Best in Wrestling 2020 NOMINATIONS

[Onyx2]

In a year that has been a little different, the big companies have tried a little of everything. And also a lot of the usual. 

Live British wrestling was annihilated, so rather than split them out "Best British Wrestler" performing anywhere is a category. We are still the UKFF after all.

You can nominate until 10th January. 

Please nominate up to three choices for each of the following awards, clearly stating the specific award your nominations are for. Nominations are important - the most popular will go through to a vote in January.

If you want to give reasons or arguments why you've made your picks, please do.

Best pro wrestler - this can be any male or female singles wrestler. Tag combinations also acceptable if their combined work can't be separated or made distinct from each other

Best women's wrestler

Best British Wrestler - same criteria as best wrestler

Match of the Year

Best wrestling event 

Best wrestling show - TV, Network Exclusive, YouTube or web show. One off broadcasts like WWE 24 Seth Rollins also count

Best feud or angle

Moment of the Year

Best babyface

Best heel

Funniest moment of the year

Best tag team

Best wrestling podcast

Best use of social media - an individual who posts amazing Tweets, or a single YouTube channel that you can't miss, etc.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Onyx2

[TildeGuy~!]

Best pro wrestler - Tomohiro Ishii, Io Shirai, Minoru Suzuki

Best women's wrestler - Giulia, Io Shirai, Utami Hayashishita,

Best British Wrestler - Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr

Match of the Year: Jon Moxley Vs Minoru Suzuki (NJPW New Beginning) Kazuchicka Okada Vs Kota Ibushi (Wrestle Kingdom 14) Will Ospreay Vs Hiromu Takahashi (Wrestle Kingdom 14)

Best wrestling event: Wrestle Kingdom 14

Best wrestling show - AEW Dynamite

Best feud or angle:  Evil Vs Tetsuya Naito, Edge Vs Randy Orton, 

Moment of the Year: Edge's Rumble Return, Kenta interrupting Naito's big moment at Wrestle Kingdom

Best babyface: Jon Moxley, Hiromu Takahashi, 

Best heel: Jay White, Kenta, Roman Reigns, MJF

Funniest moment of the year: Probbaly the Jericho/MJF sing off

Best tag team: Zack Sabre Jr and Taichi, Kenny Omega and Hagman Page, Young Bucks

Best wrestling podcast: OSW Review

Best use of social media - 

Edited December 23, 2020 by TildeGuy~!

[LaGoosh]

Best pro wrestler - Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega

Match of the Year - Stadium Stampede, Omega/Page vs Young Bucks, Parking Lot Brawl

Best wrestling event - AEW Revolution

Best wrestling show - AEW Dynamite, AEW Dark, BTE

Best feud or angle - Omega/Page vs Young Bucks, Jericho vs OC, Moxley vs Kingston

Best babyface - Jon Moxley, Orange Cassidy, Hangman Adam Page

Best heel - MJF, Chris Jericho, Eddie Kingston

Funniest moment of the year - Sue flipping off PnP, Sammy Guevara being run over by a golf cart, OC in the Jericho debate

Best tag team - Young Bucks, Page/Omega, FTR

[Hannibal Scorch]

 

 

Best pro wrestler - Making a late surge, Kenny Omega. I liked the tag team run, but his Solo challenge with the squash of Sonny Kiss and eventual beating of Mox and subsiquent new cleaner gimmick have been amazing.

Best women's wrestler - Asuka. Britt Baker has also been very entertaining, but not wrestled much. Bayley and Banks had a good year, but was getting boring. Asuka is always entertaining.

Best British Wrestler - Pete Dunne. Another one who has had a new lease of life since having some time off. I forgot Drew. Had a great start, starting getting dull mid summer, seems to be picking up some steam again now he has his sword.

Match of the Year - Best Friends / Proud and Powerful Backlot Brawl, Cody vs Brodie on Saturday Night Dynamite, and Stadium Stampede are my favorite matches this year.

Best wrestling event - Revolution 2020, Dynamite Brodie Tribute Episode

Best wrestling show - Being The Elite. A show for years I have ignored as crappy You Tube pissing about backstage has become essential watching on a weekly basis. AEW Dynamite has consistently been strong this year as well.

Best feud or angle - MJF v Jericho. Mainly for the aftermath. Kingston Vs Moxley

Moment of the Year - Hangman singing Carols with the Dark Order on the christmas go home BTE. It's Stiiiiiiiiiing! Edge's Rumble return was a great surprise. 

Best babyface - Sue, Orange Cassidy

Best heel - Roman Reigns, done a great job reinventing the gimmick and his teeth this year. Eddie Kingston has had an excellent 2020. Omega, MJF.

Funniest moment of the year - Sue meeting the Dark Order on Being the Elite

Best tag team- Young Bucks have put in a real shift this year.

Best wrestling podcast - AEW Unscripted, Wrestle Me

Best use of social media - Impact posting the AEW paid announcements and any Kenny Omega segments on twitter/Youtube meaning I dont have to watch the whole of Impact

Edited December 31, 2020 by Hannibal Scorch

[Tsurutagun]

Best pro wrestler - Jon Moxley, Go Shiozaki, Young Bucks

 

Best women's wrestler- Bayley, Asuka, Sasha Banks

 

Best British Wrestler - Drew McIntyre

 

Match of the Year- Young Bucks vs FTR, Go Shiozaki vs Suigura, Takahashi vs Ospreay

 

Best wrestling event- Wrestle Kingdom

 

Best wrestling show - AEW Dynamite

 

Best feud or angle- Rhodes vs MJF

 

Moment of the Year- The tease of Page hitting the Buckshot Lariat on Omega at Revolution, The 10 lashes on Cody Rhodes, Sue's appearance on BTE

 

Best babyface- Adam Page

 

Best heel- MJF

 

Funniest moment of the year- "Hungman Page, will you join our Dark Orgy", Sue completely missing John Silver with the papers and everyone corpsing including Brodie Lee. 

 

Best tag team- Young Bucks, FTR, Omega and Page

 

Best wrestling podcast--Our Vantage Point, OSW, WrestleMe

 

Best use of social media - Joe Henry releasing pandemic related videos on Facebook (My non wrestling friends love them) 

[garynysmon]

Best pro wrestler: Kenny Omega

Best women's wrestler: Britt Baker, Deonna Purazzo

Best British Wrestler: 

Match of the Year: 

Best wrestling event: AEW Winter is Coming, Slammiversary

Best wrestling show: AEW Dynamite

Best feud or angle:

Moment of the Year: Sting on Dynamite

Best babyface: Jon Moxley

Best heel: MJF, Don Callis

Funniest moment of the year: Most stuff involving Johnny Swinger, The AEW 'paid ads' on Impact, The Inner Circle in Vegas

Best tag team: The North, Young Bucks

Best wrestling podcast: Grillin' JR

Best use of social media:  Ethan Page's backstage videos

[TheBurningRed]

Best Pro Wrestler - Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, Asuka

Best Women’s Wrestler - Asuka, Io Shirai, Deonna Purrazzo 

Best British Wrestler - Drew McIntyre

Match of the Year - Hangman Page and Kenny Omega vs The Young Bucks. Stadium Stampede

Best Wrestling Event - AEW Revolution. Dynamite: Winter Is Coming. Dynamite: Brodie Lee Tribute Show 

Best Wrestling Show - Dynamite. Being The Elite

Best Feud/Angle - Page and Omega vs The Bucks. Jericho vs Orange Cassidy

Moment of the Year - Edges return. The tease of the Bucks and Omega turning on Page followed by the tease of Page hitting Omega with the Buckshot after the tag match at Revolution. Sting debut and Tony’s reaction

Best Babyface - Hangman Page, Orange Cassidy

Best Heel - MJF, Eddie Kingston

Funniest Moment - Sues attempt at throwing the papers at Jon Silver followed by everyone corpsing. Jon Silver claiming he’s the best kisser in the Dark Order and Evil Uno saying “no you’re not. Stu is” and Stus annoyed looking reaction to both of them. Sue giving Santana and Ortiz the finger. 

Best Tag Team - The Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Kenny Omega

Best Wrestling Podcast - Having given up listening to wrestling podcasts as there are too many, I’ve started listening to one that’s still brand new. So for that reason it has to be Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette. 
 

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by TheBurningRed

[Onyx2]

Fascinating how Kenny Omega is picking up nominations given he was last year's letdown. The booking came good! 

[Hannibal Scorch]

Just now, Onyx2 said:

Fascinating how Kenny Omega is picking up nominations given he was last year's letdown. The booking came good! 

i think if this was done a couple of months ago, the nominations would not be there. Amazing what a difference a few weeks of well booked TV can do for you

 

[HarmonicGenerator]

Best pro wrestler

1) Hangman Adam Page - he's had me interested in his character all year.

2) Roman Reigns - the heel turn finally happened and it's been the best stuff he's done for ages

3) Jungle Boy - a megastar in the making

 

Best women's wrestler

1) Asuka - the only person who tried to fill the silence of the empty performance centre.

2) Hikaru Shida - she may not be the best in-ring but I always enjoy watching her matches on Dynamite.

3) Britt Baker - didn't think I'd say that this time last year, but she's been a revelation.

 

Best British Wrestler 

1) PAC - even when he couldn't wrestle for 8 months he was filming vignettes in toon and at Hadrian's Wall. Sycamore Gap on US wrestling telly, incredible!

2) Drew McIntyre - I mean, a British WWE Champion! It happened!

3) Danny Burch - Martin Stone, tag team champion and NXT main eventer. Who’d have thought it 

 

Match of the Year

1) The Royal Rumble  - seems an eternity ago but this was INCREDIBLE. From Brock smashing everyone, to Keith Lee being the first one to survive him, to Drew eliminating him, to Edge returning... wonderful Rumble.

2) Stadium Stampede  - the best of the 'cinematic' matches we got this year. 

3) Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin - TakeOver Blackpool was in January so this counts, and it was a cracker.

 

Best wrestling event 

AEW’s Brodie Lee tribute show.

 

Best wrestling show 

AEW Dynamite - the only one I watched, to be honest

 

Best feud or angle

1) Jon Moxley vs. Eddie Kingston - for the promos alone.

2) Mr Brodie Lee destroys the Nightmare Family - the battering of Cody in the TNT Title match onwards

3) The ongoing Page-Omega situation  - it hasn't wrapped up yet but it's been a core part of AEW's year

 

Moment of the Year

1) Drew McIntyre eliminates Brock Lesnar / Edge returns - either of these from the Rumble

2) "IT'S STIIIIIIING!" - Schiavone made Sting in AEW into an iconic moment.

3) Moxley-Kingston final promo before their I Quit match - the most compelling promo moment I've seen in years and years. Utterly gripping and believable.

 

Best babyface

1) Drake Maverick  - I don't know if that tearful promo on Twitter was legit or not but it doesn't matter. Ultimate babyface who's still pretty much the only person I'll regularly watch on NXT highlight videos.

2) Hangman Adam Page - how could you not cheer him?

3) Drake Wuertz - for some outstanding refereeing when Alexander Wolfe got knocked out at Worlds Collide. He did an extraordinary job.

 

Best heel

Kenny Omega - it's only been a few weeks but he's head and shoulders above any other effort this year.

PAC. What a bastard

 

Funniest moment of the year

1) Sammy Guevara hit by a golf cart - various occasions

2) Manitoba Melee  - AEW's version of those lockdown stunt performer videos

3) Heath's 'Hire me, Impact' video - genuinely funny, not just wrestling-funny. He's got kids!

 

Best tag team

1) Omega and Page  - before the heel turn, this team was getting Kenny Omega through the year.

2) Best Friends / Proud and Powerful - for the Parking Lot Brawl alone

3) The Broserweights - they had something there.

 

Best wrestling podcast

1) SCG - the occasional regular episode and the 1990/1991 series have all been of a great standard. More in 2021, I hope.

2) Wrestle Me  - I fear that before long the regular feed will diminish and diminish in favour of their Patreon, but I listened every week while I did the food shop and it's been a great accompaniment.

 

Best use of social media

That's Our Mongo

Edited January 2, 2021 by HarmonicGenerator

[TildeGuy~!]

1 hour ago, Onyx2 said:

Fascinating how Kenny Omega is picking up nominations given he was last year's letdown. The booking came good! 

Didn’t Chris Jericho win wrestler of the year last time out even though 80% of the forum shat on him for a good 6 months? 

[Supremo]

On 12/23/2020 at 11:43 AM, Onyx2 said:

Fascinating how Kenny Omega is picking up nominations given he was last year's letdown. The booking came good! 

About a year or so ago Omega did an interview on Observer Radio where - in politer terms than I would've used - they asked him about being a complete dud in AEW up until that point. Kenny responded that he was happy letting others have the spotlight for now and he was confident enough in his abilities that when he needed step forward he'd be able to assume that role. I remember thinking he was full of shit. Even if he had it in him, there was no coming back from what an absolute nothing he'd become. Well, holy shit. He was right and I was wrong. Guy had it in him the whole time. Maybe I'm too conditioned by WWE booking to think that if someone gets slotted there's no way they can recover, I don't know, but Omega turning into the best thing in the business is the true success story of the year.

Saying it's based solely on the last few weeks doesn't do him justice, either. He's been teasing this heel turn practically the whole year. That's what's made him pulling the trigger all the more satisfying. Everyone (except Dave Meltzer!) could see what a little prick he was. You could sense the arrogance of him in every subtle look and every offhand comment. His poor mate clearly had drinking and anxiety problems but he was too concerned with winning matches and staying friends with twats like the Young Bucks. That they made us wait and wait for Kenny to finally show his true colours is one of the best bits of booking of the last decade.

Finally! Someone who was good in Japan actually delivers!

Edited December 24, 2020 by Supremo

[DavidB6937]

This involved a lot of Wikipedia because quite frankly I've got no concept of time this year whatsoever. It's mental we had crowds sometimes but not for the majority.

Best pro wrestler - Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, Jon Moxley

Best women's wrestler - Io Shirai, Sasha Banks, Bayley

Best British Wrestler - Drew McIntyre, PAC

Match of the Year - Royal Rumble, Bucks/Omega+Page, Stadium Stampede

Best wrestling event - AEW Revolution

Best wrestling show - AEW Dynamite

Best feud or angle - Reigns as the Tribal Chief, Moxley vs Kingston, Sasha Banks and Bayley

Moment of the Year - Edge returns at the Rumble, Sting returns on Dynamite, Jericho/MJF musical number

Best babyface - Hangman Page, Drake Maverick, Jon Moxley

Best heel - Roman Reigns, Kenny Omega, Brodie Lee

Funniest moment of the year - Sue and the Dark Order on BTE, Guevera's feud with the golf cart, Stang at Talk N' Shop A Mania

Best tag team - Bucks, FT, Omega and Page

Best wrestling podcast - N/A

Best use of social media - N/A

[RedRooster]

Best pro wrestler

1. Roman Reigns 

2. Jon Moxley

3. Brodie Lee - I’d initially had Hangman  Page as my third nomination, but he’ll probably end up winning this category next year. Is my change driven by emotion? Absolutely. But Brodie’s final year in wrestling was outstanding and I would love to see him recognised for that. He was compelling as a character and one of AEW’s stand-out in ring performers. 

 

Best women's wrestler

1. Bayley

2. Britt Baker

3. Rhea Ripley

 

Best British Wrestler 

1. Drew McIntyre

2. Nikki Cross

3. PAC

 

Match of the Year

1. Omega/Page vs The Young Bucks

2. Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso (Clash of Champions)

3. Mr. Brodie Lee vs. Cody Rhodes (dog collar match)

Honorable mention to Orange Cassidy vs. PAC, which I really wanted to include but could not

 

Best wrestling event 

1. AEW Revolution

2. NWA Hard Times- A lot of people seem to have forgotten about this, but it was loads of fun

3. AEW Brodie Lee Tribute show

 

Best wrestling show 

1. AEW Dynamite

2. WWE Smackdown

 

Best feud or angle

1. Omega/Page vs. Young Bucks

2. Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso

3. Chris Jericho vs. MJF

 

Moment of the Year

1. Le Dinner Debonair

2. Brodie Lee destroys the Nightmare Family

3. Cody/MJF whipping angle

 

Best babyface

1. Jon Moxley

2. Hangman Page

3. Darby Allin

 

Best heel

1. Roman Reigns

2. Kenny Omega

3. Brodie Lee

 

Funniest moment of the year

1. Heath's "Hire Me, Impact" video

2. Le Dinner Debonair

3. Orange Cassidy/Chris Jericho debate

 

Best tag team

1. Kenny Omega/Adam Page

2. The Young Bucks

3. Best Friends

 

Best wrestling podcast

1. Wrestle Me!

Edited December 31, 2020 by RedRooster
Totally forgot the MJF/Cody whipping angle took place in 2020, and I’ve changed my nominations for best wrestler to include Brodie Lee. He’s been one of my favourite wrestling characters this year, and I’d love to see him win something.

[neil]

Best British Wrestler: The *only* wrestler I watched all year, and he's a top top lad, Danny Boy Johnson