411’s Wrestler of the Week 01.11.10: Week 41

Welcome to Week 41, 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…

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The Voting~!
ARI
1) AJ Styles & Kurt Angle (tie)
On a Monday night where a lot of older names returned to the spotlight, it was two of the current top stars who shined the brightest. AJ Styles and Angle didn’t have a perfect match, but they had a fantastic one that was exciting to watch and probably the best match of the night.

2) Hulk Hogan: Not an active wrestler but certainly someone who will become (for now) a focus of attention for pushing the TNA programming and product. Hogan’s name and the advertising push created for his debut brought TNA its best results yet. Hogan also inserted himself, as expected, into the top angle for the promotion as he and Dixie are pitted against Jarrett and Foley for power and control over the company.
3) Bret Hart: When he came out to confront Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon, those old feelings of awe and excitement came back to the fore. That Hart / Michaels confrontation was high drama and I loved every bit of it.
4) Naomichi Marufuji
5) Shinsuke Nakamura

Robert S. Leighty Jr
1) AJ Styles
On the biggest night in TNA’s history, AJ went out and had one of the best tv matches in a long time with Kurt Angle. The bonus is that AJ went over strong and had Hulk Hogan put over the performance after the match.

2) Kurt Angle: The other have of the awesome Impact Main Event. Angle busted his ass in a TV match and put AJ over as the better man.
3) Hulk Hogan: Can’t deny the man didn’t deliver on Monday as his segment did the highest rating in TNA history against the long awaited Bret/Shawn showdown.
4) Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels
5) Awesome Kong and Hamada

The Cleric Larry Csonka
1) AJ Styles and Kurt Angle
I know that most people want to talk about Hogan and Hart, but to me, AJ Styles and Kurt Angle deserve the top spot. While not an all time classic, these guys went out there on LIVE Impact and put on a great TV match, a match that hopefully some new viewers saw and were impressed with. Both men simply keep delivering, and with the rematch coming at the PPV, they have a chance to top themselves once again. Bravo guys, you made sitting through the three hours worth it.

2) Amazing Kong and Hamada: Amazing Kong and Hamada defeated Sarita and Taylor Wilde on the big live Impact special last week to win the TNA knockouts Tag Team Titles. Kong and Hamada are awesome on their own, but together they could be a force that destroys the current landscape of the Knockouts division, in a positive way. Plus I like the Doomsday Bitch-Killer as a finish.
3) Naomichi Marufuji: Naomichi Marufuji defeated Tiger Mask IV to win the New Japan’s IWGP Junior Heavyweight title during the recent NOAH vs. New Japan series at the major January 4th Tokyo show.
4) Hulk Hogan
5) The Pope D’Angelo Dinero

Ryan Byers
1) Bret Hart
There was a lot of professional wrestling television produced this past week, but the man who produced the most entertaining segments that I saw was none other than Bret “The Hitman” Hart. After twelve years away from Monday Night Raw as a regular character, the legendary Albertan returned and knocked two huge promos out of the park, interacting with both Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon. The interviews set the table brilliantly for Hart to remain a character with WWE through Wrestlemania, and I can honestly say that the role he will play on that show has me more excited for anything on a Mania card since Chris Benoit’s push to the title five years ago.

2) NO LIMIT: A lot of my fellow staffers are giving love to Naomichi Marufuji coming out of New Japan’s Tokyo Dome show, but I have to respectfully disagree and state that Naito and Yujiro of NO LIMIT pulled off the biggest accomplishment of that card. The two of them were a relatively unheralded junior heavyweight tag team just two years ago. They left for a North American learning excursion which saw them spend time in both TNA and CMLL, and, upon their return to Japan, they immediately ended the year-long IWGP Tag Team Title reign of Team 3D. They are the young wrestlers who, more than any other, elevated their stock this week.
3) Luke Gallows: Gallows got what was probably the biggest win of his entire professional wrestling career on Smackdown, beating Matt Hardy in singles action with only the smallest of assists going to CM Punk.
4) Shinsuke Nakamura
5) The Hart Dynasty

Chad Nevett
1) AJ Styles
Retained the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in an early MOTY candidate against Kurt Angle. On a night when TNA had to show what it can do, Styles brought it.

2) Kurt Angle: Like Styles, Angle brought his A-game to Impact last Monday, but came up short, failing to win the belt.
3) Awesome Kong & Hamada: Two of the most talented Knockouts teamed for the first time and won the tag belts in the process. They worked surprisingly well together and put on a great match with the former champs, Sarita and Taylor Wilde.
4) Chris Jericho (one word: lion-fucking-tamer!)
5) Bret Hart / Shawn Michaels (tie)

Michael Bauer
1) AJ Styles and Kurt Angle (tie)
An early Match of the Year candidate, at least for free television, and both men deserve the credit ad the top spot. It was the biggest positive on a show that had so many negatives to it.

2) Bret Hart: Yes, Hulk was on TNA, but mostly was boring. But Bret’s time on TV was more memorable than anything last decade.
3) Naomichi Marufuji: He is New Japan’s new IWGP Junior Heavyweight title and did it during the NOAH vs. New Japan series, which is even bigger.
4) No Limit
5) CM Punk

Samuel Berman
1) Naomichi Marufuji
Won the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title from Tiger Mask IV

2) AJ Styles: Defeated Kurt Angle to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Title.
3) Shinsuke Nakamura and Takashi Sugiura (tie): Retained the IWGP Heavyweight Title and GHC Heavyweight Title respectively.
4) Bret Hart
5) Naito & Yujiro

Jeremy Thomas
1) AJ Styles
Good God. AJ Styles retained his title on Monday night, doing so in an unbelievable match against Kurt Angle. People have been saying a lot of things about Monday Night Impact both good and bad, but one thing few can deny that this match was damn good to incredible. For much of the night I was wondering if the Powers That Be would just be writing AJ off, and he made them completely unable to do so.

2) Kurt Angle: The match wouldn’t have been nearly as good without the Olympic Hero hitting all the right spots in his own performance. Kurt lost the match but the war continues, as these two will battle at Genesis once more for the title.
3) Hulk Hogan/Bret Hart (tie): If you have to ask why, you’re spending too much time living under a rock.
4) Awesome Kong & Hamada
5) CM Punk

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THE WINNERS~!

Special Mention…Awesome Kong & Hamada – Votes

Fifth Place…Hulk Hogan – 10 Votes

Fourth Place…Naomichi Marufuji – 13 Votes

Third Place…Bret Hart – 20 Votes

After twelve years, Bret Hart returns to the WWE and gives us a couple very memorable (and surreal) moments.

Second Place…Kurt Angle – 27 Votes

Angle puts on a fantastic match with our Wrestler of the Week to claim the number two spot.

Wrestler of the Week…A.J. Styles – 34 Votes

The TNA World Champion successfully defends his title in what is without question the match of the week, and in doing so becomes our Wrestler of the Week!

Year-End Standings~!

Bret Hart and Awesome Kong made late-year debuts on the year-end list while Hulk Hogan, Naomichi Marufuji and Hamada all move up the rankings. Kurt Angle leapfrogs into the top ten, but the biggest news is that AJ Styles continues to roll and now trails leader CM Punk by a mere 23 points. Punk will have to pick it up to hold onto his spot, especially with Genesis coming up this weekend; suddenly the rankings have gotten very interesting!

Let’s check out the Year-End Standings!

1. CM Punk – 113 (SmackDown)

2. AJ Styles – 90 (TNA)

3. Jeff Hardy – 85 (US Independent)

4. Rey Mysterio – 76 (SmackDown)

5. John Morrison – 70 (SmackDown)

6. Chris Jericho – 55 (SmackDown)

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

9. Edge – 49 (SmackDown) {INJURED}

10. Kurt Angle – 46 (TNA)

11. The Undertaker – 42 (SmackDown)

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

14. Christian – 35 (ECW)

15. Samoa Joe – 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)
Keiji Mutoh – 27 (AJPW)
Masakatsu Funaki – 27 (AJPW)

Jerry Lynn – 24 (ROH)

MsChif – 21 (SHIMMER)
Nick Jackson – 21 (US Independent)
Matt Jackson – 21 (US Independent)
Daniels – 21 (TNA)
Hulk Hogan – 21 (TNA)
Naomichi Marufuji – 21 (NOAH)

Austin Aries – 19 (ROH)

Sting – 18 (TNA)
Go Shiozaki – 18 (NOAH)
Shinsuke Nakamura – 18 (NJPW)
Drew McIntyre – 18 (SmackDown)
Tommy Dreamer – 18 (US Independent)

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)
Bison Smith – 15 (NOAH)
Takashia Sugiura – 15 (NOAH)
Bison Smith – 15 (NOAH)

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

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)
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)
ODB – 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)
Bret Hart – 9 (RAW)

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)

Hamada – 5 (TNA)

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)
Eric Young – 3 (TNA)
Eric Escobar – 3 (SmackDown)
Doug Williams – 3 (TNA)
Brutus Magnus – 3 (TNA)
Yujiro Takahashi – 3 (CMLL)
Mickie James – 3 (SmackDown)
Jun Kasai – 3 (Big Japan)

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)
Awesome Kong – 1 (TNA)

Voting began 4.06.09

Year-End Rankings Key:

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.

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**PREVIOUS WINNERS** Year One Winner: Ric Flair Year Two Winner: Samoa Joe Year Three Winner: John Cena Year Four Winner: Chris Jericho

If you are wondering how some of the writers decide who to vote for, please check out our Wrestler of the Week Supplemental Column!