411’s Wrestler of the Week 9.04.06: Week 22
Posted by Larry Csonka on 09.04.2006
Nineteen 411 staff members come together this week to determine the WOTW. Some big title changes happened, but who scored the biggest win of them all? Click now.
Welcome to Week 22, Year-Two, of 411's Wrestler of the Week. A quick overview for those who don't know the deal…
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. This will be posted every Monday. Let's see who wins this week…
Mike LaFave
1) Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Kennedy wins his first ever WWE Title and he does it in a damn good match! This is just the start of big things from the man who as JBL reminded us, is 2 and 1 against the Animal Batista!...Kennedy...
2) Big Show
3) Edge
Julian Williams
1) Mr. Kennedy
KENNNNEDDDDYYYY finally got his hands around some WWE gold and seems to be taking steps towards becoming a big time player on Smackdown. I'd love to see him make a great, long-term heel run with the US belt ala Orton with the IC title a few years back. Long live Kennedy (long dramatic pause) KENNNEDDDYY!!
2) Jeff Hardy
3) Edge
Steve Sullivan
1) Mr. Kennedy
This was way overdue. Kennedy finally grabs some WWE gold and wins it on a match that very well could have been considered a pay-per-view caliber match. Here's hoping this is the first step to a long and successful career for Mistahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Kennedy!
2) Jeff Hardy
3) The Big Show
Scott Slimmer
1) Mr. Kennedy
Okay kids, let's make this real simple. Did Kennedy win the best match of the week? Yep. Did Kennedy win his first title in WWE? Yep. Is that more than enough to earn him my vote for WOTW? Yep.
2) Bobby Lashley / Fit Finlay
3) Matt Hardy / Gregory Helms
Sean Garmer
1) Mr. Kennedy
He had the best match of this week people, I think this is a no brainer to put the NEW US Champion in there. Finally Mr. Kennedy is getting his time to shine, I hope he gets to keep the title for a while.
2) Jeff Hardy
3) The Big Show
JD Dunn
1) Mr. Kennedy
Popped his title cherry. Good for him. It won't be long until he's in the main event.
2) The Big Show
3) Minoru Suzuki
MEEHAN
1) Mister Kennedy (...Kennedy!)
Gotta hand it to the guy for picking up his first WWE title this week. Though he's still very green in the ring and the longevity of his gimmick continues to remain in question (ESPECIALLY if they wimp out and turn him face), facts are facts and Kennedy was OUTSTANDING this week with an impressive win AND a title victory to his credit. Nice work, Ken.
2) Jeff Hardy
3) The Big Show
Arnold Furious
1) Minoru Suzuki
Winning the triple crown is no easy achievement but Suzuki has made it look that way. He just turned up in All Japan, from NOAH no less, and just walked into the main event scene and won the Triple Crown at the first time of asking. I've been bemoaning the lack of main event guys in All Japan for several years so it's nice to see them create one so convincingly. Meanwhile Shiga & Kennedy also won lesser belts this week. Fair play to them.
2) Kentaro Shiga
3) Mr. Kennedy
Ryan Mancuso
1) Minoru Suzuki
My favorite Japanese wrestler finally wins a big singles title. All Japan Pro Wrestling's worst nightmare does it by winning the prestigious Triple Crown, and ending the hot streak that Taiyo Kea had this year. While he does not produce high quality matches that other wrestlers have done, but MiSuzuki has the best persona in pro wrestling today. He mixes legit badass, arrogance or extreme confidence (depending on how you view it), pure vileness and comedy into his matches. My congratulations goes out to the former King of Pancrase and new Triple Crown holder.
2) Mr. Kennedy
3) Shocker
Geoff Eubanks
1) Mr. Kennedy
UPN killed SD for Apollo 13, boo FN urns! Go Kennedy!
2) Minoru Suzuki
3) Vampiro
Stuart Carapola
1) Mr. Kennedy
Wins the US Title, which I was glad to see. I was worried they were giving up on him for a few weeks there.
2) Jeff Hardy
3) The Miz
Jeff Small
1) Mr. Kennedy
Sure I don't see the logic of ending the Finlay/Lashley feud before a PPV, but then again, if anyone deserves a run with the US Title, it's Mr. Kennedy. Kennedy has emerged as Smackdown's newest star and it's only a matter of time before he's shipped off to Raw to job to Triple H.
2) The Big Show
3) The Miz
Ryan Byers
1) Minoru Suzuki
I love Ken Kennedy and all, but, let's face it . . . winning one of the two most prestigious championships in Japan beats winning a WWE belt that gets ignored 75% of the time.
2) Mr. Kennedy
3) Davey Richards
ARI
1) Mr. Kennedy
Just based mainly on everyone else's assessment, considering I don't even watch Smackdown anymore (because I don't want to, not just because in NYC the SD situation is for shit). However, I did just see THIS promo Kennedy did on WWE.com where he declared himself the greatest U.S. champion...EVER. This promo is greatness and for that he sealed the deal on the number one spot. If that doesn't somehow make it onto actual Smackdown broadcast, something is wrong with the WWE...well, lots of things ARE wrong with the WWE, but that will just be one MORE thing.
2) Minoru Suzuki
3) Davey Richards
Andy Clark
1) Mr. Kennedy
Sorry to disappoint the puro fans, but this could be a benchmark moment for someone that could be huge for WWE. When Minoru Suzuki main events WrestleMania, let me know. Mr. Kennedy could do great things with a belt that admittedly WWE doesn't do much with. That and I'm a Kennedy mark, sue me.
2) Minoru Suzuki
3) Davey Richards
Mathew Sforcina
1) Minoru Suzuki
Like this vote means anything. Unlike all those votes NOT cast for me in the Positivity Debate. A POX ON ALL YOUR FORUMS!
2) Mr. Kennedy
3) The Big Show
Bayani Domingo
1) Davey Richards
Earlier this year Davey Richards won the Super 8 Tournament, and then headed to ROH with a lot of hype. Now he walks into the Battle of Los Angeles and wins that tournament. Davey Richards is on a roll this year, and the sky is the limit for him.
2) Cima
3) Super Dragon
JT
1) Minoru Suzuki
I'm drunk and you have already read whatever I'm about to say.
2) Mr. Kennedy
3) Davey Richards
Larry Csonka
1) Minoru Suzuki
Minoru Suzuki defeated Taiyo Kea in 34 minutes, 52 second with a choke sleeper hold, which resulted in a referee stoppage to become the new Triple Crown champion. Many thought Kea would get the long title run, but Minoru Suzuki had different plans. With business down in Japan, Suzuki could be the type of guy, with his personality to turn things around. Time will only tell, but definitely worth the top pick this week.
2) Vampiro
3) Davey Richards
THE WINNERS
Special Mention The Big Show - 13 Votes
The Big Show helped beat down DX and Sabu this week, all while not "technically" wrestling a match. ECW's giant is asserting his dominance and tomorrow faces DX on ECW TV.
Third Place…Jeff Hardy - 15 Votes
Jeff Hardy scored a win over Randy Orton this week and he is now the #1 Contender for the IC Title. Jeff has only been back a short while, but he is making his presence felt.
Second Place…Minoru Suzuki - 40 Votes
Suzuki ended the short Triple Crown reign of Taiyo Kea this past week. Suzuki has the right character to make a huge impact in the Puro scene as champion, and 2006-07 could be his year.
Wrestler of the Week…Mr. Kennedy… - 74 Votes
Ken Kennedy finally wins his first WWE title this week on Smackdown, and in doing so has one of the best victories in WOTW History. Kennedy seems to have all the tools on the mic, and is constantly improving in the ring. This could be the beginning of the true rise of Mr. Kennedy in WWE. Kennedy.
Year-End Standings
Ken Kennedy makes a big leap this week as he takes the weekly award and inches closer to the top 15. Minoru Suzuki debuts and if he can have a strong Triple Crown run, he could also start a climb towards the top. Jeff Hardy and the Big Show make small jumps as well, and after a lot of hard work this year, Davey Richards snags 5th and some more attention in the wrestling world.
Monty Brown - 6 (TNA) Rhino - 6 (TNA) Jeff Hardy - 6 (Raw)
BJ Whitmer - 5 (ROH) Jay Lethal - 5 (TNA) Hiroyoshi Tenzan - 5 (New Japan) Minoru - 5 (New Japan) JBL - 5 (Smackdown) Mark Henry - 5 (Smackdown)
The Undertaker - 3 (Smackdown) Johnny Nitro - 3 (Raw) Brian Kendrick and Paul London - 3 (Smackdown) Rey Bucanero - 3 (CMLL) Chris Hero - 3 (US Independent) Chris Benoit - 3 (Smackdown) Shelton Benjamin - 3 (Raw) Batista – 3 (Smackdown)
Kevin Nash - 2 (TNA) Shawn Michaels – 2 (Raw)
Necro Butcher - 1 (US Independent) KENTA - 1 (NOAH) Giant Bernard - 1 (New Japan) Johnny Devine - 1 (TNA) Chris Sabin - 1 (TNA) Vince McMahon - 1 (WWE) Paul Heyman - 1 (ECW) Chavo Guerrero - 1 (Smackdown) Davey Richards - 1 (US Independent)
Voting began 4.10.06
Year-End Rankings Key:
Raw and Smackdown Wrestlers are represented in BLUE.
ECW Wrestlers are represented in GREEN.
TNA and ROH wrestlers are represented in RED.
Japanese wrestlers are represented in BLACK.
Mexican Wrestlers are represented in PURPLE.
CZW, FIP, PWG and other US Independent Wrestlers are represented in ORANGE
