the-w.com/2015.02.the-w.com.tar/the-w.com/pub/users/chris/96awards.txt

Text File | 2004-05-25 | 206KB | 5,322 lines

updated 31.3.97 - CRZ

Copyright

This document is compilation copyright (c) 1996 by Christopher Robin Zimmerman.
It may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety as long as this
copyright notice is not removed.  It may not be sold for profit or
incorporated into commercial products without the editor's written
permission.  [Compilation copyright means that you can freely use individual
sections of this document, but any significant collection of sections is
subject to the copyright.]

If you *do* use results from these awards in your magazine/sheet, let me
know (email:[e-mail]) and optionally, send me a free copy 1/2 ;-).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The prologue:  I'm happy to say just over a hundred ballots were received
this year, making this almost maybe the highest turnout in awards history
(ok, I didn't really check Herb's awards...his server was so *slow!*).
Sadly, I had to reject a lot of votes for various reasons, but most got
through ok.  I did throw out one entire ballot, which seemed to serve the
sole purpose of allowing the voter to get his character over on r.s.p-w,
which conflicts with the purpose of running this vote: namely, to find out
r.s.p-w's picks for the year.  I also got one ballot in binhex, which I
didn't bother to convert (because hey, I can't be bothered.  I did send two
requests for an unencoded version to be sent to me but I don't think I got
it).  Several people voted for the same person or organization more than
once in a category, I caught most (I hope) of those and rejected them.  Most
of the other rejections were put in a nice little pile called REJECTIONS at
the bottom of the individual category results.  And with all that out of the
way, it's time for the results!

Big thank yous to Pete Stein, Rick Scaia and Cal Jewell (in advance).
Thanks also to Kevin Larkin, Mike Lorefice, and Chuck Lipsig for providing
post-production proofreading and adding dates. And a whopping big thank you to
Herb Kunze, not only for providing invaluable advice on administration, but
for having lots of dates, names, and data on his Wrestling web site for me
to blatantly steal from.  I now fully appreciate the Herculean task he took
on for six years, and hope my efforts can come close to his.

For those of you just tuning in, these are the 7th Annual
Rec.Sport.Pro-Wrestling Year-end Achievement Awards - r.s.p-w's look at the
best and the worst of the previous year (11/2/95-11/1/96).  A two month
nomination and voting process is distilled down to the results below.  Any
typos are mine and mine alone, please point them out and I can correct them
for later releases.  A HTML-ized version of these awards is in the works, if
you have pictures or other files associated with the winners, let me know
and I can put you in touch with the Web designers.

Finally, remember that these awards are based solely on the principle of
MODO (tm me, yes, me, dammit!).  Your Own Damn Opinion is the only one that
really counts.

Here we go!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the athlete who was the best overall wrestler of the year.
This includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability,
interviews, charisma, value to his/her promotion, etc. In 1994, this award
was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Curt Hennig
  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: Bret Hart
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Shawn Michaels

98 first place votes
97 second place votes
97 third place votes

 22 10 10  160   Shawn Michaels
 13 15  9  128   Steve Austin
 12  6 10   98   Chris Benoit
  8  7 14   89   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  8 10  7   84   Bret Hart
  5  9  8   68   Dean Malenko
  7  3  1   46   Kenta Kobashi
  5  4  4   45   Marc Mero
  4  2  4   34   Jushin Liger
  2  6  3   34   Sabu
  1  2  3   17   Mitsuhara Misawa
  1  2  2   15   Ric Flair
  1  2  2   15   Eddie Guerrero
  0  2  4   14   Manami Toyota
  1  2  1   13   Shinjiro Otani
  1  1  2   12   Great Sasuke
  1  2  0   11   Kevin Nash
  1  1  0    8   Shane Douglas
  1  0  1    7   Undertaker
  1  0  1    7   Juventud Guerrera
  0  2  0    6   Ultimo Dragon
  0  2  0    6   Rob Van Dam
  1  0  0    5   Steven Regal
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness
  1  0  0    5   Hayabusa
  0  1  1    5   Taz
  0  1  1    5   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  1    5   Giant
  0  0  2    4   Sycho Sid
  0  0  2    4   Sting
  0  1  0    3   Shiro Koshinaka
  0  1  0    3   Scott Hall
  0  1  0    3   Psychosis
  0  1  0    3   Ahmed Johnson
  0  0  1    2   Vader
  0  0  1    2   Keiji Mutoh
  0  0  1    2   Billy Gunn
  0  0  1    2   Aja Kong

MIKE LOREFICE:    Kobashi has been the best worker in All Japan for five
years.  This year he was finally rewarded with the Triple Crown.  Toyota
carries the aging All Japan Women company on her back.  She is always on top
and her matches are consistently great.  Liger regained the IWGP Jr title
for a while.  He continues to be the benchmark for all the jrs.  His
unselfishness and great booking of the New Japan jrs. got him the nod.

WOJO: Shawn Michels faced every tough challenge and won, even defeating Bret
Hart for the title.  Steve Austin has gotten a big push in little time.  Rey
Mysterio Jr. is unbelievable in the ring.

BO WHITE: Benoit can wrestle every style - best in ring wrestler today.
Flair can still carry a great match.

HERB KUNZE: Nobody compares to Kenta Kobashi; he excels at the toughest
style in the world to work.  Mitsuhara Misawa gets second rather easily.
Third goes to Shawn Michaels.  Maybe I just haven't seen enough.  All Japan
Women this year to put the women into the mix, but what I have seen was
definitely a notch below what they were doing a couple of years ago.

OLIVER POSTLETHWAITE: Jushin Liger had a phenomenal year both in the ring
and outside in New Japan. He had what I consider the best match of the year
against Shinjiro Ohtani (3/96) as well as a number of other "must see"
matches such as the Top of the Super Jr. final against Black Tiger (Eddie
Guerrero). His outside the ring work as booker of the New Japan junior
heavyweight division was just as good with the Skydiving J show in June and
the historical J-Crown single elimination tournament that unified 8 junior
heavyweight titles. All of this would be enough without the added burden of
coming back from a major leg injury that had him miss a good part of 1995
and surgery in August to remove a brain tumour. These are the reasons I've
chosen him as the best wrestler of 1996.

RICK SCAIA: In my mind, there are three performers who are a step above all
the rest in the sport today.  Sabu is the most amazing, innovative
flyer/risk taker in the business.  Chris Benoit is the tightest, most crisp
technical wrestler gracing the ring.  Both have a unique brand of charisma
that does not take the form of great interviews or smarmy catch-phrases.
And then there is Shawn Michaels, the nearly-perfect combination of
high-flying bumpmeister, competent technical wrestler, and incredibly
proficient interviewer/heat machine.  For as much as his in-ring character
has begun to grate on my nerves, it can't be denied that he generates a
genuine spark of interest from the fans with his overwhelmingcharisma.  And
in voting for this award, that's the only thing I can think of that puts
Michaels over the top as the #1 vote; I'll go with Sabu at #2, and Benoit at
#3.  But on any given day, those three could swap position...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestler (North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Sabu
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Shawn Michaels

92 first place votes
91 second place votes
91 third place votes

 23  9 11  164   Shawn Michaels
 12 16 11  130   Steve Austin
 15  9 11  124   Rey Mysterio Jr.
 11 13 10  114   Chris Benoit
  9  8  8   85   Bret Hart
  6  8 10   74   Dean Malenko
  5  4  5   47   Marc Mero
  2  6  2   32   Sabu
  2  3  3   25   Eddie Guerrero
  1  2  2   15   2 Cold Scorpio
  1  1  3   14   Ric Flair
  1  1  3   14   Giant
  1  1  0    8   Owen Hart
  1  1  0    8   Kevin Nash
  0  2  0    6   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  0  3    6   Sting
  1  0  0    5   Rob Van Dam
  1  0  0    5   Juventud Guerrera
  0  1  1    5   Taz
  0  1  1    5   Shane Douglas
  0  0  2    4   Ultimo Dragon
  0  1  0    3   Scott Hall
  0  1  0    3   Psychosis
  0  1  0    3   Mankind
  0  1  0    3   Jushin Liger
  0  1  0    3   Ahmed Johnson
  0  0  1    2   Undertaker
  0  0  1    2   Sycho Sid
  0  0  1    2   Miguel Perez Jr.
  0  0  1    2   Billy Gunn
  0  0  1    2   Al Snow

MIKE LOREFICE: Rey Misterio Jr. is clearly the best of all the regulars in
North America.  While he's not pushed to the top in WCW, he has proven that
a sub 150 pound wrestler can make it in the states.  2 Cold has to be the
most unappreciated wrestler in North America.  Despite his lack of a major
title, he consistently had the best matches in ECW.  Chris Benoit proved
that you can get over with intensity even if you lack charisma or interview
skills.

HERB KUNZE: Shawn Michaels is the best in North America, partly because of
the position he's been given.  The remaining candidates for this  award are,
in many ways, better than Michaels, but Michaels is the total package.
Chris Benoit takes second and seems to be heading for the top spot as he's
finally showing some personality to go with his unbelievable ability.  Eddie
Guerrero takes third.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestler (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Chris Benoit
  1995: Chris Benoit

**1996** : Jushin Liger

63 first place votes
58 second place votes
54 third place votes

  9 10  8   91   Jushin Liger
 12  4  2   76   Kenta Kobashi
 12  1  1   65   Rey Misterio Jr.
  8  3  4   57   Chris Benoit
  5  4  5   47   Great Muta (Keiji Mutoh)
  2  5  5   35   Ultimo Dragon
  2  5  4   33   Manami Toyota
  2  5  3   31   Great Sasuke
  2  3  2   23   Shinjiro Otani
  2  3  0   19   Sabu
  0  5  2   19   Mitsuhara Misawa
  0  3  1   11   Psicosis
  0  1  4   11   Toshiaki Kawada
  0  0  4    8   Juventud Guerrera
  1  0  0    5   Yoji Anjo
  1  0  0    5   Super Calo
  1  0  0    5   Stan Hansen
  1  0  0    5   Hayabusa
  0  1  1    5   Nobuhiko Takada
  0  0  2    4   Kyoko Inoue
  0  0  2    4   Kensuke Sasaki
  0  1  0    3   Super Crazy
  0  1  0    3   Shiro Koshinaka
  0  1  0    3   Riki Choshu
  0  1  0    3   Masahiro Chono
  0  1  0    3   Aja Kong
  0  0  1    2   Shinya Hashimoto
  0  0  1    2   Meyumi Kudoh
  0  0  1    2   Hakushi
  0  0  1    2   Eddie Guerrero
REJECTED VOTES
  1  0  0        Loch Ness
  1  0  0        British Bulldog
  1  0  0        Bret Hart

MIKE LOREFICE: Since no one in North America is booked into a spot to
challenge my puroresu top three there is no need to make any changes.

HERB KUNZE: The top is Kenta Kobashi, followed by Mitsuahara Misawa.  There
are several thoughts for third, but I want to go with Shinjiro Otani because
he always puts on great matches regardless of the style that he's working.
He is the best of the young crop (followed closely by Jun Akiyama).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Tag Team

Award Description:

To be given to the tag team who were the best overall team of the year This
includes all facets of wrestling: workrate, technical ability, interviews,
charisma, hot team moves, value to their promotion, etc. In 1994, this award
was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall.

Previous Winners:

  1990: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1991: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1992: Terry Gordy & Steve Williams
  1993: The Hollywood Blonds: Brian Pillman & Steve Austin
  1994: The Steiners: Rick & Scott
  1995: Public Enemy: Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge

**1996**: Harlem Heat: Booker T & Stevie Ray

96 first place votes
94 second place votes
87 third place votes

 24 15 14  193   Harlem Heat - Booker T & Stevie Ray
 20 13  4  147   Eliminators - Perry Saturn & John Kronos
  5  9 16   84   Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith
  9  9  3   78   Outsiders - Hall & Nash
  7 11  5   78   Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
  9  1  2   52   Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama
  3  5  6   42   Public Enemy - Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge
  2  3  6   31   Steiner Brothers - Rick & Scott
  2  4  2   26   Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda
  2  3  3   25   Smoking Gunns - Billy & Bart
  3  3  0   24   Sting & Lex Luger
  0  5  3   21   Faces of Fear - Meng & Barbarian
  2  1  3   19   Double Inoues - Kyoko & Takako
  2  1  2   17   Gangstas - New Jack & Mustafa Saed
  2  0  3   16   New and Improved Rockers - Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy
  0  1  3    9   Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
  1  1  0    8   Tekno Team 2000 - Travis & Troy
  0  2  1    8   Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
  1  0  1    7   Road Warriors - Hawk & Animal
  0  2  0    6   Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie
  0  2  0    6   Pit Bulls
  1  0  0    5   Doc and Gordy
  1  0  0    5   Chono & Tenzan
  0  0  2    4   Sabu & Rob Van Dam
  0  1  0    3   Jushin Liger & El Samurai
  0  1  0    3   Grimm Twins - Jared & Jason
  0  1  0    3   Amazing French Canadiens - Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette
  0  0  1    2   Wildo & Ingus Jynx
  0  0  1    2   Taka Michinoku & Shoichi Funaki
  0  0  1    2   Rough and Ready - Mike Enos & Dick Slater
  0  0  1    2   Nasty Boys - Brian Nobs & Jerry Sags
  0  0  1    2   Jerry Estrada & Juventud Guerrera
  0  0  1    2   Jado & Gedo
  0  0  1    2   Godwinns - Henry O. & Phineas I.
  0  0  1    2   Bluebloods - Steve Regal & David Taylor & Robert Eaton

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": Hard to choose a tag team. Haven't seen Furnas/??? so I
can't comment there. Should choose the Gunns but that would simply be
pandering to Sunny. :-)

MIKE LOREFICE: Pretty weak year for tag teams.  Only one top notch team in
North America for the whole year.  The best teams are always in Japan, but
those teams don't fight consistently in tag.  I go with Misawa & Akiyama
because they were champs and had consistenly great matches.  Toyota &
Shimoda and Double Inoues are the two best teams in AJW.  I had the
Eliminators in here, but the combination of seeing Toyota & Shimoda
vs. Inoue's in a great match at Wrestlemarinpiad and seeing those horrible
Eliminators vs. Gangstas matches spelled their doom.

WOJO: Harlem Heat are not just big bad dudes, these guys can wrestle and
perform a show.  Smoking Guns are very entertaining, even though they're
underrated.  Owen and Bulldog: Two good singles wrestlers with plenty of tag
experienc.

HERB KUNZE: The only promotion with truly great tag teams, IMO, is All
Japan.  The North American promotions definitly don't compare.  First goes
to Misawa & Akiyama, second to Kawada & Taue, and third to Williams & Ace,
although Kroffat & Furnas have been great every time I've seen them.
Kroffat deserves mention for the intricate finishes that he books, something
that sadly seems to be lacking at the beginning of his WWF stint.

RICK SCAIA: It's rare that somebody can call themselves "the best" at
anything, and have it actually mean something.  Usually, it's just lame
boasting that nobody takes serious.  In the case of Bret Hart, it's a mantra
that stopped meaning anything long ago and is now just a catch phrase.  In
the case of the Eliminators, it's the damn truth when Joey Styles says
they're "the best tag team in the world."  They are a team whose skills
could earn them a place wrestling in Japan, but with a look that ensures
they could be stars in any American promotion.  And they are able to adapt
to nearly any style; there aren't many teams I can think of that could have
very good matches both against a team like Mikey Whipwreck and Sabu, and
also against the Gangstas.  The Elims did both this year.  Amazing.

ROD MORROW: It's such a shame that tag team wrestling is dead in the US.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Tag Team (North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Eddy Guerrero & Love Machine
  1995: Public Enemy: Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge

**1996**: Harlem Heat: Booker T & Stevie Ray

88 first place votes
85 second place votes
81 third place votes

 22 18 14  192   Harlem Heat - Booker T & Stevie Ray
 26 12  3  172   Eliminators - Perry Saturn & John Kronos
  7  9 16   94   Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith
  9  5  5   70   Outsiders - Hall & Nash
  4  9  3   53   Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
  3  7  4   44   Public Enemy - Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge
  3  3  7   38   Smoking Gunns - Billy & Bart
  2  4  4   30   Steiner Brothers - Rick & Scott
  3  3  0   24   Sting & Lex Luger
  3  1  3   24   New & Improved Rockers - Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy
  2  2  2   20   Gangstas
  1  2  2   15   Faces of Fear - Meng & Barbarian
  1  1  3   14   Sabu & Rob Van Dam
  1  2  1   13   Tekno Team 2000 - Travis & Troy
  0  2  1    8   Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie
  0  2  1    8   Pit Bulls
  1  0  1    7   Road Warriors - Hawk & Animal
  0  1  2    7   Los Cowboys - Silver King & El Texano
  0  0  3    6   Jerry Estrada & Juventud Guerrera
  0  0  2    4   Nasty Boys - Brian Nobs & Jerry Sags
  0  1  0    3   Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
  0  1  0    3   Grimm Twins - Jared & Jason
  0  0  1    2   Psicosis & Juventud Guerrera
  0  0  1    2   Headhunters
  0  0  1    2   Godwinns - Henry O. & Phineas I.
  0  0  1    2   Akira Hokuto & Bull Nakano

JAMES FABIANO: The Eliminators are definitely the best team I've seen
regularly this year, and they pretty much went unopposed for top
honors. Kroffat and Furnas impressed me in the few times I've seen them
compete in ECW, and hopefully Vince will not waste his chance with them
(like he did with Hakushi).  Sabu and Van Dam show promise, and hopefully
they'll team regularly now that Van Dam "finally showed Sabu respect."  Gee,
it sure says something about the tag team situation in North America when
I've only seen two of my choices in action together once or twice.

MIKE LOREFICE: Eliminators are worlds above any team that consistently
competed in NA this year.  Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas are better than the
Eliminators, but they weren't in the country for the first half of the
period.  Despite being buried for no reason in WCW, Psicosis & Juventud did
hold the Mexican tag titles.

HERB KUNZE: I would put Kroffat & Furnas first just for their Survivor
Series and  RAW appearances, but those dates are outside of the voting
period window,  so they don't qualify.  That either tells you how good they
are or how  bad the North American scene is.  The ECW teams are far too
sloppy to  be included, IMO: for example, the American Males are a far
better team than the Eliminators.  This is sort of the "best of nothing
special," IMO.  The Smoking Gunns take first, Harlem Heat take second, and
third seems up in the air.  I'll cheat a bit and go with Akira Hokuto & Bull
Nakano, who appeared on the 11/27/95 Nitro.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Tag Team (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Steiner Brothers
  1995: Mitsuhara Misawa & Kenta Kobashi

**1996**: Doug Furnas & Don Kroffat

45 first place votes
38 second place votes
34 third place votes

 20  6  1  120   Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
 13  0  0   65   Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama
  0  5  7   29   Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
  3  3  1   26   Steiner Brothers - Rick & Scott
  3  1  3   24   Double Inoues - Kyoko & Takako
  2  3  1   21   Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuhara Misawa
  1  2  4   19   Hawk & Kensuke Sasake
  0  4  3   18   Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda
  1  3  1   16   Headhunters
  1  1  2   12   Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
  0  3  1   11   Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
  0  1  2    7   Great Sasuke & Super Delfin
  0  1  1    5   Steve Williams & Terry Gordy
  0  1  1    5   Jushin Liger & El Samurai
  0  1  0    3   Sabu & Rob Van Dam
  0  1  0    3   Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera
  0  1  0    3   Kenta Kobashi & Patroit
  0  1  0    3   Kenta Kobashi & Johnny Ace
  0  0  1    2   Taka Michinoku & Shoichi Funaki
  0  0  1    2   Road Warriors - Hawk & Animal
  0  0  1    2   Kaintei - Dick Togo & Men's Teoh & Shiryu
  0  0  1    2   Jado & Gedo
  0  0  1    2   El Samaurai & Ultimo Dragon
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Kenta Kobashi
  0  0  1        Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Heel

Award Description:

To be given to the person who was the best villain this past year. This
person should bring out the fans' wrath. Match quality is not paramount
here; this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in
the past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ted DiBiase
  1991: Cactus Jack
  1992: Jake Roberts
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: Bob Backlund
  1995: Big Van Vader

**1996**: Stone Cold Steve Austin (Ring Master)

101 first place votes
99 second place votes
98 third place votes

 42 14  6  264   Steve Austin
 15  4  5   97   Shane Douglas
  8 12 10   96   Kevin Nash
 11  4  9   85   Hulk Hogan
  7 11  7   82   Goldust
  5 12  6   73   Mankind
  1  9  8   48   Brian Pillman
  2  1  7   27   Vader
  2  2  4   24   Raven
  0  6  3   24   Taz
  2  3  2   23   Masahiro Chono
  0  5  4   23   Ric Flair
  0  3  6   21   Scott Hall
  0  1  7   17   Diamond Dallas Page
  1  3  1   16   Jerry Lawler
  1  2  1   13   Yoji Anjoh
  0  3  1   11   Giant
  1  0  2    9   Owen Hart
  1  1  0    8   Steven Regal
  1  0  1    7   Stevie Richards
  1  0  1    7   Chris Benoit
  0  2  0    6   Billy Gunn
  0  0  2    4   Dean Malenko
  0  1  0    3   Mr. Perfect
  0  0  1    2   Pierroth Jr.
  0  0  1    2   Hiroyoshi Tenzan
  0  0  1    2   Hiromuchi Fuyuki
  0  0  1    2   Crush
  0  0  1    2   Bill Dundee

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT":  Hard not to like the Hollywood Blondes, now in
different roles.  Something about Brian Pillman, not just as the
loosecannon, but as the personality. And Stunning/Superstar/Stone Cold Steve
Austin is even better on the stick. Haven't seen Pillman in the ring in
quite a while, but if he's got anything at all left, both can at least hold
their own in the ring.

JAMES FABIANO:  Shane Douglas does the asshole gimmick so well, and it
really "got to shine" in the Pitbull feud.  Fans just loathe him.  Taz is a
great badass who gets applauded for his skills, but once he rips on the
fans, they turn around and chant "F*** you Taz" in a heartbeat.  And the
angle with Nash in his last WWF months was well done, and it got the Diesel
character over more to me than when he was a face.

MIKE LOREFICE: Douglas has turned into a super heel.  He is the best
interview in the business and is great at drawing heat.  Mankind is still an
effective heel although he was better when he talked more.  Chono, as much
as I hate him and think he sucks, really works the crowd well.  His
psychology is so great that he has intense heated matches despite really
only doing 2 moves (STF and Yakuzu kick).

WOJO: Steve Austin makes a great heel.  The kick butt attitude is perfect
for him.  Easy choice.  Diamond Dallas is great playing his role as a rich
(and poor) wrestler.  You got to hate Owen for being a crybaby all these
years.

BO WHITE: The great thing about Pillman is that he created his heel
character own his on, with no help from WCW (probably why), and everybody
hated him.  Lawler might be the greatest ever.

HERB KUNZE: The best heel used to be the most hated wrestler, but not any
more. That makes this award confusing.  If somebody is cast as a heel, but
gets cheered a lot, is he a good heel?  Now isn't the time for
discussion. I'll go with Chris Benoit first, Steve Austin second, and Dean
Malenko third.  These are all guys that have gotten over because they work
damn hard; all of them also aren't above doing something dirty, so I'll call
them heels.

RICK SCAIA: Steve Austin perfected the art of the asshole heel
interview... sorry Taz.  And I don't know if it's just because there is
nothing about the guy that I like, or because his character has been so well
booked, but Shane Douglas is probably the one wrestler I really dislike.
That earns him a spot on this list.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Babyface

Award Description:

To be given to the person who best portrayed the hero this past year. This
person should get lots of fan support. Match quality is not paramount here;
this award should be based primarily on how over the wrestler was in the
past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan
  1991: Brian Pillman
  1992: Sting
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: Bret Hart
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Shawn Michaels

101 first place votes
95 second place votes
91 third place votes

 32 12  7  210   Shawn Michaels
 17 13 10  144   Bret Hart
 10 15  5  105   Marc Mero
  6 11 11   85   Sting
  1  9 10   52   Undertaker
  3  2  6   33   Sycho Sid
  1  7  3   32   Chris Jericho
  5  2  0   31   Mikey Whipwreck
  3  2  4   29   Randy Savage
  3  2  1   23   Perro Aguayo
  2  3  2   23   Manami Toyota
  2  0  4   18   Sandman
  1  3  2   18   Jushin Liger
  3  0  1   17   Eddie Guerrero
  1  3  1   16   Lex Luger
  0  2  5   16   Tommy Dreamer
  2  0  1   12   Alex Wright
  1  1  2   12   Barry Horowitz
  1  1  1   10   Mitsuhara Misawa
  0  2  2   10   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  1  0  2    9   Jeff Jarrett
  1  0  1    7   Shinya Hashimoto
  1  0  1    7   Ahmed Johnson
  1  0  0    5   Vader (a FACE? - CRZ)
  1  0  0    5   Sabu
  1  0  0    5   Kenta Kobashi
  1  0  0    5   Hector Garza
  0  0  2    4   Diesel
  0  1  0    3   Shinjiro Otani
  0  1  0    3   Louie Spicolli
  0  1  0    3   Horace The Psychopath
  0  1  0    3   Hayabusa
  0  1  0    3   Great Sasuke
  0  0  1    2   Ultimate Warrior
  0  0  1    2   Savio Vega
  0  0  1    2   Riki Choshu
  0  0  1    2   Ric Flair
  0  0  1    2   Nobuhiko Takada
  0  0  1    2   Eddie Guererro
  0  0  1    2   Chris Benoit

MIKE LOREFICE: This is my least favorite award because you have to recognize
dinosaurs.  Perro Aguayo is still super over and a top draw even though his
style went out with Beta VCR's.  Toyota is kind of a biased pick, but it has
been proven all year that the fans certainly aren't going out to see the Rie
Tamada'a of the world.  If you have any doubt about Choshu's popularity
watch the G-1 Climax.

WOJO: I still like him.  Undertaker gets into the big matches and kicks
butt.  Marc Mero got up to second with his postings in rspw.  Diesal was
also a good favorite after he lost the WWF title.

HERB KUNZE: Kenta Kobashi first, Mitsuhara Misawa second, and Jushin Liger
third. I wanted to put a North American wrestler in there somewhere, but
none of the top guys come close to getting the response *and* drawing the
crowds that many guys in Japan do.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Worker

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler with, on average, the best workrate. In 1994,
this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and
overall.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ric Flair / Randy Savage (tie)
  1991: Jushin Liger
  1992: Jushin Liger
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: Sabu
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Rey Mysterio, Jr.

98 first place votes
96 second place votes
94 third place votes

 17  6  9  121   Rey Mysterio Jr.
 10 12 16  118   Chris Benoit
 12 11  8  109   Shawn Michaels
  8 16  7  102   Dean Malenko
 10  4  3   68   Bret Hart
  4  7  2   45   Steve Austin
  6  0  2   34   Jushin Liger
  3  2  5   31   Marc Mero
  3  3  3   30   Sabu
  3  2  3   27   Kenta Kobashi
  1  6  2   27   Mankind
  1  4  3   23   Eddie Guerrero
  2  2  2   20   Shinjiro Otani
  3  0  1   17   Arn Anderson
  2  2  0   16   2 Cold Scorpio
  1  3  1   16   Diamond Dallas Page
  2  0  2   14   Juventud Guerrera
  1  3  0   14   Manami Toyota
  0  3  1   11   Owen Hart
  2  0  0   10   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  1  1  1   10   Great Sasuke
  0  1  3    9   Mitsuhara Misawa
  1  1  0    8   Rob Van Dam
  1  1  0    8   Psychosis
  0  0  4    8   Ric Flair
  0  1  2    7   Vader
  0  1  2    7   Goldust
  1  0  0    5   Steven Regal
  1  0  0    5   Leif Cassidy
  1  0  0    5   Ahmed Johnson
  0  1  1    5   Sting
  0  0  2    4   Ultimo Dragon
  0  0  2    4   Savio Vega
  0  1  0    3   Undertaker
  0  1  0    3   Hayabusa
  0  1  0    3   Chris Candido
  0  0  1    2   Tommy Dreamer
  0  0  1    2   Randy Savage
  0  0  1    2   Kyoko Inoue
  0  0  1    2   Giant
  0  0  1    2   Chris Jericho
  0  0  1    2   Booker T
  0  0  1    2   Alex Wright
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Curt Hennig (did not wrestle)

MIKE LOREFICE: The most important award on the list.  Liger doesn't fly like
he used to, but his technical skills, psychology, matwork, and transitions
are all better than they were when he was a daredevil.  Toyota is consistent
as hell.  I've only seen one Toyota match that I didn't think was 3 stars or
better.  Toyota goes long as good as anyone in the sport and it is more
impressive to work great matches that are 20 minutes or more than great
matches that are 10-15 minutes.  Otani is the most well rounded worker in
the sport.  He can work any style well and always works to the strengths.
He was one of the two best (Nagata) NJ wrestlers in the UWF-I feud. He evcn
carried green Kitao Dojo shooter Masaaki Mochizuki to a very good match that
contained high spots without compromising Mochizuki's gimmick.  It was hard
to scratch Misterio.  Note that these three work a different match every
night while the likes of Flair and Bret Hart redo the same spots every
night.

WOJO: I don't think Shown Michaels had a bad match all year.  Mankind was
great vs. Michaels, and others were also okay.  Chris Benoit performs the
best in WCW with small and large opponents.

HERB KUNZE: Tough category.  Chris Benoit takes first because he's just more
incredible than anybody else.  Shinjiro Otani takes second.  Both of these
guys can work amazing matches in several different styles. Third goes to Rey
Misterio Jr.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Worker (North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Sabu
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Rey Mysterio, Jr.

90 first place votes
89 second place votes
88 third place votes

 22  6  8  144   Rey Mysterio Jr.
 12 15 15  135   Chris Benoit
 11 14  7  111   Dean Malenko
  9  9 12   96   Shawn Michaels
 11  2  2   65   Bret Hart
  4  9  3   53   Steve Austin
  4  2  9   44   Marc Mero
  2  5  5   35   Eddie Guerrero
  1  6  3   29   Mankind
  3  2  2   25   Sabu
  1  4  3   23   Juventud Guerrera
  2  2  2   20   2 Cold Scorpio
  1  3  0   14   Diamond Dallas Page
  2  0  1   12   Arn Anderson
  1  1  1   10   Psychosis
  0  3  0    9   Owen Hart
  0  0  4    8   Ric Flair
  1  0  1    7   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  1  0  1    7   Chris Candido (Skip)
  0  2  0    6   Sting
  1  0  0    5   Ahmed Johnson
  0  1  1    5   Shane Douglas
  0  1  1    5   Goldust
  0  0  2    4   Vader
  0  1  0    3   Tommy Dreamer
  0  1  0    3   Leif Cassidy
  0  0  1    2   Savio Vega
  0  0  1    2   Randy Savage
  0  0  1    2   Giant
  0  0  1    2   Dan Kroffat
  0  0  1    2   Booker T.
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Curt Hennig (did not wrestle)

HERB KUNZE: Chris Benoit first and Rey Misterio Jr. second.  Third could go to numerous people, but I have to credit Shawn Michaels for being a fantastic worker with excellent psychology and stunts.  He's more well-rounded than most of the nominees.

JAMES FABIANO:  Shawn and Eddy can keep up with - and in many instances even
carry - an opponent and have a good match.  Benoit just kicks ass, plain and
simple.

MIKE LOREFICE: Rey, Juventud, and Benoit were all held back by WCW's bad
booking.  Rey and Juventud were awesome in Mexico and ECW.  Juventud is only
slighty worse than Rey.  The most impressive thing about Rey and Juventud is
the fluidness of their work.  They do some of the hardest spots ever with
pinpoint accuracy.  Juventud's selling is very underrated.  I guess people
don't realize that a good move is only as good as the opponent you're doing
it to.  If they can't take the bump and sell it correctly even a super move
can become a dud.  Benoit could work a 4 star match with a broomstick in New
Japan, but in WCW it just doesn't happen.  I still think he is slightly
better than Juventud, but we are taking into account what you did not what
you are capable of.  Anyone who votes for Sabu in this category deserves a
lobotomy.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Worker (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Chris Benoit
  1995: Chris Benoit

**1996**: Jushin Liger

50 first place votes
50 second place votes
47 third place votes

  9  6  4   71   Jushin Liger
  9  2  4   59   Chris Benoit
  5  8  4   57   Sabu
  4  5  4   43   Manami Toyota
  6  3  0   39   Rey Misterio Jr.
  5  1  5   38   Kenta Kobashi
  3  4  2   31   Great Muta
  1  5  3   26   Ultimo Dragon
  2  2  4   24   Shinjiro Otani
  1  2  5   21   Great Sasuke
  0  3  2   13   Mitsuhara Misawa
  1  1  1   10   Psicosis
  1  0  1    7   Juventud Guerrera
  0  2  0    6   Kyoko Inoue
  1  0  0    5   Hayabusa
  1  0  0    5   Doug Furnas
  0  1  1    5   Toshiaki Kawada
  0  0  2    4   Shinya Hashimoto
  0  1  0    3   Terry Funk
  0  1  0    3   Takao Omori
  0  1  0    3   Masahiro Chono
  0  1  0    3   Hakushi
  0  1  0    3   Dean Malenko
  0  0  1    2   Shiro Koshinaka
  0  0  1    2   Kensuke Sasaki
  0  0  1    2   Kanemoto
  0  0  1    2   Eddy Guerrero
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Bret Hart
  0  0  1        Owen Hart
(and I probably should have rejected some others)

MIKE LOREFICE: You could make a good case for Kobashi, Misawa, Kyoko,
Akiyama, Koshinaka, and Ultimo, but I will stick with Liger, Toyota, and
Otani

HERB KUNZE: Chris Benoit first and Shinjiro Otani second.  Third goes to
Kenta Kobashi, the best non-Jr.-heavyweight worker in the world.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Jobber

Award Description:

To be given to the Professional Loser that does an incredible job of putting
his name opponent over. Maybe the bumps that this person takes are just that
much more spectacular than other PLs. After seeing a match with this person,
you feel sorry about the punishment he/she took and realize how good it made
his/her name opponent look.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Barry Horowitz
  1991: Rip Rogers
  1992: Barry Horowitz
  1993: Barry Horowitz
  1994: Barry Horowitz
  1995: Barry Horowitz

**1996**: Barry Horowitz

92 first place votes
82 second place votes
78 third place votes

 30 15  9  213   Barry Horowitz
 17 12  7  135   Billy Kidman
  4 10  7   64   Gambler
  6  1  3   39   Disco Inferno
  3  6  1   35   El Puerto Ricano
  3  1  6   30   Alex Wright
  2  4  3   28   Aldo Montoya
  4  1  2   27   Buck Quartermaine
  1  3  6   26   Bobby Walker
  2  3  2   23   Bob Holly
  1  3  2   18   Leif Cassidy
  1  2  2   15   J.L.
  1  2  2   15   Alex Porteau
  2  0  1   12   Randy Savage
  2  0  0   10   Vader
  1  1  1   10   Devon Storm
  1  1  0    8   Freddie Joe Floyd
  0  2  1    8   Skip
  0  2  1    8   Ron Studd
  1  0  1    7   Reggie B. Fine
  1  0  1    7   Marty Jannetty
  1  0  1    7   Hugh Morrus
  0  1  2    7   High Voltage
  0  2  0    6   Mark Starr
  1  0  0    5   Tony Williams
  1  0  0    5   Savio Vega
  1  0  0    5   Salvatore Sincere
  1  0  0    5   Prince Iaukeia
  1  0  0    5   Pez Whatley
  1  0  0    5   David Tyler Morton Jericho
  1  0  0    5   Brad Armstrong
  1  0  0    5   Blue Meanie
  0  0  2    4   Renegade
  0  1  0    3   T.L. Hopper
  0  1  0    3   Sultan
  0  1  0    3   Psychosis
  0  1  0    3   Pat Tanaka
  0  1  0    3   Manny Fernandez
  0  1  0    3   Jim Powers
  0  1  0    3   Jack Boot
  0  1  0    3   Goon
  0  1  0    3   Brian Walsh
  0  1  0    3   Barry Hardy
  0  0  1    2   Super Nova
  0  0  1    2   Steve Lombardi
  0  0  1    2   Steve Armstrong
  0  0  1    2   Stalker
  0  0  1    2   Spiders
  0  0  1    2   Shark Attack Kid
  0  0  1    2   Public Enemy
  0  0  1    2   Mikey Whipwreck
  0  0  1    2   Mike Wenner
  0  0  1    2   Lou Marconi
  0  0  1    2   Justin Bradshaw
  0  0  1    2   J.T. Smith
  0  0  1    2   Iron Mike Sharpe
  0  0  1    2   Hack Meyers
  0  0  1    2   Brooklyn Brawler

(Practically everyone on this list should be rejected, technically - my God,
Horowitz was on a PPV this year ['95 Survivor Series] yet he's the top vote
getter!  And to my knowledge, the Sultan is UNDEFEATED - yet he gets a vote
here.  I've decided to include the results as is, but this category either
needs to disappear or have it's scope broadened, I'm leaning towards the
former. Had I strictly enforced the rules, the Gambler would have taken
first, followed by El Puerto Ricano and Quartermaine.  Randy Savage?  Vader?
Gimme a break! - CRZ)

MIKE LOREFICE: J.L. is one of the best in WCW, yet he never wins.  I wish he
would get a full time job in Japan because at least they respect his talent
there.  How a guy with Horowitz's talent could still be jobbing is beyond
me.  One of the few things I miss about Global is seeing Horowitz with a
role.  Although they are supposed to be stars, I consider Cassidy a jobbers
because he never wins.  Cassidy is a testament to the suckiness of WWF.
This guy was having matches in MTW two years ago that could be match of the
year in WWF, yet he is rewarded with bad gimmicks and no push.

BO WHITE: Hopefully Kidman won't be for long.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Flyer (North American)

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who did the most and the best high-flying
maneuvers throughout the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North
American and Non-North American.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Jushin Liger
  1992: Jushin Liger
  1993: 1-2-3 Kid (Lightning Kid)
  1994: 1-2-3 Kid
  1995: Sabu

**1996**: Rey Mysterio, Jr.

97 first place votes
93 second place votes
89 third place votes

 60  8  5  334   Rey Mysterio Jr.
 14  9 11  119   Sabu
  9 10 13  101   Marc Mero
  4 11 10   73   2 Cold Scorpio
  0 19  7   71   Juventud Guerrera
  2  5  4   33   Billy Kidman
  1  5  5   30   Psychosis
  4  1  3   29   Shawn Michaels
  1  4  5   27   Eddie Guerrero
  0  4  4   20   Syxx
  0  3  3   15   Jushin Liger
  1  1  3   14   Chris Jericho
  0  4  0   12   Chris Benoit
  0  0  5   10   Rob Van Dam
  0  3  0    9   Ultimo Dragon
  1  0  0    5   Giant
  0  1  1    5   Mascarita Sagrada Jr.
  0  0  2    4   Randy Savage
  0  0  2    4   Alex Wright
  0  1  0    3   Vader
  0  1  0    3   Super Calo
  0  1  0    3   Scott Hall
  0  1  0    3   Owen Hart
  0  1  0    3   Leif Cassidy
  0  0  1    2   Venum
  0  0  1    2   Sting
  0  0  1    2   Hunter Hearst Healmsley
  0  0  1    2   Dean Malenko
  0  0  1    2   Chris Candido
  0  0  1    2   Aldo Montoya

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": Rey Jr. cements his standing with some big matches in
AAA and on WCW. Good that WCW has pushed him and some of the other AAA
guys. Juventud is also very good, but where did Mero learn the Shooting Star
Press?!

MIKE LOREFICE: When you talk about the great innovators of wrestling 2 names
should come to mind.  In the 1980's we had the legendary Satoru Sayama and
in the 1990's we have Rey Misterio Jr.  Rey is constantly inventing and
changing up brilliant aerial moves.  His execution of these moves and the
way he works them into a match are excellent.  2 Cold is another great
innovator.  He doesn't fly as much as some of the others, but when he goes
to the top you know he is going to do something special.  Juventud ranks
above the others due to near flawless exectution.  Rey and Juventud make
flying an art form.  Sabu misses way to many moves for inclusion.

HERB KUNZE: A sweep for the Mexican wrestlers: Rey Misterio Jr. first,
Juventud Guerrera second, and Psicosis third.

WOJO: Rey does moves I have never seen before.  Eddy is also up there.  Sabu
is just Sabu.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Flyer (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Jushin Liger
  1995: Jushin Liger

**1996**: Jushin Liger

59 first place votes
53 second place votes
48 third place votes

 12  8  7   98   Jushin Liger
 16  5  1   97   Rey Misterio Jr.
 12  5  2   79   Great Sasuke
  9  3  5   64   Sabu
  1  9 10   52   Ultimo Dragon
  2  5  0   25   Chapparita Asari
  2  3  3   25   Hayabusa
  1  5  0   20   Great Muta
  0  4  3   18   Juventud Guerrera
  1  0  6   17   Psicosis
  0  1  6   15   Taka Michinoku
  1  1  1   10   Manami Toyota
  0  2  0    6   Tiger Mask
  1  0  0    5   Hakushi
  0  1  0    3   Shinjiro Otani
  0  1  0    3   Nobuhiko Takada
  0  0  1    2   Jinsei Shinzaki
  0  0  1    2   Honaga
  0  0  1    2   2 Cold Scorpio (?)
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Loch Ness
  0  0  1        Aldo Montoya

MIKE LOREFICE: Sasuke continues to set the standard in the Orient for
flying.  I hope he isn't in this spot next year because all these Rider
Kicks will have him out of wrestling by the year 2000.  TAKA should be the
man to unseat Sasuke.  He is the most athletic wrestler I have ever seen
(slightly above Rey and Kendo).  Ultimo is at #3 because he has better
transitions and works the moves into the match better.  For sheer aerial
moves Hayabusa is better, but he has no transitions.  The best should be the
person who combines all aspects of flying, not just the one that has the
best spots.  Honorable mention to Chapparita ASARI, Tiger Mask#4, and Hayato
Nanjyo.

HERB KUNZE: I haven't seen much of the Mexican guys in Japan, so I'll stick
with the Japanese: Great Sasuke first for being too insane for words, Tiger
Mask second, and Jushin Liger third.  Tiger Mask was just wonderful the few
times I've seen him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Technical Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who has the most technical ability. The number
of holds and moves you see this person do and the crispness with which the
moves are executed makes his/her matches a pleasure to watch. In 1994, this
award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and overall.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Bret Hart
  1992: Bret Hart
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: Bret Hart
  1995: Dean Malenko

**1996**: Dean Malenko

98 first place votes
95 second place votes
89 third place votes

 41 20  8  281   Dean Malenko
 18 12  8  142   Bret Hart
  7 14 16  109   Chris Benoit
  5 12 12   85   Steve Austin
  3  9 10   62   Steven Regal
  5  4  4   45   Taz
  6  0  3   36   Jushin Liger
  3  0  5   25   Arn Anderson
  2  5  0   25   Shinjiro Otani
  1  3  0   14   Shawn Michaels
  1  1  3   14   Ken Shamrock
  1  0  4   13   Eddie Guerrero
  2  0  1   12   Mitsuhara Misawa
  1  1  1   10   Owen Hart
  0  3  0    9   Shane Douglas
  0  3  0    9   Ric Flair
  0  2  1    8   Masakatsu Funaki
  0  0  4    8   Kenta Kobashi
  1  0  0    5   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  1  0  0    5   Nobuhiko Takada
  0  1  1    5   Marc Mero
  0  0  2    4   Jun Akiyama
  0  1  0    3   Psychosis
  0  1  0    3   Mr. Bob Backlund
  0  1  0    3   Hulk Hogan
  0  1  0    3   Eddie Guererro
  0  1  0    3   Alex Porteau
  0  0  1    2   Scott Steiner
  0  0  1    2   J.L. (Jerry Lynn)
  0  0  1    2   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  0  1    2   Crush
  0  0  1    2   Alex Wright
REJECTED
  0  0  1        Mr. Perfect (did not wrestle)

MIKE LOREFICE: Liger remains the best technical wrestler in the sport.  He
continues to improve in this aspect.  His work in the UWF-I feud was superb.
He is so talented in this area that he was able to work high spots in
without losing believability.  Funaki is the best in the sense that in a
real situation he would shread Liger.  I prefer a worker on top because the
worker needs more than just his skill to reign supreme here (see Dan
Severn).  Funaki is a great technician in and out of the ring (he trains all
the natives) and he makes Pancrase the best technical league in the world.
Shamrock is an awesome submission fighter.  He was able to dominate UFC
pretty well (with the exception of the obvious Severn debacle), but with
only 4 Pancrase matches you can't put him any higher.

WOJO: Steve Austin beat out Steve Regal because he's less boring.  To be
victorious in UFC, you have to be technical.

HERB KUNZE: Shinjiro Otani has to get first; he is incredible on moves.
Dean Malenko, who will likely take first with most voters, takes second with
me.  And Jun Akiyama deserves third.  I should mention that I ignore
shootfighting in the awards, so great wrestlers like Ken Shamrock or Dan
Severn don't count here in my book.

RICK SCAIA: Taz, in my mind, has redefined what it is to be a "technical
wrestler." It used to be a couple of go-behinds and reversals made you a
good technical wrestler.  Now, in the age of "shootfighting" and other
combat techniques becoming popular on PPV, we're seeing a welcome influx of
submission type moves worked into the mat wrestling of the sport.  And Taz
is the best at it.  Bret Hart and Chris Benoit remain the best of the "old
guard" of technical wrestling.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Technical Wrestler (North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Bret Hart
  1995: Dean Malenko

**1996**: Dean Malenko

87 first place votes
84 second place votes
79 third place votes

 42 17  9  279   Dean Malenko
 19 13  9  152   Bret Hart
  7 15 17  114   Chris Benoit
  5 11 10   78   Steve Austin
  4  4  5   42   Taz
  1  8  6   41   Lord Steven Regal
  1  2  5   21   Eddie Guerrero
  3  1  1   20   Ken Shamrock
  1  0  4   13   Arn Anderson
  2  0  1   12   Jushin Liger
  1  0  3   11   Marc Mero
  0  3  1   11   Shawn Michaels
  1  1  0    8   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  2  1    8   Ric Flair
  0  1  1    5   Alex Porteau
  0  1  0    3   Shane Douglas
  0  1  0    3   Psychosis
  0  1  0    3   Mr. Bob Backlund
  0  1  0    3   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   Hulk Hogan
  0  1  0    3   Doug Furnas
  0  0  1    2   Scott Steiner
  0  0  1    2   Owen Hart
  0  0  1    2   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  0  1    2   Chris Candido (Skip)
  0  0  1    2   Blue Panther
REJECTED
  0  0  1        Mr. Perfect (did not wrestle)

JAMES FABIANO: "The Man of 1,000 Holds" is not just a gimmick or name.
Malenko really is a technical specialist.  Taz has gotten even better since
working in the ECW wrestling school.  And Regal is pretty damn good when put
in there with the right opponent.

MIKE LOREFICE: Malenko is one of the best Japanese stylists to ever work in
the U.S.   Unfortunately the announcers have no clue of what he is doing and
talk Huckster and NWO everytime he hits the mat.  Dean needs to educate
WCW's horrible group of announcers (if that's possible) to his moves so they
can relay them to the layman.  Benoit is as technically skilled as they
come.  He certainly isn't going to blow anything he does.  Regal is one of
the few traditional wrestlers that has translated his talents to the current
style.  All he needs is someone decent to work with.  Al Snow was good
enough to make the list, but Leif isn't of the same calibre.  Who the hell
nominated Van Dam?  I like the guy, but his lack of technical ability is
what keeps him from getting over in Japan.  ECW barely contains any
technical wrestling these days.  Michaels has no mat skills.  Lawler and
Hogan?  If you are going to nominate those two you may as well put Loch Ness
on the list.  Blue Panther would be a good choice, but I can't say I've seen
much PROMELL.

HERB KUNZE: Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero are the best.
Bret Hart doesn't even crack the top five for me.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Technical Wrestler (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Chris Benoit
  1995: Chris Benoit

**1996**: Dean Malenko

50 first place votes
44 second place votes
39 third place votes

 15  2  4   89   Dean Malenko
 10  1  2   57   Jushin Liger
  2 12  5   56   Chris Benoit
  4  5  4   43   Shinjiro Otani
  4  0  3   26   Kenta Kobashi
  2  2  4   24   Mitsuhara Misawa
  2  3  1   21   Great Muta
  3  1  0   18   Lord Steven Regal (well, okay)
  2  1  2   17   Ken Shamrock
  0  4  2   16   Masakatsu Funaki
  0  2  4   14   Eddy Guerrero
  2  0  1   12   Shinya Hashimoto
  1  0  0    5   Nobuhiko Takada
  1  0  0    5   Jerry Lynn
  0  1  1    5   Kensuke Sasaki
  0  1  0    3   Tatsumi Fujinami
  0  1  0    3   Rey Misterio Jr.
  0  1  0    3   Manami Toyota
  0  1  0    3   Kojima
  0  1  0    3   Keiji Muto
  0  1  0    3   Jun Akiyama
  0  1  0    3   El Samurai
  0  1  0    3   Antonio Inoki
  0  0  1    2   Yugi Nagata
  0  0  1    2   Ultimo Dragon
  0  0  1    2   Toshiaki Kawada
  0  0  1    2   Masahiro Chono
  0  0  1    2   Kazuo Yamazaki
  0  0  1    2   Akira Taue
REJECTED
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness
  1  0  0    5   Bret Hart
  0  1  0    3   Squire David Taylor (that's not what we mean by Non-NA)
  0  1  0    3   Owen Hart

(This is one where it's detrimental that I'm so ignorant of what goes on
over there.  F'rinstance, did Dean Malenko really wrestle over there during
the year?  I dunno.  So many people voted for him I guess he must have, right?
-CRZ)

MIKE LOREFICE: Liger & Otani remain.  Shamrock, Benoit, Malenko didn't fight
enough in Japan to be considered.  Although there are better workers on this
list, for sheer technical skill I'm going with Yugi Nagata.  Nagata was
awesome against the UWF-I workers.  He showed them up at their own game and
was able to have good matches against even the green workers.  Otani was
tough to leave off.  Why were Muta and Inoki nominated.  Muta is horrible on
the mat.  His work against UWF-I sucked.  Inoki never works and he is bad
when he does.

HERB KUNZE: Shinjiro Otani, Jun Akiyama, and Mitsuhara Misawa.  This is a
very tough category to pick for because Japan has so many great technical
wrestlers.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Brawler (North American)

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who brawled his/her way through the year most
convincingly. This award would go to Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish if he
were still around. In 1994, this award was split into two: North American
and Non-North American.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Stan Hansen
  1992: Cactus Jack
  1993: Big Van Vader
  1994: Cactus Jack
  1995: Cactus Jack

**1996**: Mankind (Cactus Jack)

98 first place votes
94 second place votes
90 third place votes

 47 15  6  292   Mankind (Cactus Jack)
  5 12 11   83   Vader
  7  8  8   75   Sandman
  5  8  9   67   Tommy Dreamer
  8  6  4   66   Kevin Nash (Diesel)
  4  8  7   58   Undertaker
  5  6  5   53   Chris Benoit
  5  6  4   51   Steve Austin
  2  4  3   28   Raven
  2  1  5   23   Public Enemy
  1  5  1   22   New Jack
  2  0  1   12   Sycho Sid
  2  0  1   12   Sabu
  0  2  3   12   Justin Bradshaw
  0  2  1    8   Scott Hall (Razor Ramon)
  0  0  4    8   Brian Lee
  1  0  1    7   Crush
  0  1  2    7   Steve Williams
  0  1  2    7   Goldust
  0  2  0    6   Terry Funk
  1  0  0    5   Pitbull 2
  1  0  0    5   Belfast Bruiser
  0  1  1    5   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  0  1  1    5   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  1  1    5   Axl Rotten
  0  0  2    4   Headhunter A
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Sullivan
  0  1  0    3   Headhunter B
  0  1  0    3   Giant
  0  1  0    3   Booker T
  0  0  1    2   Yokozuna
  0  0  1    2   Terry Gordy
  0  0  1    2   Stevie Ray
  0  0  1    2   Randy Savage
  0  0  1    2   Mustafa Saed
  0  0  1    2   Jacques Rougeau
  0  0  1    2   Gangstas

(I should have more careful about teams as opposed to single members of teams,
but fortunately this wouldn't have affected the top vote getters. - CRZ)

WOJO: I'm shocked that a wrestler like Benoit can brawl so well.  Mankind is
great, and with his moves, he gets second.

MIKE LOREFICE: Cactus isn't the same in WWF, but he is one of the few who
combine psychology with brawling.  D-Von Dudley can pick up a chair and
potato you, but without the psychology there is no purpose to it.  Steve
Austin has really improved in this department.  I like the new edge he has.
Vader remains in the top three, but he is falling fast due to misuse and
lack of an opponent that will take his bumps.

HERB KUNZE: Mankind has to take first for all of the insane but realistic
bumps he's taken this past year.  Chris Benoit has to get recognition for
his match with Kevin Sullivan, another insane but realistic match. Vader
takes third.  I can't vote for any ECW guys here with a clear conscience:
their brawling is far too unrealistic for me,

RICK SCAIA: It's hard to put Mankind on this list and leave of the
Undertaker, but as much as UT has improved, I think we all know who really
carried those memorable brawls.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Brawler (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: Stan Hansen
  1995: Stan Hansen

**1996**: Terry Funk

45 first place votes
38 second place votes
36 third place votes

  8  9  3   73   Terry Funk
  7  4  2   51   Cactus Jack
  6  3  5   49   Stan Hansen
  6  2  6   48   Mr. Pogo
  6  1  3   39   Shoji Nakamaki
  2  4  4   30   Aja Kong
  1  2  3   17   Dynamite Kansai
  1  1  4   16   Steve Williams
  0  5  0   15   Wing (Yukihiro) Kanemura
  2  0  1   12   Lord Steven Regal
  0  2  0    6   Kensuke Sasaki
  1  0  0    5   Genchiro Tenryu
  0  1  0    3   Tiger Jeet Sing
  0  1  0    3   Nobuhiko Takada
  0  1  0    3   Masahiro Chono
  0  0  1    2   Masato Tanaka
  0  0  1    2   Kitao
  0  0  1    2   Jushin Liger
  0  0  1    2   Chris Benoit
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Yokuzona
  1  0  0        Sandman
  1  0  0        Loch Ness
  1  0  0        Fatu
  1  0  0        Any IWA grappler (a little too general)
  0  1  0        Raven
  0  1  0        Atsushi Onita (didn't wrestle during year?)
  0  0  1        Undertaker

MIKE LOREFICE: There were 5 legit contenders for this award.  Nakamaki is
the sickest wrestler I have ever seen.  You got an insane bump this guy will
take it.  W*ING is actually a good worker, but apparently he enjoys the
craziness more.  He wasn't powerbombed into fire this year, instead he had
spider nets to deal with.  Dynamite Kansai continues to kick the hell out of
JWP opponents.  Aja is practically her equal in brawling, but I prefer
Dynamite.  Funk doesn't work enough and his actions against Pogo were
reprehensible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Favourite Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler you like the most, regardless of the reason.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Ric Flair
  1994: Ric Flair
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Stone Cold Steve Austin

99 first place votes
98 second place votes
97 third place votes

 16  9  8  123   Steve Austin
 13  8  4   97   Bret Hart
  7  7  5   66   Chris Benoit
  4 12  5   66   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  8  3  4   57   Shawn Michaels
  6  4  3   48   Dean Malenko
  5  2  5   41   Jushin Liger
  4  3  5   39   Ric Flair
  2  3  8   35   Kevin Nash
  4  2  3   32   Marc Mero
  4  2  0   26   Undertaker
  2  4  1   24   Sabu
  1  3  4   22   Brian Pillman
  2  2  2   20   Raven
  2  0  3   16   Disco Inferno
  1  3  1   16   Stevie Richards
  1  3  1   16   Owen Hart
  2  1  1   15   Manami Toyota
  1  1  2   12   Sting
  1  2  0   11   Great Sasuke
  1  2  0   11   Goldust
  1  1  1   10   Sycho Sid
  1  1  1   10   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  2  2   10   Roddy Piper
  1  1  0    8   Chris Jericho
  1  0  1    7   Randy Savage
  1  0  1    7   Diamond Dallas Page
  1  0  1    7   Arn Anderson
  0  1  2    7   Mankind
  0  2  0    6   Kyoko Inoue
  0  2  0    6   2 Cold Scorpio
  1  0  0    5   Stan Hansen
  1  0  0    5   Shinjiro Otani
  1  0  0    5   Sandman
  1  0  0    5   Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness
  1  0  0    5   Kenta Kobashi
  0  1  1    5   Ultimo Dragon
  0  1  1    5   Eddie Guerrero
  0  1  1    5   Chris Candido
  0  0  2    4   Juventud Guerrera
  0  1  0    3   Toshiaki Kawada
  0  1  0    3   Taka Michinoku
  0  1  0    3   Shane Douglas
  0  1  0    3   M. Wallstreet
  0  1  0    3   Lex Luger
  0  1  0    3   Jerry Lynn
  0  1  0    3   Jeff Jarrett
  0  1  0    3   Billy Gunn
  0  1  0    3   Alex Wright
  0  0  1    2   Wildo & Ingus Jynx
  0  0  1    2   Vader
  0  0  1    2   Taz
  0  0  1    2   Steven Regal
  0  0  1    2   Scott Hall
  0  0  1    2   Psychosis
  0  0  1    2   Mikey Whipwreck
  0  0  1    2   Leif Cassidy
  0  0  1    2   La Parka
  0  0  1    2   Justin Bradshaw
  0  0  1    2   Jerry Lawler
  0  0  1    2   Hulk Hogan
  0  0  1    2   Hayabusa
  0  0  1    2   Great Muta
  0  0  1    2   Davey Boy Smith
  0  0  1    2   Crush
  0  0  1    2   Chapparita Asari
  0  0  1    2   Ahmed Johnson

BO WHITE: Flair is still the most entertaining wrestler of all time - man I
love this guy!

RICK SCAIA: What kind of intelligent, useful comment can you make about an
award as subjective as "Most Favorite Wrestler"?  Unless, of course, I
wanted to make the comment that now that an American is running these
awards, I'd really prefer to see the American spelling of "favorite" used!
:) Steve Austin is my most favorite, because he does two things nobody else
today is really doing:  in the same interview, he makes me chuckle, while at
the same time convincing me he really does want to go out there and whoop
the other guy's ass.  And when he gets in the ring, he's good enough to
justify the interest we give him.  Sabu and Michaels also get votes in this
category, because they are unique in their ability to make almost any match
a good match.

WOJO: I like these wrestlers because: 1. They can interview  2. They get big
victories because they deserve it. and 3. They can wrestle. (Bret Hart, Jeff
Jarrett, Steve Austin).


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Improved Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who most improved himself/herself in all facets
of the sport in the past year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Lex Luger
  1991: Ron Simmons
  1992: Steve Austin
  1993: Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  1994: Diesel
  1995: Johnny B. Badd

**1996**: Wildman Marc Mero (Johnny B. Badd)

99 first place votes
92 second place votes
88 third place votes

 25 10 10  175   Marc Mero
 24 13  6  171   Diamond Dallas Page
  8 10  9   88   Giant
  5  6  4   51   Steve Austin
  3  6  4   41   Undertaker
  1  4  9   35   Ahmed Johnson
  3  1  5   28   Billy Gunn
  4  1  1   25   Shinjiro Otani
  2  2  2   20   Louie Spicolli
  3  0  2   19   Pit Bull #2
  2  3  0   19   Yugi Nagata
  2  3  0   19   Savio Vega
  1  2  3   17   Taz
  1  2  3   17   Barbarian
  1  2  2   15   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  1  2  1   13   Chris Jericho
  1  2  1   13   Chapparita Asari
  1  0  3   11   Steve McMichael
  1  1  1   10   Taka Michinoku
  1  1  1   10   Kevin Nash
  1  1  1   10   Alex Wright
  0  2  2   10   Disco Inferno
  0  3  0    9   Chris Benoit
  1  1  0    8   Brian Pillman
  1  0  1    7   Jun Akiyama
  0  2  0    6   Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  0  2  0    6   Diesel #2
  1  0  0    5   Syxx
  1  0  0    5   Sting
  1  0  0    5   Steven Regal
  1  0  0    5   Raven
  1  0  0    5   Dean Malenko
  1  0  0    5   Billy Kidman
  0  1  1    5   Sycho Sid
  0  1  1    5   Stevie Richards
  0  0  2    4   Shawn Michaels
  0  0  2    4   Hayato Nanjyo
  0  0  2    4   Goldust
  0  1  0    3   Smoking Gunns
  0  1  0    3   Rob Van Dam
  0  1  0    3   Randy Savage
  0  1  0    3   Owen Hart
  0  1  0    3   Masato Tanaka
  0  1  0    3   Marty Janetty
  0  1  0    3   Jesse Jammes
  0  1  0    3   Chavo Guerrero Jr.
  0  0  1    2   Scott Hall
  0  0  1    2   Satoshi Kojima
  0  0  1    2   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  0  1    2   Masahito Kakihara
  0  0  1    2   Jim Powers
  0  0  1    2   Ice Train
  0  0  1    2   Eliminators
  0  0  1    2   Chris Candido
  0  0  1    2   Bob Holly

JAMES FABIANO: Mero keeps getting better each year, IMO.  This year, he
added a lot of nice aerial stuff.  Undertaker has downplayed his gimmick
somewhat in his ringwork, and it's helped.  And the Giant has become more
than just a bad gimmick.

MIKE LOREFICE: Yugi Nagata really came into his own this year.  A year ago I
would have said he was only average, now aside from Koshinaka he is the best
heavyweight in New Japan.  If only they would give him Sasaki's spot.
Shinjiro Otani has been a super worker for quite some time now, but you can
see him get better by the match.  I made a top ten workers list a month ago
and he was 7.  Now he belongs in the top 5.  TAKA finally got away from
Delfin's clowing and improved his already great work.  With Otani &
Michinoku, I am obviously putting going from great to super over going from
pretty good to very good.  ASARI, Pitbull 2, DDP, Skip, and Spicolli were
all viable candidates.

RICK SCAIA: Marc Mero has been steadily improving for over 2 years
now... probably even longer than that, but damn, I hated the "Johnny
B. Badd" gimmick so much that I wouldn't allow myself to make that
observation until after he reached a certain point of ability in early '95.
And then this year, after he comes to the WWF, he innovates with the
"MeroSault." And brings the Shooting Star Press to prominence on this
continent with the "Wild Thing."  Man alive, if he keeps this up, Mero could
win "Most Improved Wrestler" for the next five years!  I don't care what
anyone else says, Undertaker went from having passable, but predictable
matches to having very good, exciting matches this year.  And it wasn't all
the caliber of his opponents...  UT even had a very good match again Kevin
"Diesel" Nash this year.  Maybe the gimmick was holding him back, but right
now, the UT is probably the most talented big man in the sport, combining a
super gimmick/look with some actual technical wrestling skill and a knack
for brawling.

WOJO: If Raven was once a manager in the WWF, and became a champion in ECW,
then I'll give him the nod.  Giant is getting better every time I see him.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: I actually look forwarded to seeing matches
with the Giant now.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Overrated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who really has little talent, but has a large
place in the spotlight nonetheless. This is a measure of how undeserved a
wrestler's push is.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan
  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Ultimate Warrior
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

100 first place votes
96 second place votes
96 third place votes

 44  6  7  252   Hulk Hogan
  5 11  7   72   Sycho Sid
  6  8  7   68   Lex Luger
  3  8  6   51   Ultimate Warrior
  3  5  3   36   Konan
  5  2  1   33   Vader
  4  2  3   32   Shawn Michaels
  2  3  4   27   Ahmed Johnson
  0  5  5   25   Randy Savage
  2  1  4   21   Savio Vega
  2  2  2   20   Ric Flair
  2  2  2   20   Glacier
  1  3  3   20   Tommy Dreamer
  2  1  3   19   Undertaker
  3  1  0   18   Sandman
  1  3  2   18   Raven
  1  3  2   18   Kevin Nash
  1  2  3   17   Sting
  2  0  2   14   Chris Benoit
  0  4  1   14   Booty Man
  1  2  1   13   Bret Hart
  0  3  1   11   Giant
  2  0  0   10   Chris Jericho
  1  1  1   10   Jeff Jarrett
  0  2  2   10   Jerry Lawler
  1  1  0    8   Shane Douglas
  0  2  1    8   Syxx
  0  2  1    8   Eddie Guerrero
  1  0  1    7   Scott Hall
  0  2  0    6   Davey Boy Smith
  0  0  3    6   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  1  0  0    5   Steve McMichaels
  1  0  0    5   Kenta Kobashi
  1  0  0    5   Jake Roberts
  1  0  0    5   Genichiru Tenryu
  1  0  0    5   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  1  1    5   Taz
  0  1  1    5   Roddy Piper
  0  1  1    5   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  1  0    3   Tony Arce
  0  1  0    3   Steve Austin
  0  1  0    3   Perro Aguayo
  0  1  0    3   Bob Holly
  0  1  0    3   Bart Gunn
  0  1  0    3   Barry Windham
  0  0  1    2   Yokozuna
  0  0  1    2   Riki Choshu
  0  0  1    2   Psychosis
  0  0  1    2   Outsiders
  0  0  1    2   Mark Henry
  0  0  1    2   Mankind
  0  0  1    2   Koji Kitao
  0  0  1    2   Goldust
  0  0  1    2   Dudley Family
  0  0  1    2   Dean Malenko
  0  0  1    2   Curt Hennig
  0  0  1    2   Cien Caras
  0  0  1    2   Billy Gunn
  0  0  1    2   Big Bubba Rogers
  0  0  1    2   Arn Anderson

JAMES FABIANO:  Heel or face, That HH Guy is still The Man ;-)  Glacier was
NOT worth those six months of promos.  And the Dudleys took up too much time
on ECW shows, even though fans were bored with their gimmick/angle.

MIKE LOREFICE: There are so many viable candidates here how do you choose.
Hogan will win because he is in charge of overrating himself.  Sid can't
even take a bump, yet he is pushed to the top.  How many times does Luger
have to prove he can't draw flies?  Savage and Dreamer were extremely hard
to leave off.

HERB KUNZE: I have to pick three wrestlers that were each in the main event
spotlight in their respective promotions, even though between the three of
them they have less ability than most jobbers.  I give the awards in order
of increasing ability: first goes to Sandman, second to Sid, and third to
Hulk Hogan.

WOJO: Flair, Duggan and Hogan are past their prime and can't wrestle too
good.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: Ultimate Warrior actually managed to prove he
deserves my vote this year.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestling Gimmick

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who had the best character gimmick in the past
year.

Previous Winners:

  1991: The Undertaker
  1992: The Undertaker
  1993: The Undertaker
  1994: Bob Backlund as the real WWF champ
  1995: Goldust

**1996**: NWO

95 first place votes
91 second place votes
83 third place votes

 22  9  3  143   NWO
 12 15 12  129   "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
  9  8 11   91   Goldust
 10  8  6   86   Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie as anybody
  5  8 13   75   Brian Pillman as WCW's Loose Cannon / WWF's Time Bomb
  6  9  8   73   Mankind
  5  5  4   48   Undertaker
  5  0  4   33   The Undertaker
  3  5  1   32   Disco Inferno
  2  4  1   24   Damian
  1  3  5   24   New Rockers take a trip through the 70's - and stay there!
  2  1  1   15   Heel Hollywood Hulk Hogan
  2  1  1   15   Hall and Nash as the "Outsiders"
  1  2  2   15   Jim Ross as the anti-McMahon
  2  0  0   10   Jushin Liger
  2  0  0   10   Diesel
  2  0  0   10   "The Franchise" Shane Douglas
  1  1  1   10   Halloween
  1  0  2    9   Sandman
  1  1  0    8   Flash Funk
  1  1  0    8   Dudleys
  1  0  1    7   The Sandman
  1  0  1    7   The Man They Call Vader
  1  0  1    7   The Goon
  1  0  1    7   Taz - "Human Crime Spree"
  0  2  0    6   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  1  0  0    5   The Great Sasuke
  1  0  0    5   Raven
  1  0  0    5   Glen Jacobs as the fake Diesel
  0  1  1    5   The FBI
  0  0  2    4   La Parka
  0  1  0    3   The Gangstas
  0  1  0    3   Sunny
  0  1  0    3   Sting As The Crow
  0  1  0    3   Salvatore Sincere
  0  1  0    3   Hayabusa
  0  1  0    3   Faarooq
  0  1  0    3   Dungeon of Doom
  0  0  1    2   Super Delfin
  0  0  1    2   Sable
  0  0  1    2   Razor Ramon
  0  0  1    2   Lord Steven Regal
  0  0  1    2   Dean Malenko
  0  0  1    2   Booty Babe
(Well, it wasn't a "wrestler," but I concur: the NWO is the best gimmick. -
CRZ)

JAMES FABIANO:  Anyone who can watch a Stevie/Meanie spot and not ROTFL has
a serious problem, I think.

MIKE LOREFICE: Damian rules.  His in ring comedy and immitations are worlds
above anyone else's.  Richards and Meanie are hilarious.  No matter who the
impersonate they are great.  Halloween was always my favorite holiday back
when I trick-or-treated.  How can you beat watching the Great Pumpkin do a
Liger dive?

BO WHITE: Once again, Pillman's shoot was just what his career needed, and
is anybody funnier that Richards and Meanie?

RICK SCAIA: As I said before, the "Stone Cold" gimmick for Steve Austin is
perfect, and Austin made it fly by perfecting the art of the asshole heel
interview.  I can't think of a more convincing gimmick for a guy to have in
a sport where the goal should *always* be to whoop some ass.

WOJO: NWO easily.  Mankind gets a surprising second because noone mentions
his Cactus Jack name.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Wrestling Move

Award Description:

To be given to the move that is just the damn best thing you've seen this
past year. This should probably be a "finishing" move or something really
spectacular.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner
  1991: Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner
  1992: Jushin Liger's moonsault off the second ropes to floor
  1993: Big Van Vader's moonsault
  1994: Vader's moonsault
  1995: Hakushi's Space Flying Tiger Drop

**1996**: Wildman Marc Mero's Wild Thing shooting star press

93 first place votes
88 second place votes
88 third place votes

 18  9  7  131   Marc Mero's Wild Thing Shooting Star Press
 11 10  7   99   Rey Mysterio's hurricarana off top rope to floor
  4  4  1   34   Sabu's Triple Jump Moonsault
  4  2  4   34   Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner
  4  2  3   32   Dean Malenko's Gutbuster
  5  1  1   30   Chapparita Asari's Sky Twister Press
  1  3  6   26   Vader's Moonsault
  2  2  4   24   2 Cold Scorpio's Tumbleweed Legdrop
  3  0  4   23   Bret Hart's Sharpshooter leglock
  3  2  0   21   Taka Michinoku's double springboard plancha
  1  3  3   20   Great Sasuke's Sasuke Special space flying tiger drop
  1  3  3   20   Diamond Dallas Page's Diamond Cutter
  3  0  2   19   Public Enemy's flip over top rope through table
  0  4  3   18   Giant's Chokeslam
  1  4  0   17   Chris Benoit's Powerbomb
  2  2  0   16   Kevin Nash's Jackknife Powerbomb
  2  1  1   15   Dean Malenko's Texas Cloverleaf
  1  1  1   10   Hunter Hearst Helmsley's Pedigree
  1  1  1   10   Great Sasuke's Rider Kick
  1  1  1   10   Billy Kidman's Shooting Star Press
  1  0  2    9   Louie Spicolli's Death Valley Driver
  1  1  0    8   Jushin Liger's Fishermanbuster
  0  2  1    8   Eddie Guerrero's plancha
  1  0  1    7   Hector Garza's Spin Plancha
  1  0  1    7   Great Sasuke's Tope Con Hilo
  0  1  2    7   Chris Benoit's Dragon Suplex
  0  1  2    7   2 Cold Scorpio's Scorpio Splash
  0  2  0    6   Razor Ramon's Razor's Edge crucifix slam
  0  2  0    6   Chris Benoit's diving top rope headbutt
  0  0  3    6   Sabu's springboard plancha into DDT through table
  1  0  0    5   The Eliminators' Total Elimination
  1  0  0    5   Steven Regal's "Regal Stretch"
  1  0  0    5   Steve Williams' Backdrop Driver
  1  0  0    5   Sling shot spring board
  1  0  0    5   Rob Van Dam's Guillotene Leg Drop
  1  0  0    5   Rey Mysterio's Franksteiner/Pinning Combo
  1  0  0    5   Juventud Guerrera's Flip Splash
  1  0  0    5   Hulk Hogan's Legdrop
  1  0  0    5   Eddie Guerrero's Frog Splash
  0  1  1    5   Smoking Gunns' Sidewinder legdrop
  0  1  1    5   Mankind's Mandible Claw
  0  1  1    5   Hugh Morrus' No Laughing Matter moonsault
  0  1  1    5   Hayabusa's Phoenix Splash somersault off the top rope
  0  0  2    4   Mascarita Sagrada Jr's corkscrew dive
  0  1  0    3   Vader's Vaderbomb
  0  1  0    3   Taz's Tazplex
  0  1  0    3   Sycho Sid's Chokeslam
  0  1  0    3   Shinjiro Otani's swandive DDT
  0  1  0    3   Salvatore Sincere's "Sincerely Yours"
  0  1  0    3   Sabu's Spinning DDT
  0  1  0    3   Sabu's Arabian Facebuster
  0  1  0    3   Eddie Guerrero's Swinging DDT
  0  1  0    3   Doctorbomb
  0  1  0    3   Ahmed Johnson's Pearl River Plunge Powerbomb
  0  0  1    2   Super Bomb
  0  0  1    2   Stevie Richard's Superkick
  0  0  1    2   Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music superkick
  0  0  1    2   Sabu's Moonsault Flip
  0  0  1    2   Rob Van Dam's split-legged moonsault
  0  0  1    2   Ohtani's swandive spin kick
  0  0  1    2   Marc Mero's Merosault
  0  0  1    2   Jinsei Shinzaki's Space Flying Tiger Drop
  0  0  1    2   Hayabusa's Shooting Star Press
  0  0  1    2   Chris Candido's power bomb off the top rope
  0  0  1    2   Arn Anderson's DDT
REJECTED - no wrestler named
  3  1  0        Shooting Star Press
  2  2  1        Moonsault
  1  2  1        Figure Four leglock
  2  0  1        Powerbomb
  1  0  0        Tumbleweed
  1  0  0        Top-rope Frankensteiner
  1  0  0        Sidewalk Slam
  1  0  0        Lariat
  0  1  1        Piledriver
  0  1  1        Frankensteiner
  0  1  0        hurracanrana from top to apron to floor
  0  1  0        Space Flying Tiger Drop
  0  1  0        Fisherman Suplex
  0  0  1        Superplex
  0  0  1        DDT

JAMES FABIANO:  Total Elimination is the best tag team finisher since the
days of the Midnight Express' many innovative finishers.

MIKE LOREFICE: TAKA took the springboard plancha to a new level.  When I saw
the double springboard plancha  at the Skydiving J I was going nuts.  They
may be better looking moves, but I can't think of a move that combines
difficulty and timing like the double springboard plancha.  Rey's
huracanrana off the top to the floor (opponent on apron) is a fantastic
move.  The only problem is that in ECW and Tijuana the security rail is
really to close for him to do the move properly.  Sasuke's Rider Kick is a
very magestic albeit psychotic move.  It's not difficult, but it is very
graceful.  Despite listing it in the top 3, there wouldn't be a happier
person in the world if he stopped doing it.  Honorable mention goes to
ASARI's sky twister which is the best move that I've ever seen in the ring,
Sasuke's Sasuke Special, Hayabusa's phoenix splash, Hayabusa's shooting star
press, Hayabusa's falcon arrow, Garza's spin plancha, Juventud's hiro con
plancha, and Nanjyo's screw quebrada.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Match

Award Description:

To be given to the best wrestling match you've seen this year, either live,
on TV, PPV, or in an arena, or on tape. If it took place in the past year,
it is eligible. In 1994, this award was split into three: North American,
Non-North American, and overall.

Previous Winners:

  1990: 04/22/90: Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart vs. Marty Janetty & Shawn
                  Michaels (SNME)
  1991: 03/21/91: Steiners vs. Kensuke Sasaki & Hiroshi Hase (Tokyo, aired
                  on taped PPV)
  1992: 01/18/92: Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble)
  1993: 10/24/93: Cactus Jack vs. Big Van Vader (Halloween Havoc)
  1994: 03/20/94: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania)
  1995: 08/27/95: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (SummerSlam)

**1996**: 03/31/96: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania)

91 first place votes
87 second place votes
83 third place votes

 14 10  9  118   03/31/96 Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
  8  8 11   86   09/22/96 Shawn Michaels v. Mankind
  8  9  2   71   04/28/96 Shawn Michaels v. Diesel
  7  2  2   45   03/09/96 Rey Misterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera (2/3 falls)
  5  2  3   37   12/17/95 Bret Hart v. British Bulldog
  5  2  2   35   07/07/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Psychosis
  4  3  3   35   07/13/96 Shane Douglas v. Pitbull #2 v. Chris Jericho v. 2 Cold Scorpio
  4  3  3   35   07/08/96 Dean Malenko v. Rey Mysterio Jr.
  3  4  3   33   06/16/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Dean Malenko
  5  1  2   32   11/19/95 Bret Hart v. Diesel
  2  3  1   21   05/11/96 Sabu v. Rob Van Dam
  2  3  0   19   03/17/96 Jushin Liger v. Shinjiro Otani
  1  2  2   15   02/12/96 Arn Anderson v. Hulk Hogan
  1  1  3   14   02/23/96 2 Cold Scorpio v. Sabu
  2  0  1   12   12/10/95 Rey Misterio Jr. v. Psicosis, Tokyo
  1  1  2   12   06/07/96 Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
  0  1  4   11   03/31/96 Roddy Piper v. Goldust
  1  1  1   10   05/11/96 2 Cold Scorpio v. Shane Douglas
  0  2  2   10   06/23/96 Steve Austin v. Marc Mero
  1  0  2    9   08/04/96 Ultimo Dragon v. Shinjiro Otani
  1  0  2    9   03/31/96 Manami Toyota v. Kyoko Inoue
  0  3  0    9   05/23/96 Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
  1  1  0    8   08/18/96 Undertaker v. Mankind
  1  1  0    8   08/10/96 Outsiders v. Lex Luger & Sting & Randy Savage
  1  1  0    8   08/10/96 Dean Malenko v. Chris Benoit
  0  2  1    8   06/16/96 Chris Benoit v. Kevin Sullivan
  0  2  1    8   04/29/96 Belfast Bruiser v. Lord Steven Regal (Parking Lot Match)
  1  0  1    7   08/14/96 Ric Flair v. Hulk Hogan
  1  0  1    7   06/23/96 Shawn Michaels v. Davey Boy Smith
  0  2  0    6   10/21/96 Marc Mero v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  0  3    6   04/29/96 Shawn Michaels v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  1  0  0    5   07/07/96 Disco Inferno v. Dean Malenko
  1  0  0    5   06/23/96 BodyDonnas v. New Rockers
  1  0  0    5   05/28/96 Savio Vega v. Steve Austin
  1  0  0    5   03/28/96 Steiners v. Road Warriors
  1  0  0    5   03/16/96 Goldust v. Savio Vega
  1  0  0    5   03/01/96 Johnny Gunn v. Corporal Punishment
  1  0  0    5   01/21/96 Bret Hart v. Undertaker
  1  0  0    5   RAW      Austin v. Michaels
  0  1  1    5            Sabu & Rob Van Dam v. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
  0  1  1    5   12/13/95 Wild Pegasus v. Lion Heart
  0  1  1    5   10/27/95 Dean Malenko v. Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  1  1    5   07/01/96 Shawn Michaels v. Marty Jannetty
  0  1  1    5   03/31/96 Diesel v. Undertaker
  0  0  2    4   07/07/96 Outsiders v. Lex Luger & Sting & Randy Savage
  0  1  0    3            Shawn Michaels v. Goldust, Toronto (Ladder Match)
  0  1  0    3   10/20/96 Undertaker v. Mankind
  0  1  0    3   10/20/96 Steve Austin v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   09/16/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera
  0  1  0    3   08/10/96 Rey Mysterio v. Ultimo Dragon
  0  1  0    3   08/03/96 Sabu v. Rob Van Dam
  0  1  0    3   06/17/96 Taka Michinoku v. Super Delfin
  0  1  0    3   06/12/96 Jushin Liger v. Black Tiger
  0  1  0    3   02/18/96 Bret Hart v. Diesel
  0  1  0    3   01/04/96 Antonio Inoki v. Big Van Vader
  0  0  1    2            Chris Benoit v. Craig Pittman
  0  0  1    2   11/23/95 Taka Michinoku v. Tiger Mask #4, Iwate
  0  0  1    2   10/10/96 Shiryu & Dick Togo & Mens Teoh & Taka Michinoku & Shoichi Funaki v. Tiger Mask 4 & Masato Yakushiji & Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa & Gran Hamada, Tokyo
  0  0  1    2   09/28/96 Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda v. Kaoru Ito & Mariko Yoshida
  0  0  1    2   09/22/96 Smoking Gunns v. Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith
  0  0  1    2   09/15/96 Hulk Hogan & Scott Hall & Kevin Nash & NWO Sting v. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Lex Luger & Sting
  0  0  1    2   08/05/96 Ultimo Dragon v. Great Sasuke
  0  0  1    2   06/23/96 Undertaker v. Mankind
REJECTED (not in timeframe)
  1  2  0        11/17/96 Bret Hart v. Steve Austin
  2  0  0        08/  /95 Shawn Michaels v. Razor Ramon, Ladder Match
  0  0  1        08/  /95 Barry Horowitz v. Skip
  0  0  1        06/23/96 Undertaker v. Mankind

MIKE LOREFICE: I rated more matches 4 3/4 stars this year than ever before.
Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera had it all.  It was just a special
match where both men came out fired up and did one awesome spot after
another.  I don't think I ever saw a match that combined level of difficulty
and lightning fast pacing like that one.  Liger vs. Otani was another
masterpiece.  Aside from the obviously brilliant work, Otani really shined
in that one as his charism was awesome.  Toyota vs. Kyoko slips to three
this year.  The 60:00 draw was so good how could they top it?  I guess March
was a good month because all 3 of my matches came from it.

HERB KUNZE: First goes to Rey Misterio Jr. vs, Psicosis from Bash at the
Beach, easily the best North American match this year.  Second and third go
to the tag title matches of Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama, first to them
winning the titles on 05/24/96 and then to them losing the titles on
06/07/96.

RICK SCAIA: We probably had more "good or better" matches on TV from the Big
Two this year than ever before.  With Michaels making sure every WWF show
ended on a high note, and with WCW delivering quality cruiserweight action
on their undercards, there was good wrestling everywhere you looked!  Except
on the top half of WCW pay-per-views.  Har!  The best example of Michaels
topping a show off in amazing fashion was at the "Mind Games" PPV.  With the
right opponent, Michaels is magic, and he showed it here, working an
incredible brawl against Mankind.  The way the match built to the finish was
fantastic, and makes this my favorite match of the year.  A close second was
Bret Hart's hard-fought and bloody win over Davey Boy Smith at the December
"In Your House." I couldn't find a single fault with that match...  finally,
we cannot forget that ECW delivered some excellent big matches this year,
too. Perhaps my favorite of all gets my #3 vote here:  the four corners
match for the ECW TV Title (Douglas vs. Pitbull #2 vs. Scorpio vs. Jericho)
was superb.  A terrific blend of wrestling, brawling, and angles made this
one a definite video keeper, and worthy of a vote here.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: Although many will vote for Shawn Michaels
v. Mankind because it's fresh in their minds, the Hart v. Smith match from
12/95 was so much better.  And although it didn't make my top 3, I'd like to
say that one of the Steiners/Road Warriors matches on Nitro was the ONLY
(*the **only***) tag team matchup I seriously enjoyed this year.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Match (North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: 03/20/94: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania)
  1995: 08/27/95: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (SummerSlam)

**1996**: 03/31/96: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania)

39 first place votes
39 second place votes
39 third place votes

  7  4  9   65   03/31/96 Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
  8  1  3   49   03/09/96 Juventud Guerrera v. Rey Misterio Jr, Philadelphia (2/3)
  4  3  5   39   09/22/96 Shawn Michaels v. Mankind
  4  6  0   38   04/28/96 Shawn Michaels v. Diesel
  2  3  1   21   06/16/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Dean Malenko
  2  1  4   21   12/17/95 Bret Hart v. British Bulldog
  0  2  7   20   02/17/96 2 Cold Scorpio v. Sabu
  2  2  1   18   07/13/96 Shane Douglas v. Pitbull #2 v. Chris Jericho v. 2 Cold Scorpio
  1  3  1   16   03/16/96 Rey Misterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera, Tijuana
  2  0  1   12   11/19/95 Bret Hart v. Diesel
  1  1  1   10   07/07/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Psychosis
  0  2  2   10   03/31/96 Goldust v. Roddy Piper
  0  2  0    6   08/03/96 2 Cold Scorpio v. Chris Jericho, Philadelphia
  1  0  0    5   RAW      Steve Austin v. Shawn Michaels
  1  0  0    5   07/08/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Dean Malenko
  1  0  0    5   06/23/96 Shawn Michaels v. Davey Boy Smith
  1  0  0    5   05/11/96 2 Cold Scorpio v. Shane Douglas
  0  1  1    5   06/16/96 Kevin Sullivan v. Chris Benoit
  0  1  0    3            Sabu & Rob Van Dam v. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
  0  1  0    3            Dean Malenko v. Chris Benoit
  0  1  0    3   10/20/96 Steve Austin v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   09/16/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera
  0  1  0    3   08/18/96 Undertaker v. Mankind
  0  1  0    3   08/10/96 Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Ultimo Dragon
  0  1  0    3   08/03/96 Sabu v. Rob Van Dam
  0  0  1    2            Chris Benoit v. Craig Pittman
  0  0  1    2   07/01/96 Shawn Michaels v. Marty Jannetty
  0  0  1    2   05/11/96 Sabu v. Rob Van Dam (Respect Match)
REJECTED (not in timeframe)
  1  1  0    8   11/17/96 Bret Hart v. Steve Austin
  1  0  0    5   08/  /95 Shawn Michaels v. Razor Ramon (Ladder Match)

(A lot of people put "See above" in their ballot, but since my parser divided
up ballots by category...fortunately, I caught most of those before I fed the
raw data to the parser - still, the lack of participation in this split
strongly points to a recombining of these awards next year...see 15b to see
what I mean - CRZ)

MIKE LOREFICE: Rey vs. Juventud twice in a week, but two different matches.
The way they change their style and work the best style for the crowd should
be noted.  2 Cold vs. Sabu was awesome.  I was at that show and it was the
only saving grace on an otherwise horrible evening.  Scorpio can hide Sabu's
weaknesses as good as anyone in the U.S.  I liked Scorpio vs. Jericho a lot
because it had so many creative spots.  Futuristic matches rule!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Match (Non-North American)

Previous Winners:

  1994: 04/16/94: Chris Benoit vs. Great Sasuke (Super J Cup)
  1995: 11/20/94: Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota (AJW V*TOP Tourney)

**1996**: 03/17/96: Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani

15 first place votes
13 second place votes
13 third place votes

  3  2  1   23   03/17/96 Jushin Liger v. Shinjiro Otani
  1  2  2   15   08/04/96 Ultimo Dragon v. Shinjiro Otani
  2  1  0   13   03/31/96 Manami Toyota v. Kyoko Inoue
  2  0  1   12   12/13/95 Jushin Liger v. Ultimo Dragon
  1  1  0    8   12/13/95 Wild Pegasus v. Lion Heart
  1  1  0    8   06/12/96 Jushin Liger v. Black Tiger
  1  1  0    8   05/23/96 Mistuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue
  1  0  1    7   01/04/96 Antonio Inoki v. Big Van Vader
  0  2  0    6   06/07/96 Mitsuhara Misawa & Jun Akiyama v. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace
  1  0  0    5   12/13/95 Rey Misterio Jr v. Psicosis
  1  0  0    5   11/23/95 Taka Michinoku v. Tiger Mask #4 Iwate
  1  0  0    5   01/04/96 Nobuhiko Takada v. Shinya Hashimoto
  0  0  2    4   10/10/96 Shiryu & Dick Togo & Mens Teoh & Taka Michinoku & Shoichi Funaki v. Tiger Mask 4 & Masato Yakushiji & Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa & Gran Hamada, Tokyo
  0  0  2    4   09/28/96 Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda v. Kaoru Ito & Mariko Yoshida
  0  1  0    3   06/22/96 Manami Toyota & Mima Shimoda v. The Inoues
  0  1  0    3   06/17/96 Taka Michinoku v. Super Delfin
  0  1  0    3   04/05/96 Taka Michinoky & Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto v. Jushin Liger & El Samurai & El Gran Hamada
  0  0  1    2            Great Sasuke v. Ultimo Dragon
  0  0  1    2            Great Sasuke v Jinsei Shinzaki
  0  0  1    2            Eddie Guerrero v. Shinjiro Otani
  0  0  1    2   01/04/96 Jushin Liger v. Koji Kanemoto

(Gee, I'm REALLY glad I included the split in this category.  Yes, that's
sarcasm. - CRZ)

MIKE LOREFICE: Liger vs. Otani and Toyota vs. Kyoko remain.  Those two
matches are basically equally good and I could watch them again next week
and change my mind as to which is better.  I just saw the Michinoku 10 man,
so I may be overrating or underrating it.  It definately blew me away.
Otani vs. Ultimo and Misawa & Kobashi vs. Kawada & Taue were extremely hard
to leave off.  The later was definately the best match of the year as far as
psychology is concerned.  TAKA vs. Tiger Mask 4 had superb flying, but was
short.  Among others Kobashi, Misawa, & Akiyama vs. Kawada, Albright, & Taue
and TAKA, Otani, & Kanemoto vs. Liger, Samurai, & Hamada were also hard to
leave off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Feud (North American)

Award Description:

To be given to the feud that gave us the most heated and best wrestling
match(es) of the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North
American and Non-North American. In 1996, it was re-combined.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Horsemen: Arn Anderson & Barry
        Windham
  1991: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Steiners
  1992: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
  1993: Big Van Vader vs. Cactus Jack
  1994: (NA)     Cactus Jack & partner vs. Nasty Boys
  1994: (non-NA) All Japan Women vs. JWP (& other outside women)
  1995: (NA)     Dean Malenko vs. Eddy Guerrero
  1995: (non-NA) Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota

**1996**: NWO vs. WCW

97 first place votes
92 second place votes
90 third place votes

 31 14  6  209   NWO v. WCW
 10 12  6   98   Undertaker v. Mankind
  7  4  7   61   Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Dean Malenko
  5  3  5   44   Chris Benoit v. Kevin Sullivan
  3  5  7   44   Steve Austin v. Bret Hart
  6  2  1   38   Rey Misterio Jr. v. Juventud Guerrera
  6  1  0   33   Sabu v. Rob van Dam
  2  3  6   31   Shane Douglas v. Pitbulls
  3  3  3   30   Shawn Michaels v. Diesel
  1  5  4   28   Ric Flair v. Randy Savage
  2  4  2   26   Mitsuhara Misawa & co. v. Toshiaka Kawada & co.
  0  4  6   24   Rob van Dam v. Sabu
  2  1  4   21   Gangstas v. Eliminators
  1  1  5   18   Goldust v. Razor Ramon
  1  3  1   16   Diesel v. Undertaker
  1  1  4   16   Raven & gang v. Tommy Dreamer & Sandman
  3  0  0   15   Sandman v. Raven
  2  0  1   12   Eric Bischoff v. Vince McMahon
  2  0  1   12   Brian Pillman v. Steve Austin
  1  2  0   11   WWF v. WCW
  0  3  1   11   Rey Mysterio Jr. v. Psychosis
  2  0  0   10   NJPW v. UWFi
  0  2  2   10   Marc Mero v. Steve Austin
  0  2  2   10   Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
  0  3  0    9   Shawn Michaels v. Vader
  1  1  0    8   Tommy Dreamer v. Brian Lee
  0  2  1    8   Jerry Lawler v. Jake Roberts
  0  1  2    7   Goldust v. Ahmed Johnson
  0  2  0    6   Jim Ross v. Vince McMahon
  1  0  0    5   Wolfie D v. Bill Dundee
  1  0  0    5   Shawn Michaels v. Camp Cornette
  1  0  0    5   Rey Mysterio Jr v. Psychosis
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness v. Giant
  1  0  0    5   Bret Hart v. Diesel
  0  1  1    5   Dungeon of Doom
  0  1  1    5   Diamond Dallas Page v. Guerrero Family
  0  1  0    3   The Eliminators v. Steve Williams & Terry Gordy
  0  1  0    3   Steve Austin v. Marc Mero
  0  1  0    3   Savio Vega v. Steve Austin
  0  1  0    3   Marc Mero v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   Jeff Jarrett v. Razor Ramon
  0  0  1    2   WWF v. ECW
  0  0  1    2   Steven Regal v. Belfast Bruiser
  0  0  1    2   Sabu v. Taz
  0  0  1    2   Randy Savage v. Horsemen
  0  0  1    2   Pitbulls v. Eliminators
  0  0  1    2   Nasty Boys v. Public Enemy
  0  0  1    2   Kevin Sullivan v. Chris Benoit
  0  0  1    2   Four Horsemen v. Dungeon of Doom
  0  0  1    2   Diesel v. the WWF
  0  0  1    2   Diesel v. Goldust
  0  0  1    2   Bret Hart v. Davey Boy Smith
REJECTED
  0  1  1        Raw v. Nitro

JAMES FABIANO:  Sabu vs. Rob Van Dam is my idea of a great feud: No stupid
angles like alimony money or who's been sleeping with whose wife, just great
matches with a believable storyline. (i.e. Each man wants respect from the
other)  Plus having Taz and Fonzie "tell Rob about Sabu's injury" helps to
add heat to the Sabu/Van Dam feud, as well as for Sabu/Taz.

MIKE LOREFICE: Rey vs. Juventud dominated two contries from the quality
standpoint.  Misawa & Co. vs. Kawada & Co. was getting stale last year, but
Akiyama gave it renewed life.  Douglas vs. Pitbulls was great from a
storyline standpoint.  Shane's interviews made it rise above the rest.

BO WHITE: Nobody has given better matches consistently than Malenko and
Misterio, Jr.

HERB KUNZE: First to Misawa & co. vs. Kawada & co. as usual; these guys
deliver the best matches every year.  Rey Jr. vs. Dean Malenko has delivered
several excellent matches in WCW.  And even though it only built to the one
match, the build-up for Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels was so great, it
deserves third.

WOJO: The NWO invasion was hot as hell, even before Hogan came in to get it

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the name athlete who was the worst overall wrestler in the
past year. Minimal technical ability, lousy interviews, non-existent
workrate, and the charisma of a rock should describe this person.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Junkyard Dog
  1991: Andre The Giant
  1992: Nailz
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

98 first place votes
92 second place votes
92 third place votes

 38 14  5  242   Hulk Hogan
 18  6  6  120   Loch Ness
  5 15 13   96   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  6  4  7   56   Ultimate Warrior
  4  5  1   37   Booty Man
  3  2  5   31   Sycho Sid
  3  2  5   31   Steve McMichael
  2  2  4   24   Glacier
  0  4  5   22   John Tenta
  3  1  1   20   Savio Vega
  1  1  6   20   Jake Roberts
  0  4  4   20   Mark Henry
  1  3  0   14   Lex Luger
  2  1  0   13   Goon
  1  0  4   13   Z Gangsta
  0  2  3   12   Renegade
  2  0  0   10   Shawn Michaels
  1  1  1   10   Ahmed Johnson
  1  0  2    9   Kevin Sullivan
  0  3  0    9   Giant
  1  1  0    8   Road Block
  0  2  1    8   Randy Savage
  1  0  1    7   Inferno
  0  2  0    6   Jerry Lawler
  0  2  0    6   Giant Baba
  0  2  0    6   Faarooq
  1  0  0    5   T.L. Hopper
  1  0  0    5   Mankind
  1  0  0    5   Goldust
  1  0  0    5   D-Von Dudley
  1  0  0    5   Al Snow
  0  1  1    5   Undertaker
  0  1  1    5   Ron Studd
  0  1  1    5   Jim Powers
  0  1  1    5   Eddie Guerrero
  0  1  1    5   Big Bubba
  0  0  2    4   Phinneas Godwinn
  0  1  0    3   Yokozuna
  0  1  0    3   Ultimate Solution
  0  1  0    3   T.L.Hopper
  0  1  0    3   Sultan
  0  1  0    3   Mabel
  0  1  0    3   Kamala
  0  1  0    3   Joe Gomez
  0  1  0    3   Ice Train
  0  1  0    3   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  1  0    3   Barry Horowitz
  0  0  1    2   Zebekiah
  0  0  1    2   Tito Santana
  0  0  1    2   Syxx
  0  0  1    2   Sandman
  0  0  1    2   Maxx
  0  0  1    2   Marcus Bagwell
  0  0  1    2   Haruka Eigen
  0  0  1    2   Disco Inferno
  0  0  1    2   Bunkhouse Buck
  0  0  1    2   Buh Buh Ray Dudley
  0  0  1    2   Aldo Montoya
  0  0  1    2   Abdullah The Butcher

JAMES FABIANO:  Hogan still sucks, plain and simple, but even he seemed
awfully pleasing compared to Loch Ness.  And Duggan just gets worse and
worse.

MIKE LOREFICE: This is always a tough category because there are so many
wrestlers that are only worthy of this category.  Loch Ness is the worst
I've ever seen.  Statues have more mobility.  He takes a step and he's
already blown up.  You wonder what will happen first, he will do the boot to
the gut and the elbow drop or he will have a heart attack.  Sid is a joke.
He isn't capable of having a match.  Anyone who relegates stars into jobbers
because they can't take bumps will be low on my list.  Phinneas blows spots
left and right. He has no ring presence and I really wonder why because he
didn't seen half as bad in WCW.  T.L. Hopper is extemely bad, but he has no
spot so his matches are too short to draw that many negative stars.  Eigen,
R.Kimura, D-Von, Z Gangsta, Renegade, and Mustafa aren't far behind.

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT":  It's not only that Hogan is a bad wrestler. He's still
probably the most prominent North American wrestler! Ugh. There are others
that follow, but having this one is distasteful enough.

RICK SCAIA: I'm not gonna harp on my "worst of" awards voting, but sufFICE:
to say that Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, and the abominable brain fart known as
"Loch Ness" will show up in the voting for many of these categories. They
all suck, and suck badly.  I hate them, and wish they would go away...  hey
wait, "Loch Ness" is already gone!  Maybe there is hope!

WOJO: Loch Ness is a fat slob who couldn't do shit.  McMichael is better,
but not horseman material.  Henry needs some work.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Tag Team

Award Description:

To be given to the name tag team who were the worst overall wrestlers in the
past year. Minimal technical ability, lousy interviews, non-existent
workrate, the charisma of a rock, and lousy team moves should describe this
pair.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Rhythm & Blues: Greg Valentine & Honky Tonk Man
  1991: The Patriots: Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip
  1992: Bushwhackers: Luke Williams & Butch Miller
  1993: The Colossal Kongs: Awesome Kong & King Kong
  1994: Bushwhackers: Luke Williams & Butch Miller
  1995: Tekno Team 2000: Travis & Troy

**1996**: Godwinns: Henry O. & Phineas I.

97 first place votes
90 second place votes
88 third place votes

 23 15  6  172   Godwinn Family - Henry O. & Phineas I.
 12 10 12  114   Bushwhackers - Butch & Luke
 10  7  9   89   High Voltage (WCW) - Rage & Chaos
  9  4 10   77   American Males - Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
  8  4  4   60   Nasty Boys - Nobbs & Sags
  4  8  8   60   Tekno Team 2000 - Travis & Troy
  1  6  4   31   Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater
  1  4  6   29   Rough & Ready - Mike Enos & Dick Slater
  2  5  1   27   New and Improved Rockers - Marty Jannetty & Leif Cassidy
  2  3  4   27   Smoking Gunns - Billy & Bart
  3  2  1   23   Shawn Michaels & Jose Lothario
  3  2  1   23   Gangstas - New Jack & Mustafa Saed
  2  3  2   23   Barrio Brothers - Ricky Santana & Fidel Sierra
  1  3  3   20   Men at Work - Mark Starr & Kris Kanyon & Mike Wenner
  2  1  2   17   Blue Bloods - Steven Regal & David Taylor & Robert Eaton
  3  0  0   15   Samoan Gangsta Party
  2  1  1   15   Public Enemy - Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge
  2  1  1   15   BodyDonnas - Skip & Zip
  0  4  1   14   Rock & Roll Express - Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson
  2  0  0   10   High Voltage (CWA-Dallas) - Devon Michaels & Bo Vegas
  1  1  1   10   Sting & Lex Luger
  0  2  1    8   Grimm Twins - Jared & Jason
  1  0  1    7   Faces of Fear - Meng & Barbarian
  1  0  0    5   Tommy Rich & Greg Valentine
  1  0  0    5   Outsiders - Hall & Nash
  1  0  0    5   Eddie & Chavo Guerrero
  0  1  1    5   Armstrongs
  0  0  2    4   Road Warriors - Hawk & Animal
  0  0  2    4   Big Bubba & Hugh Morrus
  0  1  0    3   Owen Hart & Yokozuna
  0  1  0    3   Fantastics
  0  0  1    2   Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit
  0  0  1    2   Harlem Heat - Booker T & Stevie Ray
  0  0  1    2   Erotic Experience
  0  0  1    2   Bad Crew
REJECTED
  0  1  0        Quebecers (ineligible)

JAMES FABIANO  Giving the Pigs the WWF tag team titles shows how pathetic
the tag team scene is there.

MIKE LOREFICE: Godwinn's are bad at every aspect.  The rate the mess up at
is almost disgraceful.  It really says a lot for WWF to have those guys as
former champs.  Gangstas make me sick.  They totally suck.  I think my
grandmother who uses a walker could do more moves than Mustafa.  These guys
are sloppy and blow a lot of spots.  The are devoid of all ability.  There
workrate is so bad that even the Eliminators can't have a decent match with
them.  What talent does it take to use a chair?  They can't even brawl with
any psychology.  Mustafa can't even speak.  Aside from that they are
jailbirds.  They are a complete disgrace to the sport.  Bushwhackers are so
bad that they can't really get worse.  They would be higher if they had a
spot and were on more.

RICK SCAIA: I have yet to meet a single person who likes the Bushwhackers.
Yet they are still around.  What they hell is the conspiracy here?  They are
awfully boring in their WWF roles; I just don't get how they can continue to
get such a reaction from the crowd.  For complely different reasons, I think
the American Males are dreadful.  I'd sleep quite well at night if I knew
I'd never have to hear that entrance music or see them prancing around
again.  And for the simple fact that they are pathetically deteriorated from
the dominating tag team I remember from years ago, I gotta vote for the Road
Warriors here.  Every time I see them these days, a little of their amazing
legacy dies...  that pisses me off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Heel

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose casting as a bad guy just didn't work well.
Maybe there was just no heel heat drawn or maybe the fans actually cheered
this person, but for whatever reason the heel image just didn't get over.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Rick Martel
  1991: The Mountie Jacques Rougeau
  1992: Razor Ramon
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Bastion Booger
  1995: Zodiac (The Butcher/The Man With No Name/Brother Bruti/Brutus Beefcake)

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

92 first place votes
86 second place votes
80 third place votes

 15  2  5   91   Hulk Hogan
  9  9  7   86   Steve McMichael
 10  4  5   72   Braun the Leprechaun
 10  4  4   70   Elizabeth
  6  4  7   56   T.L. Hopper
  3  5  7   44   Sultan
  2  6  3   34   M. (V.K.) Wallstreet
  4  1  4   31   Dungeon of Doom
  2  4  3   28   Big Bubba Rogers
  0  6  4   26   Kevin Sullivan
  2  2  3   22   Syxx
  3  1  1   20   NWO
  1  2  4   19   Marty Jannetty
  3  1  0   18   Kevin Nash (Diesel)
  2  2  1   18   Faarooq
  1  3  2   18   Maxx (Muscle)
  3  0  1   17   Konan
  2  2  0   16   Davey Boy Smith
  2  1  1   15   Jerry Lawler
  2  1  1   15   Brian Pillman
  2  1  0   13   Goldust
  1  1  1   10   Razor Ramon #2
  1  1  1   10   NWO Sting
  0  2  2   10   Salvatore Sincere
  0  3  0    9   Scott Hall
  1  1  0    8   Bart Gunn
  1  0  1    7   Giant
  0  1  2    7   Vincent
  0  1  2    7   Vader
  0  2  0    6   Greg Valentine
  0  2  0    6   Disco Inferno
  1  0  0    5   Owen Hart
  1  0  0    5   New Rockers
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness
  1  0  0    5   Isaac Yankem DDS
  1  0  0    5   Bob Orton Jr.
  0  1  1    5   Leif Cassidy
  0  1  1    5   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   Sonny Onoo
  0  1  0    3   Raven
  0  1  0    3   Nick Patrick
  0  1  0    3   Meng
  0  1  0    3   Masahiro Chono
  0  1  0    3   Killer
  0  1  0    3   Jean-Pierre Lafitte
  0  1  0    3   Eric Bishoff
  0  1  0    3   Col. Rob Parker
  0  1  0    3   Alan Scharp
  0  0  1    2   Zodiac
  0  0  1    2   Smoking Gunns
  0  0  1    2   Road Block
  0  0  1    2   Mankind
  0  0  1    2   Diesel #2
  0  0  1    2   D-Von Dudley
  0  0  1    2   Clarence Mason

JAMES FABIANO:  Oh sure, we're really supposed to accept a plumber as a
badass.  I don't think so.  Wallstreet was a perfect foil to old Hacksaw
becuase no one gave a damn about him.  And Roadblock just sucks and got no
reaction.

MIKE LOREFICE: The idea of a heel is to be booed and draw heat.  Nash and
Hall are cheered and despite bringing bats and powerbombing a top executive
through a table draw no heat.  The defeat there own purpose.  Elizabeth gets
third because she has no presence.  I can't tell if she is a face or a heel,
so she isn't doing her job.  When WCW gave her a good heel spot she couldn't
get the handcuffs on and it was a complete disgrace.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Babyface

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose casting as a good guy just didn't work well.
Maybe there was just no face heat drawn or maybe the fans actually booed
this person, but for whatever reason the face image just didn't get over.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Dusty Rhodes
  1991: P.N. News
  1992: Sid Justice
  1993: Lex Luger
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: John Tenta (Shark)

93 first place votes
86 second place votes
80 third place votes

  9  7  4   74   John Tenta
  7  6  8   69   Lex Luger
 10  4  2   66   Hulk Hogan
  8  4  7   66   Booty Man
  5  5  5   50   Sycho Sid
  8  1  2   47   Shawn Michaels
  6  5  1   47   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  5  4  3   43   Glacier
  1  8  6   41   Renegade
  4  2  3   32   Ahmed Johnson
  3  4  2   31   Savio Vega
  2  2  4   24   Stalker
  3  0  3   21   Jeff Jarrett
  3  1  1   20   BodyDonnas
  0  4  2   16   American Males
  1  2  2   15   Bob Holly
  1  2  1   13   Mark Henry
  1  2  1   13   Freddie Joe Floyd
  0  4  0   12   Undertaker
  1  1  1   10   Jim Powers
  1  0  2    9   Ice Train
  0  3  0    9   Chris Jericho
  1  1  0    8   Yokozuna
  1  1  0    8   Aldo Montoya
  1  0  1    7   Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  1  0  1    7   Giant
  1  0  1    7   Eddie Guerrero
  1  0  1    7   Duke Droese
  0  1  2    7   Phineas I. Godwinn
  0  2  0    6   Joe Gomez
  0  2  0    6   Bret Hart
  1  0  0    5   Public Enemy
  1  0  0    5   Marc Mero
  1  0  0    5   Madusa
  1  0  0    5   Godwinns
  1  0  0    5   Billy Gunn
  1  0  0    5   Alex Porteau
  0  1  1    5   Scotty Riggs
  0  1  1    5   Jake Roberts
  0  1  1    5   Barry Windham
  0  0  2    4   Zip
  0  1  0    3   Sgt. Slaughter
  0  1  0    3   Ric Flair
  0  1  0    3   Chris Candido
  0  1  0    3   Bobby Eaton
  0  1  0    3   1-2-3 Kid
  0  0  1    2   Sting
  0  0  1    2   Sandman
  0  0  1    2   Rocco Rock
  0  0  1    2   Justin Hawk Bradshaw
  0  0  1    2   Henry O. Godwinn
  0  0  1    2   Big Bubba
  0  0  1    2   Bart Gunn
  0  0  1    2   Amhed Johnson
  0  0  1    2   Alex Wright
REJECTED
  1  0  0        WCW (I can see where you're going, but too general)
  1  0  0        Anyone in the Mighty Teddy Long Stable (funny, but too general)

MIKE LOREFICE: John Tenta gets no reaction.  There is total apathy even when
he is getting half his beard shaved.  American Males are hated by every guy.
I don't think that dreadful theme song helps them any.  Renegade is just a
bad Ultimate Warrior immitation gone awry.

BO WHITE: Booty Man as a face - what face? (sorry, kind of cruel)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Worker

Award Description:

To be given to the name wrestler whose workrate is so low it's barely
measureable.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Junkyard Dog
  1991: Andre The Giant
  1992: Nailz
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

93 first place votes
89 second place votes
85 third place votes

 30 16 12  222   Hulk Hogan
 18  2  1   98   Loch Ness
 10  7 11   93   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  8  9 12   91   Ultimate Warrior
  6 12  8   82   Sycho Sid
  3  7  3   42   Yokozuna
  3  2  3   27   Lex Luger
  4  2  0   26   Steve McMichael
  2  2  3   22   Jerry Lawler
  1  4  2   21   Mark Henry
  1  2  3   17   Big Bubba Rogers
  0  3  3   15   Renegade
  0  3  2   13   Giant
  1  2  0   11   John Tenta
  1  1  1   10   Jake Roberts
  1  0  2    9   Kevin Sullivan
  0  2  0    6   Savio Vega
  0  2  0    6   Ron Studd
  0  2  0    6   D-Von Dudley
  0  0  3    6   Phineas I. Godwinn
  0  0  3    6   Joe Gomez
  1  0  0    5   Undertaker
  1  0  0    5   Scott Norton
  1  0  0    5   Jeff Jarrett
  1  0  0    5   Godwinn Family
  0  1  1    5   T.L. Hopper
  0  1  1    5   Sandman
  0  1  0    3   Ric Flair
  0  1  0    3   Razor Ramon #2
  0  1  0    3   Masahiro Chono
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Nash
  0  1  0    3   Booty Man
  0  1  0    3   Bob Holly
  0  1  0    3   Aldo Montoya
  0  0  1    2   Vincent
  0  0  1    2   Vader
  0  0  1    2   Stalker
  0  0  1    2   Roddy Piper
  0  0  1    2   Road Block
  0  0  1    2   Randy Savage
  0  0  1    2   Mustafa Saed
  0  0  1    2   Jim Powers
  0  0  1    2   Goon
  0  0  1    2   Goldust
  0  0  1    2   Giant Baba
  0  0  1    2   Faarooq

MIKE LOREFICE: Loch Ness is just the worst plain and simple.  Sid doesn't
even work.  He doesn't take bumps or sell.  He barely even moves.  His
opponent has to run into his arm so he can do a clothesline.  He is a
complete joke.  He was 1000 times better as Lord Humungous than he is now
and he was greeen and bad then.  Giant Baba is completely disgracing
himself.  He can work against three of the elite in Kobashi, Misawa, and
Akiyama and still look worse than horrible.

BO WHITE: The Warrior has no energy to work once he is in the ring.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Least Favourite Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler you like the least, regardless of the reason.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Hulk Hogan
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

95 first place votes
91 second place votes
85 third place votes

 39 17  6  258   Hulk Hogan
  7 13  5   84   Jim Duggan
  4  9  2   51   Ultimate Warrior
  5  4  0   37   Savio Vega
  3  2  8   37   Steve McMichael
  3  4  1   29   Sycho Sid
  2  3  5   29   Kevin Sullivan
  4  1  2   27   Glacier
  2  3  4   27   Lex Luger
  3  2  1   23   Shawn Michaels
  1  3  4   22   Undertaker
  1  4  1   19   Faarooq
  1  1  4   16   John Tenta
  2  0  2   14   Shane Douglas
  1  2  1   13   Jerry Lawler
  2  0  1   12   Bret Hart
  1  1  2   12   Diamond Dallas Page
  1  2  0   11   American Males
  1  1  1   10   Ric Flair
  1  1  1   10   Godwinn Family
  1  0  2    9   Yokozuna
  1  0  2    9   Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  1  0  2    9   Loch Ness
  1  0  2    9   Goldust
  0  1  3    9   Renegade
  1  1  0    8   Mankind
  1  0  1    7   M. (V.K.) Wallstreet
  0  1  2    7   Bob Holly
  0  2  0    6   Eddie Guerrero
  1  0  0    5   Tommy Dreamer
  1  0  0    5   Steve Austin
  1  0  0    5   Justin Bradshaw
  1  0  0    5   Jim Powers
  1  0  0    5   Aldo Montoya
  0  1  1    5   Randy Savage
  0  1  1    5   Marc Mero
  0  1  1    5   Ice Train
  0  0  2    4   Marty Jannetty
  0  1  0    3   Vincent
  0  1  0    3   New Jack
  0  1  0    3   Mark Henry
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Nash
  0  1  0    3   Giant
  0  1  0    3   Dungeon of Doom
  0  1  0    3   Craig Pittman
  0  1  0    3   Booty Man
  0  1  0    3   Blacktop Bully
  0  1  0    3   Barbarian
  0  0  1    2   Steven Regal
  0  0  1    2   Stalker
  0  0  1    2   Scotty Riggs
  0  0  1    2   Scott Hall
  0  0  1    2   Sandman
  0  0  1    2   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  0  1    2   Razor Ramon #2
  0  0  1    2   Raven
  0  0  1    2   Owen Hart
  0  0  1    2   Meng
  0  0  1    2   Joe Gomez
  0  0  1    2   Jim Duggan
  0  0  1    2   Jeff Jarrett
  0  0  1    2   Brad Armstrong
  0  0  1    2   Big Bubba
  0  0  1    2   Arn Anderson

BO WHITE: Flair is my favorite, so obviously, I HATE HOGAN!  I would hate
him even if there was no Flair. And Hogan can take Ed Leslie, because I can
not stand that guy either.  What would Leslie be doing if he wasn't kissing
Hogan's butt?

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  I think if Hogan wins, next year I'll name
this the "Hulk Hogan Least Favourite Wrestler Award..." or maybe not.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Deteriorated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose skill has deteriorated the most over the
past year. This person should be a shadow of his/her former self.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Dusty Rhodes
  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Hulk Hogan
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Hulk Hogan

92 first place votes
88 second place votes
83 third place votes

 17 10  6  127   Hulk Hogan
 13 13  4  112   Jake Roberts
 13  8  6  101   Ric Flair
  9  4  5   67   Vader
  5  5  5   50   Stalker (Barry Windham)
  5  4  2   41   Randy Savage
  5  2  2   35   Booty Man
  3  4  4   35   Ultimate Warrior
  3  3  2   28   Sycho Sid
  2  4  3   28   Lex Luger
  1  5  4   28   Greg Valentine
  0  5  2   19   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  2  1  2   17   Marty Jannetty
  0  3  4   17   Public Enemy
  3  0  0   15   Yokozuna
  2  1  1   15   Brian Pillman
  1  2  2   15   M. (V.K.) Wallstreet
  2  0  1   12   Faarooq (Ron Simmons)
  0  1  4   11   Road Warriors
  0  3  0    9   Syxx (1-2-3 Kid)
  0  1  3    9   Bobby Eaton
  1  0  1    7   Stan Hansen
  1  0  1    7   Norio Honaga
  1  0  1    7   Jerry Lawler
  1  0  1    7   Hercules
  0  0  3    6   Tommy Rich
  1  0  0    5   Tito Santana
  1  0  0    5   Leif Cassidy (Al Snow/Avatar/Shinobi)
  0  1  1    5   Roddy Piper
  0  0  2    4   Sting
  0  0  2    4   Scott Hall
  0  0  2    4   Kevin Sullivan
  0  0  2    4   Arn Anderson
  0  1  0    3   Road Warrior Hawk
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Nash
  0  1  0    3   J.L. (Jerry Lynn)
  0  1  0    3   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   Eddie Guerrero
  0  1  0    3   Big Bubba
  0  1  0    3   Al Snow
  0  0  1    2   Shawn Michaels
  0  0  1    2   Rock & Roll Express
  0  0  1    2   Jushin Liger
  0  0  1    2   Alex Wright
REJECTED
  0  1  1        AWF wrestlers (a little too general)

JAMES FABIANO:  Jake Roberts seems to have caught the Randy Savage Syndrome.
His only modus operandi is to get his ass kicked the whole match, throw a
few weak punches, then hit the DDT for the win.

MIKE LOREFICE: I used to be a huge Norio Honaga fan and he used to be one of
the best.  Now he is all injured up and even Liger, who was his best
opponent, is hard pressed to have a good match with him.  Sid was always
horrible, but he is setting new standards for awful.   Public Enemy were the
great myth of 1995.  I never thought Grunge was any good, but I did thing
Rocco was decent.  I knew they would be bad in WCW because all their
weaknesses would be exposed.  Despite there limitations they did have a lot
of good matches in 1995, but really none this year.  I thought Hansen was
crap last year, so he didn't get that much worse.  I don't see how you can
vote for Dynamite because he didn't wrestle last year and only worked one
match this year.  He was too great a wrestler to be disgraced by this award.
Barry Windham was the best working big man in America at one point.  Now he
not only looks like his father, but he works like his father.  I didn't vote
for him because like Dynamite he wasn't active in 95.

BRIAN LUTZ: I avoided the "most deteriorated" category, because in some of
the cases (read Dynamite Kid), I feel terrible pointing that fact out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Underrated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the person whose ability merits a far greater push than the
person receives. There may be many such people, but the winner of this award
should have the most ability with least push.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Terry Taylor
  1991: Cactus Jack
  1992: Owen Hart
  1993: Chris Benoit
  1994: 1-2-3 Kid
  1995: Barry Horowitz

**1996**: Owen Hart

96 first place votes
91 second place votes
91 third place votes

  5  8  3   55   Owen Hart
  7  3  5   54   Billy Kidman
  4  6  5   48   Diamond Dallas Page
  6  3  3   45   Leif Cassidy
  3  1  8   34   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  2  6  3   34   Jerry Lynn
  6  1  0   33   Dean Malenko
  4  3  2   33   Marc Mero
  4  1  2   27   Justin Bradshaw
  2  3  4   27   Chris Candido
  2  4  2   26   Savio Vega
  2  4  2   26   Hugh Morrus
  4  1  1   25   Arn Anderson
  3  1  3   24   Juventud Guerrera
  3  1  1   20   Billy Gunn
  2  2  2   20   Chris Jericho
  2  3  0   19   Davey Boy Smith
  2  1  3   19   Lord Steven Regal
  3  1  0   18   Disco Inferno
  3  1  0   18   Barbarian
  2  1  2   17   Alex Wright
  2  1  1   15   Eddie Guerrero
  0  3  3   15   Salvatore Sincere
  0  3  3   15   Chris Benoit
  0  4  0   12   Stevie Richards
  1  2  0   11   Ahmed Johnson
  2  0  0   10   Yugi Nagata
  2  0  0   10   Shane Douglas
  1  1  1   10   Mikey Whipwreck
  1  1  1   10   2 Cold Scorpio
  0  2  2   10   Bob Holly
  1  0  2    9   Marty Jannetty
  1  1  0    8   Psychosis
  0  2  1    8   Steve Austin
  0  2  1    8   Sgt. Craig Pittman
  1  0  1    7   Steve McMichael
  1  0  1    7   Louie Spicolli
  1  0  1    7   Lex Luger
  1  0  1    7   Jeff Jarrett
  1  0  1    7   Dan Kroffat
  0  1  2    7   Rob Van Dam
  1  0  0    5   Undertaker
  1  0  0    5   Skip
  1  0  0    5   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  1  0  0    5   Mike Enos
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness
  1  0  0    5   Kevin Nash
  1  0  0    5   Goldust
  1  0  0    5   Faces of Fear
  1  0  0    5   Brian Christopher
  0  1  1    5   Perry Saturn
  0  1  1    5   Devon Storm
  0  1  1    5   Bobby Walker
  0  0  2    4   Masahito Kakihara
  0  0  2    4   Diesel #2
  0  1  0    3   Yuji Yasuraoka
  0  1  0    3   Shinjiro Otani
  0  1  0    3   Koji Kanemoto
  0  1  0    3   Hikari Fukuoka
  0  1  0    3   Hakushi
  0  1  0    3   Goon
  0  1  0    3   Fatu
  0  1  0    3   Brad Armstrong
  0  1  0    3   Bobby Eaton
  0  1  0    3   Alex Porteau
  0  0  1    2   Taka Michinoku
  0  0  1    2   Sting
  0  0  1    2   Squire David Taylor
  0  0  1    2   Sabu
  0  0  1    2   Public Enemy
  0  0  1    2   Pitbull #2
  0  0  1    2   Marcus Alexander Bagwell
  0  0  1    2   Konan
  0  0  1    2   Jun Akiyama
  0  0  1    2   Hayabusa
  0  0  1    2   Duke Droese

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": Where *did* Mero learn the Shooting Star?!

MIKE LOREFICE: Dan Kroffat is a perenial on this list.  He is one of the
great workers, yet he has less push than last year.  He was wasted in AJ
then jobbed out.  Any promotion would be improved if they let him write
their finishes.  J.L. has been really good for quite some time, but another
year has gone by without a U.S. promoter realizing it.  Masahito Kakihara
should have become a superstar this year.  He certainly has the ability.
His kicks are among the fastest anywhere.  He has super charisma.
Unfortunately that conceited piece of shit Choshu decided to feed his ego
and kill all Kakihara's credibility in one fail swoop.  If anyone was
deserving of a shoot kick Choshu was during that match.  No selling for a
shooter, what a joke!

RICK SCAIA: I cannot imagine that there is -- anywhere in the world -- a
wrestler as completely underrated and underutilized as Lief Cassidy.  As Al
Snow, he was an indie circuit phenomenon, wowing the tough ECW Arena crowd
(and providing me with the best pure wrestling match I ever witness live and
in person vs. Chris Benoit), and then getting major league heat with his
interviews and charisma from the totally different crowd down in Smokey
Mountain Wrestling.  And now in the WWF, he neither shines as a performer,
nor as a character; if they'd review the tape from 1995, Titan would
discover they've got a gold mine on their hands.  And I think it's about
damn time they started prospecting. Lief Cassidy may or may not be the
gimmick that makes him a mega-star, but Al Snow is gonna amount to more than
one half of a mid-card jobber tag team if there is *any* justice in the
world.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  Hugh Morrus rules!  And hopefully, I won't
have to vote for Leif Cassidy next year in this category.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestling Gimmick

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who had the worst character gimmick in the past
year.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Mike Rotundo as Irwin R. Shyster
  1992: Papa Shango's voodoo
  1993: Doink the Clown
  1994: Doink the Clown
  1995: Dungeon of Doom

**1996**: The Leprechaun

93 first place votes
92 second place votes
87 third place votes

 14 13  5  119   Braun the Leprechaun
 15  8  3  105   Cloudy
  6 11  7   77   T.L. Hopper
  9  5  4   68   Glacier
  6  4  3   48   Diesel #2 & Razor Ramon #2
  4  4  7   46   Booty Man
  4  5  5   45   Konan as an East LA gang member
  3  2  5   31   Faarooq Asaad
  2  1  9   31   Yeti
  3  4  0   27   Goldust
  2  4  2   26   Xanta Klauz
  4  0  1   22   Dudleys
  2  2  3   22   Dungeon of Doom
  0  4  3   18   Stalker
  2  1  2   17   Mankind
  1  2  2   15   Who
  0  3  3   15   NWO Sting
  1  2  0   11   American Males
  2  0  0   10   Undertaker
  2  0  0   10   Hulk Hogan
  2  0  0   10   Doink
  1  1  1   10   Sultan
  0  2  2   10   Goon
  1  0  2    9   Godwinn Family
  1  1  0    8   V.K. Wallstreet
  0  2  0    6   Bob Holly
  0  0  3    6   Salvatore Sincere
  1  0  0    5   Syxx
  1  0  0    5   Sunny
  1  0  0    5   Sting as the Crow
  1  0  0    5   NWO
  1  0  0    5   Loch Ness Monster
  1  0  0    5   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  0  1  1    5   Leif Cassidy / New Rockers as Dorks
  0  1  1    5   Freddie Joe Floyd
  0  1  1    5   Final Solution
  0  1  0    3   Lex Luger
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Kelly
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Greene wrestling
  0  1  0    3   Jimmy Grafitti
  0  1  0    3   Duke Droese
  0  1  0    3   Double J Jesse Jammes
  0  1  0    3   Bill Alfonso
  0  1  0    3   Aldo Montoya
  0  0  1    2   Stevie Richards
  0  0  1    2   Steve McMichael as a horseman
  0  0  1    2   Shiek
  0  0  1    2   Road Block
  0  0  1    2   Ring Master
  0  0  1    2   My Flowers
  0  0  1    2   Jack Boot
  0  0  1    2   Issac Yankem DDS
  0  0  1    2   Hardwork Bobby Walker
  0  0  1    2   Disco Inferno
  0  0  1    2   Big Bubba the Harley Rider
REJECTED (out of timeframe)
  0  0  1        Pillman-Austin Shoot-out

JAMES FABIANO:  Congratulations, Vince, your hard work paid off!

MIKE LOREFICE: Another category chock full of scrubs to choose from.  Cloudy
certainly makes you embarrased to be a wrestling fan.  Buddy Lee Parker
proved he had no self respect with the Leprechaun.  My Flowers has to stay
on my list from reputation despite the fact I haven't seen it this year.  He
is certainly worse than Goldust because at least Goldust's buns are covered.
Yetti is Prince Kharis with a Gobbledy Gooker debut, but not quite bad
enough.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Wrestling Move

Award Description:

To be given to the move that is the worst thing you've seen this year. This
shouldn't be given to a move that was flubbed by a wrestler - the move was
performed correctly, but was just too stupid for words. This move should
probably be a "finishing" move or something that was meant to be
spectacular.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1991: Hulk Hogan's leg drop
  1992: Crush's Compactor head-vise
  1993: Crush's Compactor head-vise
  1994: Hulk Hogan's leg-drop
  1995: Hulk Hogan's leg-drop

**1996**: Hacksaw Jim Duggan's taped fist

88 first place votes
84 second place votes
81 third place votes

 19 15 13  166   Hacksaw Jim Duggan's Taped Fist
 23  8 12  163   Hulk Hogan's Legdrop
  5  7  6   58   Bushwackers' Battering Ram
  7  5  2   54   Mankind's Mandible Claw
  4  6  8   54   Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music superkick
  3  2  8   37   Kevin Sullivan's Double Stomp
  5  2  2   35   Crush's Heart Punch
  0  7  3   27   Hacksaw Jim Duggan's Three Point Stance clothesline
  3  1  2   22   Goldust's Curtain Call
  2  1  2   17   Godwinns' Slop Drop
  2  0  2   14   Vader's Vaderbomb second rope splash
  1  2  1   13   Goon's Cross Check
  1  2  1   13   Blacktop Bully's Breaker 1-9 armbar
  1  1  1   10   Kevin Sullivan's Tree of Woe
  1  1  0    8   Sycho Sid's Chokeslam
  1  1  0    8   Shawn Michaels' Skinning the Cat
  1  1  0    8   Booty Man's High Knee
  0  2  0    6   Loch Ness' Elbow Drop
  1  0  0    5   Randy Savage's double axehandle from the top rope to the floor
  1  0  0    5   Jesse Jammes' crotch slam
  1  0  0    5   Hunter Hearst Helmsley's pedigree
  1  0  0    5   Hulk Hogan's Figure Four leglock
  0  1  1    5   Steve McMichael's Bodyslam
  0  1  1    5   Eddie Guerrero's Jackknife Frog Splash
  0  0  2    4   Sultan's Camel Clutch
  0  0  2    4   Standing Side Headlock
  0  1  0    3   Yokozuna's Banzai drop
  0  1  0    3   Ultimate Warrior's Gorilla Press
  0  1  0    3   Ultimate Warrior's Flying Shoulder Tackle
  0  1  0    3   Sycho Sid's Powerbomb
  0  1  0    3   Randy Savage's Elbowdrop
  0  1  0    3   Madusa's German suplex
  0  1  0    3   M. Wallstreet's Stock Market Crash Samoan drop
  0  1  0    3   Justin Bradshaw's Lariat
  0  1  0    3   Jake Roberts' DDT
  0  1  0    3   Hulk Hogan's Lariat
  0  0  1    2   Shark's Shark Attack
  0  0  1    2   Shane Douglas' belly to belly suplex
  0  0  1    2   Savio Vega's Super-Kwang Spinning Wheel Kick
  0  0  1    2   Lex Luger's Torture Rack
  0  0  1    2   Johnny B. Badd's Tutti Frutti punch to the face
  0  0  1    2   Hacksaw Jim Duggan's Shoulderblock
  0  0  1    2   Ahmed Johnson's Pearl River Plunge powerbomb
REJECTED (No wrestler named)
  2  1  1        Choke
  1  1  1        Chokeslam
  1  0  2        Camel Clutch
  0  2  0        Powerbomb
  1  0  0        Spinning Toehold
  1  0  0        Hurracanrana
  1  0  0        Atomic Legdrop
  0  1  0        anything by Steve McMichaels (OK, no MOVE named then)
  0  1  0        Power Slam
  0  1  0        Gorilla Press Slam
  0  1  0        Flying elbowdrop
  0  1  0        Eye Gouge
  0  1  0        Double Dropkick
  0  1  0        Armbar
  0  0  1        Vertical suplex
  0  0  1        Super Kick
  0  0  1        Sleeperhold
  0  0  1        Body Slam
(It's very unfortunate that people couldn't put a wrestler's name with these
generic moves...especialy with the vote so close in this category - CRZ)

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": Now I have to watch Cactus Jack stick his middle finger
at me? I know he loves it, but I don't really have to watch this, do I?

MIKE LOREFICE: Duggan's taped fist is so stupid.  Tape makes no difference
on the effect of the blow, so the gimmick is senseless.  Bushwhackers
battering ram severly lacks in credibility as well.  Hogan's leg drop isn't
the worst move, but the fact that he breaks everyone's finisher and then one
leg drop and you are done warrants it's inclusion.

BO WHITE: I think anything Jim Duggan does should be the winner of this
category.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: I was really happy to see Crush back in the WWF
so I would be able to once again vote for the heart punch.  Too bad he lost
out to the dreaded taped fist.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Match

Award Description:

To be given to the worst wrestling match you've seen this year, either live,
on TV, PPV, or in an arena, or on tape. If it took place in the past year,
it is eligible.

Previous Winners:

  1990: 06/13/90: Ric Flair vs. Junkyard Dog (CoC XI)
  1991: 05/19/91: El Gigante vs. Sid Vicious (SuperBrawl)
  1992: 01/18/92: Beverly Brothers vs. Bushwhackers (Royal Rumble)
  1993: 04/04/93: Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (WrestleMania IX)
  1994: 09/18/94: Jim Duggan vs. Steve Austin, Fall Brawl
  1995: 03/19/95: Hulk Hogan vs. Vader (Uncensored)

**1996**: 03/24/96: Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair & Arn Anderson &
                    Lex Luger & Kevin Sullivan & Meng & Barbarian & Ze Gangsta
                    & Ultimate Solution (Doomsday Triple Cage of Doom Match)

82 first place votes
73 second place votes
68 third place votes

 23  6  2  137   03/24/96 Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage v. Arn Anderson & Ric Flair & Lex Luger & Meng & Barbarian & Kevin Sullivan & Z Gangsta & Ultimate Solution (Doomsday Triple Cage of Doom Match)
  9  5  4   68   07/07/96 Big Bubba v. John Tenta (Carson City Silver Dollar Match)
  4  5  5   45   09/22/96 Jim Cornette v. Jose Lothario
  4  8  0   44   03/31/96 Ultimate Warrior v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  6  1  5   43   02/18/96 Razor Ramon v. 1-2-3 Kid (Cry Baby Match)
  2  7  3   37   04/28/96 Goldust v. Ultimate Warrior
  2  2  7   30   08/10/96 Giant v. Hulk Hogan
  2  2  3   22   09/  /96 Syxx v. Jim Duggan
  1  3  4   22   03/24/96 Giant v. Loch Ness
  3  2  0   21   10/27/96 Hulk Hogan v. Randy Savage
  2  3  1   21   08/10/96 Big Bubba v. John Tenta
  2  1  3   19   08/15/96 Hulk Hogan v. Ric Flair
  3  0  1   17   03/31/96 Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
  2  0  0   10            Zebekiah v. Freddie Joe Floyd (Floyd wins 3 falls)
  2  0  0   10   08/18/96 Jerry Lawler v. Jake Roberts
  1  1  0    8   01/10/96 One Man Gang v. Super Giant Ninja
  0  2  0    6   06/23/96 Ultimate Warrior v. Jerry Lawler
  1  0  0    5            Undertaker v. Mankind
  1  0  0    5            Steve Austin v. Savio Vega strap match
  1  0  0    5            Aldo Montoya v. anyone
  1  0  0    5   09/22/96 Mark Henry v. Jerry Lawler
  1  0  0    5   08/18/96 Undertaker v. Mankind (Boiler Room Brawl)
  1  0  0    5   08/10/96 Sting & Lex Luger v. Outsiders
  1  0  0    5   07/22/96 Jim Powers & Alex Wright & Joe Gomez & Renegade v. Kevin Sullivan & Hugh Morrus & Barbarian & Leprechaun
  0  1  1    5   10/20/96 Sycho Sid v. Vader
  0  1  1    5   09/28/96 Hercules v. Charlie Norris
  0  1  1    5   05/26/96 Shawn Michaels v. Davey Boy Smith
  0  0  2    4            Jim Duggan v. Diamond Dallas Page (Taped Fist Match)
  0  0  2    4            Ice Train v. Scott Norton
  0  0  2    4   08/18/96 Godwinn Family v. New Rockers v. Smoking Gunns v. New & Improved Rockers
  0  1  0    3            Brian Pillman v. Kevin Sullivan
  0  1  0    3   11/27/95 Sixty man battle royal
  0  1  0    3   10/20/96 Undertaker v. Mankind (Buried Alive Match)
  0  1  0    3   09/15/96 Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Lex Luger & Sting v. Hulk Hogan & Scott Hall & Kevin Nash & NWO Sting (War Games)
  0  1  0    3   08/18/96 Godwinns v. New Rockers
  0  1  0    3   08/15/96 Eddie Guerrero v. Diamond Dallas Page
  0  1  0    3   07/07/96 Steve McMichaels v. Joe Gomez
  0  1  0    3   07/07/96 Ric Flair v. Konnan
  0  1  0    3   07/07/96 Nasty Boys v. Public Enemy
  0  1  0    3   05/26/96 Vader v. Yokozuna
  0  1  0    3   05/26/96 Smoking Gunns v. Godwinns
  0  1  0    3   01/22/96 One Man Gang v. Hulk Hogan
  0  0  1    2            Raven v. Terry Gordy
  0  0  1    2            Raven v. Sandman - CyberSlam
  0  0  1    2   RAW      Vader v. Yokozuna
  0  0  1    2   Pro      Renegade v. Gambler
  0  0  1    2   MainEven Glacier v. Gambler
  0  0  1    2            Jake Roberts v. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  0  1    2            Goldust v. Savio Vega
  0  0  1    2            Giant v. Shark
  0  0  1    2            Giant v. Lex Luger
  0  0  1    2            Col. Parker v. Medusa
  0  0  1    2   08/15/96 Chris Benoit v. Giant
  0  0  1    2   06/23/96 Vader v. Jake Roberts
  0  0  1    2   06/09/96 El Gato v. Kurasawa
  0  0  1    2   06/01/96 Chris Benoit v. Alex Wright
  0  0  1    2   05/28/96 Vader v. Yokozuna
  0  0  1    2   05/28/96 Steve Austin v. Savio Vega strap match
  0  0  1    2   04/29/96 Ultimate Warrior v. Isaac Yankem DDS
  0  0  1    2   03/31/96 Godwinns v. BodyDonnas
  0  0  1    2   02/11/96 Brian Pillman v. Kevin Sullivan (Respect Match)
REJECTED
  3  2  0        Any Hulk Hogan match
  1  4  1        Any Jim Duggan v. V.K. Wallstreet match
  1  0  1        Any Jim Duggan match
  0  2  0        Big Bubba v. John Tenta (which one?)
  1  0  0        Any Carribean Strap Match with Savio Vega
  1  0  0        Any Big Bubba v. Hacksaw Duggan match
  0  1  0        Ahmed Johnson v. Bret Hart (nonexistent match?)
  0  1  0        Any Steve McMichaels match

(Well, I blew it on the nominations - I had Loch Ness in the Triple Cage of
Doom match, when he wasn't - he was facing the Giant that night [and I had
THAT match as a Nitro match!  No wonder no one knew the date on it. ;-)]  I
have since found that I probably meant to say "Kevin Sullivan" along with
all the people that made it the winner.  Also, the fifth place winner might
not have received all those votes - I gave a couple of "Giant v. Hogan" votes
to that one even though they may have meant the SuperBrawl cage match...but
I doubt anyone remembered that one [except for the Loch Ness run in of
course]- CRZ)

BO WHITE: The triple cage match of doom was arguably the worst match ever -
totally unrealistic, with mostly horrible wrestlers, while pushing two
washed up losers.

RICK SCAIA: Can there be any doubt that there has never been an idea any
more ill-conceived or poorly executed in the history of wrestling than the
"Doomsday Triple Cage Match" that pitted Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage against
8 other guys?  It still amazes me to this day that this match was even
proposed, much less actually placed as a main event to a PPV.  It also
amazes how poor the actual match itself was. If there was a "Worst Match of
the Century," this might get my #1 vote.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  It's really too bad I forgot to nominate my
number one choice, because I think more people would have voted for it.  The
Nitro 8-man between Jim Powers, Joe Gomez, Alex Wright and Renegade
vs. Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, Barbarian and the debuting Leprechaun just has so
many things wrong with it - it's a great example of how bad WCW can be.
From the dreadful video package of the four 'young studs' which served
absolutely NO purpose, to the break in the action to show us Hall & Nash
walking around, to the lame no-finish.  Whew, I need to see it again.  Who's
got it on tape?  Also, I really wish I'd seen Gambler v. Glacier so I could
vote for it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Feud

Award Description:

To be given to the feud that nobody cared about at all this year. When they
were pushing the feud on TV, you'd go to the fridge for a snack.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake
  1991: Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter
  1992: Ultimate Warrior vs. Papa Shango
  1993: The Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
  1995: Hulk Hogan vs. Dungeon of Doom

**1996**: Big Bubba vs. John Tenta

87 first place votes
82 second place votes
80 third place votes

 15 10  7  119   Big Bubba v. John Tenta
  7  9  6   74   Hacksaw Jim Duggan v. V.K. Wallstreet
 10  2  3   62   Hulk Hogan v. Dungeon of Doom
  7  1  4   46   Sunny v. Cloudy
  6  4  0   42   NWO v. WCW
  2  7  4   39   Col. Robert Parker v. Madusa
  3  3  4   32   Jerry Lawler v. Jake Roberts
  3  2  4   29   Jim Cornette v. Jose Lothario
  2  4  2   26   Savio Vega v. Steve Austin
  2  2  4   24   Ice Train v. Scott Norton
  2  2  3   22   Godwinns v. Sunny
  1  4  1   19   Dungeon of Doom v. Four Horsemen
  2  2  1   18   Freddie Joe Floyd v. Justin Bradshaw & Zebekiah
  2  1  1   15   Vince McMahon v. Eric Bischoff
  1  2  2   15   Shawn Michaels v. Davey Boy Smith
  2  0  1   12   Undertaker v. Mankind
  0  2  3   12   Loch Ness v. Giant
  1  0  3   11   WWF Tag Team Division
  1  1  1   10   Savio Vega v. Justin Bradshaw
  1  1  1   10   Disco Inferno v. Dean Malenko
  0  2  2   10   Diamond Dallas Page v. Guerreros
  0  3  0    9   Jerry Lawler v. Mark Henry
  0  1  3    9   T.L. Hopper v. Duke Droese
  1  1  0    8   Shawn Michaels v. Vader
  1  1  0    8   Godwinn Family v. Smoking Gunns
  1  0  1    7   John Tenta v. Dungeon of Doom
  1  0  1    7   Hacksaw Jim Duggan v. Anyone
  1  0  1    7   Dudleys v. D-Von Dudley
  0  1  2    7   Vader v. Yokozuna
  0  1  2    7   Nick Patrick v. Teddy Long
  0  2  0    6   Goldust v. Undertaker
  1  0  0    5   Ultimate Warrior v. Vader
  1  0  0    5   Ric Flair v. Konnan
  1  0  0    5   Randy Savage v. Hulk Hogan
  1  0  0    5   NWO v. Elizabeth
  1  0  0    5   Kevin Sullivan v. Chris Benoit
  1  0  0    5   Hulk Hogan v. Roddy Piper
  1  0  0    5   Goldust v. Stalker
  1  0  0    5   Goldust v. Roddy Piper
  1  0  0    5   Goldust v. Razor Ramon
  1  0  0    5   Four Horsemen v. Lex Luger
  1  0  0    5   Camp Cornette v. Shawn Michaels
  1  0  0    5   Any WWF feud of the past year
  0  1  1    5   Hulk Hogan v. Randy Savage
  0  0  2    4   Hulk Hogan v. Giant
  0  1  0    3   Sycho Sid v. Vader
  0  1  0    3   Steven Regal v. Belfast Bruiser
  0  1  0    3   Steve Austin v. Brian Pillman
  0  1  0    3   Sandman v. Raven
  0  1  0    3   Road Warriors v. Lex Luger & Sting
  0  1  0    3   Mandkind v. Undertaker
  0  1  0    3   Madusa v. Bull Nakano
  0  1  0    3   Jose Lothario v. Jim Cornette
  0  1  0    3   Goldust v. Ahmed Johnson
  0  1  0    3   Diamond Dallas Page v. Johnny B. Badd
  0  0  1    2   Ultimate Warrior v. Jerry Lawler
  0  0  1    2   Taz v. Paul Varelans
  0  0  1    2   Public Enemy v. Nasty Boys
  0  0  1    2   One Man Gang v. Konan
  0  0  1    2   New Japan v. UWFi
  0  0  1    2   Jim Cornette v. Shawn Michaels
  0  0  1    2   Jeff Jarrett v. Giant
  0  0  1    2   Gangstas v. Samoan Gangsta Party
  0  0  1    2   Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels
  0  0  1    2   Ahmed Johnson v. Jeff Jarrett

JAMES FABIANO:  Show me someone who cares about Bubba vs. Tenta or
Wallstreet vs. Duggan and I'll show you a moron.  And Roberts vs. Lawler
produced NO watchable matches, but did produce an unfunny angle about
alcoholism.

MIKE LOREFICE: Thankfully Sunny vs. Cloudy was nipped in the bud.  Tenta
vs. Bubba got no reaction because no one cared about either.  NJ vs. UWF-I
will be disputed because it did great at the box ofFICE:.  I vote for it
because it killed UWF-I.  It ruined UWF-I's credibility and their drawing
power.  They couldn't draw flies after this and were basically a joke.  Now
it looks like they are gone for good.  Success is a matter of opinion and 2
Tokyo Dome sellouts don't make up for a ruined promotion in my book.

BO WHITE: If I see one more Ice Train and Norton match I am going to scream!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Disappointing News item

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestling news item that most disappointed you when heard
of it. When you first learned of this news story, you couldn't believe that
it was true, and when you learned that it was, you were bummed out for a
while.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Scott Steiner gets injured
  1992: Legion of Doom: Hawk & Animal split up
  1993: WWF brings Hulk Hogan back and gives him the title
  1994: WCW signs Hulk Hogan and makes him World champion
  1995: Death of Eddie Gilbert

**1996**: Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash leave WWF and/or join WCW

92 first place votes
85 second place votes
85 third place votes

 16 11  6  125   Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash leave WWF and/or join WCW
 15  3  3   90   Jushin Liger has brain tumor
  7  6  8   69   Brian Pillman involved in car accident
  7  3  5   54   Hulk Hogan re-signs with WCW
  5  5  3   46   Hall & Nash don't return to WWF / "New" Razor Ramon & Diesel introduced / Jim Ross strains credibility
  6  3  1   41   Death of Dick Murdoch
  4  5  1   37   Bret Hart takes long hiatus
  3  4  3   33   Hulk Hogan wins WCW title
  3  1  7   32   Ahmed Johnson injured
  3  1  2   22   Ultimate Warrior suspended by WWF
  0  6  2   22   Great Sasuke injured with cracked skull
  2  3  1   21   Outsider #3 is Hulk Hogan
  1  2  5   21   Ultimate Warrior returns to WWF
  0  3  6   21   SMW folds
  2  2  2   20   Roddy Piper joins WCW
  1  4  1   19   Nitro beats Raw consistently in ratings
  2  2  1   18   Mr. Perfect going to WCW
  1  3  0   14   Death of Ray Stevens
  2  0  1   12   Sunny stops managing
  0  2  3   12   Ric Flair injured
  1  1  1   10   Antonio Pena takes Baja California territory away from Konnan
  1  0  2    9   Scott Steiner undergoes surgery
  1  0  0    5   WWF holds up Sean Waltman's contract
  1  0  0    5   WCW signs Hall and Nash
  1  0  0    5   Riots in ECW
  1  0  0    5   Prime Network pulls ECW from broadcast schedule
  1  0  0    5   One Man Gang returns
  1  0  0    5   Jeff Jarrett is injured
  1  0  0    5   Death of Big John Studd
  1  0  0    5   Brian Pillman signed by WWF
  1  0  0    5   Bret Hart loses WWF Title
  1  0  0    5   Bret Hart is coming back
  0  1  1    5   ECW "crucifies" Sandman
  0  1  1    5   Death of Sapphire
  0  1  0    3   WWF attendance down after an upswing
  0  1  0    3   WWF allows Scott Hall and Kevin Nash to retain their WWF personalities
  0  1  0    3   Sabu fired by WCW
  0  1  0    3   Sabu doesn't appear at Royal Rumble
  0  1  0    3   Randy Savage may jump to WWF
  0  1  0    3   Public Enemy leave ECW for WCW
  0  1  0    3   Portland bans wrestling
  0  1  0    3   John Tenta Gets Pushed
  0  1  0    3   Hogan might go to WWF
  0  1  0    3   Eric Bischoff turning
  0  1  0    3   ECW doesn't go national
  0  1  0    3   ECW bans the blade
  0  1  0    3   2 Cold Scorpio to become Flash Funk in WWF
  0  0  1    2   WWF goes "extreme"
  0  0  1    2   Virgil joins NWO as "Vincent"
  0  0  1    2   Vader debuts and does absolutely nothing for a year in WWF
  0  0  1    2   Ultimate Warrior refuses to job/sell
  0  0  1    2   Steve McMichael joining the Four Horsemen
  0  0  1    2   Sid returns to WWF
  0  0  1    2   Shawn Michaels comes back
  0  0  1    2   Sakie Hasegawa retires
  0  0  1    2   Raw doesn't go to 2 hours despite rumors
  0  0  1    2   Pitbull #2's neck injury
  0  0  1    2   No nude pictures of Kimona
  0  0  1    2   No followup on ECW/WWF agreement
  0  0  1    2   IWA Japan suspends operations
  0  0  1    2   Hulk Hogan still lives
  0  0  1    2   Hulk Hogan refuses to job to Randy Savage
  0  0  1    2   Federal Trade Commission yet to hear charges of monopolistic practices by Ted Turner
  0  0  1    2   ECW loses Public Enemy and Cactus Jack
  0  0  1    2   Dean Douglass leaves WWF
  0  0  1    2   Brian Pillman not returning until '97

MIKE LOREFICE: Liger getting a brain tumor had me depressed like no other
sports story.  Sasuke cracking his skull was also horrible.  I don't want
him to compromise his style, but it would be wise.  Hasegawa retiring really
sucked.  She is still so young and was still very good.  It was ever worse
because AJW had no one capable of replacing her.  Hasegawa was an awesome
talent and she should be greatly missed.

BO WHITE: When Hogan resigned with WCW, I applied for WWF mark membership.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most Obnoxious Personality

Award Description:

To be given to the person who just rubs you the wrong way. This could be
anybody involved in the wrestling biz.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Dusty Rhodes
  1992: Vince McMahon
  1993: Vince McMahon
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Eric Bischoff

**1996**: Eric Bischoff

95 first place votes
91 second place votes
89 third place votes

 20 15  6  157   Eric Bischoff
 18 15  9  153   Hulk Hogan
 10 12  8  102   Gene Okerlund
  7  7  5   66   Dusty Rhodes
  4  8  3   50   Jerry Lawler
  1  6 10   43   Todd Pettengill
  4  4  1   34   Jim Cornette
  6  0  0   30   Sonny Onoo
  4  2  2   30   Bill Alphonso
  2  4  4   30   Vince McMahon
  1  4  3   23   Steve McMichael
  1  3  4   22   Shawn Michaels
  1  2  2   15   Shane Douglas
  2  0  2   14   Dok Hendrix
  1  1  3   14   Paul Bearer
  2  0  0   10   Bret Hart
  1  1  1   10   Gorilla Monsoon
  1  0  1    7   Goldust
  1  0  1    7   Brian Pillman
  0  0  3    6   Mr. Perfect
  1  0  0    5   Ultimate Warrior
  1  0  0    5   Sunny
  1  0  0    5   Sandman
  1  0  0    5   Ric Flair
  1  0  0    5   Lex Luger
  1  0  0    5   Lance Wright
  1  0  0    5   Bobby Heenan
  1  0  0    5   Bob Holly
  0  1  1    5   Clarence Mason
  0  0  2    4   Lord Steven Regal
  0  1  0    3   Vincent (Virgil)
  0  1  0    3   Raven
  0  1  0    3   Randy Savage
  0  1  0    3   Lee Murphy (Marshall?)
  0  1  0    3   Larry Zybyzsko
  0  1  0    3   Eddie Guerrero
  0  0  1    2   Tony Schiavone
  0  0  1    2   Stevie Richards
  0  0  1    2   Ricco Suave
  0  0  1    2   Mike Tenay
  0  0  1    2   Mark Henry
  0  0  1    2   Marc Madden
  0  0  1    2   Lord Alfred Hayes
  0  0  1    2   Lee Marshall
  0  0  1    2   Kevin Kelly
  0  0  1    2   Joey Styles
  0  0  1    2   Joel Gertner
  0  0  1    2   Jimmy Hart
  0  0  1    2   Jeff Jarrett
  0  0  1    2   Giant
  0  0  1    2   Disco Inferno
  0  0  1    2   Bob Backlund
  0  0  1    2   Big Bubba Rogers
  0  0  1    2   Alan Scharp

MIKE LOREFICE: Onno or anyone else with the xeno gimmick makes me want to
puke.  There is no place for that garbage in wrestling.  It certainly
doesn't help any of the wrestlers get over.  Dusty should be detounged.  He
dislikes everyone that is talented and purposely doesn't get them over.
Todd "It was the greatest PPV of all-time" Pettingill overhypes everything
to the max.  Can anyone take anything he says ever remotely seriously?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Manager

Award Description:

To be given to the manager who outperformed his peers at ringside and behind
the microphone in interviews.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Jim Cornette
  1991: Bobby Heenan
  1992: Mr. Perfect
  1993: Jim Cornette
  1994: Jim Cornette
  1995: Jim Cornette

**1996**: Sunny

92 first place votes
88 second place votes
84 third place votes

 36 14 17  256   Sunny
 26 19  8  203   Jim Cornette
  5  6  8   59   Ted DiBiase
  3  5 10   50   Woman
  6  1  2   37   Francine
  2  3  9   37   Clarence Mason
  3  4  4   35   Paul E. Dangerously
  4  4  1   34   Bill Alphonso
  3  5  1   32   Mr. Perfect
  0  5  4   23   Sable
  0  5  4   23   Marlena
  1  5  1   22   Stevie Richards
  0  6  1   20   Jimmy Hart
  0  2  4   14   Bobby Heenan
  0  2  2   10   Ricco Suave
  1  0  2    9   Kimona Wanalaya
  1  0  1    7   Sonny Onoo
  1  0  0    5   Miss Elizabeth
  0  1  1    5   Colonel Robert Parker
  0  0  2    4   Beulah McGillicuddy
  0  1  0    3   Sister Sherri
  0  0  1    2   Paul Bearer
  0  0  1    2   Booty Babe

(Yes, I KNOW technically valets aren't managers.  If it makes you feel any
better, *I* didn't vote for any valets. - CRZ)

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": *sigh* I'm only a man... (Sunny, Sable, Francine)

JAMES FABIANO:  Francine can draw heat (as a heel) and take some
unbelievable bumps.  Fonzie can get fans riled with that f***ing whistle.
And Corny is still great in his own right.

MIKE LOREFICE: Total lack of quality in this award.  Francine takes great
bumps, so she gets the nod.  Richards is really good at everything, but he
isn't really a manager.  Still there is no regular manager that is better
than Stevie, so he gets 2nd.  Sunny based on what she is capable of.  She
can give a great interview and work the crowd, but WWF would rather use her
as a sex symbol.

BO WHITE: Cornette has consistently got his wrestlers title shots, and
titles, while still remaining a very colorful character.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: Ricco Suave has studied Bobby Heenan so well,
he's damn near become the *only* reason to watch AWF television.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Announcer

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the most insightful and
entertaining comments while pushing his product. As of 1992, the difference
between this and colour commentator will be enforced.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Jesse Ventura
  1991: Jesse Ventura
  1992: Jim Ross
  1993: Jim Ross
  1994: Jim Ross
  1995: Jim Ross

**1996**: Jim Ross

93 first place votes
84 second place votes
75 third place votes

 31 21 16  250   Jim Ross
 28 10  4  178   Joey Styles
 11 12 17  125   Mike Tenay
  5  9 13   79   Tony Schiavone
  4  8  8   60   Kevin Kelly
  3  7  5   46   Vince McMahon
  4  2  2   30   Gordon Solie (Did he announce? - CRZ)
  2  3  1   21   Howard Finkel
  0  6  0   18   Bruce Beck
  2  1  0   13   Joel Gertner
  1  1  1   10   Michael Buffer
  1  1  1   10   Eric Bischoff
  1  0  1    7   Lance Russell
  1  0  0    5   Gene Okerlund
  0  0  2    4   Jerry Lawler
  0  0  1    2   Lee Marshall
REJECTED
  0  1  1        Outsiders (more than one guy)
  0  1  1        Bobby Heenan (colour)
  0  1  0        Mr. Perfect (colour)
  0  1  0        Larry Zybyszko (colour)
  0  0  1        Those Mexican guys in the WWF who keep getting their table broken (funny...but more than one guy)
  0  0  1        Gorilla Monsoon (Didn't announce)

(Well, *I* don't think ring announcers qualify...but I left them in anyway -
CRZ)

MIKE LOREFICE: 1st should be Styles via unanimous vote.  He is the best
ever.  He knows the holds, has great delivery, is exciting, get the
wrestlers over, gets the moves over, gets the angles over, etc.  He makes
even the worst ECW matches such as anything involving the Dudleys watchable.
Bruce Beck is the most versatile announcer.  He seems to do every sport and
is good at all of them.  He is one of the main reasons for UFC's popularity.
Third by default goes to Jim Ross because everyone else is horrible.  Ross
isn't what he was and doesn't even do play by play often, but when he does
he's still pretty good.  If someone can explain to me why Michael Buffer was
nominated please do.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Colour Commentator

Award Description:

To be given to the colour commentator who provides the most insightful and
entertaining comments.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Bobby Heenan
  1992: Bobby Heenan
  1993: Jesse Ventura
  1994: Bobby Heenan
  1995: Bobby Heenan

**1996**: Bobby Heenan

93 first place votes
88 second place votes
80 third place votes

 36 12 10  236   Bobby Heenan
 17 15 10  150   Jerry Lawler
  7  5 10   70   Jim Ross
  4  9 11   69   Mr. Perfect
 11  3  1   66   Joey Styles
  5  5  5   50   Larry Zbyszko
  4  4  6   44   Kevin Nash
  3  7  2   40   Mike Tenay
  3  5  2   34   Steve Austin
  3  3  4   32   Owen Hart
  0  6  0   18   John Peretti
  0  2  5   16   Brian Pillman
  0  3  3   15   Dusty Rhodes
  0  2  2   10   Jim Cornette
  0  1  2    7   Scott Hall
  0  2  0    6   Dok Hendrix
  0  2  0    6   Bob Backlund
  0  1  1    5   Kevin Kelly
  0  0  2    4   Jeff Blatnick
  0  0  2    4   Don Wilson
  0  1  0    3   Lord Alfred Hayes
  0  0  1    2   Ken Shamrock
REJECTED
  0  0  1        Gene Oklerlund

MIKE LOREFICE: Styles does it all and is still the best here.  I like
Peretti a lot because he offers good insight and knows the holds.  He is
good at explaining things like how the fighter could escape from this
situation.  Falsifying records of the fighters has to do with his promoting
not his announcing.  Blatnick is good for basically the same reasons as
Peretti.

BO WHITE: I voted for Heenan, Lawler, and Perfect - heels make so much
better color men.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Interviewee

Award Description:

To be given to the person who gives the best interview in the biz. This could
be a wrestler or a manager.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ric Flair
  1991: Ric Flair
  1992: Ric Flair
  1993: Ric Flair
  1994: Ric Flair
  1995: Shawn Michaels

**1996**: Stone Cold Steve Austin

94 first place votes
92 second place votes
90 third place votes

 32 10 12  214   Steve Austin
 13 10  6  107   Ric Flair
  5 12 11   83   Kevin Nash (Diesel)
  7  7  7   70   Mankind (Cactus Jack)
  2 11  8   59   Arn Anderson
  5  5  9   58   Brian Pillman
  7  1  4   46   Shane Douglas
  5  3  3   40   Stevie Richards
  4  4  1   34   Shawn Michaels
  1  3  6   26   Bret Hart
  1  3  2   18   Jim Cornette
  1  3  1   16   Goldust
  2  1  1   15   Undertaker
  1  2  1   13   Jerry Lawler
  0  3  1   11   Sunny
  0  3  1   11   Hulk Hogan
  2  0  0   10   Steven Regal
  1  1  0    8   Raven
  0  2  1    8   Joey Styles
  1  0  1    7   New Jack
  0  2  0    6   Perry Saturn
  0  2  0    6   Bob Backlund
  1  0  0    5   Randy Savage
  1  0  0    5   Outsiders
  1  0  0    5   Lord Steven Regal
  0  1  1    5   Scott Hall (Razor Ramon)
  0  0  2    4   Taz
  0  0  2    4   Diamond Dallas Page
  0  1  0    3   Leif Cassidy
  0  1  0    3   Chris Benoit
  0  0  1    2   Syxx
  0  0  1    2   Sting
  0  0  1    2   Rowdy Roddy Piper
  0  0  1    2   Mr. Perfect
  1  0  0    2   Loch Ness
  0  0  1    2   Jim Ross
  0  0  1    2   Disco Inferno
  0  0  1    2   Blue Meanie
  0  0  1    2   Billy Gunn
  0  0  1    2   Bill Alphonso
REJECTED
  1  0  0        Dok Hendrix (ummm....I meant INTERVIEW, not INTERVIEWER)
  0  1  0        Mean Gene Okerlund (ditto)

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": From Bang Bang to Have A Nice Day, he's still the
best. Flair showed some of his old form late in the year and this may just
be sentimental choice, but Razor Hall delivers, chico.

MIKE LOREFICE: Douglas' delivery is supreme and his interviews are well
thought out.  He talks a long time and always has something interesting to
say.  He is better at giving his lines than 65% of Hollywood actors.  Styles
is constantly doing monolouges that are great, so that's good enough for me.
Styles gets over the angles of the promotion with these monolouges better
than anyone else could.  Bischoff and McMahon could spend a whole hour and
not do 1/4 the job that Styles does.  Cactus was the best until WWF
converted him to fodder.  Perrry Saturn would also be a good choice.

BO WHITE: This category should be retired in honor of Ric Flair. I put
Douglas number 2 because of his unbelievable interview toward the ECW smart
marks and Pitbull 1.  Mankind was three because those interviews made the
character.

ROD MORROW: Austins' interviews greatly improved after DiBiase left. Now, I
can't wait for my daily reading from "Austin 3:16". Jim Cornette finally got
some mike time with the demise of SMW and the King is still the King. He's
great.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Angle

Award Description:

To be given to the best angle you've seen in the sport this year.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Horsemen turn heel
  1991: "Real World Champion" Ric Flair challenges Hulk Hogan
  1992: Ric Flair "knew Elizabeth first"
  1993: WWF brings in Sean Waltman as 1-2-3 Kid
  1994: Shane Douglas forfeits NWA title moments after winning it
  1995: Barry Horowitz finally wins on WWF television

**1996**: NWO forms and attempts takeover of WCW

94 first place votes
82 second place votes
84 third place votes

 41  5  4  228   NWO is formed to take over WCW
  6 10  5   70   Shawn Michaels collapses on live Raw
  9  5  1   62   Heel Hulk Hogan is third Outsider
  5  8  6   61   Jim Ross turns on Vince McMahon
  2  9  5   47   Brian Pillman "shoots" on Kevin Sullivan on Nitro, PPV
  5  4  4   45   ECW workers appear on live WWF programs
  1  7  5   36   Perfect Deception nabs Hunter Hearst Helmsley Intercontinental title
  4  0  7   34   Steve Richards & Blue Meanie immitate other wrestlers
  3  1  3   24   Raven brings in Sandman's child on his side
  1  3  5   24   Vader suspended after destroying Savio Vega, referee & Gorilla Monsoon
  1  2  6   23   Scott Hall interrupts live Nitro
  0  4  4   20   Steve Austin quotes Austin 3:16
  0  2  7   20   Diesel turns on Vince McMahon and "the corporate suits"
  1  3  2   18   Madusa puts WWF Ladies' title in a trashcan
  2  1  1   15   Goldust has fantasies involving Razor Ramon
  1  2  2   15   The "Outsiders" debut in WCW
  1  2  1   13   Steve Austin calls out Bret Hart
  1  1  2   12   Shane Douglas injures Pitbull #1
  1  0  3   11   Goldust gives Ahmed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
  1  1  1   10   Sting announces he is a free agent
  1  0  1    7   Steve Austin forfeits to jobbers so he doesn't have to wrestle them
  1  0  0    5   WCW vs. New Japan
  1  0  0    5   Sabu vs. Rob van Dam
  1  0  0    5   Sabu fears Taz
  1  0  0    5   Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels
  1  0  0    5   Beulah's pregnant
  0  1  1    5   WWF runs Billionaire Ted skits, stages Nacho Man/Huckster match
  0  0  2    4   NWO Sting turns out to be fake
  0  1  0    3   Steven Regal feuds with Belfast Bruiser
  0  1  0    3   Scott Hall makes his debut in WCW
  0  1  0    3   Paul Bearer turns on Undertaker
  0  1  0    3   Mankind vs. Undertaker
  0  1  0    3   Is Marlena interested in Sable?
  0  1  0    3   Elizabeth and Ric Flair spend Randy Savage's money
  0  1  0    3   Beulah-Kimona-Tommy Dreamer
  0  0  1    2   Sycho Sid replaces ultimate Warrior in In Your House main event
  0  0  1    2   Ratings wars
  0  0  1    2   Pillman pulls a gun on Austin
  0  0  1    2   Pillman in ECW
  0  0  1    2   Bret Hart - will he retire?
  0  0  1    2   Bill Dundee seeks revenge on Wolfie D
REJECTED
  2  4  0        Brian Pillman tries to shoot Austin (not in timeframe)

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": Did Brian Pillman really call Kevin Sullivan "Booker
Man?!" And they really aired this? Wow.

BO WHITE: I repeat, the shoot on Nitro by Pillman and his subsequent
character totally revitalized his career.

OTTO HEUER: It was hard to knock this down to eight, let alone three. It's
been a hell of a year for angles!  For what it's worth, here's the eight I
had to choose from (in no particular order):     Brian Pillman "shoots" on
Nitro & PPV, Madusa puts WWF Ladies' title in a trashcan, NWO is formed to
take over WCW, Hulk Hogan is the third Outsider, Jim Ross turns on Vince
McMahon, Kimona sleeping with Beulah,  Raven brings Sandman's child on his
side, Scott Hall interrupts live Nitro

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: Why did the WWF run so many "if only..." angles
(angles that were cut off just when they were getting good) this year?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Organization

Award Description:

To be given to the organization/promotion that has the best product. This is
the organization whose TV and house shows you just can't miss.

Previous Winners:

  1990: NWA
  1991: WWF
  1992: WCW
  1993: SMW
  1994: ECW
  1995: WWF

**1996**: WWF

93 first place votes
88 second place votes
81 third place votes

 38 17 15  271   WWF
 19 24 22  211   ECW
 19 23 17  198   WCW / NWO
  9  9  5   82   New Japan
  3  3  5   34   All Japann
  2  4  1   24   Michinoku Pro
  2  2  3   22   All Japan Women
  0  2  5   16   AAA
  1  0  3   11   USWA
  0  1  3    9   AWF
  0  1  0    3   IWA Hardcore
  0  0  1    2   FMW
REJECTED
  0  2  0    6   NWO (already voted for WCW in 1st)
  0  0  1    2   Those crazy Mexicans (ummm...right)

JAMES FABIANO:  A lot of people only see ECW for its violence.  But for
every Dreamer vs. Raven brawl, there's a Sabu vs. Van Dam.  For every
Gangstas train wreck, there's a Scorpio vs. Shane or Taz vs. Johnny Smith.
I find ECW appealing because while being "hardcore" may come first, they
make an effort to present something for everyone.

BO WHITE: I like the ECW the best not only because of the matches, but
because of the way the matches are set up with great interviews, like the
USWA has always done (I put them second).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best TV Show

Award Description:

To be given to what is on average the best wrestling TV show. In 1994, TV
shows and major shows were given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
  1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
  1993: WWF Monday Night RAW
  1994: WWF Monday Night RAW
  1995: WWF Monday Night RAW

**1996**: WWF Monday Night RAW

94 first place votes
90 second place votes
82 third place votes

 33 28 13  275   WWF Monday Night Raw
 27 26 19  251   WCW Monday Nitro
 17 18  8  155   ECW Weekly TV
  1  4 16   49   WWF Superstars
  5  4  4   45   WWF LiveWire
  7  0  1   37   Champ Forum
  1  5  4   28   All Japan
  0  1 12   27   WCW Saturday Night
  2  1  1   15   AAA
  0  2  2   10   New Japan
  1  0  0    5   USWA TV
  0  0  2    4   AWF Warriors of Wrestling
  0  1  0    3   Lucha Libre

BO WHITE: I am partial to the live USWA Saturday morning show because I grew
up on it, but the angles, interviews, live crowd close to the ring make it a
still great show.

RICK SCAIA: ECW Weekly TV is -- week in and week out -- supremely
entertaining.  Because they only have one hour of TV per week, everything
going on in the promotion has to be squeezed in, which makes for a very
eventful hour, and easily the most entertaining wrestling show each and
every week.  WWF Monday Night RAW was the first Monday Night show, and it's
still the best; with the exception of the month-long stretch over the summer
when everything Nitro did was so very hot, RAW has consistently provided the
more entertaining program.  In my own damned (and biased) opinion.  And I
don't care what Eric Bischoff says, there *are* some fans who like to talk
wrestling, and for that reason, I give the new "LiveWire" a conditional vote
here; some weeks it's on, some weeks it's off.  But when "Live Wire" has
been "on," it's been one of the most interesting wrestling shows ever put on
TV.  If they could figure out the proper mix for the hosting team (hint:  it
does not involve Todd Pettingill or Dok Hendrix), and filter in some good
callers, they'd have something special.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Major Show

Award Description:

To be given to the best major event. This could be a pay-per-view, a TV
special, or any big arena event. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were
given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 03/21/91: WCW & New Japan Supershow (aired on tape)
  1992: 01/18/92: WWF Royal Rumble
  1993: WWF Monday Night RAW weekly TV
  1994: 03/20/94: WWF WrestleMania X
  1995: 08/27/95: WWF SummerSlam

**1996** 03/31/96: WWF WrestleMania XII

79 first place votes
72 second place votes
69 third place votes

 16 19  8  153   03/31/96 WWF WrestleMania XII
  6 14  8   88   07/07/96 WCW Bash at the Beach
 12  4  2   76   01/21/96 WWF Royal Rumble
 10  4  5   72   06/16/96 WCW Great American Bash
  9  2  2   55   12/10/95 WAR Super J Cup
  6  4  4   50   09/22/96 WWF In Your House - Mind Games
  3  7  4   44   04/28/96 WWF In Your House - Good Friends, Better Enemies
  5  1  0   28            ECW Matter of Respect
  1  1  8   24   06/23/96 WWF King of the Ring
  1  5  0   20   06/17/96 NJPW Skydiving J
  2  1  2   17   12/17/95 WWF In Your House V
  1  2  2   15   11/19/95 Survivor Series
  0  2  4   14   08/18/96 WWF SummerSlam
  1  1  2   12            ECW Heatwave '96
  1  1  2   12   09/15/96 WCW Fall Brawl
  0  0  6   12   03/31/96 All Japan Women Wrestling Queendom '96
  0  1  3    9   10/27/96 WCW Halloween Havoc
  1  1  0    8   06/01/96 World Wrestling Peace Festival
  1  0  1    7   12/27/95 WCW Starrcade
  1  0  1    7   10/20/96 WWF In Your House - Buried Alive
  1  0  0    5            ECW November to Remember
  0  1  0    3   10/10/96 Michinoku Pro
  0  0  1    2            Natural Born Killerz
  0  0  1    2   09/07/96 Pancrase, Tokyo
  0  0  1    2   05/28/96 WWF In Your House - Beware of Dog 2
  0  0  1    2   01/04/96 New Japan Show
REJECTED (TV shows)
  1  0  0        RAW
  0  1  0        Nitro
  0  0  1        WCWSN

RICK SCAIA: The World Wrestling Federation still does pay-per-view the best
of anyone...  they slip occassionally, but they always get up and deliver
the next time.  This year, I thought the "farewell" show for Diesel and
Razor Ramon was the best major show any promotion put on.  From flat-out
great wrestling with guys like Mero and the 1-2-3 Kid to a superb contest of
power moves between Vader and Ramon to an appearnace by the human heat
machine, the Ultimate Warrior, to an incredible brawl with an "oh my god"
finish between Michaels and Diesel, this show simply didn't let up.  I
really enjoyed it.  The same basic comments apply to the December '95 In
Your House, which had some great wrestling, some great angles, and an
all-around good feel to it.  It could easily have gotten the #1 slot here,
but the memory of "Good Friends, Better Enemies" is still fresher.  As the
#3 big show of the year, I'm gonna go with "Mind Games" over "Wrestle Mania
12."  Maybe it's the way expectations work, but I went into WM expecting
something special and getting something only very good.  I went into "Mind
Games" not expecting much, and got an cool ECW angle, and a super main event
to go with quality mid-card action.  It's a tough call to leave WM off the
list, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

ROD MORROW: This year was dreath a bad major shows in the US. The WAR Super
J Cup by far the best of any major show put on by any promotion in the
world. Lots of great action, I don't think I saw a match below 3 1/2 stars
on that card. Wrestlemania XII was saved by two matches, The Hart-Michaels
Iron Man Match, although I didn't care for the screwy ending, and
Diesel-Undertaker, in which both probably worked the best match either one
has been in for a long time. Third goes to WCW Bash At The Beach, not for
any of the matches, just for the Angle of The Century- Hulk Hogan Turning
Heel.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  The 12/95 IYH had so many great moments - Jeff
Jarrett returning, the incredible main event, Buddy Landel's debut (well,
how was I to know I'd never see him OR Dean Douglass again?  Come to think
of it, Jarrett didn't last too long either...) that I have to give it the
nod over Good Friends, Better Enemies.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Promotional Move

Award Description:

To be given to the best move made by a promotion this past year. This could
include giving somebody a push, demoting someone, firing someone hiring
someone, or anything of a promotional nature.

Previous Winners:

  1991: WWF signs Ric Flair
  1992: WCW signs Jake Roberts
  1993: WWF works with SMW & USWA
  1994: WWF pushes Bret Hart as champion again
  1995: WCW signs Sabu, Chris Benoit, Eddy Guerrero & Dean Malenko

**1996**: WCW signs Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ted DiBiase & Syxx

91 first place votes
88 second place votes
85 third place votes

 15 11  7  122   WCW signs Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash (Ted DiBiase, Sean Waltman)
 16  4  9  110   WCW creates NWO
  8  8  7   78   WCW establishes / promotes Cruiserweight division
  9  5  7   74   WCW turns Hulk Hogan heel
  6  6  7   62   WCW works with AAA talent
  5  6  4   51   WWF re-signs Bret Hart
  3  7  7   50   WWF signs one or more of Pillman, Austin, Mero, Vader
  3  6  3   39   ECW & WWF agreement
  3  5  4   38   WCW Monday Nitro expands to two hours
  3  3  0   24   WWF pushes Steve Austin / Steve Austin wins King of the Ring
  4  0  1   22   WAR promotes Super J Cup
  1  3  1   16   All Japan gives Triple Crown to Kenta Kobashi
  2  0  1   12   Jim Ross turns on Vince McMahon
  1  1  2   12   Sabu returns to ECW
  1  0  3   11   WWF runs Billionaire Ted skits
  1  0  2    9   WWF re-signs Ultimate Warrior
  1  1  0    8   Eric Bischoff regularly appears on online chats
  1  1  0    8   ECW broadcasts on Prime Networks
  0  2  0    6   WWF creates LiveWire TV program
  1  0  0    5   WWF makes Jake Roberts a booker
  1  0  0    5   WWF gives title to Shawn Michaels
  1  0  0    5   WCW lets Okerlund leave
  1  0  0    5   WCW fires One Man Gang
  1  0  0    5   WCW brings back Miss Elizabeth
  1  0  0    5   The Return of Mr. Perfect
  1  0  0    5   Shawn Michaels collapses opposite Sting vs. Hogan
  1  0  0    5   ECW gives North American exposure to Chris Jericho, Johnny Smith, and Dan Kroffat
  0  1  1    5   WWF suspends Ultimate Warrior
  0  1  1    5   WWF brings back Mr. Perfect as commentator
  0  1  1    5   WCW signs Roddy Piper
  0  1  1    5   WCW establishes Internet (WWW) presence
  0  1  1    5   Jushin Liger promotes J Crown Tourney
  0  0  2    4   WWF signs Mankind
  0  1  0    3   WWF tones down the stupid gimmicks
  0  1  0    3   WWF runs more face v. face / heel v. heel matches
  0  1  0    3   WWF makes Hart v. Michaels match at WrestleMania 13 a 1-hour Ironman match
  0  1  0    3   WWF creates the Perfect Alliance
  0  1  0    3   WWF creates RAW Magazine
  0  1  0    3   WWF buys local cable ads for Raw during Nitro
  0  1  0    3   WCW sponsors racecars
  0  1  0    3   WCW runs "Third Outsider" angle
  0  1  0    3   WCW loads up Nitro against Raw
  0  1  0    3   WCW continues to buy up talent
  0  1  0    3   WCW brings in J.J. Dillon
  0  1  0    3   Shawn Michals appears in Playgirl magazine
  0  1  0    3   FMW signs Victor Quinones
  0  1  0    3   Camp Cornette
  0  0  1    2   WWF signs Mark Henry
  0  0  1    2   WWF replaces J.J. Dillon with Jim Ross
  0  0  1    2   WWF hires 2 Cold Scoirpio
  0  0  1    2   WWF gets rid of Todd Pettingil
  0  0  1    2   WWF begins signing wrestlers to five year deals
  0  0  1    2   WWF & WCW target older audiences
  0  0  1    2   WCW sets up Roddy Piper vs. Hulk Hogan match
  0  0  1    2   WCW runs Nitro ads in USA today
  0  0  1    2   WCW adds Women's division
  0  0  1    2   Eric Bishcoff takes powerbomb through a stage
  0  0  1    2   ECW promotes "crucifixion" angle
  0  0  1    2   Antonio Inoki puts together World Wrestling Peace Festival
  0  0  1    2   AWF secures syndication rights blanketing the country

BO WHITE: The WCW propbably saved a lot of hardcore fans from going
elsewhere both by bringing in  AAA and setting up cruiserweight title.

ROD MORROW: These are all obvious. With WCW working with AAA it gave them
some top junior heavyweight talent (Psicosis, Rey Misterio, Jr., Juventued
Guerrra) to help stock their Cruiserweight division which is the best thing
in the company. With the WWF signng so much misused WCW Talent (Austin,
Merro, Vader, Pillman, etc.) It finally gave McMahon some fresh faces to
use. Austin and Vader went on to Become the top heels in the company,
deservedly so, and he gave Merro a good run as the I-C champ. Finally, Hall
& Nash were huge aquistions for WCW to set it's mega-angle, the NWO.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Manager

Award Description:

To be given to the manager whose presence at ringside and during interviews
is really unnecessary. This person does little to enhance the matches in
which his/her wrestler(s) participates.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Mr. Fuji
  1991: Coach John Tolos
  1992: Harvey Wippleman
  1993: Harvey Wippleman
  1994: Harvey Wippleman
  1995: Harvey Wippleman

**1996**: Teddy Long

86 first place votes
84 second place votes
84 third place votes

 17  8 14  137   Teddy Long
 19  5  3  116   Cloudy
 10 10  8   96   Col. Robert Parker
 10  6  4   76   Sonny Onoo
  4  8  7   58   Jose Lothario
  4  5  5   45   Clarence Mason
  4  5  4   43   Jimmy Hart
  3  3  8   40   Elizabeth
  2  3  7   33   Hillbilly Jim
  2  2  3   22   Zebekiah
  1  5  0   20   Mr. Fuji
  1  4  1   19   Sable
  2  1  1   15   Diana Smith
  1  2  2   15   Paul Bearer
  1  2  2   15   Kevin Sullivan
  0  4  1   14   Bill Alfonso
  1  2  1   13   Damien Kane
  2  0  1   12   Jim Cornette
  0  3  1   11   Sister Sherri
  1  0  2    9   Woman
  1  0  2    9   Ricco Suave
  0  0  3    6   Ted DiBiase
  0  1  1    5   Iron Sheik
  0  1  0    3   Sunny
  0  1  0    3   Mr. Perfect
  0  1  0    3   Harvey Wippleman
  0  1  0    3   Bugaloo Brown
  0  1  0    3   Bob Backlund
  0  0  1    2   Missy Hyatt
  0  0  1    2   Miss Patricia
  0  0  1    2   Angel Baby

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Announcer

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the dumbest comments
while pushing his product. This person probably gets you to turn down the TV
when he/she is announcing. As of 1992, the difference between this and
colour commentator will be enforced.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Vince McMahon
  1991: Vince McMahon
  1992: Vince McMahon
  1993: Vince McMahon
  1994: Eric Bischoff
  1995: Eric Bischoff

**1996**: Eric Bischoff

91 first place votes
79 second place votes
69 third place votes

 35 17 10  246   Eric Bischoff
 18 17  8  157   Vince McMahon
  9 13  9  102   Lee Marshall
  8  5 10   75   Chris Cruise
  5  4  7   51   Tony Schiavone
  3  6  8   49   Mick Karch
  2  7  8   47   Kevin Kelly
  2  2  1   18   Mike Tenay
  2  1  0   13   Joey Styles
  1  0  0    5   Mean Gene Okerlund
  1  0  0    5   Jim Ross
  1  0  0    5   Giant
  1  0  0    5   Dok Hendrix
  0  0  2    4   Todd Pettengill
  0  1  0    3   Lance Wright
  0  1  0    3   Cuthbert
  0  0  1    2   Mark Madden
  0  0  1    2   Ken Resnick
  0  0  1    2   Chris Collins
REJECTED
  2  3  2        Dusty Rhodes (colour)
  1  1  0        Steve McMichael (colour)
  0  1  1        Gorilla Monsoon (did not announce)

BO WHITE: Schiavone used to be my favorite, but his constant praise faces,
degrade heel talent, what I believe to be taking it to the extreme, has
totally turned me against Tony.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Colour Commentator

Award Description:

To be given to the commentator/announcer who makes the dumbest comment while
pushing his product. This person probably gets you to turn down the TV when
he/she is announcing.

Previous Winners:

  1991: Dusty Rhodes
  1992: Lord Alfred Hayes
  1993: Randy Savage
  1994: Dusty Rhodes
  1995: Steve McMichael

**1996**: Dusty Rhodes

88 first place votes
76 second place votes
64 third place votes

 44 14 10  282   Dusty Rhodes
 14 20 10  150   Steve McMichael
 10 10  7   94   Lord Alfred Hayes
  5  8  7   63   Sonny Onoo
  2  6  9   46   Larry Zbyzsko
  3  5  6   42   Jerry Lawler
  1  3  2   18   Bobby Heenan
  3  0  0   15   Mark Henry
  2  0  1   12   Joey Styles
  1  1  1   10   Mike Tenay
  0  2  1    8   Dok Hendrix
  0  0  2    4   Sunny
  0  0  2    4   Brian Pillman
  0  0  1    2   Todd Pettengill
  0  0  1    2   Mr. Perfect
  0  0  1    2   Doc Roberts
  0  0  1    2   Clarence Mason
REJECTED (not colour announcers)
  1  2  0        Eric Bischoff
  1  1  1        Gorilla Monsoon (did not announce)
  1  0  1        Kevin Kelly
  0  2  0        Lee Marshall
  0  1  0        Vince McMahon
  0  1  0        Tony Schiavone

JAMES FABIANO:  Dusty is an incoherent moron.  Larry is a coherent moron.
And Lawler seems to get his material from a joke book in a high school
library.

BO WHITE: I still voted for Dusty, even though he does actually amuse me
sometimes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Interviewee

Award Description:

To be given to the person who gives the worst interview in the biz. This
could be a wrestler or a manager.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ultimate Warrior
  1991: El Gigante
  1992: Ultimate Warrior
  1993: Giant Gonzalez
  1994: Yokozuna
  1995: Hulk Hogan

**1996**: Ahmed Johnson

88 first place votes
83 second place votes
83 third place votes

 20  8  8  140   Ahmed Johnson
 12  3  4   77   Hulk Hogan
  8  6  3   64   Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  8  5  2   59   Elizabeth
  2  5  6   37   Jose Lothario
  4  5  0   35   Juventud Guerrera
  1  6  4   31   Dean Malenko
  1  7  1   28   Sycho Sid
  3  1  4   26   Chris Benoit
  3  2  2   25   Syxx (1-2-3 Kid)
  2  2  4   24   Lex Luger
  2  3  2   23   Steve McMichael
  2  3  1   21   Bart Gunn
  2  1  4   21   Randy Savage
  2  2  2   20   Sonny Onoo
  3  1  0   18   Renegade
  2  1  2   17   Ultimate Warrior
  1  2  1   13   Ice Train
  1  1  2   12   Yokozuna
  2  0  0   10   Shawn Michaels
  0  2  2   10   Mark Henry
  1  1  0    8   Scott Steiner
  0  1  2    7   John Tenta
  0  2  0    6   Giant
  0  0  3    6   Mustafa Saed
  1  0  0    5   Savio Vega
  1  0  0    5   Mikey Whipwreck
  1  0  0    5   Marc Mero
  1  0  0    5   Kurasawa
  1  0  0    5   Iron Shiek
  1  0  0    5   Godwinns
  0  1  1    5   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  0  1  1    5   Konan
  0  1  1    5   Alex Wright
  0  0  2    4   Undertaker
  0  0  2    4   Taz
  0  0  2    4   Sultan
  0  1  0    3   Woman
  0  1  0    3   Steven Regal
  0  1  0    3   NWO
  0  1  0    3   M. (V.K.) Wallstreet
  0  1  0    3   Kevin Sullivan
  0  1  0    3   Deborah McMichael
  0  1  0    3   Davey Boy Smith
  0  1  0    3   Bubba Ray Dudley
  0  1  0    3   Brian Pillman
  0  1  0    3   Brian Lee
  0  0  1    2   Scott Norton
  0  0  1    2   Razor Ramon #2
  0  0  1    2   Paul Bearer
  0  0  1    2   Owen Hart
  0  0  1    2   Meng
  0  0  1    2   Jimmy Hart
  0  0  1    2   Jim Cornette
  0  0  1    2   Jeff Jarrett
  0  0  1    2   Glacier
  0  0  1    2   Faces of Fear
  0  0  1    2   Faarooq
  0  0  1    2   Eddie Guerrero
  0  0  1    2   Chris Jehrico
  0  0  1    2   Bret Hart
  0  0  1    2   Billy Gunn

JAMES FABIANO:  "Hulk Hogan, you're a great technical wrestler" and the
story about finding the Battlebowl ring in the bathroom were enough to take
it for old Hacksaw.

BO WHITE: Excuse me, Ahmed, could repeat that? My dog could act better than
Elizabeth.

ROD MORROW: "Hulkster, Your A Great Technichal Wrestler," Those six words
alone ought to be enough to get that moron Duggan the award. Jim do us a
favor- RETIRE!!!!!!!!

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: I have a lot of fun imitating Ahmed Johnson.  I
hope he doesn't kill me when he hears about this.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Angle

Award Description:

To be given to the worst angle you've seen in the sport this year. It may be
the worst because of taste or because of execution.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Earthquake breaks Hulk's ribs & get well card drive /
        Black Scorpion (tie)
  1991: WWF exploits the Gulf war
  1992: Papa Shango curses the Ultimate Warrior
  1993: WCW's Cactus Jack gets amnesia; search leads to Cleveland
  1994: WCW gives Hulk Hogan the WCW Title
  1995: WCW bills Giant as Andre the Giant's alleged son

**1996**: Jim Ross announces return of Razor Ramon and Diesel to WWF

85 first place votes
82 second place votes
74 third place votes

 10  6  7   82   The "Return" of Razor Ramon and Diesel to WWF
  7  1  6   50   BodyDonnas instigate postcard campaign for manager, end up with Cloudy
  6  5  2   49   Elizabeth still has feelings for Savage - or does she?
  6  4  1   44   WCW vs New Japan - Sonny Onoo & "The Evil Japs"
  2  8  5   44   Diana Smith charges sexual harassment against Shawn Michaels
  6  1  3   39   Zodiac was a spy all along - returns as Booty Man
  2  6  2   32   Dungeon of Doom
  5  1  0   28   Hulk Hogan turns heel, creates the NWO
  4  2  0   26   Our world is about to change - Blood Runs Cold - Glacier
  1  4  4   25   Jim Duggan's family has a history of taped fist champions
  2  3  2   23   Goldust
  2  2  1   18   NWO repeatedly does the same thing on Nitro
  1  3  2   18   Big Bubba shaves half of John Tenta's head
  1  4  0   17   Braun the Leprechaun joins Dungeon of Doom
  1  2  3   17   Psychic Gary Spivey convinces Paul Orndorff he IS Mr. Wonderful
  2  1  1   15   John Tenta comes to the realisation that he is not a fish
  1  1  3   14   Phineas Godwinn is in love with Sunny
  1  1  3   14   Kevin Sullivan forms Alliance to end Hulkamania
  1  1  3   14   Col. Robert Parker and Sister Sherri's wedding
  1  2  0   11   NWO mistreats Elizabeth
  1  2  0   11   Dungeon of Doom takes in Z Gangsta and Final Solution for Uncensored main event
  1  0  3   11   Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid have Crybaby Match
  2  0  0   10   Mankind starts endless feud with Undertaker on day of his debut
  2  0  0   10   Lex Luger & Sting steal police car - and get away with it
  1  1  1   10   Sandman is crucified at ECW Arena
  1  1  1   10   Goldust gives Ahmed Johnson mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
  1  1  1   10   Giant joins NWO almost immediately after dropping title to Hulk Hogan
  1  1  0    8   Ron Simmons wants the world to call him Faarooq
  1  1  0    8   Nick Patrick's objectivity as a referee in question
  1  1  0    8   Goldust has fantasies involving Razor Ramon
  0  2  1    8   Whose side is Lex Luger on?
  0  1  2    7   Virgil brought into NWO as "Vincent"
  0  2  0    6   Undertaker is brought back from the dead
  0  2  0    6   Diamond Dallas Page wins Lord of the Ring but doesn't get title shot
  1  0  0    5   Shawn Michaels beats Bret Hart for World title
  1  0  0    5   Scott Norton turns on Ice Train
  1  0  0    5   Pitbulls superbomb Francine
  1  0  0    5   Paul Bearer turns on Undertaker
  1  0  0    5   Brian Pillman in ECW
  0  1  1    5   Shawn Michaels collapses on live Raw
  0  1  1    5   Jerry Lawler accuses Jake Roberts of falling off the wagon
  0  1  1    5   Four Horsemen live off Randy Savage's money
  0  1  0    3   Savio Vega retires Ted DiBiase from the WWF
  0  1  0    3   Savage goes on massive losing streak, being squashed at every turn
  0  1  0    3   Raven turns Sandman's family against him
  0  1  0    3   NWO brings in Sting lookalike and fools everyone in WCW
  0  1  0    3   Mankind calls Goldust "Mommy"
  0  1  0    3   Giant turns on Loch Ness
  0  1  0    3   Four Horseman take on Lex Luger
  0  1  0    3   Bob Orton stripped of AWF Title
  0  1  0    3   Beulah is pregnant
  0  0  1    2   Teddy Long argues with Nick Patrick
  0  0  1    2   Sting announces he is a Free Agent
  0  0  1    2   Steve McMichael turns on Kevin Greene, joins the Four Horsemen
  0  0  1    2   Police ofFICE:rs threaten to shoot Hall & Nash on Monday Nitro
  0  0  1    2   Johnny B. Badd 'wins' Kimberly, the Diamond Doll
  0  0  1    2   Jeff Jarrett comes to WCW to save it from NWO
  0  0  1    2   Hulk Hogan takes on entire Dungeon of Doom and Four Horsemen at once
  0  0  1    2   Dudley Family has dispute
  0  0  1    2   Col. Robert Parker and Sister Sherri screw up Harlem Heat with their bickering
  0  0  1    2   Bob Orton fakes leg injury and attacks Tito Santana
  0  0  1    2   Bob Backlund & The Iron Sheik introduce the Sultan
  0  0  1    2   Beulah and Kimona kiss in the ring
REJECTED (not in timeframe)
 10  5  4        Giant falls off roof - and survives!
  0  1  0        Pillman/Austin angle "explodes" on Raw

[Oh boy, my one big blunder for this year - allowing a nomination to take
second place that was invalid - the Cobo Hall incident took place at Halloween
Havoc '95 - 10/29/95, three days before the "year" started (11/2/95) - sorry
'bout that - CRZ]

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": I'll say it again, ECW doesn't need to abuse a woman
(Francine) on every card. Superbombing her through a table was graphic and
yes, extreme, but un-necessary.

JAMES FABIANO:  Last year we had Dave Sullivan and the Diamond Doll, this
year it's Phineas and Sunny.  When will some people learn that love and
wrestling don't mix?  That entire evil Japanese angle in WCW is a racist
piece of crap.  You'd have to have an IQ in negative numbers to not be
insulted with that.  And Jake vs. Lawler fighting over Jake's past with
alcoholism was too much for my tastes (no pun intended)

ROD MORROW: For months, we were subjected to these great looking promos and
when it came time for the actual product, all it was was shitty karate guy
wrestling under blue geled lights. The Fake Diesel & Fake Razor Showed just
how desperate Vince became. And who really gives a rat's ass if Jim Duggan
came from line of taped fist fighters, maybe that explains why he can't
wrestle to save his life.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  Let me get this straight - the
Bootybootybootybootybooty man wasted a YEAR of his life in the Dungeon of
Doom for Hulk Hogan, painting himself black and white, moussing his hair in
the God-awful way, chanting "Yes! No!" like a mantra, and managing to
restrain the Giant?  Next year, I expect Hogan will come out in red and
yellow one day and say the NWO was only a dream.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Organization

Award Description:

To be given to the organization/promotion that has the worst product. This
is the organization whose TV and house shows you wouldn't even think of
attending. Probably not even as a freebie.

Previous Winners:

  1990: WWF / AWA (tie)
  1991: WCW
  1992: WWF
  1993: WCW
  1994: WCW
  1995: WCW

**1996**: AWF

75 first place votes
51 second place votes
42 third place votes

 48  9  7  281   AWF
 16  5  8  111   WCW
  1 14  8   63   USWA
  4  9  2   51   WWF
  2  4  5   32   ECW
  4  1  4   31   CWA-Dallas
  0  3  1   11   NAASW (Ozark Mountain)
  0  1  3    9   AAA
  0  2  1    8   SMW
  0  1  2    7   IWA Japan
  0  1  0    3   Universal Superstars of America
  0  1  0    3   IPW
  0  0  1    2   NWA

(Someone tried to vote for WCW in all three spots - hey, buddy, you're stealing
MY trick!  I also threw out a couple NWO votes because those people had already
voted for WCW elsewhere on their ballot - CRZ)

RICK SCAIA: There can be no doubt...  the American Wrestling Federation
(AWF) is the absolute worst thing on TV today.  There are no redeeming
qualities to it at this point.  Their roster is a mix of old WWF/NWA
mid-carders over age 40 and young no-names who aren't half as good as the
indie stars that ECW cultivates.  They announce crew is jinxed by having the
god-awful Alfred Hayes on color.  I have yet to see an episode of "Warriors
of Wrestling" that I didn't laugh out loud at.  I almost feel bad having to
put any other organization in this category at #2, because no matter how bad
they are, they not anywhere near being in the same league as the AWF.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: I think it's sad that this could quite possibly
be my only chance to vote for the AWF.  HOW can they possibly make
enough/any money to be around next year?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst TV Show

Award Description:

To be given to what is on average the worst wrestling TV show. In 1994, TV
shows and major shows were given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 07/07/91: WCW Great American Bash
  1992: 12/03/91: WWF This Tuesday In Texas
  1993: 04/04/93: WWF WrestleMania IX
  1994: WCW World Wide
  1995: WWF Mania

**1996**: AWF Warriors of Wrestling

83 first place votes
75 second place votes
72 third place votes

 25  5  9  158   AWF Warriors of Wrestling
 10 12 11  108   WCW Pro
 10  9  4   85   WCW Worldwide
  6  8 12   78   WWF Mania
  6 12  5   76   WCW Main Event
  5  6  7   57   WWF LiveWire
  5  6  5   53   WWF Blastoff
  7  4  2   51   WCW Prime
  1  4  5   27   WWF Challenge
  1  4  5   27   WWF Action Zone
  1  3  2   18   WCW Saturday Night
  2  0  2   14   WCW Monday Nitro
  2  0  0   10   WWF Monday Night RAW
  1  0  1    7   WWF Really RAW (UK)
  1  0  0    5   ECW Weekly TV
  0  1  1    5   WWF Superstars
  0  1  0    3   (WWF?) Canadian Challenge
  0  0  1    2   USWA Weekly TV

MIKE LOREFICE: AWF is so out of date it's campy.  The matches are horrible,
but the announcing is worse.  Watching that junk is like traveling back to
1985 in a time machine except everyone is 11 years older and a lot worse.
Mania is bad because it has Pettingill.  It's a waste of time to watch
repeats and he just promotes everything to the point of nausea.  Live Wire
is a joke because it's so obviously rigged.  If they actually talked about
issues it would be decent.  Forcing the hosts to do the show in character
only makes it worse.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: Watching AWF gives me some perverse pleasure.
I can't even get THAT watching WCW on Prime...especially now that Dusty
doesn't "moo" anymore.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Major Show

Award Description:

To be given to the worst major event. This could be a pay-per-view, a TV
special, or any big arena event. In 1994, TV shows and major shows were
given separate award categories.

Previous Winners:

  1991: 07/07/91: WCW Great American Bash
  1992: 12/03/91: WWF This Tuesday In Texas
  1993: 04/04/93: WWF WrestleMania IX
  1994: 06/19/94: WWF King of the Ring
  1995: 03/19/95: WCW Uncensored

**1996**: 03/24/96: WCW Uncensored

68 first place votes
63 second place votes
59 third place votes

 36 11  3  219   03/24/96 WCW Uncensored
  6  9 12   81   05/26/96 WWF In Your House - Beware of Dog
  5 11  5   68   05/19/96 WCW Slamboree
  4  4  5   42   08/10/96 WCW Hog Wild
  2  4  5   32   06/23/96 WWF King of the Ring
  1  3  6   26   08/18/96 WWF SummerSlam
  0  6  3   24   11/26/95 WCW World War 3
  1  1  7   22   07/21/96 WWF In Your House - International Incident
  2  1  3   19   07/07/96 WCW Bash at the Beach
  3  1  0   18   09/15/96 WCW Fall Brawl
  1  3  2   18   10/20/96 WWF In Your House - Buried Alive
  2  1  2   17   10/27/96 WCW Halloween Havoc
  1  2  2   15   02/18/96 WWF In Your House VI
  1  1  0    8   08/15/96 WCW Clash of the Champions XXXIII
  0  2  1    8   01/21/96 WWF Royal Rumble
  1  0  1    7   02/11/96 WCW SuperBrawl
  0  1  1    5   12/27/95 WCW Starrcade
  0  1  0    3   01/23/96 WCW Clash of the Champions XXXII
  0  0  1    2            ECW Fight the Power
REJECTED
  1  1  0    8   WWF In Your House (which one?)
  1  0  0    5   WCW Main Event (TV show)

BO WHITE:  I was at Uncensored, but still voted it the worst, mainly because
of that awful triple cage match.

ROD MORROW: Uncensored was even worse than last year's pathetic show. Who
can remember a main event where one of the participants forgot to make the
pin. And I'm not even gonna comment on the scene of Hogan, Savage & Leslie
hovering on the mat over the misterious white powder. Superbrawl made no
sense, and Summerslam just sucked.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN: It's not fair to vote for Beware of Dog because
of the power outages - but who said life was fair?  Uncensored was actually
pretty good but dragged to the depths of the bottom of the lowest chasm by
that God-awful main event.  And hey, I've got an idea!  We'll have a Lord of
the Ring tourney, and then we'll ignore the winner!  That'll sell!  Plus,
Slamboree didn't even add to the Hall of Fame...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worst Promotional Move

Award Description:

To be given to the worst move made by a promotion this past year. This could
include giving somebody a push, demoting someone, firing someone hiring
someone, or anything of a promotional nature.

Previous Winners:

  1991: WCW loses Ric Flair
  1992: WCW bans off the top rope moves under Bill Watts
  1993: WCW tapes 13 weeks of TV at one time in Orlando, Fla.
  1994: WCW lets Hulk Hogan control his scenarios
  1995: WCW gives Hulk Hogan too much control

**1996**: WWF lets Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash go

82 first place votes
78 second place votes
75 third place votes

 10  3  5   69   WWF lets Scott Hall and/or Kevin Nash go
  7  3  8   60   WCW runs seemingly endless series of Glacier promos
  7  6  3   59   WCW overexposes NWO angle
  5  4  6   49   WCW allows Hogan to be champ despite a dearth of title matches
  2  8  5   44   WWF jobs Vader
  4  4  4   40   WWF brings back Ultimate Warrior
  4  3  3   35   WWF introduces Razor Ramon #2 and Diesel #2
  1  5  3   26   WWF signs Mark Henry for ten years
  2  3  1   21   WCW exposes WWF Raw results on Nitro
  1  3  3   20   WCW gives Dusty Rhodes lots of commentary time
  3  1  0   18   WCW re-signs Hulk Hogan
  2  2  1   18   WWF runs Billionaire Ted skits
  2  1  2   17   AWF roster has very high median age
  2  2  0   16   AWF pays stations to air their programs
  2  0  2   14   WWF puts taped Raw against live Nitro
  2  1  0   13   Shawn Michaels wins WWF title
  2  1  0   13   AWF pays fans $50 to attend their tapings
  2  0  1   12   WCW gives US Title to One Man Gang
  2  0  1   12   Hulk Hogan takes over NWO
  0  3  1   11   WWF re-signs / pushes Sycho Sid
  0  3  1   11   WCW books improbable Savage/Hogan win in Doomsday cage match
  1  0  1    7   WWF fails to have cruiserweight division
  1  0  1    7   WWF airs "Raw Bowl"
  1  0  1    7   WCW has Sonny Onoo manage every Japanese wrestler
  0  1  2    7   WCW puts down 80% of their workers by saying NWO will take over with the "stars" in Japan
  0  1  2    7   WCW introduces Steve McMichael as full-time wrestler
  0  2  0    6   WCW fires Johnny B. Badd
  1  0  0    5   WWF runs Billionaire Ted Skits
  1  0  0    5   WWF not buying out Perfect's insurance
  1  0  0    5   WWF hires Kevin Kelly to spell Vince McMahon as play-by-play announcer
  1  0  0    5   WWF guts syndication
  1  0  0    5   WWF fails to go live every Monday with Raw
  1  0  0    5   WWF doesn't open checkbook to keep top talent
  1  0  0    5   WWF continues with a saturated PPV schedule
  1  0  0    5   WWF brings in Cactus Jack as "Mankind"
  1  0  0    5   WCW jobs Chris Jericho and makes him a cheesy babyface
  1  0  0    5   WCW fails to push Rick & Scott Steiner
  1  0  0    5   WCW attacks WWF on the air
  1  0  0    5   Sunny is promoted as a sex symbol
  1  0  0    5   IWA Japan gets rid of Victor Quinones and most foreign talent
  1  0  0    5   Hulk Hogan brutalizes Elizabeth on Nitro
  1  0  0    5   Hall & Nash attack WCW superstars with baseball bats
  1  0  0    5   Giant turns to NWO soon after losing title to Hulk Hogan
  1  0  0    5   ECW runs crucifixion angle
  0  1  1    5   WWF fails to push Leif Cassidy (Avatar/Shinobi)
  0  1  1    5   WWF buries Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  0  1  0    3   WWF runs Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament
  0  1  0    3   WWF jobs out Hakushi
  0  1  0    3   WWF hires Brian Pillman
  0  1  0    3   WCW shows pay per view footage on TV
  0  1  0    3   WCW re-signs Gene Okerlund
  0  1  0    3   WCW pushes old timers (Hogan,Flair,Savage)
  0  1  0    3   WCW makes Nick Patrick a heel
  0  1  0    3   WCW loses Brian Pillman to WWF
  0  1  0    3   WCW loads up Nitro's competing hour and serves leftovers the other hour
  0  1  0    3   WCW lets Jim Duggan stay
  0  1  0    3   WCW continuously jobs cruiserweights to non-cruiserweights
  0  1  0    3   WCW brings in Loch Ness
  0  1  0    3   WCW airs Col. Parker/Sherri marriage
  0  1  0    3   Shawn Michaels adds Jose Lothario to his corner
  0  1  0    3   Public Enemy leave ECW for WCW
  0  1  0    3   Giant loses WCW title
  0  0  1    2   WWF shoves Shawn Michaels down our throats as #1 babyface
  0  0  1    2   WWF runs tasteless Lawler/Roberts alcoholism angle
  0  0  1    2   WWF loses J.J. Dillon to WCW
  0  0  1    2   WWF jobs Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw
  0  0  1    2   WWF introduces LiveWire with more talk than wrestling
  0  0  1    2   WWF fails to have Japanese or Mexican talent
  0  0  1    2   WWF cuts short Marlena/Sable angle
  0  0  1    2   WWF allows Jim Cornette and Jose Lothario to wrestle
  0  0  1    2   WCW signs Syxx
  0  0  1    2   WCW misuses Sting
  0  0  1    2   WCW brings in Z Gangsta & Final Solution, who last exactly one match
  0  0  1    2   WCW Signs Roddy Piper
  0  0  1    2   WCW Monday Nitro expands to two hours
  0  0  1    2   Ultimate Warrior fails to appear and is suspended by WWF
  0  0  1    2   Jim Ross turns on Vince McMahon
  0  0  1    2   Increasing commercialization of the WWF

JAMES FABIANO:  It's a shame to see how WCW has treated Chris Jericho.  And
if you think that's bad, try the WWF's treatment of Hakushi.  One of the
best aerialists in the sport jobbing to Justin Hawk Bradshaw.......what's
wrong with this picture?

MIKE LOREFICE: AWF dominates in bad promotional moves.  Paying for
syndication everywhere is terrible for the sport because it turns wrestling
into a payed program.  From the stations point of view, why should they pay
another league when AWF is willing to pay them?  AWF paying fans to attend
is stupid.  They could actually make money if they sold tickets, what a
concept.  Instead they pay fans to cheer the dinosaur faces and boo the
gerital using heels.  It all comes off as being so contrived and does no
good anyway.  WCW announcing the takeover because the "stars" were in Japan
is the height of their stupidity.  They could have used the show to get over
the other talent, but instead they make them out to be jobbers.  Then they
wonder why no one cares about these guys.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
General comments:

JOE PETROW: Professional wrestling has truly turned into "A Flair For The Old"

ELLIOTT "IRON FOOT": It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

    We have some very good wrestling on a regular basis on WCW with the
influx of New Japan and AAA talent. I'm particularly a fan of Chris
Benoit's and enjoy his push as a Horseman, but don't like the promotion
burying Eddie Guerrero. And while I think the promotion has been trying
to give all these guys their due (and tv time), the fans just aren't
going for it. If this was Japan, we'd have the makings of a Super J Cup
or something similar to it.

    On the WWF side, we had Hart and then Michaels on top and they've
provided some very good matches. But it gets pretty thin underneath.
Cactus is pretty good in his role as Mankind and he still delivers
killer interviews but who does he work with? UT? And towards year-end,
Steve Austin has been terrific, as has been Mark Mero.

    Speaking of whom, I don't think I've seen the Shooting Star Press in
a couple of years and in a matter of two weeks, both Mero and 2 Cold
Scorpio debut this awesome move. I'd like to see someone bring the
Flying Space Tiger Drop back to North America.

    Say what you will about ECW, you could love 'em or hate 'em, but
they have provided the Big Two with some very good talent. I know, they
were "known" before ECW, but that one-town promotion gave wrestlers like
Benoit, Malenko, Guerrero, and maybe even Rey Jr. and Juventud the
critical mass that they needed to break through in WCW. And maybe the
layover in ECW helped Brian Pillman and Steve Austin. I know that Shane
Douglas didn't quite work out, but it looks like Cactus is doing fairly
well.

    Other changes? How can we not talk about Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.
But half a year later, it's not nearly as interesting... at least to me.
I don't care for Hulk Hogan creating NWO. Having Hall and Nash and even
Waltman and Dibiase would be a purer play on the invasion angle.
Instead, we get more Hogan self-promotion. It's the worst of times.

    The next year looks busy and I don't think I'll be able to keep up 3
hours of wrestling every Monday night, an hour of ECW later in the week
(if I can get someone to tape it for me), and some NJ/AJ when I get that
stuff sent to me. I think the key will be selective viewing and I'll be
more reliant on the vcr and the FF button. It's been a good enough year
for wrestling and I look forward to another one.

CHRIS GOODYER: I've learnt quite how much I liked Steve Austin, Owen
Hart, and disliked WCW!

CHRIS QUINN: What does it say about wrestling when the hardest choices
to make are the worst gimmick and worst angle categories? There are SO
MANY to choose from - Cloudy, the fake Razor and Diesel, the Goon, the
Sultan, Farooq    ....

KEVIN JAMES PODSIADLIK: Some of these votes I'm not proud of...

CHRIS SPICER: There you go.  I only get WWF, WCW, AAA, AWF and some
cheap fed I never bother watching so as you can see some of my votes
where limited.  I do get to see the occasional ECW which is amazing.
If I could see it more often I would have probably put more from
there.  For example I hear New Jack does an amazing interview but I
have only heard him once.  Well that's enough blabbering for today
until next time....

MASA PANIC:  This was the year that Shiniro Otani realized that he was
the greatest wrestler in the world, nearing the levels only previously
seen by Kobashi.  He has all of the tools to move beyond junior status
and beyond (ala Takada and Hase).  If you saw his matches (expecially
with Casas) at J Crown, you saw a crowd fully behind someone who could
not only generate heat but work his ass off.  In his few American
appearances, he showed he had the ability to work as a heel as well.
The biggest story of next year is already happening as Konnan leads
lucha into a new century.  American wrestling saw the near coma into
death of the WWF and WCW either running hot (early NWO, cruisers) and
cold (later NWO).  The improvements of the year included Juventud
Guerrera, showing he will be a superstar one day and the Faces of
Fear, who everyone hates but no one realizes are trying new moves and
styles in EVERY match.  This is also the year I gave up on ECW, with
the loss of its luchas, jobbing workers out on their last night
instead of giving respect, and fans who only care about putting
themselves over.  Add in an undelivered promised PPV and maniacal
defense by RSPW and ECW became as annoying as WWF to me.  If it wasn't
for Michinoku Pro, AAA, and old Universal tapes, I'd hate wrestling.
This was also the year I started working more in the ring...and
actually getting noticed, particularly for July 11, 1995 baseball bat
death match for Steel City Wrestling.  Other than the NWO, this year
sucked.  No great tag teams, no memorable feuds, only good lucha and
Shiro Koshinaka busting his ASS at G1 saved the day.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ZIMMERMAN:  It seems (at least, looking at the
nominations) that people can't remember before Memorial Day.  To be sure,
seeing Scott Hall interrupt Nitro was memorable, but there were lots of
other things to like before then, too.  In fact, one of them involves Scott
Hall.  Razor Ramon and Goldust could have been feud of the year if Hall
hadn't been suspended (note that Hall was the first of many to use the word
"ass" on Monday Night Raw), Pillman should have been a boffo pickup for the
WWF, stealing him away from WCW in mid-angle; instead, he's just been idly
swearing on occasion and unable to work due to his injuries.  Maybe WCW knew
something the WWF didn't?  Ultimate Warrior came and went, and no one seems
to miss him.  All in all, not a spectacular year; despite a very high high
point, the rest of the year didn't seem to hold up compared to some of the
highs of years past; and it seems every fed had a chance to find new lows to
sink to.  Things do seem to be picking up for the WWF with better people on
top in the mix (Hart and Austin coming on strong, not that Bulldog/Michaels
wasn't bad, but they killed THAT angle...hey, whatever happened to that
woman behind the big dot?  And why did Marty Jannetty stop telling us about
Shawn's exploits alluvasudden?)...WCW, well, they will find a way to make
everyone stop caring about the WCW vs. NWO angle really soon now, but they
still have a dynamite Jr. division and they still haven't buried THAT yet.
In fact, if it stays hot, wouldn't it be something if the WWF started up
their own Light Heavyweight division?  Hey, they could take that belt off of
Ultimo Dragon and...ok, I'm back in fantasyland.  ;-)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
And finally...the RSPWer awards...

BEST BUMPS OF THE YEAR
- Tommy Dreamer goes through four tables
- Sabu goes through table in the crowd after the triple jump senton in his ECW
Con match with 2 Cold (the "Oh my god, he's dead" bump)
- El Puerto Ricano is double backdropped by Bad Crew over the top rope and
onto the floor
- Shawn Michaels is flipped over the turnbuckles at Wrestlemania

BEST 5 SINGLE INTERVIEWS of 1996
- Jim Ross disavows his loyalty to the WWF
- Stevie and Blue Meanie as Public Enemy
- Steve Austin creates Austin 3:16 at King of the Ring
- Hulk Hogan's first heel interview at Bash at the beach
- New Jack's shoot interview about Brian Pillman

RSPW HEEL OF THE YEAR
- Jayrock/Anthony Braider/UIC Guy

HE SHOWS POTENTIAL AS A BOOKER ;-)
- The guy who posted on RSPW saying that they should give Braun the Leprechaun
a gimmick where he draws his power from a box of Lucky Charms, and loses his
strength when they are taken or eaten.  Either that or Fit Finley should
return as a drunk Irish guy who claims to see the Leprechaun. (Hey, I laughed
when I first read that post! :-))

Best moment in a match
1st:Diesel Jacknifing the Undertaker twice then leaning on ring ropes

Worst move for UK fans
1st:Going 1 week behind with RAWs
2nd:Cutting all the action out
3rd:Not showing PPVs live or even uncut
4th:Showing Blastoff and Challenge but not even a recorded Livewire
5th:SKY and Titan not telling us what's going on
6th:No WCW shows (other than a 1 hour version of Nitro) in English

Best 'I'm in front of an exciting door' interviewer
1st:Dok Hendrix
2nd:Kevin Kelly

Best Wrestling Awards
1st:The RSPW Awards
2nd:My chosen list above
3rd:The Slammys (No way! *I'M* bigger than the Slammys?!? - CRZ)

RSPW Awards Coordinator/Dicator of the Year:  Mr. C.R. Zimmerman
(Aw, shucks - CRZ)

Most Improved Promotion: GAEA

Best Ring Entrances: The Great Muta vs. Ginsei Shinzaki (4/29/96)

RSPW newcomer of the year: Dean Rasmussen

Best wrestling web page: Hisa's Puroresu Page

Broadcast Journalist Award: Kevin James Podsialiak

Bump of the Year: Tommy Dreamer chokeslammed through three tables by Brian Lee

Best "Miracle" Match of the Year: Masato Tanaka vs. W*ING Kanemura (8/1/96)

Slice 'Em Dice 'Em Match of the Year: Hayabusa & Masato Tanaka vs. Mr. Pogo
& Terry Funk (5/5/96)

Best wrestler vs. announcer feud of the year: Masa Chono vs. New Japan
announcer (Tsuchi?)

Most Undeserved Title Shot: Disco Inferno gets shot at WCW cruiserweight
title on PPV against Dean Malenko.

Worst Title Reign: Lex Luger's WCW TV Title reign.

LINE OF THE YEAR
1st: Steve Austin, "Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!"
2nd: Jim Ross, "[Vince McMahon] brought me into his office, and he fired my
ass!"

MOST SURPRISING EVENT
1st: Undertaker appears from under the ring at February In Your House
2nd: Hulk Hogan turns heel

BEST ACQUISITION (WWF)
1st: Marc Mero
2nd: Steve Austin
3rd: Brian Pillman

BEST ACQUISITION (WCW)
1st: Rey Mysterio, Jr.
2nd: Psicosis
3rd: Kevin Nash

"RSPW JUST DOESN'T GET IT" AWARD
1st: Shawn Michaels loses support from RSPW just because he gets extended
reign as WWF champion
2nd: RSPW views Jim Ross angle in WWF as rip-off of WCW's NWO angle
3rd: RSPW thinks Hart/Michaels Ironman match not as good as Flair/Sting or
Flair/Steamboat
4th: RSPW doesn't see new Razor Ramon wrestles better than Scott Hall

BEST SINGLE INTERVIEW OF THE YEAR
1st: Jim Ross (turns on Vince McMahon, introduces new Razor Ramon)
2nd: Steve Austin's coronation speech at King of the Ring

Coolest Mask:  1. Hayabusa  2.  Jushin Liger  3.  Ultimo Dragon

Craziest Wrestler:  1. Psicosis  2. Sabu  3.  The Great Sasuke