wrestling / Columns

411’s Wrestler of the Week 11.06.12: Year Eight, Week 31

November 6, 2012 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Welcome to WEEK 31, YEAR EIGHT 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

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 around WrestleMania. This will be posted every Monday (the voting week runs Monday through Sunday). Let’s see who wins this week…


Larry Csonka
1) Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA)
Defeated TAKA Michinoku & Taichi in the semifinals and Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi in the finals of New Japan’s junior tag team tournament. The Time Splitters now receive the next shot at the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, which will be November 11th at the NJPW iPPV.

2) Jon Davis: Jon Davis served notice big time this weekend at the SGUSA shows that he wants to be the man. Davis continues his winning ways, defeating Akira Tozawa Friday, destroying Gargano on Saturday in a non-title match and then defeating EITA on Sunday night for the clean sweep.
3) Johnny Gargano: Johnny Gargano retained his Open the Freedom championship in a four-way on Sunday’s iPPV, beating four top contenders from the promotion, also defeated EITA on the Friday show in a very good match. Gargano continues to shine as the main guy in DGUSA.
4) The Big Show
5) Shane Haste

Ryan Byers
1) The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA)
This has been a very “blah” week in the major leagues of professional wrestling. The only folks to really accomplish something of note were Alex Shelley and KUSHIDA, who won New Japan’s Best of the Super Junior Tag Tournament and thereby earned a shot at the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles, currently held by Rocky Romero and Alex Kozlov. They haven’t been around as long, but, in some ways, I am digging the Time Splitters more than the Motor City Machine Guns.

2) Johnny Gargano: I am not a huge Dragon Gate USA follower, but, again, this was a light week. Gargano retained his Open the Freedom championship in a four-way on Sunday’s iPPV, beating four top contenders from the promotion.
3) Shane Haste: Aussie wrestler Shane Haste has been appearing in Pro Wrestling NOAH for some time now, but this week he got what has to be the biggest win of his career, upsetting Naomichi Marufuji in the Global League tournament.
4) The Rhodes Scholars
5) Jon Davis

James Wright
1) The Big Show
Is it just me, or is it surprising just how well the WWE has been doing with making the new World Champion look dominant. He looked strong going into Hell in a Cell, but no one really cared as we all assumed he would lose, but instead he won the title clean and was a force to be reckoned with in the main event tag match on Smackdown. Sure he took a White Noise on Raw but the backstage promo between Miz and Show on Smackdown showed just how far the giant has come since hitting rock bottom of begging Johnny Ace in the middle of the ring not to fire him. Honestly if the WWE isn’t planning to put the title back on Sheamus soon then we might be looking at our third year in a row of having a veteran monster heel getting a surprisingly successful run with the big gold belt.

2) The Ryback: Buried JTG once again and became the (in ring) captain of a Survivor Series team. No doubt we will see the Ryback get the pin over Punk to keep him going strong, but probably no title reign so close to the Royal Rumble.
3) Antonio Cesaro: Defended his US title successfully against Tyson Kidd on NXT, for those you hoping to see this match-up on WWE television in the near future this might be your only opportunity as Cesaro seems set to feud with R-Truth.
4) Johnny Gargano
5) The Time Splitters

Jack McGee
1) The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA)
With basically nothing-important happening in the US, I go to Japan for my #1 pick. The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA) won a tag team tournament for New Japan to earn themselves a title shot, defeating such men as Prince Devitt and Taka Michinoku to earn the title shot. As a big fan of Shelley, I will be checking out the New Japan iPPV when they get their title shot.

2) The Big Show: WWE cares about Big Show again, and as the World Champion, he is once again a believable monster.
3) Rey Mysterio: Was part of the six man team that won on WWE Main Event, and then defeated Titus O’Neil on Smackdown.
4) Wade Barrett
5) The Rhodes Scholars

Jeremy Thomas
1) The Big Show
WWE has once again remembered that Show is best served as a monster. They always forget again, but I’ll enjoy it while it lasts as he is being booked as unstoppable at the moment.

2) Wade Barrett: Wade lost to Randy Orton on Raw but made up for it by creaming Tyson Kidd on Main Event and then got his win back on Orton at Smackdown.
3) Ryback: Overcame the minor setback of having to sell a low blow from a referee who looks like I could kick his ass and became the “OMG BIG REVEAL” for Mick Foley’s Survivor Series team.
4) The Rhodes Scholars
5) The Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA)

Michael Ornelas
1) Wade Barrett
Seems to have WWE’s honest backing as he’s been going over Orton and is really holding his own as a character.

2) The Big Show: The man may actually get a great WHC reign, as he’s been on one hell of a run in the past couple years. Performs consistently and almost makes you forget about how he’s been booked before becoming a monster. Almost.
3) Johnny Gargano: Retained his Open the Freedom Gate championship in a four-way against A.R. Fox, Akira Tozawa, and Ricochet.
4) The Time Splitters
5) Ryback


THE WINNERS~!

  • Special Mention…Jon Davis, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow – 5 Votes
  • Fifth Place…Ryback – 8 Votes
  • Fourth Place…Wade Barrett – 11 Votes
  • Third Place…Johnny Gargano – 12 Votes

    Still you reigning and defending Open the Freedom Gate Champion…

  • Second Place…Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & KUSHIDA) – 19 Votes

    Won NJPW’s latest tag team tournament, and earned a title shot at the November 11th iPPV…

  • Wrestler of the Week…The Big Show – 21 Votes

    Looking dominant as the World Champion…

    Year-End Standings~!
    And here are the standings after week 31…

    1. CM Punk – 116 points (WWE)

    2. Daniel Bryan – 86 points (WWE)

    3. Sheamus – 69 points (WWE)

    4. Samoa Joe – 61 points (TNA)

    5. Austin Aries – 59 points (TNA)

    6. Brock Lesnar – 55 points (WWE)

    7. Bully Ray- 51 points (TNA)
    7. Big Show – 51 points (WWE)

    9. Bobby Roode – 50 points (TNA)

    10. James Storm – 46 points (TNA)

    Kevin Steen – 45 points (ROH)

    Kane – 39 points (WWE)

    Jeff Hardy – 37 points (TNA)

    The Ryback – 34 points (WWE)

    Dolph Ziggler – 33 points (WWE)

    Johnny Gargano – 30 points (US Independent)
    Hiroshi Tanahashi – 30 points (NJPW)

    Alberto Del Rio – 27 points (WWE)

    John Cena – 25 points (WWE)

    Kazuchika Okada – 24 points (NJPW)

    Kofi Kingston – 21 points (WWE)
    Christopher Daniels – 21 points (TNA)
    Kazarian – 21 points (TNA)
    Kenny King – 21 points (TNA)
    Christian – 21 points (WWE)

    Player Uno – 19 points (US Independent)
    Stupified – 19 points (US Independent)
    Damian Sandow – 19 points (WWE)

    Chuck Taylor- 18 points (US Independent)

    Alex Shelley – 15 points (US Independent)
    CIMA – 15 point (Dragon Gate)
    Adam Cole – 15 points (ROH)
    Antonio Cesaro – 15 points (WWE)
    Ryusuke Taguchi – 15 points (NJPW)
    Nick Jackson- 15 points (US Independent)
    Matt Jackson- 15 points (US Independent)
    Tyson Kidd – 15 points (WWE)
    Rhett Titus – 15 points (ROH)
    Portia Perez – 15 points (US Independent)
    Nicole Mathews – 15 points (US Independent)

    The Miz – 13 points (WWE)

    KUSHIDA – 12 points (NJPW)
    Sweet Saraya Knight – 12 points (US Independent)
    Masakatsu Funaki – 12 points (AJPW)
    Magnus – 12 points (TNA)
    AJ Styles – 12 points (TNA)
    Zema Ion – 12 points (TNA)
    Tensai – 12 points (WWE)
    Dr. Wagner Jr. – 12 points (AAA)

    RVD – 10 points (TNA)
    Devon – 10 points (TNA)

    Rey Mysterio – 9 points (WWE)
    R Truth – 9 points (WWE)
    Hirooki Goto – 9 points (NJPW)
    Kurt Angle – 9 points (TNA)

    Low Ki – 7 points (US Independent)
    El Generico – 7 point (US Independent)
    Karl Anderson – 7 point (NJPW)
    AR Fox – 7 point (US Independent)
    Cody Rhodes – 7 points (WWE)

    Wade Barrett – 6 points (WWE)
    Sting – 6 points (TNA)
    Taiyo Kea – 6 points (AJPW)
    Lance Archer – 6 points (NJPW)
    Davey Boy Smith Jr. – 6 points (NJPW)
    Masata Tanaka – 6 points (ZERO1)
    KAI – 6 points (AJPW)
    Adam Pearce – 6 points (US Independent)
    17 – 6 points (US Independent)
    Shard – 6 points (US Independent)
    assailANT – 6 points (US Independent)
    combatANT – 6 points (US Independent)
    Colt Cabana – 6 points (US Independent)
    Ultramantis Black – 6 points (US Independent)
    Hallowicked – 6 points (US Independent)
    Frightmare – 6 points (US Independent)
    Mr. Touchdown Mark Angelosetti – 6 points (US Independent)

    Mark Henry – 4 points (WWE)
    PAC – 4 points (WWE)

    Michael Elgin – 3 point (ROH)
    Paul Heyman – 3 points (WWE)
    Jerry Lawler – 3 points (WWE)
    Gran Akuma – 3 points (US Independent)
    Sara Del Rey – 3 points (WWE)
    Chris Sabin – 3 points (TNA)
    Chavo Guerrero – 3 points (TNA)
    Hernandez – 3 points (TNA)
    Robbie E – 3 points (TNA)
    Genki Horguchi – 3 point (Dragon Gate)

    Jon Davis – 2 point (US Independent)
    Kota Ibushi – 2 point (NJPW)
    AJ Lee – 2 points (WWE)

    Mick Foley – 1 points (WWE)
    Shuji Kondo – 1 point (Japan)
    Akebono – 1 point (Japan)
    Dick Togo – 1 point (Japan)
    Yujiro Takahashi – 1 point (NJPW)
    Tara – 1 point (TNA)
    Miss Tessmacher – 1 point (TNA)
    Katsuhiko Nakajima – 1 point (NOAH)
    Charlie Haas – 1 point (ROH)
    Shelton Benjamin – 1 point (ROH)
    Layla – 1 point (WWE)
    Dmitrious “The Greek God” Papadon – 1 point (US Independent)
    Sami Callihan – 1 point (US Independent)
    El Terrible – 1 point (CMLL)
    Rush – 1 point (CMLL)

  • Voting began 4.09.12
  • 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.

    Other International Wrestlers are represented in INDIGO.



    **PREVIOUS WINNERS**

    Year One Winner: Ric Flair


    Year Two Winner: Samoa Joe


    Year Three Winner: John Cena


    Year Four Winner: Chris Jericho


    Year Five Winner: CM Punk


    Year Six Winner: The Miz


    Year Seven Winner: CM Punk

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    Larry Csonka