411’s Wrestlers of the Week 01.02.06: Week 14
Posted by Larry Csonka on 01.02.2006
This week’s verdict, is guilty as charged…
Welcome to week 14 of 411's Wrestler of the Week. A quick overview for those who don't know the score…
Each writer chooses three wrestlers from any promotion and each wrestler gets a vote attached to that ranking. It looks a little like this…
1st – 5
2nd – 3
3rd – 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 five vote getters get a points value for their ranking which looks something like this…
1st – 15
2nd – 10
3rd – 5
4th – 3
5th – 1
..and they go towards the 411 Wrestler of the Year award to be announced each year at WrestleMania. So this week is the first instalment to be posted every Monday. Let's see who wins this week…
Steve Cook
1) America's Most Wanted
The first wrestlers to go into the win column in 2006. I'm tempted to take them off the list because they needed help from Shannon freaking Moore to accomplish that feat, but they got the job done anyway. It's always impressive when tag team champions are able to get involved in major storylines. And no, I don't consider Melina suing Batista for sexual harassment to be a major storyline.
2) Kane
3) MNM
JD Dunn
1) The Big Show
He managed to make Triple H more interesting than he has in ages. That's a Herculean feat.
2) John Bradshaw Layfield
3) Mark Henry
Steve Sullivan
1) America's Most Wanted
They get two big wins over TNA's prized possession, AJ Styles. The tag match was a heck of a match and the team really helped send TNA soaring into the new-year.
2) Kane
3) Shawn Michaels
Ryan Byers
1) Melina
Smackdown was a pretty good show this week, in which a whole lot of talent was showcased and several angles were furthered. With all of the show's hottest acts being featured, it was Melina that stood out above the rest of the performers. Her promo was an excellent bit of heel work, as she sounded distraught enough that she wasn't completely unbelievable but also added nought false sincerity so that the audience could tell that she was still BSing. Her performance during MNM's match was equally amazing, as she continued to put over her faux misery but also continually kept one eye on the ring to see how her boys were doing. I don't think that we've seen a female manager of this calibre since the glory days of Tammy Sytch.
2) America's Most Wanted
3) Booker T.
Scott Rutherford
1) The Big Show
Like JD said above the Big Show is making HHH interesting for the first time in ages and that's no little thing. Add to that the role he has been on for the past month and you would have to say he is the best performed WWE talent for ages. Talk about a world upside down.
2) MNM
3) America's Most Wanted
Ari
1) America's Most Wanted
In addition to big wins over AJ Styles (it was not a happy new year for The Phenomenal one), its the little things in the heel characteristics that impress me a lot. Harris's glee at holding onto a delayed vertical suplex during the tag titles match and the "double beer bottles" trick are great instances of how successful this team is pulling through. Five months ago we were complaining about how stale AMW had become as faces, but a heel switch has helped push back the clock and rejuvenate AMW.
2) MNM
3) Booker T
Scott Slimmer
1) Kane
For half a minute this week, Kane was the biggest ass-kicker in the world of professional wrestling, and in the process he gave himself a huge advantage in the upcoming Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship at New Year's Revolution. No one, myself included, actually expects Kane to win the Elimination Chamber Match, but it's still going to be a lot of fun when his cell door finally opens and all the other participants wet themselves just a little.
2) America's Most Wanted
3) MNM
Mathew Sforcina
1) America's Most Wanted
They could have done Christian/Brown in a rematch, or Jarrett/Someone, of Joe/Anyone, but they went with AMW. And considering who they were in there with, AMW stepped up. Well done.
2) Kane
3) Booker T
Jeff Small
1) America's Most Wanted
A win over AJ Styles is a big accomplishment in my book. Add that to winning the premier match on the TNA's New Year's Special and that's good enough to be #1 this week in my book.
2) Mark Henry
3) Kane
Michael Melchor
1) Konnan
Why? For REALLY giving the 3/4 Live Kru story a kick in its ass by roughing up "Bullet" Bob Armstrong (At his age, shouldn't his nickname be "Musket Shell"? "Pellet", maybe?), giving Apollo an actual purpose, and bringing HOMICIDE to TNA. Others may have made a bigger impact (no pun intended, I swear to God) this week, but Konnan finally gave a lloooonnngg-running storyline a purpose and a brand new set of legs in grand fashion.
2) America's Most Wanted
3) HHH
Andy Clark
1) Mark Henry
Who the hell else will give him some props? He has precisely 29 days before he is not over, and he made quite an impact on the champ. He came back from a debilitating injury from the Crippler Crossface before WrestleMania XX (XX!) and now he's in the title hunt (plus he's got Melina!).
2) The Big Show
3) Christian Cage
Stephen Randle
1) John Cena/Shelton Benjamin
had the match of the week together, and really got the crowd into it, which was necessary on a night that was so freaking random that I'm still scratching my head a week later over some of the results. Plus, with Shelton turning heel, this was a taste of potential PPV main events to come. Unless Shelton pisses off another road agent or something.
2) Chris Benoit
3) Christian Cage
JT
1) America's Most Wanted
Kicked off the new year with a victory, and nothing else matters. Heel, face, storyline, booking, creative, whatever in the fuck. It doesn't matter. They got the first win of 2006, and therefore, they win.
2) Kane
3) Simon Dean
Larry Csonka
1) America's Most Wanted
To me there is just no argument. James Storm stole a win over AJ Styles on the 8pm edition of Impact. Then, Larry Z made AJ and Daniels vs. AMW for the titles. They came back for the "first match of 2006" and delivered in a big way, a quality match. Once again, AMW found themselves winning and "goin to tha pay windah, eff you weeeelll." AMW ended 2005 well and kicked off 2006 perfectly and deserve the honor this week.
2) MNM
3) Chris Benoit
THE WINNERS
Special Mention…MNM - 10 Votes
MNM won back their tag titles this week and Melina served Batista.
Third Place…The Big Show - 13 Votes
The Big Show is locked in a feud with HHH right now, and still remains one half of the World Tag Team Champions.
Second Place…Kane - 18 Votes
Kane killed the Heart Throbs in 30 Seconds and scored the final slot in the Elimination Chamber. Prepare for hellfire and brimstone.
Wrestlers of the Week…America's Most Wanted - 43 Votes
A huge beginning to 2006 as they defeat AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels, two of TNA's best in tag team action!
Year End Standings
AMW explodes onto the list with a first place victory, but will need to do a lot of work to climb any higher. The Big Show and MNM make small strides towards the top and Kane and Mark Henry debut. Right now it's still Ric Flair's game, but with 3-PPV's this month anything could happen.
