wrestling / Columns

411’s Wrestler of the Week 12.28.09: Week 39

December 28, 2009 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas

Welcome to Week 39, 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) Naomichi Marufuji
This past week, New Japan Pro Wrestling revived the Super J Cup, a single elimination tournament for junior heavyweights, which produced two LEGENDARY events in 1994 and 1995 before delivering two slightly less noteworthy installments in 2000 and 2004. At least on paper, the 2009 version of the J Cup has restored the tournament to its former glory, with an insanely talented lineup featuring sixteen different wrestlers from eight different Japanese promotions. The last man left standing at the end of two nights of professional wrestling was Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Naomichi Marufuji, who, by virtue of his tournament win, has earned the opportunity to face Tiger Mask IV for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome. This also makes Marufuji the second repeat winner of the J Cup, as he also won the event in 2004.

2) Rey Misterio, Jr.: This was a pretty quiet week in US pro wrestling given the holidays and given a very lousy Monday Night Raw, but the brightest star in America this week was Rey Misterio. Rey Rey had a surprisingly strong match against the Undertaker, who he has not wrestled often in his WWE tenure, and he was also the man left standing tall at the end of a free for all involving himself, ‘Taker, and Dave Batista. I figured that Misterio would be headed down to the midcard once he was destroyed in his Survivor Series match with Big Dave, but now it looks like he and his rival will be headed into a three-way match for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble. I’m rooting for the little guy!
3) Takashi Sugiura: Two Japanese media outlets, Nikkon Sports and Weekly Pro Wrestling, gave out their year-end wrestling awards this year. Reigning GHC Champion Takashi Sugiura cleaned up more than anybody else, getting the Fighting Spirit Award from Nikkon, the NOAH MVP award from Weekly Pro, and the NOAH Match of the Year award from Weekly Pro for his December 6 match against Go Shiozaki.
4) D-Generation X
5) Prince Fergal Devitt

THE Larry Csonka
1) Naomichi Marufuji
Naomichi Marufuji successfully won the NJPW Super J Cup tournament, outlasting 15 other wrestlers. Marufuji now has earned an IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title shot on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome, when he faces Tiger Mask IV.

2) CIMA and Gamma: CIMA and Gamma defeated Shingo Takagi & YAMATO on Dragon Gate PPV to win the Open the Twin Gate Titles.
3) Yoshi Tatsu: Continues to look good and picked up a win over Jack Swagger on ECW.
4) DX (HHH and HBK)
5) Jack Swagger

Samuel Berman
1) Naomichi Marufuji
Won NJPW’s Super J Cup.

2) Prince Devitt: Super J Cup finalist.
3) CIMA & Gamma: Won the Open the Twin Gate Championships.
4) Rey Mysterio
5) Takashi Sugiura

Michael Bauer
1) Naomichi Marufuji
The Super J Cup hasn’t been seen in some time, but in terms of premier tournaments, it was once THE premier tournament in Japan for juniors. The 1994 tournament is still considered one of the greatest ever. Marufuji was the winner for 2009’s rendition and now goes on to challenge for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.

2) Jack Swagger: When you are involved in the two best matches of the week, even in losing, you deserve credit.
3) Yoshi Tatsu: A huge victory over Jack Swagger this week to advance in the ECW Homecoming.
4) CIMA & Gamma
5) Rey Mysterio

Jasper Gerretsen
1) Naomichi Marafuji
The Super J cup returned after a few years’ absence with a strong field, and Marafuji emerged to establish himself as the most dominant of them all.

2) Rey Mysterio: Had a strong showing against The Undertaker on SmackDown.
3) CIMA and Gamma: Became Open the Twin Gate champions.
4) Jack Swagger
5) DX

Chad Nevett
1) Naomichi Marafuji
Won the Super J Cup, which, after not being contested for several years, is pretty big.

2) CIMA and Gamma: Became the new Dragon Gate Open the Twin Gate champions.
3) Yoshi Tatsu: Defeated former ECW champion Jack Swagger to advance in the homecoming tournament to get a shot at the title
4) Jack Swagger
5) Rey Mysterio

Jeremy Thomas
1) Naomichi Marufuji
Marufuji won the Super-J Cup this week, which is a sentimental favorite tournament of mine as it was the first real non-American wrestling I ever watched. It’s a huge win and is likely mean bigger and better things for Marufuji, the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title shot not least among those.

2) The Hart Dynasty: While DX may have come out victorious on Friday Night, it was the stock of Tyson Kidd and DH Smith that rose. Outside of a brief moment where DH opened his mouth and the heat was sucked out of the arena, the duo looked good; they hit the Hart Attack on Chris Jericho and then hung with D-X for a while in the main event of SmackDown before they lost. This is a classic example of a push by looking good in defeat and hopefully will mean big things for the duo.
3) Rey Mysterio: Rey Rey battled the Dead Man on SmackDown for the World Heavyweight Title and came out looking pretty damn good, even standing tall after the three-way brawl between himself, Taker and ‘Tista. It’s not like a three-way match between them is new–that’s the match in which Big Dave turned heel after all–but it’s quite a statement for Rey Rey that he’s still in the main event scene following his quick-fix surgery.
4) Yoshi Tatsu
5) Shawn Michaels & ‘H (tie)

THE WINNERS~!

Special Mention…Shawn Michaels & Triple H – 6 Votes

Fifth Place…Jack Swagger – 9 Votes

Fourth Place…Yoshi Tatsu – 11 Votes

Third Place…Rey Mysterio – 15 Votes

Rey Rey stands tall after a match and confrontation with the Undertaker and Batista on SmackDown.

Second Place…CIMA and Gamma – 16 Votes

CIMA and Gamma win the Open the Twin Gate Titles in Dragon’s Gate.

Wrestler of the Week…Naomichi Marufuji – 35 Votes

Marufuji wins the return of the Super J-Cup, earning the right to challenge for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title, and in doing so becomes our last Wrestler of the Week for 2009!

Year-End Standings~!

In a slow holiday week, the big movement is from Marufuji, Gamma, CIMA and Yoshi Tatsu, all of whom make their debuts on the list. Rey Mysterio moves up into sole possession of fifth place while Jack Swagger, Shawn Michaels and Triple H all inch their way upwards.

Let’s check out the Year-End Standings!

1. CM Punk – 113 (SmackDown)

2. Jeff Hardy – 85 (US Independent)

3. AJ Styles – 75 (TNA)

4. John Morrison – 70 (SmackDown)

5. Rey Mysterio – 64 (SmackDown)

6. Chris Jericho – 55 (SmackDown)

7. Randy Orton – 53 (RAW)
7. John Cena – 53 (RAW)

9. Edge – 49 (SmackDown) {INJURED}

10. The Undertaker – 42 (SmackDown)

11. Kofi Kingston – 36 (Raw)
11. Sheamus – 36 (Raw)

13. Christian – 35 (ECW)

14. Samoa Joe – 34 (TNA)
14. Kurt Angle – 34 (TNA)

Davey Richards – 33 (ROH)
Eddie Edwards – 33 (ROH)

Ted DiBiase – 32 (RAW)
Desmond Wolfe – 32 (TNA)

Tyler Black – 31 (ROH)

Batista – 30 (SmackDown)
Naruki Doi – 30 (Dragon Gate)

Shawn Michaels – 29 (RAW)

JTG – 27 (SmackDown)
Brian Danielson – 27 (WWE)

Jerry Lynn – 24 (ROH)

MsChif – 21 (SHIMMER)
Nick Jackson – 21 (US Independent)
Matt Jackson – 21 (US Independent)
Daniels – 21 (TNA)

Austin Aries – 19 (ROH)

Sting – 18 (TNA)
Go Shiozaki – 18 (NOAH)
Hulk Hogan – 18 (TNA)
Shinsuke Nakamura – 18 (NJPW)
Drew McIntyre – 18 (SmackDown)

Cody Rhodes – 16 (RAW)
Mark Henry – 16 (RAW)
The Miz – 16 (Raw)
Triple H – 16 (Raw)

Mick Foley – 15 (TNA)
Montel Vontavious Porter – 15 (RAW)
Manabu Nakanishi – 15 (NOAH)
Togi Makabe – 15 (NOAH)
Hernandez – 15 (TNA)
Dolph Ziggler – 15 (SmackDown)
Mitsuharu Misawa – 15 (NJPW)
Bison Smith – 15 (NOAH)
Takashia Sugiura – 15 (NOAH)
Bison Smith – 15 (NOAH)
Naomichi Marufuji – 15 (NOAH)

Pinky Sanchez – 12 (CHIKARA)
Minoru Suzuki – 12 (All Japan)
Brother Devon – 12 (TNA)
Brother Ray – 12 (TNA)
The Amazing Red – 12 (TNA)

Tommy Dreamer – 12 (ECW)
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 12 (New Japan)
Shad – 12 (SmackDown)
Zach Ryder – 12 (ECW)
Shingo Takagi – 12 (Dragon Gate)
YAMATO – 12 (Dragon’s Gate)
BxB Hulk – 12 (Dragon’s Gate)
Keiji Mutoh – 12 (AJPW)
Masakatsu Funaki – 12 (AJPW)
Kenny Omega – 12 (US Independent)
CIMA – 12 (Dragon Gate)
Gamma – 12 (Dragon Gate)
Jack Swagger – 12 (RAW)

Soldier Ant – 10 (CHIKARA)
Fire Ant – 10 (CHIKARA)
Delirious – 9 (ROH)

Masato Tanaka – 9 (ZERO1)
Homicide – 9 (TNA)

Ryouji Sai – 9 (ZERO1)
Player Dos – 9 (CHIKARA)
Mistico – 9 (CMLL)
The Big Show – 9 (RAW)
Bobby Lashley – 9 (TNA)
Roderick Strong – 9 (ROH)

Yoshinobu Kanemura – 7 (NOAH)

Matt Hardy – 6 (SmackDown)
Chris Hero – 6 (US Independent)
Satoshi Kojima – 6 (AJPW)
Giant Bernard – 6 (NJPW)
Karl Anderson – 6 (NJPW)
Yoshi Tatsu – 6 (ECW)

Dr. Wagner Jr. – 4 (AAA)

Evan Bourne – 3 (Raw)
Ken Anderson – 3 (US Independent)
Tara – 3 (TNA)
Booker T – 3 (TNA)
Alex Shelley – 3 (TNA)
Chris Sabin – 3 (TNA)
Scott Steiner – 3 (TNA)
Tajiri – 3 (HUSTLE)
Tyson Kidd – 3 (SmackDown)
Hamada – 3 (TNA)
Eric Young – 3 (TNA)
Eric Escobar – 3 (SmackDown)
Doug Williams – 3 (TNA)
Brutus Magnus – 3 (TNA)
Yujiro Takahashi – 3 (CMLL)
Mickie James – 3 (SmackDown)

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)
Kotaro Suzuki – 1 (NOAH)
Vince McMahon – 1 (WWE)
Brian Kendrick – 1 (US Independent)
Tiger Mask IV- 1 (NJPW)
Shelton Benjamin – 1 (ECW)
Kevin Steen – 1 (ROH)