2018's Best Of The Year - Wrestling (The Fluffies)

Welcome to the now OFFICIALLY annual Fluffy awards. DISCLAIMER: I am no Meltzer, so I won't have watched everything, couple that with the fact that this year, since WrestleMania 34, I've basically sat out WWE entirely. WHOOPS, anyway here are my awards.

Male Wrestler Of The Year - Kenny Omega

Yes, last years runner-up is this years absolute best. I think Kenny is gonna be at the top of this category for years and years to come, but the reason he's here this year is not only has he put on the best match I've ever seen, but he is on my list of potential MOTY contenders more than anyone else. He also finally captured the converted IWGP Heavyweight Championship this year in said match. It feels like relatively slower year for him compared to last years series with Okada, but looking at all the great matches he had this year completely foils that.


Honourable Mentions:

Tomohiro Ishii

His G1 was incredible, his UK matches were incredible and his New Japan matches were incredible. Ishii had a run with RevPro's British Heavyweight Championship this year while feuding in both RevPro and New Japan with Minoru Suzuki, (who could've easily have made this list too) and I was lucky enough to see most of these matches LIVE, so completely bias there. But again Ishii's G1 was stunning, with matches with Goto and Omega were standouts. I really want him to be IWGP Heavyweight Champion now.

Johnny Gargano

What a fucking ride Gargano's year has been. Stellar match after Stellar match on NXT Takeover's, as well as an absolutely enthralling feud with former DIY partner Tommaso Ciampa, a great babyface performance into a great heel performance. I hope Gargano keeps the ball rolling.


Female Wrestler Of The Year - Becky Lynch

To be quite frank, I haven't been watching much WWE, but Becky Lynch is my favourite horsewomen, and everyone went shit crazy about her heel stuff, I did watch her Raw invasion segment where she had the iconic image of her standing in the crowd with blood streaming down her face. Then her tweets afterwards completely destroying Ronda were really great. Basically I think she is one of the best characters in wrestling and I wanna see what she's doing at WrestleMania.


Honourable Mentions:

Toni Storm

Last Years Breakout Woman, this years runner up to the BEST. Toni Storm feels like she continually grows as a wrestler every time we see her and it is great, this year she won the Mae Young Classic beating Io Shirai and has been a prominent feature on NXT UK.

Kairi Sane

Kairi had another great year in wrestling, Mae Young Classic as well as winning (and then losing) the NXT Women's Championship with some pretty good matches with Shayna Baszler.


Tag Team Of The Year - The Young Bucks

Yes, again for a second year running The Young Bucks make it here. We all know they are the pinnacle of Tag Team wrestling but again, same as last year, Being The Elite has done some absolutely INSANE things this year, All In, and the announcement of AEW, which I guess technically happened on 2019. Regardless they are truly CHANGING THE WORLD.


Honourable Mentions:

The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly & Roderick Strong)

Well at the tail end of 2017 they were really great and making themselves known. This year however, they added Roderick Strong and decided to pair up KOR with him due to O'Reilly's former reDRagon member Bobby Fish being out injured. and this team is absolutely incredible. They won the NXT Tag Team Championship late 2017 but carried them pretty much all through this year, with one hiccup against Moustache Mountain in a great match.

Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL & SANADA)

Just a great team, I love this duo a whole lot and I think they are consistently New Japan's best Heavyweight Tag Team around.


Male Breakout Year - Hangman Page

Between Hangman and Number two on the list it was pretty fucking hard call to make. And although in kayfabe the runner-up definitely had a better year, I think Hangman Page is just a slightly better wrestler. Hangman has really impressed me this year, his G1 was great (even though he lost a lot) and he had two really great matches with Joey Janela and Jay White. AEW looks like it will give Hangman a chance to shine brighter.


Honourable Mentions:

Jay White

Speaking of. Yes, Jay White was the very very close second here, but man oh man has he had a great year, I didn't think much of his New Japan debut match with Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 12, but since that point he has had some great matches and moments, his formerly mentioned match with Hangman, his match with Okada in the G1, and his whole G1 to be quite honest, and then he took leadership over Bullet Club. He is sure to have his biggest year yet in 2019.

Juice Robinson

I fucking love Juice Robinson, I feel like he is so close to being talked about everywhere and being the most hot commodity. His G1 with his cast and hand injury, his feud with Jay White and then Cody. Just some great stuff can't wait for more.


Female Breakout Year - Ronda Rousey

I mean I don't think there is any question here, even me, the one who hasn't been watching much WWE this year knows that Ronda is a Kurt Angle or a Chad Gable, just understanding the sport and being a natural immediately. I fucking loved her debut match at WrestleMania, and I have it on good authority that she has kept up the good work too.


Honourable Mentions:

Jordynne Grace

This was my first exposure to Jordynne Grace this year, but she absolutely blew me away in the All In Battle Royal and then later in PROGRESS wrestling. She is truly a one of a kind women's wrestler and I want to see her more.

Rhea Ripley

WOWOW. What a good surprise Rhea Ripley has been, she is probably one of the most convincing wrestlers I've ever seen, what a great young talent and the first ever NXT UK Women's Champion!


Tag Team Breakout Year - Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly & Roderick Strong)

Before you chant cheater, Let's be clear, this is the first time these two have been a consistent tag team. If this was reDRagon then you would've had a fair point. But it isn't. See tag team of the year honourable mentions for more info.


Honourable Mentions:

Bullet Club (Taiji Ishimori & Robbie Eagles)

No one else would put these two here, but I fucking loved these two as a team. Purely formed because Taiji needed a partner for the Juniors Tag Tournament, these two have a really incredible chemistry which I found being magnetised to watch. Maybe because this was the first time I had seen Robbie Eagles in action as well but I really loved this team and I hope we see more of it soon.

Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch

These guys are here because they had a great match at a Takeover after I had wanted them to tea for a long time, and then they kinda subsided again afterwards. I love these two and I want them to be used more consistently, I kinda hope they turn up on NXT UK TV.


Top 15 Matches Of The Year

Well, there was so many matches I wanted to praise, that I've turned this from Top 10 to Top 15, god knows if it'll be 15 again next year or not.

15. Jay White vs Hangman Page - NJPW Strong Style Evolved

14. Johnny Gargano vs Andrade Almas - NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

13. Kenny Omega vs Pentagon Jr - All In

12. Minoru Suzuki vs Tomohiro Ishii - RevPro Global Wars UK

11. Hangman Page vs Joey Janela - All In

10. Adam Cole vs EC3 vs Killian Dain vs Lars Sullivan vs Ricochet vs Velveteen Dream - NXT Takeover: New Orleans

9. Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr vs Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW Strong Style Evolved UK: Milton Keynes

8. Minoru Suzuki vs Hiroshi Tanahashi - NJPW The New Beginning in Sapparo 

7. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H & Stephanie McMahon - WWE WrestleMania 34

6. Minoru Suzuki vs Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW Power Struggle

5. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa - NXT Takeover: Chicago

4. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 17

3. Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 14

2. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa - NXT Takeover: New Orleans

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega IV - NJPW Dominion

Honourable Mentions:
Hiromu Takahashi vs KUSHIDA vs Marty Scurll vs Will Ospreay - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12, Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12, Adam Cole vs Aleister Black - NXT Takeover: Philadelphia, Men's Royal Rumble - WWE Royal Rumble, Women's Royal Rumble - WWE Royal Rumble, SANADA vs Kazuchika Okada - NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka, Golden Lovers vs The Young Bucks - NJPW Strong Style Evolved, Buddy Murphy vs Kalisto - WWE 205 Live, Tetsuya Naito vs Chris Jericho - NJPW Dominion, The Young Bucks vs SANADA & EVIL - NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco, Jay White vs Juice Robinson - NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 1, Zack Sabre Jr vs SANADA - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 6, Juice Robinson vs Tetsuya Naito - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 6, Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi - NJPW G1 Climax 28: Night 18, Kota Ibushi vs Hiroshi Tanahashi - NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final, Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa - NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4, Chris Jericho vs EVIL - NJPW Power Struggle.

Top 5 Feuds Of The Year

5. Kenny Omega vs Cody

This was the biggest story in wrestling for a brief period this year, and it is all down to BTE's mastery story telling at work.

4. The Elite vs Bullet Club

But I preferred this second civil war that happened immediately after the first. Watching The Elite bond as a band of brothers while the Guerillas Of Destiny with Haku lay them to waste and then watching as Bullet Club OGs garned some of the best talent in the world while The Elite got broken down was a great watch.

3. Kenny Omega vs Hiroshi Tanahashi

Unfortunately we didn't get the pay off this year, but it has happened as of writing and I can say this whole lead up about whos wrestling styles are better, who's the ace etc etc, have been a really cool way of building a match between two of the absolute best wrestlers.

2. Minoru Suzuki vs Tomohiro Ishii

These are two of my favourite wrestlers right now just because of this series alone, I just love watching two big brutal old guys forearming each other. It fucking rules.

1. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa

I mean, it couldn't be anything else, just the most interesting storyline to happen in wrestling all year. coupled with an amazing trilogy. This is a culmination of teasing from even before they won the tag team championships, during the CWC and from there. Just a great story.


Event Of The Year - All In

The most refreshing feeling variety show of great fucking wrestling throughout, it completely changed the way us fans look at wrestling, this felt completely different and exciting. I cannot wait to see where AEW goes all because of this one show.


Promotion Of The Year: New Japan Pro Wrestling

Second year running but not particularly surprising, New Japan are just a wonderful company that continue to put on the best that wrestling has to offer.

That was it! Hope you enjoyed the awards, check out some of those matches and see you all next year!

2017's Best Of The Year - Wrestling (The Fluffies)

Yknow, I'm a big wrestling nerd, and when I wanna do wrestling awards I wanna make it as goofy as wrestling can be, so let me introduce you to the first ever 'Fluffies' (You get it right!?). This'll be similar to my WWE Season Awards, except I'm involving all the wrestling I saw this year. Sadly I'm no Meltzer, so I haven't seen everything, I've just watched what I could.



Male Wrestler Of The Year - Kazuchika Okada

I think there is absolutely no doubt that Kazuchika Okada has one of the best, if not thee best, year in pro wrestling, every major championship match he had this year was a Match Of The Year contender, along with the greatest wrestling trilogy with Kenny Omega and being the longest reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. This couldn't go to anyone else this year.


Honourable Mentions:

Kenny Omega

Well, maybe it could've gone to this man. Omega has had an incredible 2017, not only the trilogy but he has just as many stand out matches as Okada, as well as winning the IWGP US Championship and being the main reason New Japan has started getting a lot of western fans attention.

AJ Styles

In a year of WWE where has been lack luster to say the least, AJ Styles was a consistent in having the best matches in the company. Sadly it was hindered by being an undervalued US Champion and having a slightly disappointing series with Kevin Owens.



Female Wrestler Of The Year - Asuka

Asuka has had another stellar year in pro wrestling, starting in NXT with her bouts with Ruby Riot, Nikki Cross, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce and Ember Moon, then later moving to the main roster on Raw. Admittedly her main roster run so far has not as good as her NXT run, but that aside she is the greatest female wrestler today.


Honourable Mentions:

Kairi Sane

Although my lack in eastern women's wrestling is obvious, Kairi Sane since turning up in WWE has been phenomenal. Winning the Mae Young Classic, and being featured prominently on NXT afterwards she is one of the best pro wrestlers in the world and it is obvious to see.

Shayna Baszler

When Shayna Baszler had her first match in the Mae Young Classic, I was absolutely in shock. She was an incredible story teller and athlete. Even from a MMA background you can tell that the love for pro wrestling runs deep in Shayna's DNA.



Tag Team Of The Year - The Young Bucks

It has to go the other two thirds of The Elite, The Young Bucks. I think at this point in their careers it's hard to put anyone else on the top of this list. I think their successful series Being The Elite puts them up their alone, using modern platforms to change the way Pro Wrestling tells stories is truly groundbreaking for the industry, but not only that but they produce some of the best matches on the planet.


Honourable Mentions:

The Usos

In the past couple of years WWE's Tag division has been dominated by The New Day, but The Usos took a risk to try and become more prominent again and it worked far better than anyone could have ever imagined. The twins have had a gimmick change and a heel turn that has only allowed them to come out of their shell more, they've upped their game when it came to tag matches, allowing their new heel personas to allow them to update their movesets and use dirtier tactics. A great year uce.

DIY

Before their split, DIY was probably the greatest WWE orientated tag team, they were the constant factor to all the great NXT tag matches this year, matches with The Revival and Authors Of Pain really elevated the whole NXT brand where most of the NXT Title matches were getting predictable.



Male Breakout Year - Braun Strowman

This was a pretty hard category out of the three mentioned here, but I think I truly need to praise Braun Strowman. His initial debut was not good at all, but since then he has absolutely become my favourite part of every WWE program he is included in. So entertaining along with being able to play the best Big Man since early Undertaker. I hope he rockets from here.


Honourable Mentions:

Travis Banks

Travis Banks has been on my radar for a little while, but his most recent run in Progress (also I heard some stuff from Fight Club Pro?) has added a new entire level to him as a performer and really shone everything he is capable of.

EVIL

Although been amazing for a while, EVIL this year has become my guy to root for in NJPW, not only a goofy but really cool gimmick, just an insanely talented performer. All his G1 matches were must watch, the one with SANADA and Okada immediately come to mind, plus his matches in the New Japan Cup and winning the World Tag League. Don't forget his firt shot at IWGP World gold at Kings Of Pro Wrestling.



Female Breakout Year - Toni Storm

Toni Storm this year has shown to be one of the most charismatic and enjoyable wrestlers in the world, this year saw her get the best notoriety from WWE's Mae Young Classic, getting to the semi-finals. But Toni also went through every other women's division this year, in Stardom she won two tournaments and their World Of Stardom championship, along with still holding their SWA World Championship that she won in July 2016. In Progress she became the first Progress Women's Champion too, and has been defending the belt in great matches ever since.


Honourable Mentions:

Shayna Baszler

See female wrestler of the year honourable mentions

Peyton Royce

At the beginning this year Peyton was entertaining but not reached her full potential, throughout this year with her iconic partner by her side, Peyton Royce has shown herself to be one of the best women's wrestlers in the WWE, not just that, but a character that has fully shown her potential.



Tag Team Breakout Year - Authors Of Pain

You may feel like Authors of Pain were on top a long time ago, but although debuting in 2016, AOP didn't win the Tag belts till 2017, which means their whole dominant reign and great matches that connected with it happened this year. Authors Of Pain are the most surprising team, there were a lot of doubters to their ability in the ring but they have proven time and time again that they are


Honourable Mentions:

Benjamin & Gable

Although only forming recently after the WWE decided to push Jason Jordan as a singles competitor, Benjamin and Gable have completely taken everything in their stride, although at first they were a little rough around the edges and their baby face personas weren't garnering as much traction as they liked, they come out of the wood work as heels putting on spectacular matches.

CCK

Almost completely unknown until recently where they had taken on British Strong Style in Progress, the team of CCK is so over in the UK that it's hard not to mention their rise to success over this past year.



Top 10 Matches Of The Year

There will be less writing here, just take these as the best matches to watch from the year if you missed out or you wanna rewatch it all again!

10. Aleister Black vs Velveteen Dream - NXT Takeover War Games

9. Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe vs Braun Strowman vs Brock Lesnar - Summerslam

8. Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii - G1 Special In USA (Day 2)

7. The Usos vs The New Day - Hell In A Cell

6. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega III - G1 Climax (Day 18)

5. Tyler Bate vs Pete Dunne - NXT Takeover Chicago

4. Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata - Sakura Genesis

3. Kenny Omega vs Tesuya Naito - G1 Finals

2. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega I - Wrestle Kingdom 11

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega II - Dominion

Honourable Mentions:
As long, maybe even longer than the actual list. Please go check out all of these as well!

Travis Banks vs Pete Dunne - Progress Chapter 55, Johnny Gargano vs Andrade 'Cien' Almas - NXT Takeover Brooklyn, DIY vs The Revival vs Authors Of Pain - NXT Takeover Orlando, Kazuchika Okada vs EVIL - G1 Climax (Day 14), Kenny Omega vs Juice Robinson - Destruction in Kobe, AJ Styles vs John Cena - Royal Rumble, AJ Styles vs Shane McMahon - WrestleMania 33, AJ Styles vs Finn Balor - TLC, Triple H vs Seth Rollins - WrestleMania 33, Undisputed Era vs SAnitY vs Authors Of Pain & Roderick Strong - NXT Takeover War Games, The Young Bucks vs The Hardys - Supercard Of Honour XI.



Top 5 Feuds Of The Year

5. The Usos vs The New Day

The Usos and The New Day absolutely reinvigorated the WWE tag division this year with several of their great matches and amazing promos. This whole program has really brought The Usos out of their shells and allowed them to become even more popular faces than they were before. Meanwhile The New Day continue to be WWE greatest asset.

4. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs Shane McMahon

This is an on going story as of writing this but it's prominance from 2017 has to give it a space here. Unlike most I don't mind Shane McMahon wrestling matches as I find he's entertaing outside the ring and he is willing enough to try anything in a match to get a reaction, it also helps being paired with the best performers around today with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who for the most part this really shows off. Sami Zayn's perfect baby face persona has vanished and now we've gotten a even better heel. This is also made even better when you add teh real life and on screen chemistry he has with best friend Kevin Owens, who has been the best consistent character in WWE since his debut.

3. Travis Banks vs Pete Dunne

Progress have been one for great storytelling and there is no exception here, realising the popularity of Pete Dunne and how amazing he is as a heel called for a underdog babyface to counteract, and they found it in the most unlikely place, great heel Travis Banks. The story is maybe a little by the numbers but it doesn't matter when the performers and the company they are in are so good.

2. Aleister Black vs Velveteen Dream

Aleister Black and Velveteen have created a very subtle and extremely curious feud that plays with sexuality but also character study that is hardly ever seen in professional wrestling, all based around the idea that Aleister Black won't say Velveteen's name. If you can grab the network to watch the progression of this in NXT I highly recommend you do.

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega

I don't think this is very surprising to many. After having the best trilogy in wrestling history with each match jammed to the rim with beautiful story telling there is not much more you can say. You just have to watch the matches to understand.



Event Of The Year - Wrestle Kingdom 11

Just an amzing show from top to bottom, the last four matches of the show were all immediate match of the year contenders in all wrestling review companies. It couldn't be any better than this.



Promotion Of The Year - New Japan Pro Wrestling

Due to the Omega/Okada trilogy, the abundance in popularity of The Bullet Club, and the G1 Special in USA it has allowed New Japan to reach the western audience it was always lacking, especially in a year where WWE have been the dullest it has been in the past 3 years. New Japan's 2017 was a year of growth and showcase, their isn't anything better than that.


Thank you all for getting this far and reading my first annual Fluffies. Hopefully many more in the future. Don't forget if you like these kind of award posts that I'll have one for my annual WWE Season Awards the day after WrestleMania, looking at the ups and downs of their Mania to Mania season. Thanks!