411’s Wrestler of the Week 12.04.06: Week 35
Posted by Larry Csonka on 12.04.2006
ECW crowns a new champion, the Real Tag League Champions are crowned, Mistico puts his mask on the line again and more! A week filled with tons of things to vote for, lots of choices but only one can walk away with the title of 411’s Wrestler of the Week!
Welcome to Week 35, 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…
The Voting!
Scott Slimmer
1) Lashley
The good news for Lashley is that he just won his first World Championship. The bad news, of course, is that it's the ECW World Championship, and ECW may indeed be at a new all-time low after just producing what can only be described as one of the worst pay-per-views in history. I'm giving my vote for WOTW to Lashley because he has been given a great opportunity. Um, okay, maybe not a "great" opportunity, given the circumstances, but an opportunity nonetheless. It could be Lashley that helps to begin to rebuild the credibility of the ECW name, or it could be Lashley that serves as the face of ECW as it dies a slow and painful death. What we know for sure is that tonight Bobby Lashley became the new King of Extreme. Whether of not that still means anything remains to be seen.
2) Matt and Jeff Hardy
3) King Booker/Finlay/Batista
Steve Cook
1) Mistico
You know, there's really nothing worth voting for this week. You know it, I know it, and everybody knows it. WWE television is unmemorable at best, TNA's wrestling has gone all Russo on us so now there's like 5 minutes of wrestling a week there, and ECW's PPV matters less than Mike Vanderjagt these days. So I'm going south of the border for my pick this week...Larry tells me he won some match and that's good enough for me. Some Japanese guys get second place, and third place goes to Kurt Angle & Samoa Joe for trying their damndest to overcome the Russo effect and make people pay to watch them actually wrestle.
2) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
3) Kurt Angle/Samoa Joe
Ryan Byers
1) Matt and Jeff Hardy
Lashley won the ECW Title, Mistico won a mask match, and TenKoji won the Tag League. I can't say that I'm impressed with those results just because they all seemed like foregone conclusions. Could've called 'em from a mile away. What I was NOT expecting was the second straight week of excellent Hardy performances. The December to Dismember match was very well put together and the longest WWE tag team bout in recent memory. On top of that, they managed to squash one of ECW's up and coming acts in the form of Sylijah Burkay. However, what really puts the Hardys at number one is their match on Monday night against Edge and Randy Orton. After that contest, I would've put them up here even if the other two matches never took place. The simple fact of the matter is that match had the most heat I'd see on Raw in months, and the wrestlers actually managed to make it feel like there could have been a title change. Four guys who I don't particularly care for individually came together and put on one hell of entertaining wrestling match. I find that much more respectable than winning a title that everybody knew you were going to win.
2) The Spirit Squad
3) Sting
Sat
1) Lashley
It wasn't the greatest elimination chamber and it wasn't even a good pay per view. But, Lashley did win the ECW title and he defeated the Big Show, who has been champion for an eternity
2) Matt and Jeff Hardy
3) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
ARI
1) Lashley
Whether he was ready for it or whether he deserved it are matters we can debate for the rest of eternity (or the two hours and twenty minutes that comprised the SHORTEST WWE three hour pay per view ever). Big Show had been champion for going on six months now and that IS an eternity these days in WWE. When you knock someone off that kind of mountain you should be the number one pick. Also, this is the first major title change in either WWE or TNA within the last month to actually happen cleanly and without any controversy.
2) Matt and Jeff Hardy
3) Finlay
Andy Clark
1) Lashley
He won a World Title, survived the Elimination Chamber, ended Big Show's title reign, had killer pyro, didn't fall asleep during the show, and BROKE STEEL CHAIN WITH A TABLE. That works for me.
2) Matt and Jeff Hardy
3) Batista
Ryan Mancuso
1) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
The best tag team in 2001 reunited to add another trophy in winning the prestigious AJPW Real World Tag League by defeating the dream team of Keiji Muto & Toshiaki Kawada in the semi-finals and the Voodoo Murders team of RO'Z & Suwama in the finals. Could this reunion be short lived or will they have another goal for the future like the AJPW World Tag Team Titles. Mistico gets second for winning his second mask in a 3-month time frame by taking El Hijo Del Diablo mask. This was a big step for him because he took a mask that many had expected El Hijo Del Santo to win.
2) Mistico
3) Lashley
Geoff Eubanks
1) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
TO me the Real League Tag Tourney and a Mask match trump about anything else, so they get the top spots. RKO FINALLY got some heat going and they deserve some love, so there you go.
2) Mistico
3) Rated RKO
MEEHAN
1) Lashley
Winning a mask versus mask match (in Mexico, no less) is certainly nothing to sneeze at, but Bobby Lashley's arrival as ECW Champion *might* just prove to be a bigger deal in the long run, as he's leapfrogged RVD, Sabu AND the ECW golden boy CM Punk to become THE hot new face of WWE's newest brand. A title run is big news enough - but supplanting THREE major contenders (and unseating a six-month champion) in the process? No question that Lashley was the man this week. Will Bobby's run as champion set the world on fire? That's a question for another day... but the guy was the big winner when Sunday night drew to a close, so you've simply got to say that this week in pro wrestling belonged to Bobby Lashley.
2) Mistico
3) Matt and Jeff Hardy
Double M
1) Lashley
Much as it may make me want to puke and as surprising as this result was, there you have it. Top consideration for this thing, most times in my mind, goes to whomever may have won a World Title. Lashley did it clean and went through several other people to do so. Not bad at all.
2) Matt and Jeff Hardy
3) Mistico
JT~!
1) Lashley
Because I'm sick and I said so.
2) Mistico
3) Matt and Jeff Hardy
Furious
1) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
I was planning on voting in the winner of the Elimination Chamber but the match really didn't deliver so I'll vote for someone I like instead. Lashley did win the ECW title so he gets in second and the Hardyz win MOTN on the weekend's PPV.
2) Lashley
3) Matt and Jeff Hardy
Mathew Sforcina
1) Mistico
A Mask vs. Mask match in Mexico is worth more than the ECW belt as it stands now. And the Real World Tag Tourney fits nicely in the middle.
2) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
3) Lashley
JD Dunn
1) Lashley
If you think you're ready, Bobby, I got two words for ya...Jay Cutler.
2) Mistico
3) Matt and Jeff Hardy
Larry Csonka
1) Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Not only did these guys win the RLTT, but they defeated a true dream tag team of Keiji Muto & Toshiaki Kawada! Muto and Kawada looked to be a lock to win this thing tome, but Kojima and Tenzan had other plans and win the prestigious tournament. Mistico again puts his mask on the line and ends up keeping it as he proves why he is the draw of Mexico. While I am happy for Lasley, Finlay proved his worth on Smackdown once again this week and Sting cut a tremendous promo in possibly the best and most interesting program in TNA right now.
2) Mistico
3) Sting/Finlay
THE WINNERS!
Special Mention…Matt and Jeff Hardy - 24 Votes
The reunited Hardy's are having a great run and quickly climbing up the ranks.
Third Place…Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan - 27 Votes
Kojima and Tenzan took out the dream team of Keiji Muto & Toshiaki Kawada on their was to capturing the Real World League championship this week, definitely earning a place here.
Second Place…Mistico -29 Votes
The largest draw in all of Mexico put his mask on the line again this past weekend, and walked out still wearing it. This is the seconds mask match he has won this year, and in the last 3-months, rather unheard of for one man to do.
Wrestler of the Week…Lashley - 45 Votes
Lashley completes his near three-week odyssey and climbs to the top of the brand by winning the Extreme Elimination Chamber. Lashley is having a great year, and with the addition of the ECW title he could continue to climb the rankings.
Year-End Standings!
With Lashley winning the ECW title he now leaps into the top 15, snagging the #11 spot. Tenzan adds to his year-end total, while Kojima makes his debut. The Hardy's continue their assent on the list and Mistico makes another big move this week and the premiere luchadore on the list. Two more PPV's in December to go, so a lot more could change!
The top 15 spots are marked.
1. KING Booker - 90 (Smackdown)
2. Samoa Joe - 85 (TNA/ROH)
3. RVD - 72 (ECW)
4. Homicide - 60 (ROH/TNA)
5. Kurt Angle - 51 (TNA)
6. Edge - 43 (Raw)
7. Hernandez – 41 (TNA)
8. AJ Styles - 40 (TNA) 8. Konnan - 40 (TNA) 8. Christopher Daniels - 40 (TNA/ROH)
Satoshi Kojima - 5 (All Japan) William Regal - 5 (Smackdown) BJ Whitmer - 5 (ROH) Jay Lethal - 5 (TNA) Minoru - 5 (New Japan) JBL - 5 (Smackdown) Mark Henry - 5 (Smackdown)
Johnny Nitro - 4 (Raw)
Roddy Piper - 3 (Raw) The Undertaker - 3 (Smackdown) Brian Kendrick - 3 (Smackdown) Paul London - 3 (Smackdown) Rey Bucanero - 3 (CMLL) Shelton Benjamin - 3 (Raw)
