411’s Wrestlers of the Week 01.30.06: Week 18
Posted by Larry Csonka on 01.30.2006
A debut, more changes; it’s insanity!
Welcome to week 18 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…
Scott Rutherford
1) Rey Mysterio
Smallest man in the WWE lasts the entire distance of the Royal Rumble match, wins the thing and now goes on and headlines WM = Wrestler of the Week.
2) John Cena
3) HHH
Jeff Small
1) Rey Mysterio
Regardless of the position of this match on the card, this was the Main Event. Rey was able to go the distance and win the match for his amigo. Hell, he shattered the premonition that the WWE is only a land of the giants. I'm serious. While we all wanted Rey to win the match, no one thought he actually would. Here's hoping for Rey/Angle at WrestleMania!!!
2) HHH
3) Boogey Man
Steve Sullivan
1) Rey Mysterio
Chalk one up for the little guy. Finally, the plan I've been trying to put together since this past summer to put the strap on Rey has taken its first big step. Even though it looks like Rey's got some monster competition right now.
2) John Cena
3) The Undertaker
Ryan Byers
1) Rey Mysterio
It's pretty pathetic that it takes the death of one of Rey's best friends to get WWE to push him to the moon . . . but at least the push is happening. I just hope that WWE doesn't plan on getting Misterio's WrestleMania opponent over as a huge heel by having him trash the memory of Guerrero.
2) Sting
3) Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Steve Cook
1) Rey Mysterio
Is there even a question here? I didn't think so either.
2) Roderick Strong
3) John Cena
JT
1) Rey Mysterio
He won the Rumble. End of discussion. We all knew whoever won the Rumble was going to get it, and so he has. About fucking time in my opinion.
2) John Cena
3) Kurt Angle
Scott Slimmer
1) Rey Mysterio
Mysterio gets the top spot this week because he won the Royal Rumble, but this isn't just about Mysterio earning a title match at WrestleMania. It's also about the WWE finally broadening their definition of what a world champion can be. I'm sure that many smaller wrestlers throughout the years have resigned themselves to the fact that they could never be a champion in the WWE, but now anyone this side of Super Porky may one day have a chance to live out their dream.
2) Sting
3) John Cena
Ari
1) Rey Mysterio
Coast to coast in the Rumble at # 2, last eliminating Triple H and Randy Orton--this was Rey's finest hour. The underdog role is always the one that carries with it the most risk, but Rey won the whole thing believably, with gusto and heart. There are rumours I'm reading right here, at 411 (thumbs up CHEAP POP) that say Rey won't make it to WrestleMania in a top spot. That is quite the fucking buzzkill, but I'm not going to buy into it for now. Cena won the WWE Title again but tonight was Mysterio's night and he deserves top spot this week.
2) John Cena
3) Roderick Strong
JD Dunn
1) Rey Mysterio
This is an obvious one. Rey started at the beginning of the Rumble and went all the way through for the improbably win. It shows a lot of confidence in a guy who doesn't exactly fit Vince's mold.
2) John Cena
3) Fit Finlay
Larry Csonka
1) Rey Mysterio
The man went an hour to win the Rumble and eliminated the 10-time champion HHH as well as a former champion in Orton, you gotta respect that.
2) Sting
3) Gregory Helms
THE WINNERS
Special Mention…Roderick Strong and HHH - 4 Votes
Strong and HHH share the mention this week. HHH started the Rumble #1 and went an hour to make it until the last 3, a hell of an effort for the former 10-time champion. Roderick Strong made the ROH Champion tap out in Dayton, so show him some love.
Third Place…Sting - 9 Votes
Sting gave an awesome promo this past week on Impact as he "left TNA" after getting to finally say goodbye.
Second Place…John Cena - 17 Votes
John Cena won back his WWE Title which got him some love from the panel this week.
Wrestlers of the Week…Rey Mysterio - 50 Votes
In a unanimous decision this week, Rey enters the Rumble #2 and wins the Rumble. He lasted for over an hour and eliminated the Game and the Legend Killer. That will win you WOTW with no objections.
Year End Standings
With the Rumble win, Rey finally DEBUTS on the big list after much hard work. John Cena manages to finally retake Samoa Joe with his title win, Sting hops up another notch as well as HHH and Strong. There are 9-more weeks of voting left, so anything could happen!
