2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards

[Chris]

Category A Awards

1. Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year): Will Ospreay
2. Mixed Martial Arts Most Valuable: Jon Jones
3. Most Outstanding Wrestler: Will Ospreay
4. Most Outstanding Fighter of the Year: Islam Makhachev
5. Tag Team of the Year: FTR
6. Best on Interviews: Eddie Kingston
7. Promotion of the Year: World Wrestling Entertainment
8. Best Weekly TV Show: AEW Dynamite
9. Pro Wrestling Match of the Year: Kenny Omega vs Will Ospreay 1/4 Tokyo
10. MMA Fight of the Year: Alexander Volkanovski vs Islam Makhachev 2/11 Perth, Australia

Category B Awards

1. United States/Canada MVP: Cody Rhodes
2. Koichi Yoshizawa Award (Japanese MVP): Will Ospreay
3. Mexico MVP: Mistico
4. Europe MVP: Will Ospreay
5. Hodge Award (Non-Heavyweight MVP): El Hijo del Vikingo
6. Women's Wrestling MVP: Rhea Ripley
7. Women's MMA MVP: Alex Grasso
8. Feud of the Year: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens vs The Bloodline
9. Best Box Office Draw: Jon Jones (MMA), Roman Reigns (Wrestling)
10. Most Improved: Julia Hart
11. Most Charismatic: MJF
12. Bryan Danielson Award (Best Technical Wrestler): Bryan Danielson
13. Bruiser Brody Memorial Award (Best Brawler): Jon Moxley
14. Best Flying Wrestler: El Hijo del Vikingo
15. Most Overrated: Sanada
16. Most Underrated: Chad Gable
17. Rookie of the Year: Yuma Anzai
18. Best Non-wrestler: Don Callis
19. Best Television Announcer: Excalibur
20. Worst Television Announcer: Booker T
21. Best Major Wrestling Show: AEW Revolution 3/5 San Francisco
22. Worst Major Wrestling Show: WWE Crown Jewel 11/4 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
23. Best Wrestling Maneuver: Will Ospreay Hidden Blade
24. Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic: WWE enabling Vince McMahon being back in power/TKO keeping him in position of power
25. Worst Television Show: NWA Power
26. Worst Match of the Year: Bray Wyatt vs LA Knight 1/28 San Antonio
27. Worst Feud of the Year: MJF vs The Devil
28. Worst Promotion of the Year: NWA
29. Best Booker: Paul Levesque
30. Promoter of the Year: Nick Khan
31. Best Gimmick: Toni Storm
32. Worst Gimmick: The Devil
33. Best Pro Wrestling Book: The Last Real World Champion by Tim Hornbaker
34. Best Pro Wrestling Documentary: Dark Side of the Ring: Chris and Tammy

 

[Canadian Dragon]

1. Most Improved: Julia Hart

that's our girl

 

[Vegeta]

Toni winning best gimmick

 

[Chris]

If anyone's curious about the rankings of any particular award I can post those but I'm not doing that for all of them lol

 

[Vegeta]

If anyone's curious about the rankings of any particular award I can post those but I'm not doing that for all of them lol

Who did Toni beat out for the best gimmick? I like to know what else was up there

 

[Cwalker]

Danielson winning his own award

 

[Canadian Dragon]

I'm honestly in agreement with the vast majority of these

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Danielson winning his own award

 

[Chris]

Who did Toni beat out for the best gimmick? I like to know what else was up there

BEST GIMMICK

1. TONI STORM 239

2. Christian Cage 204

3. Orange Cassidy 48

4. Bloodline 38

5. Brochachos 36

6. LA Knight 30

7. Dominik Mysterio 28

8. Swerve Strickland 18

Cody Rhodes 18

10. Katsuhiko Nakajima 16

HONORABLE MENTION: BCC 13, Danhausen 12, Bullet Club War Dogs 8


Also fun fact: Toni was 3rd place for worst gimmick too

 

[Cwalker]

Also good for Hunter. He worked his as off this year

 

[Canadian Dragon]

BEST GIMMICK

1. TONI STORM 239

2. Christian Cage 204

3. Orange Cassidy 48

4. Bloodline 38

5. Brochachos 36

6. LA Knight 30

7. Dominik Mysterio 28

8. Swerve Strickland 18

Cody Rhodes 18

10. Katsuhiko Nakajima 16

HONORABLE MENTION: BCC 13, Danhausen 12, Bullet Club War Dogs 8


Also fun fact: Toni was 3rd place for worst gimmick too

That top 2 is based as fuck

 

[Vegeta]

Some good stuff up there

 

[Jimmy King]

I would’ve gone with Nana or Heyman over Callis in non wrestler (not a Callis fan), but cool list still.

 

[Chris]

I would’ve gone with Nana or Heyman over Callis in non wrestler (not a Callis fan), but cool list still.

Heyman was second and Nana third for this one lol after those 3 it's not many votes for the rest

 

[Vegeta]

I would’ve gone with Nana or Heyman over Callis in non wrestler (not a Callis fan), but cool list still.

I definitely would’ve probably voted Nana, but it is, what it is.