wrestling / Columns

411’s Wrestler of the Week – Sheamus Battles Reigns

November 24, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Welcome to YEAR ELEVEN, WEEK 34 of 411’s Wrestler of the Week. A quick overview of the rules to kick things off for us as a reminder…

Each writer chooses FIVE wrestlers (although ties and tag teams are allowed, and more on a special occasion) from any promotion and each wrestler gets a point total attached to that ranking. It looks a little like this…

1st – 5
2nd – 4
3rd – 3
4th – 2
5th – 1

Then we tally up the votes and the official 411 Wrestler of the Week is crowned. But wait, there’s more! Each week the top SIX vote getters get a points value for their ranking which looks something like this…

1st – 15
2nd – 12
3rd – 9
4th – 6
5th – 3
6th – 1

…and they go towards the 411 Wrestler of the Year award to be announced each year around WrestleMania. This will be posted every Tuesday (the voting week runs Monday through Sunday). Let’s see who wins this week…

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Larry Csonka
1) Roman Reigns:
He may not have walked out of the Survivor Series with the WWE Title, but Roman Reigns had a damn good week and gets the top vote from me. He had a really good match with Cesaro on Raw, was part of a fun main event on Smackdown, delivered in his match with Del Rio at Survivor Series and then did win the tournament over Ambrose in the finals to win the title. Yeah, the MITB bit him in the ass, but the week was a damn good one, and there was no question from me as to who should get the top spot.

2) Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin: Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin got off to a great start in the NJPW World Tag League Tournament, picking up a great win over Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI on night one. They were in the main event match; it was a great effort by all and Elgin came off like a big time star. It’s amazing how he is presented in Japan as opposed to how ROH has presented him.
3) Bayley: Defeated Alexa Bliss to retain the NXT Women’s Title.
4) Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens
5) Sheamus

Ryan Byers
1) Sheamus . . . kind of . . . I guess . . .:
I am in no way, shape, or form excited about this, nor do I think that it was booked in anything approaching a good manner, but Sheamus is the new WWE Champion after not having had the belt for quite some time, so I feel compelled to vote for him. Then again, he was also pinned by the freaking Ryback, which is part of the reason why I’m so conflicted.

2) Go Shiozaki: Go made his official return to Pro Wrestling NOAH this week after departing All Japan, and he’s already involved in the top mix, as Suzuki-gun has confronted him and offered him a position in the group. I’m interested to see where Go goes in NOAH, especially given the company’s relationship with New Japan.
3) BUSHI: BUSHI is back in New Japan and with a new heel persona, joining up with Tetsuya Naito and EVIL. Let’s hope this unit takes off and can freshen up the NJPW roster somewhat.
4) Hiroshi Tanahashi & Michael Elgin
5) Kazuki Hirata

Kevin Pantoja
1) Roman Reigns:
Honestly, it’s pretty baffling that Roman Reigns doesn’t lead the entire year. Outside of the Royal Rumble (which doesn’t even count for this year), he’s had nothing but good to great matches on Pay-Per-View. Nobody has been more consistent in big matches. This week, Roman Reigns didn’t end on a high note, but his overall performances put him here. He defeated Cesaro in a solid match on Raw and competed in a fun tag team match on Smackdown. For the Survivor Series itself, Reigns beat Alberto Del Rio in a pretty good opener for the Pay-Per-View. Then, he beat Dean Ambrose in the main event to win the WWE World Heavyweight Title for the first time. Granted, the finals turned out to be disappointing but it was still a major accomplishment for Roman. It was ruined just moments later. Still, I can’t deny the week and year that Roman Reigns has had in 2015. He wasn’t ready to be the man at the start of the year. However, he’s used 2015 to turn things around (though he still needs help on the mic).

2) Sheamus: Obviously, leaving the Pay-Per-View as the WWE Champion earns you a high spot on the list this week. The main reason Sheamus didn’t top things was because, like most Money in the Bank winners, Sheamus has been a complete loser since winning the briefcase. That reared its ugly head again during the Survivor Series. Sheamus was left alone with three opponents in a traditional Survivor Series match. Instead of having a strong showing, he was routinely defeated like nothing. Sheamus did show up at the end of the show to successfully cash in and become the WWE Champion, seemingly aligning himself with Triple H.
3) Dean Ambrose: Outside of the guys who actually won the WWE World Heavyweight Title this week, Dean Ambrose had the best showing. On Raw, he bested Dolph Ziggler in a fun little match before also participating in the tag team main event of Smackdown. At Survivor Series, he and Kevin Owens went on second and had the best match of the evening, which Ambrose won. In the finals, he took on his old Shield brother, Roman Reigns. As noted earlier, the match proved to be short and disappointing. However, for the time it went on, it featured solid work. Two good wins and three good matches, while coming so close to winning the biggest prize in the game is enough to land Dean Ambrose on the list this week.
4) Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin
5) Bayley

Daniel Wilcox
1) Sheamus:
Despite winning Money in the Bank months ago, we all pretty much assumed that Sheamus’ career trajectory was never going to reach the heights it looked like it might a number of years ago. He was always going to be one of the guys that suffered from WWE reverting back to one world championship. But Sheamus walked out of Survivor Series as WWE World Heavyweight Champion, regardless of how he’s been used in recent months. Sure, this probably would never have been the case if it weren’t for a number of high profile absentees, pig-headed creative writing and the fans still not fully accepting Roman Reigns, but it is what it is and you have to give the devil his due.

2) Roman Reigns: Reigns had a number of really good matches this week and held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for a few minutes. It’s now kind of frustrating to see some fans rebelling against Reigns because the guy has been bringing it in the ring all year. The silver lining for Reigns is there’s a good chances he goes the Daniel Bryan route and gets the gold back at WrestleMania, albeit without the same level of crowd support.
3) Bayley: Successfully retained the NXT Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss in Bliss’ best match to date, and quickly moved into a program with Eva Marie, which if nothing else will make Bayley even more popular than before.
4) Jason Jordan and Chad Gable
5) Dean Ambrose

Mike Chin
1) Roman Reigns:
While Reigns didn’t walk out of Survivor Series with the strap, he was the only man to walk out of the show with two wins, both in very good matches. Moreover, his direction is clear now–no heel turn, and with the clean win over Dean Ambrose he cements his spot as the top face who sill presumably chase the WWE Championship immediately, during the build to WrestleMania, or both. On top of all of that, WWE and Reigns have achieved what was unthinkable in January, in legitimately making him more palatable to the fans and sympathetic for his travails, as opposed the “chosen one” who fans didn’t feel was entirely ready.

2) Sheamus: When Sheamus dropped the final fall in his elimination tag match, I took that as a sign he might sell exhaustion, and thus WWE would have an excuse why didn’t cash in at the end of the show. The fact that he did still cash in (and successfully) tells a different story. The best rationale I can come up with is that WWE is emphasizing the dude got pinned by Ryback earlier in the show and thus is far less worthy of the title than Reigns, and so we should be pissed and rally behind Reigns. Anyway, I thought there was a real chance Sheamus was going the way of Damien Sandow here in fouling up his MITB opportunity, so I’ll give him props for dodging ultimate goat status, and for subbing in for Seth Rollins as The Authority’s golden boy for at least a little while.
3) The Undertaker: ‘Taker had Survivor Series dedicated to him. He and Kane ran roughshod over the Wyatts for a match that didn’t do the young heel stable any favors or appear particularly well-suited to long-term plans, but was nonetheless a fun enough nostalgia trip, featured a couple cool spots and gave The Phenom what is, in all likelihood, a triumphant send off until ‘Mania season.
4) Dean Ambrose
5) Bayley

Greg “Mother Freakin’” DeMarco
1) Roman Reigns:
You, obviously, can make the case for Sheamus here. But take a look at what Roman Reigns accomplished this week, likely the best week of his career. He defeated Cesaro in a 20+ minute classic on Raw, followed that up by continuing to quietly carry Smackdown, the got wins over Alberto Del Rio and Dean Ambrose to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the Survivor Series pay-per-view. He also speared Triple H, starting his “Uber-Face vs. The Boss” storyline that all mega stars get. While he did lose to a Sheamus cash-in, he’s now a former world champion and had his best week ever.

2) Sheamus: Mr. Money In The Bank is now Mr. WWE World Heavyweight Champion, cashing in at the end of the Survivor Series pay-per-view and potentially forging an alliance with The Authority.
3) Bobby Roode: The best wrestler in TNA beat Abyss. Whenever anyone can make Abyss lose, and push him one step closer to me never having to see him ever again, I am happy.
4) Dean Ambrose
5) Kevin Owens

Aaron Scott
1) Roman Reigns: In one night he wrestled three matches, easily dispatched Dean Ambrose, outlasted ADR, speared Triple H and got pinned by Sheamus. But that’s nothing to cry over, he finally became World Champ and Sika’s boyhood dream has been realized.

2) Sheamus: Won the World Heavyweight Title and kept it thanks to Triple H, is now the new face of the Authority. Oh 20-minute promos never sounded so good, fella! And also got beat soundly in his tag match. Why? Because fuck you, that’s why.
3) Bobby Roode: Bobby Roode defeated Abyss in the main event of Impact, eliminating the Monster and joins Eric Young in advancing in the TNA World Title Series.
4) Alberto Del Rio
5) Dean Ambrose

Wyatt Beougher
1) Roman Reigns:
Sure, Sheamus ended the show as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but Reigns did win the title for the first time and had the better overall week, winning three tournament matches. In a tournament that followed the most predictable path possible (and culminated at an utterly forgettable live special), Reigns’ match with Cesaro from RAW last week was one of the few highlights in WWE this week. That’s good enough for the top spot in my book.

2) Sheamus: Sheamus would have earned the top spot this week if it weren’t for him taking a loss in the only Survivor Series elimination tag match on the main card of the show. He put up a valiant effort when he was out manned 3 to 1, but he still took the loss, so even his cash-in to end the show was not enough to give him the nod over Roman Reigns.
3) Brothers of Destruction: In the worst booking decision of the week, the Brothers of Destruction decimated the entire Wyatt family to pick up the win at Survivor Series and made Bray’s mind games with the druids on Monday night come across as utterly ineffectual. WWE continues to prove that they learned from WCW’s mistakes by booking for the future and keeping their young stars (who will still be with the promotion five years from now) looking strong.
4) Bayley
5) Dean Ambrose


THE WINNERS~!
* Special Mention…Undertaker and Bobby Roode – 6 Votes

* Fifth Place…Hiroshi Tanahashi and Michael Elgin – 8 Votes

* Fourth Place…Bayley – 10 Votes

* Third Place…Dean Ambrose – 13 Votes

Had a great run and performances in the world title tournament.

* Second Place…Sheamus – 31 Votes

Cashed in MITB to become the NEW WWE Champion!

* And 411’s Wrestler of the Week is…
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Roman Reigns – 35 Votes

Roman Reigns had a great run this week in the world title tournament, made the finals and then won the WWE Title; reigning supreme as champion for upwards of three minutes until Sheamus took the title from him…

The Standings
Here are the standings after week thirty-four

1. John Cena – 80 pts.

2. Seth Rollins – 62 pts.
2. Kofi Kingston – 62 pts.
2. Big E – 62 pts.

5. Kevin Owens – 58 pts.

6. Roman Reigns – 54 pts.

7. Xavier Woods – 49 pts.

8. Shinsuke Nakamura – 48 pts.

9. Jay Lethal – 43 pts.
9. Prince Puma/Ricochet – 43 pts.

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Sasha Banks – 42 pts.

Kazuchika Okada – 39 pts.

Brock Lesnar – 33 pts.
Matt Hardy – 33 pts.
Dean Ambrose – 33 pts.
Bayley – 33 pts.

Finn Balor – 31 pts.
Mil Muertes – 31 pts.

Alberto Del Rio – 30 pts.
Cesaro – 30 pts.
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 30 pts.

KUSHIDA – 27 pts.
Kyle O’Reilly – 27 pts.

Ethan Carter III – 25 pts.
Timothy Thatcher – 25 pts.

Drago – 24 pts.
Fenix – 24 pts.
Kota Ibushi – 24 pts.
AJ Styles – 24 pts.
Rocky Romero – 24 pts.
Trent Baretta – 24 pts.
Michael Elgin – 24 pts.

Samoa Joe – 21 pts.
Nick Jackson – 21 pts.
Matt Jackson – 21 pts.
Hirooki Goto – 21 pts.
Sheamus – 21 pts.

Eddie Edwards – 19 pts.
Davey Richards – 19 pts.

Matt Sydal – 18 pts.
Aerostar – 18 pts.
Bubba Ray Dudley – 18 pts.
D-Von Dudley – 18 pts.

Undertaker – 17 pts.

Zack Sabre Jr – 16 pts.

Hideo Itami – 15 pts.
Randy Orton – 15 pts.
Jeff Hardy – 15 pts.
Angelico – 15 pts.
Son of Havoc – 15 pts.
Kurt Angle – 15 pts.
Bobby Fish – 15 pts.
Togi Makabe – 15 pts.
Tomohiro Ishii – 15 pts.

Kazarian – 13 pts.
Christopher Daniels – 13 pts.
Sting – 13 pts.
Bobby Roode – 13 pts.

Rey Mysterio Jr. – 12 pts.
Naomichi Marufuji – 12 pts.
Atsushi Kotoge – 12 pts.
Daisuke Harada – 12 pts.
Katsuyori Shibata – 12 pts.
Mike Bennett – 12 pts.
Matt Taven – 12 pts.
“Speedball” Mike Bailey – 12 pts.
Rich Swann – 12 pts.
Ivelisse – 12 pts.
Drew Galloway – 12 pts.
Apollo Crews – 12 pts.
Scott Dawson – 12 pts.
Dash Wilder – 12 pts.

Becky Lynch – 10 pts.
Roderick Strong – 10 pts.

Ryback – 9 pts.
Jeff Jarrett – 9 pts.
Karl Anderson – 9 pts.
Sami Zayn – 9 pts.
Kimber Lee – 9 pts.
Cherry Bomb – 9 pts.

Kalisto – 7 pt.

Minoru Suzuki – 6 pts
Tigre Uno – 6 pts.
KAI – 6 pts.
Masato Tanaka – 6 pts.
Takashi Sugiura – 6 pts.
Charlotte – 6 pts.
King Bad News Barrett – 6 pts.
Nicole Matthews – 6 pts.
Johnny Gargano – 6 pts.
Gail Kim – 6 pts.

Neville – 5 pts.

Johnny Mundo – 3 pts.
Jack Evans – 3 pts.
Cage – 3 pts.
Madison Eagles – 3 pts.
Jay Briscoe – 3 pts.
Shingo – 3 pts.

Chris Hero – 1 pt.
PJ Black – 1 pt.
Pentagon Jr – 1 pt.
El Siniestro de la Muerte – 1 pt.
Barrio Negro – 1 pt.
Terce – 1 pt.
King Cuerno – 1 pt.
Mark Andrews – 1 pt.
Kenny King – 1 pt.
Kane – 1 pt.
Jey Uso – 1 pt.
Jimmy Uso – 1 pt.
Nikki Bella – 1 pt.
Jason Jordan – 1 pt.
Chad Gable – 1 pt.
Titus O’Neil – 1 pt.
Aiden English – 1 pt.
Simon Gotch – 1 pt.
Darren Young – 1 pt.
Kenny Omega – 1 pt.
Minoru Tanaka – 1 pt.
Tajiri – 1 pt.
Masato Yoshino – 1 pt.
Jun Kasai – 1 pt.
Manabu Soya – 1 pt.
Tetsuya Naito – 1 pt.


* Voting began 4.06.15

* Year-End Rankings Key:

WWE Contracted Wrestlers are represented in BLUE.

TNA Contracted Wrestlers are represented in GREEN.

ROH Contracted Wrestlers are represented in RED.

US Independent Wrestlers are represented in MAROON.

Japanese Contracted Wrestlers are represented in BLACK.

Mexican/Lucha Underground Contracted Wrestlers are represented in MAGENTA.

Other International Wrestlers are represented in INDIGO.


**PREVIOUS WINNERS**

Year One Winner: Ric Flair (2005-2006) (Shortened year, starting September 2005)


Year Two Winner: Samoa Joe (2006-2007)


Year Three Winner: John Cena (2007-2008)


Year Four Winner: Chris Jericho (2008-2009)


Year Five Winner: CM Punk (2009-2010)


Year Six Winner: The Miz (2010-2011)


Year Seven Winner: CM Punk (2011-2012)


Year Eight Winner: CM Punk (2012-2013)


Year Nine Winner: Daniel Bryan (2013-2014)

 photo Rollins WOTY_zpsozlrughk.png
Year Ten Winner: Seth Rollins (2014-2015)