411’s Wrestler of the Week 2.26.07: Week 47
Posted by Larry Csonka on 02.26.2007
February ends with some memorable performances, title changes, WrestleMania slots earned but WHO had the best week and took the coveted 411 WOTW title? Click it to find out!
Welcome to Week 47, 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!
Daniel Wilcox
1) Cena/HBK
In a week where nothing major went down, I have to give props to Cena and HBK for continuing to put on a great build for their match at WrestleMania and the tension teasing that took place on Raw Monday night. This feud is reminding me of the early stages of the Rock / Austin feud from 2001 and has been awesome over the last few weeks. Umaga also had a big week, becoming Vinny Mac's Mania rep, winning the IC strap and destroying Rey on SmackDown. While Rob Van Dam and Edge put on the best TV match of the week, but Edge won it and qualified for MITB in the process.
2) Umaga
3) Edge
Sat
1) Umaga
The guy gets named as Vince's representative, wins the intercontinental title from Jeff Hardy and he beats up a former world champion. Umaga definitely gets the top slot for having an amazing week. The second spot goes to Edge for clinching a spot in the Money in Bank Ladder Match and the final spot goes to Melina for winning the women's title from Mickie James.
2) Edge
3) Melina
Andy Clark
1) Umaga
Sat pretty much said everything I was going to say. Umaga has had his stock rise dramatically over the past few months and now he is slated to be in one on the biggest matches at WrestleMania. He will also probably become the most rooted on superstar from an outside perspective as everyone just casually following this match will want to see the Donald bald.
2) Jerry Lynn
3) Edge
Mathew Sforcina
1) Umaga
Umaga gets placed in what should be, theoretically, a fairly important match. Plus he beat up Rey-Rey. Plus he wins the IC title, so he gets the top spot. #2 goes to the Briscoes for winning the ROH Tag Titles, and #3 goes to the Little Bastard, for becoming only the second man in history to pin the Boogeyman, a guy who's beated JBL, Booker T and others. Plus, that DDT was like, the #145 coolest thing I've ever seen.
2) The Briscoes
3) Little Bastard
ARI
1) The Briscoes
The boys MANNED UP! Several of us ROH aficionados on the 411 staff were calling for it, and it did happen in Chicago as Jay and Mark bested Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal. The Briscoes have been on fire in matches lately, almost stealing the show from more marquee main events. Now they are the main event, especially in the absence of the ROH World Title (Morishima brings it back to NOAH this week). Nigel McGuinness has the honor of taking Joe's first loss on this ROH farewell tour and did it with the most beautiful and vicious of moves--the lariatooo! Finally, Larry Sweeney has been the perfect pitchman for the interests of Chris Hero. Sweeney has negotiated for the services of Tank Tolland to help train Hero, and paid off Brent Albright to cause some damage to Hero's former partner Claudio Castagnoli. Sweeney's excellent mic work helps get across this storyline even when Hero is not there.
2) Nigel McGuinness
3) Larry Sweeney
JD Dunn
1) Umaga
While might heart says Briscoes, my brain says Umaga, who won the IC Title, destroyed Rey and has leeched himself onto one of the premier matches of WrestleMania.
2) The Briscoes
3) Nigel McGuinness
Mike Bauer
1) The Briscoes
Winning the Tag Team Titles was almost a given as the direction is once again away from TNA Stars in the Ring of Honor. But Umaga's rise, as nice as it is, was just as long coming. I'll give #2 to Umaga for everything he did this week. Lashley takes my #3 for another impressive title defense.
2) Umaga
3) Lashley
Brad Borchardt
1) CM Punk
I'm going in a different direction this week and declaring it Money In The Bank Week. I got to give the nod to C.M. Punk as it looks like he finally is out of the dog house as he picked up a big win over Johnny Nitro to qualify for a Money In The Bank spot for WrestleMania. He shouldn't of been put in the dog house anyway and he finally gets some love this week as he deserves it after two months of crap. Edge gets my #2 spot this week for winning the Match of the Week as he beat Rob Van Dam for a Money In The Bank spot. #3 spot goes to King Booker. Many people thought he would have to face Kane or be in the United States Championship picture come WrestleMania. Now he is in Money in the Bank, which beats a jumble Tag Team Title Match, a match with Boogeyman, or not even being on the card that he has suffered the past three years. Sorry no Umaga love this week, I just think being a part of Money In The Bank is more important for these three men than beating Jeff Hardy for a title that is less important then the title he was fighting for the past two months, fighting for hair at WrestleMania, and beating up and injured man who is not even half his size. Just ask RVD and Edge.
2) Edge
3) King Booker
Stuart Carapola
1) Jay & Mark Briscoe
Regardless of whether or not their title victory or Morishima's last week were a result of Gabe Sapolsky hitting the panic button in the wake of Joe's departure, the fact is that the most deserving team in North America has regained the title that they originally established in 2003-4. Now with Morishima taking the ROH World Title to Japan, the Briscoes have the opportunity to become THE main event act in ROH. They've often had one of the top two or three matches on each ROH show since their return one year ago, now here's their chance to prove that they can draw as well. And who said tag team wrestling was dead? Morishima gets second for his successful (read: squash) defense of the ROH Title against BJ Whitmer and also for being on the winning side of a tag match against Homicide and Samoa Joe. His partner Nigel McGuinness gets third for scoring the fall in that match.
2) Takeshi Morishima
3) Nigel McGuinness
Bayani Domingo
1) El Generico
After putting on what I was told was the match of the night in RoH last weekend with Kevin Steen he seems to be getting alot more mention over on the East Coast. On Saturday night he takes the PWG championship from Human Tornado in a total surprise, which was about a month later than it should have happened.
2) Jay n' Mark, El Briscoes
3) Umaga
Arnold Furious
1) CM Punk
I'm going with Brad on this one. Punk was in the doghouse big time but by winning his MITB qualifier he's now in a big (ish) match at WrestleMania. There's clearly still faith in his abilities. They just don't like him making out with Maria. Can't complain about that really. Elsewhere Edge also qualified in a great match with RVD and Umaga took the IC title.
2) Edge
3) Umaga
Steve Cook
1) Pelle Primeau
OK, I'm going to get a lot of crap for this one, but hear me out. This little sumbitch got the living crap beaten out of him on Friday night's ROH show in Dayton, but he kept coming back and taking even more punishment. This includes the loudest chop I have ever heard in over 15 years of watching professional wrestling, delivered by Shingo. His chest was all fucked up after taking chops from Shingo & Roderick Strong for a good while. While he came up short, he did not get pinned, and the fans chanted his name after the match. Who could have seen that coming? Samoa Joe gets second place for muscle busting Davey Richards on the apron, and Sara Delray gets third place for killing a bitch on the preshow and looking damn good. Not that I judge women's wrestling based on looks. Of course not.
2) Samoa Joe
3) Sara DelRay
Larry Csonka
1) Umaga
UUUUUUUUUMAGA not only was named Vince's hand picked wrestler for what will be the biggest publicized match at WrestleMania but he also destroyed Jeff Hardy for the third straight time and won the IC Title as well. That's a damn fine week for anyone, so I will give him the nod. The Briscoes continue a very strong year with their ROH Tag Title win this weekend. Finally, and I hate to do this, I went with the big tie due to Lynn winning the #1 contender's match while Edge, Punk and Booker all qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania.
2) The Briscoes
3) Jerry Lynn/Edge/Punk/Booker
THE WINNERS!
Special Mention…CM Punk - 11 Votes
CM Punk qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match this week in a good match with Johnny Nitro. He seems to be out of the "doghouse" now and will go from pretend gangster to a possible world title contender. A good week for Mr. Punk.
Third Place…Edge - 12 Votes
Edge qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match this week in a very good match with RVD. Edge continues to roll along and gains a few, but precious points as he stays strong in the top 10.
Second Place…Mark and Jay Briscoe - 27 Votes
The Briscoes continue to try and prove themselves as the best tag tem going with their ROH Title win. MAN UP!
Wrestler of the Week…Umaga - 31 Votes
UUUUMAGA dominated Jeff Hardy and won the IC Title this week and was named as Vince McMahon's hand picked wrestler to battle THE DONALD. He may have lost to John Cena twice in January, but he is now rolling towards WrestleMania.
Year-End Standings!
Another week of voting is complete, and there isn't much of a change in the top rankings. There was plenty of movement in the lower ranks and some debuts, but the top is almost untouched with just a few precious points earned. FIVE weeks, TWO PPV's, NUMEROUS LIVE and TV shows all to go! Can Joe hold onto his lead? Will someone make a late run? Stay tuned to find out!
