411’s Wrestler of the Week 4.16.07: Week 2
Posted by Larry Csonka on 04.16.2007
A new IWGP Champion, new NWA Tag Team Champions, a new CMLL World Welterweight Champion, a new #1 Contender for the NWA Title, JJ Returns, and more! All kinds of greatness happened this week, but who walked away with the 411 WOTW Award?
Welcome to Week 2, Year-Three, of 411's Wrestler of the Week. A quick overview to kick things off as we have some new rules for year three…
Each writer chooses FIVE wrestlers from any promotion and each wrestler gets a point total attached to that ranking. It looks a little like this…
1st - 5
2nd - 4
3rd - 3
4th - 2
5th - 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 SIX vote getters get a points value for their ranking which looks something like this…
1st - 15
2nd - 12
3rd - 9
4th - 6
5th - 3
6th - 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!
Arnold Furious
1) MVP
While title changes and turns have taken place elsewhere on Smackdown MVP was having his coming of age party. In a 20-minute classic with Chris Benoit he showed every attribute needed to become a big time BALLIN' playa in the WWE. I've been saying it for some time but MVP is money. He possesses great in ring abilities, he's strong on the mic and he's slowly winning over the audience. Even the smarks. For this particular bandwagon I'm happy to say I was onboard before it got crowded.
2) Yuji Nagata. Claimed his second IWGP title. Nagata remains very popular and a strong performer for New Japan.
3) CM Punk. He finally made his decision and joined the New Breed. His heel turn sets up potential rivalries with a string of popular baby faces. Punk is just the guy to get good matches out of the walking wounded. Check out his bout with Terry Funk in ROH for evidence of that.
4) Paul London/Brian Kendrick.
5) Takeshi Morishima.
Matt Adamson
1) Yugi Nagata
When Nagata won the IWGP Title on Friday night, the fans of New Japan celebrated. They had been running with a relatively young champion (by Japanese standards) with Hiroshi Tanahashi. When Nagata won the fans won because he's the guy they want at the top of their beloved company. Will it mean a turn around for New Japan? Who knows, but for right now, it's utopia.
2) MVP - The guy proved he could go big time on Friday's Smackdown. I was impressed and am looking forward to seeing more of what he can do.
3) Susumu Yokosuka - Got the pinfall over Naruki Doi to regain the Open The Triangle Gate title for him and his team
4) Brandon Thomaselli
5) Gamma
Jeff Small
1) MVP
Big props this week goes out to MVP who had the match of his young career so far against Chris Benoit. Sure, wrestling against Benoit can make almost anyone look good (but never Billy Gunn) but MVP more than held his own in there. This match will go a long way to help bring MVP up to the next level and I surely bet that most fans won't have a problem with him winning the US Championship now. If only, he would change his finisher.
2) Jeff Jarrett - Jarrett made his return on Impact last week and immediately became the face of the company once again. And if you don't believe me, almost every backstage segment from the Lockdown PPV revolved around him. At the end of the night, Jarrett led his team to victory allowing his former enemy Sting to pick up the pinfall. Jarrett looks to be heading to a #1 contender's match against Kurt Angle, which isn't too shabby.
3) Yugi Nagata - If only I cared just a little more about Japan, then Nagata's title victory would have been my #1 for the week. But them's the breaks.
4) CM Punk
5) Takeshi Morishima
Mike Bauer
1) Colt Cabana
This isn't about wins and losses this week, because it really was an uneventful week outside of Japan. This is about a man who has given everything he had for the past few years who is getting his chance to make it in the big show. Colt Cabana did take the fall twice the weekend, but he did what he always does. He entertained, he made us laugh, and he received the respect he deserves from the east coast, where he is known better than anywhere else. Colt, I know you got two more shows, but for the places you started with, it was goodbye and good luck.
2) CM Punk - Really, the only person who made any impact this week in the WWE. I hope this twist proves its bigger doubter (me) wrong.
3) Chris Sabin - Looked pretty good in retaining the X-Division Title.
4) Yugi Nagata
5) Team 3D
Scott Slimmer
1) Team 3D
Team 3D get my first place vote for finally winning the NWA World Tag Team Championships by defeating LAX in an Electric Steel Cage Match at Lockdown. Sure, the match was a little gimmicky and a bit under whelming, but that's not the point. The point is that Team 3D have now become arguably the most decorated tag team in history, and as far as I'm concerned they've earned themselves a spot in any serious discussion of the greatest tag teams of all time. They've damn near incited riots in a bingo hall, elevated the table spot to an art form, and twice been part of the PWI Match of the Year, but now they've capped off a great career by becoming the NWA World Tag Team Champions.
2) MVP – MVP gets my second place vote for defeating Chris Benoit in a great match on Smackdown. MVP just took a big step towards actually living up to his name.
3) Chris Benoit – Chris Benoit gets my third place vote for making MVP look like a star in a great match on Smackdown. Benoit once again proved that the real legends of the ring know there's no shame in putting over the future of the business
4) Yugi Nagata
5) Sting
JT~!
1) Sting
Okay, so nobody else to my knowledge (or memory) got themselves a title shot for a World Championship this week (the announcement of the four way doesn't count to me as we all saw it coming). Not only did Sting secure himself as #1 contender (with a little help from Double J), but he was booked as one of the strongest competitors in what to me was the match of the week.
2) Team 3D - Captured their 20th Tag Team Titles and became only the second team ever to hold every major promotion's tag titles available during their career.
3) Yuji Nagata - I will also give him some love for essentially doing what all the New Japan fans wanted him to do; be the top guy.
4) CM Punk
5) MVP
SAT
1) Team 3D
Team 3D gets the top slot from me because they finally manage to win the NWA tag team titles. Team 3D cements their legacy by becoming the only team to win the WWE/WCW/ECW and NWA Titles.
2) CM Punk - CM Punk makes a huge impact when he decides to join the New Breed.
3) Jeff Jarrett - Jarrett makes a huge impact in his return. He helps lead his team to victory and he allows Sting to get the cover to become the number one contender.
4) Sting
5) MVP
MEEHAN
1) MVP
Biggest win of the week clearly goes to MVP. This guy has been on a roll, of late, and has done wonders to silence even the harshest critics that were just DYING to see him fail along the way. Don't look now, folks -- but it looks like the IWC has themselves a new up-and-coming favorite.
2) CM Punk - Joined the New Breed and made people talk about ECW again. Controversy creates cash, alright -- let's see where this goes.
3) Team 3D - Their "legacy" is complete, albeit six months too late for anyone to notice.
4) Sting
5) Jeff Jarrett
B-RAD
1) Sting
Tough week this week as all five of my selections had BIG weeks. I have to put Sting in as my #1 guy just for the simple facts that he got the pinfall in the Lethal Lockdown Match and became #1 Contender for TNA's top prize. None of my other four earned world title matches this week.
2) Team 3D- I have to show them love for now being WWE, WCW, ECW, and NWA Tag Team Champions.
3) CM Punk- I have never seen an ROH show (I want to, and I will soon) and everyone is talking about him being such an awesome heel there so I'm excited about his shocking turn to see where this goes (although I wanted Punk vs. Burke but I'll wait).
4) MVP
5) Jeff Jarrett
Ryan Mancuso
1) Mistico
He usually has great weeks where he draws big crowds, but this one was even better than usual. On Tuesday, he won the CMLL World Welterweight Title in front of a packed house in Guadalajara against Mephisto. Thousands of fans were turned away from this contest (which saw Mistico bleed through his mask) according to reports. On Friday, he pulls double duty at Arena Mexico in Mexico City. Early in the day he took on Perro Aguayo Jr. in a game show in which they fought it out for the right to date a girl. Later that night, he & Negro Casas successfully defended their CMLL World Tag Team Titles against Perro Aguayo Jr. & Mr. Aguila. Both the show and the tag title match drew a full house at the 18,000-seat Arena Mexico. Once again, fans had to be turned away at the gate because they couldn't sell any more seats. Winning a title, successfully defending a title, appearing on a game show where he probably won the date and single-handedly drawing over 40,000 combined in a week. That should get anyone WOTW honors.
2) Yuji Nagata - Mr. IWGP finally gets back the IWGP Heavyweight Title in a good match against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Hopefully, Nagata's run will match or exceed his previous one.
3) MVP - Continues to show that he can deliver some good matches as the one with Benoit this week on SD! delivered big time. MVP is definitely on his way to most improved wrestler of 2007.
4) Sting
5) Jeff Jarrett
Samuel Berman
1) CM Punk
If you've never seen Punk's ROH heel runs, get ready for a good time. Punk as a heel is one of the most compelling and interesting characters in all of wrestling, combining his phenomenal mic work with his natural in-ring ability in the best ways possible. He will single-handedly legitimize the New Breed.
2) Takeshi Morishima - Retaining the ROH World Title against arguably the top player in the company works for me.
3) Chris Benoit/MVP - I have to admit that MVP more than held his own as they put on the televised match of the week.
4) Doug Williams
5) Nigel McGuinness
Mike Minotti
1) Sting
Made the winning pin in this week's arguably most important match. That'll also make him the number one contender. Now we'll get to see that Christian/Sting feud we've been clamoring for.
2) Jeff Jarrett – The man most responsible for Team Angle's win at Lethal Lockdown, and he let Sting get the pin. Jarrett is officially a face. Pretty big deal.
3) MVP – Put on a great match with Chris Benoit on Smackdown, earning him another shot at the US Title. This feud could really help push MVP to the main event.
4) Yuji Nagata
5) Chris Sabin
Bayani Domingo
1) Team 3D
Well "technically" it's still the NWA title right? So unless they're running with Spike to go after the Open the Triangle Gate belts I think they've won 'em all.
2) Davey Richards - Gets two of the pins from NRC's sweep of "Resilience" which finally looks to be making an impact in RoH.
3) Yuji Nagata - Maybe this will charge up NJPW and firm up its position in the Puro hierarchy.
4) Mistico
5) Jeff Jarrett
Andy Clark
1) Team 3D
They have won the NWA World Tag Team Titles to go along with their ECW, WCW, and WWE (both sets, which no one ever mentions) and if they can hold onto them until the change over, they can add TNA World Tag Team Titles as well. Quick, send them to ROH. I hear the Briscoe's are down.
2) Yuji Nagata- The only World Title win this week, coming in Japan.
3) AJ Styles- I swear TNA management is obsessed with trying to kill this guy. I don't care if he had the four biggest guys in the match to break his fall, that still takes a lot of faith.
4) CM Punk
5) MVP
Mathew Sforcina
1) Sting
Ok, he's retiring sooner rather than later. Yes, it made the least sense out of all the options not named Tomko. But still, Sting has a shot at being the last NWA Champ in the NWA:TNA era. He won't get it, but it's still an accomplishment.
2) Team 3D- So that's what, 19 belts with every major North American Company outside of AWA? Congrats.
3) MVP- My god...he's a wrestler? Get out of here!
4) CM Punk
5) Yugi Nagata
Daniel Wilcox
1) MVP
So a whole bunch of guys had huge weeks but it was Montel Vontavious Porter who impressed me the most with his non-title win over Chris Benoit on SmackDown this week. And let me be the first person in this column to say BALLIN'!
2) Sting - While I haven't seen Lockdown yet winning a world title opportunity is big news in my book.
3) Team 3D finally completes their legacy by dethroning LAX in the Six Sides of Steel at Lockdown.
4) Jeff Jarrett
5) CM Punk
Andy Critchell
1) CM Punk
With Bobby Lashley having the "night off," the focus of ECW was on Punk and he made big news by joining with the New Breed, signaling a change in his character and the direction of his career.
2) MVP – He continues to impress with once again a great match against Chris Benoit. MVP seems to have the skill both on the mat and on the mic to make a HUGE impact on the WWE for years to come. I expect MVP to follow the Kennedy path and become yet another young player from the Smackdown ranks.
3) Team 3D – Like it or not, they won yet another tag title to add to their illustrious resume. They have won gold everywhere they have gone so that has to count for something.
4) Yugi Nagata
5) Takeshi Morishima
Larry Csonka
1) Team 3D (Ray and Devon)
Any other week I would have given Nagata the top spot, but the Team 3D win has been a long time in coming, and as a huge tag team fan I do still think it is an important accomplishment. They have now "cemented their legacy" and even though the booking tried to kill it, they had a good match to boot. ECW, WWF, WCW (eh, close enough,) The All Japan Real League and now the NWA Titles. Truly cool stuff.
2) Yugi Nagata – IWGP champion again, that's all there has to be said!
3) Mistico – Mistico won the CMLL World Welterweight Title from Mephisto in a building that they had to turn away 5,000+ fans and also defended the CMLL World Tag Team Titles with Negro Casas against Perro Aguayo Jr. & Mr. Aguila in front of a sell out crowd at the 17,000 seat Arena Mexico in Mexico City. He is Mexico's biggest draw and backing up Wrestler of the Year status he got last year from many.
4) Sting
5) Brandon Thomaselli
THE WINNERS!
Special Mention…Jeff Jarrett - 17 Votes
Fifth Place…Sting - 33 Votes
Fourth Place…CM Punk - 37 Votes
Third Place…Yugi Nagata - 38 Votes
Nagata wins his 2nd IWGP title and now sits atop the mountain again. Nagata is looking to make more of his run this time around as Mr. IWGP.
Second Place…Team 3D (Ray and Devon) - 47 Votes
Team 3D wins their 20th tag team championship and completes their legacy as they now are able to say that they have held the ECW, WWF, WCW, The All Japan Real League and now the NWA Titles. Love them or hate them, but that's one hell of an accomplishment.
Wrestler of the Week…MVP - 49 Votes
MVP continues to improve in the ring and scored a big Non-Title win over Chris Benoit this week. That seemed to be enough to give him the WOTW title this week.
Year-End Standings~!
With week two in the books, we now have 16-people in the mix and competing for the famed 411 Wrestler of the Year Honors. Right now the boys from Smackdown are leading things, but as always things can and will change!
