wrestling / Columns
411’s Wrestler of the Week 09.28.09: Week 26
Welcome to Week 26, Year FIVE, 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 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
If you are wondering how some of the writers decide who to vote for, please check out our Wrestler of the Week Supplemental Column!
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 at WrestleMania. This will be posted every Monday. Let’s see who wins this week…
The Voting~!
Ryan Byers
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
For my money, the most compelling heavyweight title division in all of wrestling right now is in New Japan Pro Wrestling. The final piece of that picture came together this past weekend, when Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Togi Makabe to win the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title. The title was vacant as a result of a match between Nakamura and former champion Hiroshi Tanahashi during this summer’s G1 Climax tournament, during which Nakamura broke Tanahashi’s orbital bone, putting him on the shelf. Nakamura was undefeated all tournament long before losing to Makabe in the finals. Now Nakamura is the champion, Makabe is still a legitimate contender because he beat Nakamura in the tournament finals, Tanahashi is a legitimate contender as the former champion when he returns to the ring, and even outsider Tajiri can lay claim to a title shot due to the fact that he pinned Tanahashi during the G1 Climax. Of course, this whole scenario was probably originally planned to involve Tanahashi as the focal point with Makabe, Nakamura, and Tajiri as contenders, but now New Japan is Nakamura’s world, and everybody else is just living in it.
2) Satoshi Kojima – It’s rare to have the two most important titles in Japan’s two largest wrestling companies trade hands in the same weekend, but that’s exactly what happened within the last several days. Satoshi Kojima is YOUR new kingpin of All Japan Pro Wrestling, defeating Yoshihiro Takayama for the vaunted Triple Crown. In addition to that big win, Kojima and the fellow members of his F4 stable scored an elimination tag match victory over the stable of the Voodoo Murderers, with Kojima standing tall as the sole survivor.
3) Yujiro Takahashi – TNA fans might remember Yujiro as one half of NO LIMIT, and, since he’s left Total Nonstop Action, New Japan Pro Wrestling competitor Yujiro has been continuing his “learning excursion” in North America by heading to Mexico’s CMLL promotion. This week, Yujiro and longtime CMLL wrestler Shigeo Okumura teamed up to win the promotion’s annual Gran Alternativa tag tournament, which features one young wrestler and one veteran wrestler teaming up. The younger member of the winning team usually gets elevated, which makes this a huge vote of confidence in Yujiro and bids well for the rest of his CMLL run and his career when he returns for NJPW.
4) Kensuke Sasaki & Takeshi Morishima
5) Ryoto Hama & Akebono
Michael Bauer
1) The American Wolves
Individually, these two did enough to warrant mention. As a team, they are pretty easily my top choice this week. First, they retained the RoH Tag Team Titles in the second ever Ladder Warfare on Saturday Night. Second, Davey Richards defeated Bryan Danielson clean in Dragon’s final RoH defeat. Lastly, Eddie Edwards became instantly over during the weekend. He may have lost to Kevin Steen, but he went out to Ladder Warfare with a fucking broken elbow and went all out! Like him or not, every single person in attendance was chanting his name. These two are best thing going in Ring of Honor right now and are a major tear.
2) Bryan Danielson: One last weekend with two great matches. Bryan, thank you for everyone!
3) Shinsuke Nakamura: Much respect for the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
4) Satoshi Kojima
5) Kensuke Sasaki & Takeshi Morishima (Tie)
Aaron Hubbard
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
Yeah, sorry guys, I really couldn’t think of anything noteworthy that happened in WWE this week, aside from Danielson and McGuinness finishing their commitments and joining the “WWE Universe”. So this is an Indy/Japan week. Congratulations to the new IWGP Champion, someone who very much deserves that title.
2) The American Wolves: As a team, won the second Ladder War to retain their titles. Individually, Davey Richards defeated Bryan Danielson, and Edwards overcame a broken elbow to compete in a very dangerous match, getting the most over he ever has been in the process.
3) Bryan Danielson: Had two great singles matches with Davey Richards and Nigel McGuinness, losing to Richards and beating Nigel in his final ROH match. Is headed to Florida.
4) Satoshi Kojima/Último Guerrero (TIE)
5) Nigel McGuinness
ARI
1) American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
Both men equally deserve top billing this week, for their individual and cooperative accomplishments. Davey Richards had an incredible main event match against Bryan Danielson at the ROH show in Boston. Meanwhile, Edwards broke his elbow and still toughed it out to make sure the fans got the advertised match. Smart or stupid–he did it anyway and I think everyone in attendance gave him the respect he deserved. Should the Wolves have kept the ROH World Tag Team titles in the wake of this injury is another debate entirely, but they did hold onto the belts in the most insane match of the weekend (Ladder War II).
2) Bryan Danielson: One of the most emotional farewells in ROH history, Danielson went out a true professional, putting on two awesome matches against Richards and then against McGuinness.
3) Nigel McGuinness: Another true professional in his final week with ROH, putting Roderick Strong over in Boston and then wrestling Danielson in a very fitting finale. Danielson has the last word in the rivalry, but McGuinness won’t be forgotten easily.
4) Kevin Steen
5) El Generico
Andy Clark
1) Bryan Danielson
There was a reason the last few shows have been the “Final Countdown” tour and not something more…British. With the possible exception of Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson is the very embodiment of Ring of Honor. It is fitting that he got one last victory over Nigel McGuinness before leaving for greener pastures.
2) Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura continues a busy year by winning the vacant IWGP Title.
3) Abyss: Maybe it was the mood I was in at the time, but watching the Abyss segments on Impact felt particularly heart wrenching and made me really get involved in the story. Great stuff there.
4) Satoshi Kojima
5) American Wolves
Larry Csonka
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Togi Makabe to win the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title. Easily the biggest title change to happen this week, and for that reason, he captures the top spot with me.
2) Yujiro and Okumura: They defeated Místico and Ángel de Oro to win the 2009 “Gran Alternativa”, which is where one young wrestler and one veteran wrestler team up, and the younger man usually gets pushed due to the win. A very important victory for Yujiro.
3) The American Wolves: Richards defeated Danielson in singles competition, and Edwards went through and won n Ladder War with a severely injured, possibly broken are. A huge week for the Wolves.
4) Christian
5) Samoa Joe
Samuel Berman
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
Won the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Title which was held up after then-champion Hiroshi Tanahashi was injured in a match with Nakamura.
2) Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards: A big weekend for the American Wolves, culminating in a Ladder War victory including a gutsy performance by an injured Edwards.
3) Bryan Danielson: A farewell victory for the Ring of Honor legend.
4) Satoshi Kojima
5) Nick Jackson and Matt Jackson (tie)
Jasper Gerretsen
1) Shinsuke Nakamura
Won one of the top singles titles in Japan by beating Togi Makabe, with several challengers still lurking on the horizon.
2) Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards (tie): Richards made Danielson tap, Edwards worked through a broken shoulder. Together they won Lader War II.
3) Yujiro Takahashi: Won a tournament designed to establish young talent. His future in CMLL and New Japan looks bright.
4) Satoshi Kojima
5) The Young Bucks
Jeremy Thomas
1) The American Wolves
What’s to say that hasn’t been said above? The Wolves worked their asses off and came out looking golden this week. In a slow week from the big two, these two guys are clear wrestlers of the week.
2) Shinsuke Nakamura: Nakamura won the IWGP Title, which like everyone above said is the biggest title change to happen this week and another feather in the cap of a worthy champion.
3) Drew McIntyre: And the winner for getting the short stick this week in voting is…I’m mostly kidding there. Drew’s big moment this week was sort of lost in the midst of Vinnie Mac’s announcement of next week’s SmackDown. But the fact is, Vince put Drew over as a future World Champion and a face of the future on the Blue Brand, and that’s a huge vote of confidence for the man
4) Bryan Danielson
5) Nigel McGuiness
THE WINNERS~!
The Final Countdown Tour is over, culminating in the American Dragon defeating Nigel McGuinness on the way out.
The American Wolves have a banner week as Eddie Edwards worked through a broken elbow and Davey Richards beat Danielson, and together they retained their titles in Ladder War II.
Nakamura wins his third IWGP Heavyweight Championship, claiming the vacant title by defeating Togi Makabe which is enough to make him the Wrestler of the Week!
Year-End Standings~!
This week Nakamura, Kojima and Takahashi all make their debuts on the Year-End Rankings. Meanwhile, McGuinness moves up a little but the big movement is from Bryan Danielson, who makes his way into the top 15, and from the American Wolves who are now in the top 10!
Let’s check out the Year-End Standings!
1. CM Punk – 107 (SmackDown)
2. Jeff Hardy – 85 (US Independent)
3. John Morrison – 70 (SmackDown)
4. Edge – 49 (SmackDown) {INJURED}
4. Rey Mysterio – 49 (SmackDown) {SUSPENDED}
6. Chris Jericho – 37 (SmackDown)
7. Davey Richards – 33 (ROH)
7. Eddie Edwards – 33 (ROH)
9. Randy Orton – 31 (RAW)
9. Ted DiBiase – 31 (RAW)
11. AJ Styles – 30 (TNA)
12. Christian – 28 (ECW)
13. Naruki Doi – 27 (Dragon’s Gate)
13. JTG – 27 (SmackDown)
13. Batista – 27 (SmackDown)
13. Bryan Danielson – 27 (WWE)
Jerry Lynn – 24 (ROH)
Kurt Angle – 22 (TNA)
Samoa Joe – 22 (TNA)
Mitsuharu Misawa – 21 (NOAH) {DECEASED}
John Cena – 21 (RAW)
Sting – 18 (TNA)
Go Shiozaki – 18 (NOAH)
Tyler Black – 16 (ROH)
Cody Rhodes – 16 (RAW)
Mark Henry – 16 (RAW)
Austin Aries – 16 (ROH)
The Undertaker – 15 (SmackDown)
Mick Foley – 15 (TNA)
Montel Vontavious Porter – 15 (RAW)
Manabu Nakanishi – 15 (NOAH)
Togi Makabe – 15 (NOAH)
Hernandez – 15 (TNA)
Dolph Ziggler – 15 (SmackDown)
Shinsuke Nakamura – 15 (NJPW)
Shawn Michaels – 12 (RAW)
Minoru Suzuki – 12 (All Japan)
Brother Devon – 12 (TNA)
Brother Ray – 12 (TNA)
Bison Smith – 12 (NOAH)
Tommy Dreamer – 12 (ECW)
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 12 (New Japan)
Shad – 12 (SmackDown)
Zach Ryder – 12 (ECW)
Shingo Takagi – 12 (Dragon’s Gate)
YAMATO – 12 (Dragon’s Gate)
Soldier Ant – 10 (US Independent)
Fire Ant – 10 (US Independent)
MsChif – 9 (SHIMMER)
Jack Swagger – 9 (RAW)
Masato Tanaka – 9 (ZERO1)
Homcide – 9 (TNA)
Nick Jackson – 9 (US Independent)
Matt Jackson – 9 (US Independent)
Ryouji Sai – 9 (ZERO1)
Player Dos – 9 (US Independent)
Mistico – 9 (CMLL)
Nigel McGuinness – 7 (WWE)
Daniels – 6 (TNA)
Matt Hardy – 6 (SmackDown)
Chris Hero – 6 (US Independent)
Satoshi Kojima – 6 (AJPW)
Dr. Wagner Jr. – 4 (AAA)
Evan Bourne – 3 (Raw)
The Miz – 3 (Raw)
Ken Anderson – 3 (US Independent)
Tara – 3 (TNA)
Booker T – 3 (TNA)
Scott Steiner – 3 (TNA)
Tajiri – 3 (HUSTLE)
Tyson Kidd – 3 (SmackDown)
Hamada – 3 (TNA)
Yujiro Takahashi – 3 (CMLL)
Ricky Steamboat– 2 (WWE)
Portia Perez – 1 (SHIMMER)
Nicole Mathews – 1 (SHIMMER)
Ryo Saito – 1 (Dragon Gate)
Genki Horiguchi – 1 (Dragon Gate)
Michelle McCool – 1 (SmackDown)
Atsushi Aoki – 1 (NOAH)
Kota Ibushi – 1 (NOAH)
Seth Green – 1 (US Independent)
Yoshinobu Kanemaru – 1 (NOAH)
Kotaro Suzuki – 1 (NOAH)
Vince McMahon – 1 (WWE)
Brian Kendrick – 1 (US Independent)
WWE, Raw, ECW and SmackDown 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 Contracted Wrestlers are represented in MAGENTA.
**PREVIOUS WINNERS**  Year One Winner: Ric Flair
|
If you are wondering how some of the writers decide who to vote for, please check out our Wrestler of the Week Supplemental Column!
