin you see now). Yet, unlike Hardy, can compliment that move with amazing wrestling skills.
Has anyone noticed how Kurt has become much more Flair-esque as of late? First, dropping his olmpic attire and only doing promos in the shrarpest of suits (often with Flair-like shades) made him seem a lot cooler. In addition, as you mentioned, his mic skills have improved drastically. Like a Flair, you can often actually believe his anger or his statements, forgetting that most of what he says is probably (?) a work.
I often wonder if he’s consciously emulating the Nature Boy in these aspects or if perhaps Slick Ric is advising him behind the scenes from time to time.
Anyway, thanks for a great choice for Wrestler of the Year. Ignore the mark votes you’ll get for Cena, Matt Hardy, blah blah blah—this was the real deal.
I look forward to watching Kurt’s continual improvement as a wrestling star and personality, and personally can’t wait for his match against Jeff Jarrett—it already has ‘Match of the Year’ candidate written all over it.
Chris Jericho was hands down the wrestler of the year. He went from relative obscurity as a mid-card face to being the most potent heel currently in the business. I’ll be using Jericho’s “save me” promos as examples to my students for years to come.
triple h this year alone beat john cena randy orton edge jeff hardy matt hardy chris jericho the great kahli jbl mark henry and had an 8 month title reign i think its garbage he didnt want to drop the belt to jeff just like he never wanted to drop it to rvd but thank goodness vince realized the money making machine known as jeff hardy
I appreciate the good work you have been doing please continue with the same spirit.Wishing you and the wwe fans a happy new year.Congrats Jeff for the award.
It’s nice to see different wrestler’s recognized,It’s about time for new talent to be pushed and not the same one’s all the time.