411s Wrestler of the Week 12.31.07: Week 39
Posted by Larry Csonka on 12.31.2007
We close out 2007 with Japan, TNA and ROH running wild in the voting!
Welcome to Week 39, 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!
Daniel Wilcox
1) John Cena
I didn't intend on voting anyone from WWE in this week, because we got two best of shows and the Tribute to the Troops show, which by the way, is still an amazing effort by WWE each and every year. But Cena gets my vote for participating on the trip and also getting physically involved in the show when I'm sure he was under no obligation to do so, what with his arm injury that is keeping him from doing what he loves to do best and that's get in the ring and entertain. Good job Cena, for making sure the Troops get the best of WWE.
2) Christian Cage: Despite being involved in one of the most horrendous angles TNA has done in some time (and that's saying something) Cage still manages to entertain me. The promo he cut at the beginning of Impact this week was great and then he got the pin in the main event tag team match.
3) Motor City Machineguns: The Guns got a non-title victory over the tag team champs this week in what was a highly entertaining match that, surprise, surprise, was almost ruined by another poor TNA angle.
4) Samoa Joe
5) Gail Kim
Matt Short
1) Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black
Huge title change as these two upset ROH Tag Team champions The Briscoe's. The Age of the Fall made good on their promise to take out The Briscoe's and are in a great position heading into 2008. Extra kudos to Black for winning his first ROH gold.
2) Erick Stevens: Beat Roderick Strong for the FIP World Title. Stevens has been getting better and better and a big title win over Strong is a feather in his cap.
3) Bryan Danielson: Overcame Morishima, Chris Hero, and Austin Aries to earn himself a ROH World Title shot.
4) Nigel McGuinness
5) The Motor City Machine Guns
Christi Csonka
1) Christian Cage
I have actually been able to catch Impact more often, and wow, Christian Cage has just been on a roll. Everything the man does I love right now, so he's getting my first place vote.
2) Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black: These guys ended the title run of the Briscoe brothers, which is a huge accomplishment.
3) The Motor City Machine Guns: How can you not love these guys? They beat the tag team champions in a non-title match, and they need to get a real title match soon!
4) Gail Kim
5) Bryan Danielson
Ryan Byers
1) D.I.F.H. (Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black)
Okay, so they don't actually go by that name anymore, but it's how I'll always think of the duo of Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black. This weekend they did the seemingly unthinkable by vanquishing the vile, detestable Briscoe brothers for the ROH World Tag Team Titles at the company's Final Battle show. This not only ends a record-breaking title reign by the former champs but also gets Jacobs and Black the duke over one of the most popular acts in Ring of Honor history. If that's not enough for first place in a week with no significant WWE programming, I don't know what is.
2) Erick Stevens - It seems like one of the primary goals of FIP from day one has been grooming Erick Stevens as a major player, and a huge step was taken in that regard on Sunday when he unseated Rod Strong for the company's title.
3) Christian - The man picked up two victories over TNA's World Champion this week, the first in tag competition on Impact and the second a DQ singles win in one of the promotion's more heavily advertised non-televised events.
4) Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino
5) The Murder City Machine Guns
Samuel Berman
1) Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black
The Age of the Fall improbably ended the nearly 9-month reign of Jay & Mark Briscoe, and in so doing turned Jimmy Jacobs into a three-time tag team champion in Ring of Honor. Jacobs now ranks behind only the Briscoe's and former partner BJ Whitmer on the all-time list for that title. Hopefully this is just the next step in an increased push for Jacobs, who should be able to parlay this, along with his win over "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson into an ROH World Title shot sooner rather than later.
2) Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino: Retain the GHC Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles on their home soil of Dragon Gate.
3) Erick Stevens: Won the FIP World Heavyweight Title, though unfortunately he didn't win it on an FIP show.
4) Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
5) Austin Aries and "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson
JT~!
1) Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black
These two ended the 10 month title reign of the hottest tag team on the planet right now; not only that, in doing so they put themselves in a great position to enjoy a push heading into 2008.
2) Bryan Danielson: With his comeback in full stride, he defeated three of the best on the circuit - Morishima, Chris Hero, and Austin Aries - on his way to becoming the #1 contender for the ROH title.
3) Christian Cage: Was the most entertaining guy on television this week, also getting himself a win (in tag action) over the TNA World Champion. Not only that, he beat the champ in a one-on-one at one of TNA's more frequent becoming house shows.
4) Motor City Machine Guns
5) John Cena / Erick Stevens
Michael Bauer
1) Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black
For those who were there, it was an unbelievable ending to a tremendous top to bottom card, including an insane tag team match from these two guys and The Briscoe's. Jacobs looked to be almost knocked out of the match early on, but hen went out and put on a show. Now if only they can get theme music that isn't rampant screaming that still echoes in my head some 6 hours later.
2) Erick Stevens - Biggest win of his career as he wins the FIP World Title over Roderick Strong.
3) Austin Aries - Yes he went 0-2, but he put on two classics against Nigel and with Danielson.
4) Bryan Danielson/Nigel McGuiness
5) Christian Cage
Andy Clark
1) Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black
The former D.I.F.H. team has taken ROH by storm as the Age of the Fall defeated THE team of the Indies the Briscoe's it what is supposedly ROH's biggest show of the year.
2) Erick Stevens: Won the FIP Title from Roderick Strong at supposedly ROH's biggest show of the year.
3) John Cena: Made the trip to Iraq to entertain the troops and delivered a sweet one-armed FU. Come back soon, champ.
4) Bryan Danielson
5) Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino
Brad Garoon
1) Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black
I really wish I could have been there live to see this team win the tag team titles. Oh well, life goes on. They may have lost in a scramble match the night before but they did what seemed impossible and beat the Briscoe's in the main event of ROH's marquee show.
2) Erick Stevens - I think it was a complete mistake for the FIP title to change hands in ROH AGAIN because now it has changed hands in ROH more than in FIP, but if it had to go to someone then Stevens is the right guy.
3) Bryan Danielson - He may have gotten his nuts stomped in but he became the number one contender to the ROH title at Final Battle.
4) Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino
5) Austin Aries
Larry Csonka
1) Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black
Project 61, The Age of the Fall, D.I.F.H; what ever you want them to go by is fine, but now you have to call them champions. They defeated The Briscoe Brothers and ended their excellent title run. They take the top spot for me this week with little debate.
2) Christian Cage: Cage is on a roll and is impressing in a year where I feel he has been over looked.
3) Motor City Machine Guns/Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino: Yoshi and Doi retain their titles while the MCMG's defeated the champs in a non-title affair.
4) Erik Stevens
5) Bryan Danielson
THE WINNERS!
Special Mention Naruki Doi & Masato Yoshino - 12 Votes
Fifth Place The Motor City Machine Guns - 13 Votes
Fourth Place Bryan Danielson - 17 Votes
Third Place Christian Cage - 20 Votes
Christian Cage continues to roll in TNA with good promos, good matches and a win last Thursday.
Second Place Erick Stevens - 26 Votes
Erick Stevens defeats Roderick Strong and captures the FIP Championship and a well-deserved 2nd place finish.
Wrestler of the Week Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black - 44 Votes
The Age of the Fall have done what they set out to do, and that is take what the Briscoe Brothers had worked so hard to keep for 10-months. This is a huge title change and they deserve the top spot.
Year-End Standings~!
While there was a good bit of movement on the lower and middle parts of the list, the big move of the week was Jimmy Jacobs. He, along with Tyler Black won first place this week and that catapulted Jacobs into the top 15. With a lot of time left until WrestleMania, almost anything can and probably will happen in the rankings so stay tuned!
-The top 15 spots are marked
1. Samoa Joe 87 (TNA)
2. John Cena 78 (Raw) {INJURED}
3. Kurt Angle 72 (TNA)
4. Matt Hardy 66 (Smackdown) {INJURED}
5. Edge 65 (Smackdown)
6. CM Punk 61 (ECW)
7. Randy Orton 55 (Raw)
7. Mark Briscoe 55 (ROH)
7. Jay Briscoe 55 (ROH)
10. Batista 51 (Smackdown)
11. Jeff Hardy 50 (Raw)
12. MVP 47 (Smackdown)
13. Shawn Michaels 45 (Raw)
14. Jimmy Jacobs 41 (ROH)
15. Claudio Castagnoli 37 (ROH)
Nigel McGuinness 36 (ROH)
Bobby Lashley 35 (Raw) {INJURED}
CIMA 33 (Dragon Gate)
Chuck Taylor 32 (US Independent)
Kaz 28 (TNA) El Generico 28 (US Independent)
Giant Bernard 24 (New Japan) The Great Khali 24 (Raw) Bryan Danielson 24 (ROH) Takeshi Morishima 24 (ROH/NOAH) Chris Hero 24 (US Independent)
Amazing Kong 9 (TNA) Vito Thomaselli 9 (US Independent) Sal Thomaselli 9 (US Independent) Icarus 9 (US Independent) Gran Akuma 9 (US Independent) Kenny King 9 (US Independent) Jason Blade 9 (US Independent) Lince Dorado 9 (US Independent) TAKA Michinoku 9 (New Japan) Yugi Nagata 9 (New Japan) D LO Brown- 9 (NOAH) Bull Buchanan - 9 (NOAH) Naomichi Marufuji - 9 (NOAH) Mitsuharu Misawa 9 (NOAH) Keiji Muto 9 (All Japan) Joe Doering 9 (All Japan) Blue Panther 9 (CMLL)
Necro Butcher 7 (US Independent) Finlay 7 (WWE) Paul London 7 (Raw) Brian Kendrick 7 (Raw) Gail Kim 7 (TNA)
Hornswoggle 6 (Smackdown) Rey Mysterio 6 (Smackdown) Carlito 6 (Raw) Booker T 6 (TNA) Scott Steiner 6 (TNA) Kensuke Sasaki 6 (All Japan) Milano Collection AT 6 (Japan) Scott Hall 6 (Independent) Super Dragon 6 (Independent) Davey Richards 6 (ROH) Ultimo Guerrero 6 (CMLL) Averno 6 (CMLL)
Shelton Benjamin 4 (ECW) AJ Styles 4 (TNA) Delirious 4 (ROH) Rob Van Dam 4 (US Independent) Hallowicked 4 (US Independent)
Eric Young 3 (TNA) Big Daddy V 3 (ECW) Jimmy Yang Wang 3 (Smackdown) Shannon Moore 3 (Smackdown) Beth Phoenix 3 (Raw) Charlie Haas 3 (Raw) William Regal 3 (Raw) Mistico 3 (CMLL) Atlantis 3 (CMLL) Togi Makabe 3 (New Japan) Tiger Mask IV 3 (New Japan)
