411’s Wrestler of the Week 02.22.10: Week 47

Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 02.22.2010

The Elimination Chamber brings new World Champions, new feuds and big wins, while Tag Titles change in Japan! Check out the latest edition of 411's Wrestler of the Week for all the details and for an updated look at the Year-End standings!



Welcome to Week 47, 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~!
Aaron Hubbard
1) Chris Jericho
Survived the WWE elimination Chamber and came out Champion, albiet under questionable circumstance. Will go into Wrestlemania for the second time as champion to face Edge in a match I cannot wait to see.

2) Taiji Ishimori & Ricky Marvin: Won new GHC Jr. Heavyweight tag champions in what has to be the biggest win of their careers.
3) Ted Dibiase: OK, work with me here. The kid beat Kofi Kingston on RAW, turned on Randy Orton at the Elimination Chamber and pinned him. The guy just started the biggest feud of his career, while Batista and John Cena just won their eighty kabillionth world titles.
4) John Morrison
5) Batista & John Cena (TIE)


Chad Nevett
1) Chris Jericho
Won the World Heavyweight Championship at Elimination Chamber and, hopefully, fulfilled the wishes of pretty much everyone by making a Jericho/Edge match at WrestleMania a sure thing. I'm very glad that the WWE let this happen despite everyone predicting/hoping for it. Definitely a rare case of choosing 'good' over 'surprising.'

2) John Cena: Won the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber by making Triple H tap. Considering Triple H's record in elimination chamber matches, this is somewhat impressive.
3) Batista: Won the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber by beating John Cena after Vince made the match.
4) Ezekiel Jackson
5) Taiji Ishimori & Ricky Marvin


Jasper Gerretsen
1) Batista/John Cena (tie)
At this point I will eat my hat, film it, and post it on Youtube if this isn't the WrestleMania main event. They're going into this with both the title on the line and the Bret Hart/Mr. McMahon feud, which should make for an epic main event.

2) Chris Jericho: Sure, it took HBK-ference, but Jericho will be main-eventing WrestleMania as champion, in all likelihood taking on former partner Edge in what should be a great main event.
3) Ted DiBiase: Ted punched his ticket to WrestleMania in the Elimination Chamber, setting himself up for a feud against a multi-time world champion.
4) Taiji Ishimori & Ricky marvin
5) Ezekiel Jackson


Robert S. Leighty Jr
1) Chris Jericho
Jericho wins the World Title in a very good Chamber match by pinning the Undertaker. Sure, Michaels gave Jericho the win basically, but who really cares? Chris Jericho as champion is a good thing.

2) John Cena: Cena wins the WWE Title by making HHH tap cleanly, and had not it been for what happened a few moments later, he may have gotten my #1 spot this week, but DAVE happened.
3) Batista: Heel Dave is awesome and things wrapped up nicely with the getting counted out against Punk angle here as Vince gives him an immediate title shot against a wounded Cena. Now Batista heads to WrestleMania as the Champion.
4) Ezekiel Jackson
5) Kurt Angle


Chris Lansdell
1) Chris Jericho
Of the 2 cheap title wins at the PPV, his was the least cheap. He had a good Chamber performance and hiding in the pod was gold.

2) Batista: Yes it was cheap, but a world title win is a world title win.
3) Mike Posey: TNA ref defeats Alabama junior heavyweight champion Mike Jackson in Graysville, AL to end his 45-year reign as the holder of that title.
4) Ezekiel Jackson
5) The Pope D'Angelo Dinero


ARI
1) Batista: Awesome fashion sense on Raw? Check. Imposing face time against John Cena? Check. Defeated John Cena at the PPV to become NEW WWE Champion? Check. Looks like it's all about Batista this week, just the way he would like it.


2) Chris Jericho: Began Smackdown on the losing end of a promo battle and being downed by Edge's spear (HEY-YOOOOO!) but ended Smackdown with the last laugh on Edge and then became World Heavyweight Champion by pinning The Undertaker in the SD! Elimination Chamber match.
3) John Cena: Won the WWE Title in the Elimination Chamber match, tapping out HHH in the process, but lost the title in 31 seconds to Batista (thanks to some manipulative Mr. McMahon action) so he places no higher than third this week.
4) Ezekiel / Christian (tie)
5) Kurt Angle


Samuel Berman
1) Chris Jericho
Won the World Heavyweight Title by defeating the Undertaker in the Elimination Chamber.

2) Taiji Ishimori & Ricky Marvin: Won the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles.
3) Batista and John Cena (tie): Both managed to win the WWE Title on Pay-Per-View
4) D'angelo Dinero
5) Ryan Phoenix


Mathew Sforcina
1) Batista
Out of the four NEW World Champions this week, this one was the most shocking, even if at least one commentator called it, as did I the moment I saw HHH tapping. But you don't believe me on that, obviously, so let's move on.

2) Chris Jericho: Given that the entire staff called it, it's a little less impressive. But hey, at least Y2J has a shot of leaving WM with his belt still in hand...
3) John Cena: Yeah, maybe next time you should just lie down John, you always get jumped post Elimination Chambers...
4) Ezekiel Jackson
5) Mike Posey


Michael Bauer
1) Chris Jericho
The most obvious result, but still #1 because it was the main event and it was the better of the two Chamber matches. Plus, it solidifies Jericho vs. Edge.

2) Ezekiel Jackson: I'll go for history as the last ECW Champion over that WWE Title bullshit.
3) John Cena: But still, he does deserve credit for his Chamber win.
4) Batista
5) MVP


Ryan Byers
1) Chris Jericho
Ever since his heel turn and feud with Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho has been perhaps the most consistently entertaining performer on the entire WWE roster. This Sunday at the Elimination Chamber pay per view, it appears that he was given the prize most befitting of a performer of his caliber - the World Heavyweight Title and an opportunity to compete in one of the main events of Wrestlemania.

2) John Cena - I'm not really basing this on Cena's thirty second title reign as much as I am the fact that his performances this week, from a non-kayfabe perspective, have been SPECTACULAR. His interaction with Bret Hart has always been gold and was great again on Raw, minus the inherent hokiness in the car crash angle. Plus, between the ropes, he looked great in the Elimination Chamber, proving again that, though he may not be a technical marvel, he's a damn fine professional wrestler.
3) Mike the Miz & "Daniel Bryan" - Big Zeke may have won the ECW Title, but the fact of the matter is that he won the title of a dead brand, which does little to nothing for him aside from making him the answer to a trivia question. Miz and Bryan are clearly going to be the real focal point of NXT, which is far more important than being the last focal point of ECW.
4) Taiji Ishimori & Ricky Marvin
5) Ted DiBiase, Jr.


Jeremy Thomas
1) Chris Jericho
It was the less surprising World Title win of the night, but it was also in the best match of the night and the main event as well. Jericho had a banner night and has sent himself off to WrestleMania to defend a World Title, something he hasn't done since 'Mania 18. It's an accolade well-deserved after helping re-establish the Unified Tag Team Titles and putting over a good amount of the undertalent.

2) Batista: Well, I know that ~I~ didn't have Batista walking out with the WWE Heavyweight Title. But then again, I'm not Mysterious so I don't have an inside line. This provides a level of continuity to all of Batista's BS, and will make for a very interesting change to that promised confrontation between Big Dave and Cena on Raw.
3) John Cena/Ezekiel Jackson (tie): Cena won an Elimination Chamber match but still walked out without a title; meanwhile Big Zeke becomes the last-ever ECW Champion and enters the history books for that reason. Plus he's getting promotion for his return to SmackDown already.
4) John Morrison
5) Mike Posey

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THE WINNERS~!

Special Mention…Ted DiBiase - 7 Votes

Fifth Place…Taiji Ishimori & Ricky Marvin - 13 Votes

Fourth Place…Ezekiel Jackson - 18 Votes

Third Place…John Cena - 33 Votes

Cena wins the Raw Elimination Chamber match in a great performance and can claim that to his credit, even if he didn't leave the Pay-Per-View as the champion.

Second Place…Batista - 35 Votes

Batista's deal with the devil is made clear, and results in him heading to WrestleMania as the WWE Heavyweight Champion.

Wrestler of the Week…Chris Jericho - 52 Votes

Y2J beats the odds and five other men--including the Undertaker--to capture his fifth World Title and roll on toward WrestleMania and a collision (presumably) with Edge, making him our Wrestler of the Week!


Year-End Standings~!

No changes this week in the top four; the big move is Chris Jericho, who's first place finish puts him in a tie for fifth with his fellow Elimination Chamber participant John Morrison. Batista and John Cena also move up and are now in the top 15, while Ted DiBiase inches ever closer. In addition Ezekiel Jackson, Taiji Ishimori and Ricky Marvin make their debuts on the list. We're in the home stretch now with WrestleMania four weeks away!

Let's check out the Year-End Standings!

1. CM Punk – 137 (SmackDown)

2. AJ Styles – 120 (TNA)

3. Rey Mysterio – 86 (SmackDown)

4. Jeff Hardy – 85 (TNA)

5. John Morrison – 70 (SmackDown)
5. Chris Jericho – 70 (SmackDown)

7. Edge – 67 (SmackDown)

8. John Cena – 62 (RAW)

9. Randy Orton – 59 (RAW)

10. Kurt Angle – 46 (TNA)
10. Tyler Black – 46 (ROH)

12. The Undertaker – 42 (SmackDown)
12. Naruki Doi - 42 (Dragon Gate)
12. Batista – 42 (SmackDown)

15. Shawn Michaels – 38 (RAW)

Kofi Kingston – 37 (Raw)

Sheamus – 36 (Raw)
Davey Richards – 36 (ROH)

Christian – 35 (WWE)

Samoa Joe – 34 (TNA)

Eddie Edwards – 33 (ROH)
Ted DiBiase – 33 (RAW)

Desmond Wolfe – 32 (TNA)

JTG – 27 (SmackDown)
Brian Danielson – 27 (NXT)
Keiji Mutoh - 27 (AJPW)
Masakatsu Funaki - 27 (AJPW)
BxB Hulk - 27 (Dragon's Gate)
D'Angelo Dinero – 27 (TNA)

The Miz – 25 (Raw)

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)
Shinsuke Nakamura - 19 (NJPW)

Sting – 18 (TNA)
Go Shiozaki - 18 (NOAH)
Drew McIntyre – 18 (SmackDown)
Tommy Dreamer – 18 (US Independent)
Bret Hart – 18 (RAW)
The Big Show – 18 (RAW)

Cody Rhodes – 16 (RAW)
Mark Henry – 16 (RAW)
Triple H – 16 (Raw)
Hernandez – 16 (TNA)

Mick Foley – 15 (TNA)
Montel Vontavious Porter – 15 (RAW)
Manabu Nakanishi - 15 (NOAH)
Togi Makabe - 15 (NOAH)
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)
Masato Yoshino - 12 (Dragon Gate)
Hiroshi Tanahashi - 12 (New Japan)
Shad – 12 (SmackDown)
Zach Ryder – 12 (WWE)
Shingo Takagi - 12 (Dragon Gate)
YAMATO - 12 (Dragon's Gate)
Kenny Omega - 12 (US Independent)
CIMA - 12 (Dragon Gate)
Gamma - 12 (Dragon Gate)
Jack Swagger – 12 (RAW)
Massive Q – 12 (AWF)
Ryoto Hama - 12 (AJPW)

Soldier Ant - 10 (CHIKARA)
Fire Ant - 10 (CHIKARA)
Vince McMahon – 10 (WWE)

Delirious - 9 (ROH)
Masato Tanaka - 9 (ZERO1)
Homicide – 9 (TNA)
ODB – 9 (TNA)

Ryouji Sai - 9 (ZERO1)
Player Dos - 9 (CHIKARA)
Mistico - 9 (CMLL)
Bobby Lashley – 9 (TNA)
Roderick Strong - 9 (ROH)
Mickie James – 9 (SmackDown)

Yoshinobu Kanemura - 7 (NOAH)
Karl Anderson - 7 (NJPW)

Matt Hardy – 6 (SmackDown)
Chris Hero - 6 (US Independent)
Satoshi Kojima - 6 (AJPW)
Giant Bernard - 6 (NJPW)
Yoshi Tatsu – 6 (WWE)
Serena – 6 (SmackDown)
Ezekiel Jackson – 6 (SmackDown)

Hamada – 5 (TNA)

Dr. Wagner Jr. - 4 (AAA)
Doug Williams – 4 (TNA)
Ken Anderson - 4 (TNA)

Evan Bourne – 3 (Raw)
Tara – 3 (TNA)
Booker T – 3 (TNA)
Alex Shelley – 3 (TNA)
Chris Sabin – 3 (TNA)
Scott Steiner – 3 (US Independent)
Tajiri - 3 (HUSTLE)
Tyson Kidd – 3 (SmackDown)
Eric Young – 3 (TNA)
Eric Escobar – 3 (SmackDown)
Brutus Magnus – 3 (TNA)
Yujiro Takahashi - 3 (CMLL)
Jun Kasai - 3 (Big Japan)
Taiji Ishimori - 1 (NOAH)
Ricky Marvin - 1 (NOAH)

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)
Brian Kendrick - 1 (US Independent)
Tiger Mask IV- 1 (NJPW)
Shelton Benjamin – 1 (WWE)
Kevin Steen – 1 (ROH)
Awesome Kong – 1 (TNA)

Voting began 4.06.09

Year-End Rankings Key:

WWE, Raw, SmackDown and NXT-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.

Australian Contracted Wrestlers are represented in INDIGO.

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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!