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WWE Year End Awards: Best and Worst of 2011

Submitted by Fred Richani on Mon, 01/09/2012 - 12:09

HHH vs. Undertaker was a great feud for the short-time it lasted, especially with Shawn Michaels' involvement in the go-home promo on RAW before WrestleMania XXVII. CM Punk vs. John Cena was a fun, unpredictable feud, capped off by the best promo work of both wrestlers' careers, followed by excellent matches that kept the crowd thoroughly involved and entertained. Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge/Christian could have been more had WWE let Del Rio beat Edge for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania. Instead, Del Rio became known as the guy that put Edge into retirement by...well, losing to Edge. The feud did have a great ending with Edge assisting Christian in his lifelong quest to capture the World Title....for two days. 

WWE Diva (Women's wrestler) of The Year: Beth Phoenix

Honorable Mentions:

  • Kelly Kelly
  • Natalya Neidhart
  • Eve Torres

Was there really another choice? Since Natalya has teamed with Phoenix all year, she probably deserves a share of this award. Eve deserves props for incorporating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu aka offense that can actually hurt you in real life, into her matches. And well, Kelly....Well, she can't run the ropes of being in WWE for over five years. On the bright side, she looks good and got some mainstream press via her Maxim Magazine cover shoot. 

Worst Match of The Year: Most Divas matches

Botched spots. It's like watching them train wrestling in skimpy outfits, only on national TV. 

Worst Marquee Match: Michael Cole vs. Jerry Lawler - WrestleMania XXVII, April 3

Honorable Mentions:

  • HHH vs. Kevin Nash in a "Sledgehammer Ladder match" - TLC
  • The Miz vs. John Cena - WrestleMania XXVII
  • The Miz vs. John Cena in an "I Quit" match - Over The Limit
  • R-Truth vs. John Cena - Capitol Punishment
  • The Rock and John Cena vs. The Miz and R-Truth - Survivor Series

After re-watching WrestleMania XXVII, I had to go with Cole vs. Lawler match because not only did the match suck, but it went way too long and nothing got resolved for another two months. The pain and agony of seeing Lawler sell for Cole, as well as that hideous orange singlet Cole wore have left mental scars that still haven't gone away. 

HHH vs. Nash was built up for a couple of months, but then HHH didn't appear on TV until the RAW before TLC and Nash never once received a superstar's reaction. Father Time passing Nash (a childhood favorite of mine when he lead the NWO) was as evident as HHH's diminished physique. Their feud dragged on, had no buzz, and when it came down to the actual match, it went 10 minutes too long and was capped off by a botched Pedigree.

A. Botched. Pedigree.

 

'Nuff said.

If I never have to see a Miz vs. Cena match for the rest of my life, I can live just fine. Their WrestleMania match disappointed because it lacked time, followed the classic Undertaker vs. HHH match, and everyone in the crowd and watching at home kept waiting for The Rock to interfere. And he did. Nothing like having your WWE Champion Miz pin Cena only after a non-wrestler who's been retired for seven years knocks him out. Rock taking out Miz after the match didn't do him any favors either, but you can make the argument most people ordered the show to see Rock kick everyone's ass. It's just that match given it's quality had no business going on last, let alone being considered WrestleMania-caliber. 

Miz vs. Cena at Over The Limit consisted of Miz and Alex Riley (Remember him?) beating up Cena forever until they stopped the match because he said "I quit"--or did he? It turns out, the heels used a RECORDING OF CENA SAYING "I QUIT" TO WIN, but the referee DISCOVERED THIS, RESTARTED THE MATCH, and then Cena KILLED THE HEELS. Miz and Cena have put on good matches together in the past. This year saw Cena dominate Miz in every match, including Survivor Series, when he teamed with Rock. Again, if I never have to see Miz and Cena in the same ring together for the rest of my life, I won't lose any sleep. 

Cena vs. R-Truth wasn't terrible, but predictable. R-Truth was given Grade F material and made it work with a Grade A effort, leading up to his match with Cena at Capitol Punishment, but you can't build up a heel title challenger when he's only beaten the champion via fluke results in countout and disqualification. If anyone in WWE was surprised Capitol Punishment didn't draw well on PPV, then maybe they're more oblivious than I thought. 

Most Improved Superstar of The Year: Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler (tie)