wrestling / Columns

411’s Wrestler of the Week 1.29.13: Year Eight, Week 43

January 29, 2013 | Posted by Larry Csonka

Welcome to WEEK 43, 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) The Rock
As soon as The Rock was awarded a WWE Title shot, we knew he was winning it, but that doesn’t make it any less important. The Rock hasn’t had his hands on this title since way back in August of 2002, but he came back, he won and he is going to bump business. The Rock is back, and it is either cool to be a wrestling fan or cool to hate him; I haven’t figured that all out yet, but that’s about how it breaks down.

2) John Cena: John Cena won the Royal Rumble, his second, and looks to be on a collision course to face the Rock as many expected. I will not say predicted, because it has pretty much been the plan and everyone has known it. Cena joins elite company as a two time winner, and that has to be acknowledged.
3) KENTA: Defeated Takeshi Morishima to win the GHC Heavyweight Title.
4) Johnny Gargano
5) Jeff Hardy

Ryan Byers
1) The Rock
Finally . . . the WWE Title HAS COME BACK to the Rock! For the first time in over a decade, the Rock holds the most prestigious championship in all of professional wrestling, ending the longest title reign of the past quarter-century by pinning CM Punk at the Royal Rumble. Now Rock heads into Wrestlemania, seemingly on a collision course with John Cena, in what will probably be the single biggest drawing match in history of North American wrestling.

2) John Cena: Speaking of that huge money match, John Cena is the other half of it, and he “earned” his spot there by winning the 2013 Royal Rumble. In addition to lining up the big match with the Rock, Cena also carved out another niche for himself in the history books, becoming only the fourth man in the history of the Rumble to win the match more than once, joining the elite group of Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Steve Austin.
3) KENTA: It doesn’t mean as much as it once did, but, after this weekend, KENTA is now the GHC Heavyweight Champion, having defeated Takeshi Morishima for the strap.
4) Reid Flair
5) Johnny Gargano

Robert S. Leighty Jr
1) The Rock
The Rock wins the WWE Title for the first time in over a decade and in the process ends the monster title reign of CM Punk.

2) John Cena: Your 2013 Royal Rumble Winner, and he joins Hogan, Michaels, and Austin as men who have won at least 2 Rumbles.
3) Alberto Del Rio: Good week for Del Rio ends with him successfully defending his World Title against The Big Show.
4) Dolph Ziggler
5) Chris Jericho

Michael Benjamin
1) The Rock
The Rock won the most prestigious title in all of wrestling and simultaneously ended the longest championship reign in modern history. Sure, I’ll put him at number one.

2) John Cena: Obvious winner is obvious. That doesn’t change the fact that John Cena won his second Royal Rumble match and is headed to Wrestlemania again. Are they going with Rock/Cena or Rock/Cena/Punk at Mania though? That’s the question on everybody’s mind.
3) Alberto Del Rio: Alberto Del Rio continues to build momentum with another win over Big Show. His face turn has been a success to say the least. Just a month ago, most of us had no faith in Alberto to get the crowd behind him. The crowd is getting hotter for him week after week though and it’ll be interesting to see where fits in on the Road to Wrestlemania. .
4) Ryback
5) Dolph Ziggler

Jack McGee
1) The Rock
FINALLY…after a long ass time, the Rock is the WWE champion again. The place was electric, the fans wanted to see it and Rock won to set up the SECOND in a lifetime battle between he and John Cena. The moment Cena lost last year we all saw it coming, and from a business standpoint, I do not blame WWE for pulling the trigger here.

2) John Cena: John Cena outlasted the rest of the WWE roster to win his second Royal Rumble match, and a main event spot at WrestleMania.
3) Jeff Hardy: Defeated Daniels on Impact to retain the TNA World Title.
4) Johnny Gargano
5) Alberto Del Rio

TJ Hawke
1) KENTA
KENTA, finally, finally, won the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Yes, Pro Wrestling NOAH means practically nothing now, but hey, this was a long time coming.

2) The Rock: Won the WWE Championship for the 8th time.
3) John Cena: Won the Royal Rumble match for the second time.
4) Johnny Gargano
5) Naoki Tanisaki

Jeremy Thomas
1) The Rock
The Rock has won the WWE Title for the first time in ten years at the Royal Rumble. Sure, it seemed like a foregone conclusion leading up to it but that doesn’t change the fact that this is a momentous title change, not only because it sets up the Road to WrestleMania but also because it halted CM Punk’s epic run with the belt.

2) John Cena: Cena won the Royal Rumble to head to WrestleMania for a date with the Rock. One can imagine that, with the WWE Title at stake, he has a much better shot this time around.
3) Bo Dallas: No one had more advancement in their career than Bo Dallas, who outlasted many regular superstars in the Rumble and eliminated the Intercontinental Champion in Wade Barrett. Things are looking bright for him.
4) Dolph Ziggler
5) Chris Jericho


THE WINNERS~!

  • Special Mention…Jeff Hardy – 4 Votes
  • Fifth Place…Dolph Ziggler – 5 Votes
  • Fourth Place…Johnny Gargano and Alberto Del Rio – 6 Votes
  • Third Place…KENTA – 11 Votes

    Defeated Takeshi Morishima to win the GHC Heavyweight Title.

  • Second Place…John Cena – 27 Votes

    Won he second ever WWE Royal Rumble and is now heading to the main event of WrestleMania.

  • Wrestler of the Week…The Rock – 34 Votes

    Once again the great one is the WWE Champion..

    Year-End Standings~!
    And here are the standings after week 43…

    1. CM Punk – 137 points (WWE)

    2. Jeff Hardy – 88 points (TNA)

    3. Daniel Bryan – 87 points (WWE)

    T~4. Austin Aries – 78 points (TNA)
    T~4. Sheamus – 78 points (WWE)
    T~4. Dolph Ziggler – 78 points (WWE)

    7. Big Show – 69 points (WWE)

    8. Bobby Roode – 68 points (TNA)

    9. John Cena – 64 points (WWE)

    10. Samoa Joe – 62 points (TNA)

    Alberto Del Rio – 57 points (WWE)

    Brock Lesnar – 55 points (WWE)
    Antonio Cesaro – 54 points (WWE)
    James Storm – 54 points (TNA)

    Hiroshi Tanahashi – 51 points (NJPW)
    Bully Ray- 51 points (TNA)
    Kevin Steen – 51 points (ROH)

    The Ryback – 40 points (WWE)
    Kane – 40 points (WWE)

    Johnny Gargano – 37 points (US Independent)

    Wade Barrett – 30 points (WWE)

    Kazuchika Okada – 28 points (NJPW)

    Christopher Daniels – 27 points (TNA)
    Kazarian – 27 points (TNA)
    Alex Shelley – 27 points (US Independent)

    El Generico – 25 point (US Independent)
    The Rock – 25 points (WWE)

    KUSHIDA – 24 points (NJPW)

    Seth Rollins – 22 points (WWE)
    Dean Ambrose – 22 points (WWE)
    Roman Reigns – 22 points (WWE)

    Kofi Kingston – 21 points (WWE)
    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)

    CIMA – 18 point (Dragon Gate)
    Samuray del Sol (aka Octagon Jr.) – 18 points (US Independent)
    Adam Cole – 18 points (ROH)
    Chuck Taylor- 18 points (US Independent)
    Nick Jackson- 18 points (US Independent)
    Matt Jackson- 18 points (US Independent)

    Hirooki Goto – 15 points (NJPW)
    Masata Tanaka – 15 points (ZERO1)
    Ryusuke Taguchi – 15 points (NJPW)
    Tyson Kidd – 15 points (WWE)
    Rhett Titus – 15 points (ROH)
    Portia Perez – 15 points (US Independent)
    Nicole Mathews – 15 points (US Independent)
    Ric Flair – 15 points (US Independent)

    Karl Anderson – 13 point (NJPW)
    The Miz – 13 points (WWE)
    Devon – 13 points (TNA)

    Big E. Langston – 12 points (WWE)
    Tim Donst – 12 points (US Independent)
    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)
    Texano Jr. – 12 points (AAA)
    Kenta Kobashi – 12 points (Retired)

    RVD – 10 points (TNA)

    Prince Devitt – 9 points (NJPW)
    KENTA – 9 points (NOAH)
    Rey Mysterio – 9 points (WWE)
    R Truth – 9 points (WWE)
    Kurt Angle – 9 points (TNA)

    Low Ki – 7 points (US Independent)
    AR Fox – 7 point (US Independent)
    Cody Rhodes – 7 points (WWE)

    Sting – 6 points (TNA)
    Taiyo Kea – 6 points (AJPW)
    Lance Archer – 6 points (NJPW)
    Davey Boy Smith Jr. – 6 points (NJPW)
    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)
    The Great Khali – 6 points (WWE)

    AJ Lee – 5 points (WWE)

    Mark Henry – 4 points (WWE)
    PAC – 4 points (WWE)
    Genki Horiguchi – 4 point (Dragon Gate)
    Christian York – 4 points (TNA)

    Shinsuke Nakamura – 3 points (NJPW)
    Michael Elgin – 3 point (ROH)
    Paul Heyman – 3 points (WWE)
    Jerry Lawler – 3 points (WWE)
    Stevie Richards – 3 points (US Independent)
    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)
    Tommy Dreamer – 3 points (US Independent)
    La Sombra – 3 points (CMLL)

    El Terrible – 2 points (CMLL)
    Jon Davis – 2 points (US Independent)
    Kota Ibushi – 2 points (NJPW)

    Mick Foley – 1 point (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)
    Kenny Omega – 1 point (US Independent)
    Sami Callihan – 1 point (US Independent)
    Rush – 1 point (CMLL)
    Ryo Saito – 1 point (Dragon Gate)
    Mr. Kyu Kyu Toyonaka Dolphin – 1 point (Dragon Gate)

  • 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

  • article topics

    Larry Csonka