My WWE MOTYs and All That

[Greggulator]

Here is my WWE stuff of the year. I missed a lot probably but I've watched most of the good stuff.

MOTY:
Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns. I said at the time that I think this is the best wrestling match I have ever watched. I also don't think I'll watch it again, at least not for a long time. It's because it was the most devastating loss I can ever remember watching a beloved character endure. The emotional manipulation in this match was at a level we haven't seen in years and may never see again. To me, character work and making the audience feel things is infinitely more important than move execution (and they executed everything) or a run-in ending (because Sami had to overcome an even more stacked deck) and they nailed everything. I think taking a loss this big cemented Sami as the best babyface of his era. Sami's the most relatable character in the WWE right now (he's a nerdy guy who is athletic) and who amongst us hasn't had the rug pulled out from us at some point at school or in our love lives or with interpersonal relationships or careers? 

Roman played the villain absolutely perfectly and him tormenting Sami's wife by punching him in the face while standing directly in front of her and screaming "I wanted to take care of your family" is one of the greatest heel moments we'll ever see. The whole Bloodline saga was a masterpiece of an angle. I know we're only on a pause for now (They can heat up Jey vs. Jimmy to headline Night 1 of WrestleMania) but this was the apex. 

I don't know if I've ever felt like this watching a wrestling match. And that is just incredible to realize that after 40 years of fandom, wrestling can still make me not just feel but can make me feel in ways I've ever felt before. 

RUNNER UPS:
Gunther/Gable, Rhea/Charlotte, KO and Sami/Usos, Rey/Dom, KO vs. Gunther, Kofi vs. Ivar, Miz/Gunther. But for real -- there's at least one or two matches every week on Raw and SmackDown that are elite level matches. I wish more people realized how good the WWE is right now. 

PERFORMER OF THE YEAR:
Rhea Ripley. What an absolute star. She literally did it all in 2023. Dominant in-ring heel? Awesome cheating manager? Incredible comedy stuff with Prison Dom? Evil mastermind of a stable? She's also in her mid-20s. I don't even know if anyone else is even close to her.

RUNNER UPS:
Jey Uso (what a sensational breakout and someone who should be an actor), Roman, Kevin Owens (you can say this every year), Sami (see above), Dom, Chelsea Greene.

MOMENT OF THE YEAR:
I'm going with Sami's homecoming on Smackdown where he brought back his ska-punk theme song. Utter joy. This was followed by his hug with KO. Jimmy kicking Roman was also aces. It should probably be Sami breaking free of The Bloodline at the Rumble but I prefer joy.

 

 

 

[The Natural]

MOTY:

3. Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens vs. Jey Uso/Jimmy Uso. WWE WrestleMania XXXIX Night 1, 1st April. *****.

2. Gunther vs. Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre. WWE WrestleMania XXXIX Night 2, 2nd April. *****.

1. Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak. NXT Battleground, 28th May. *****.

WOTY:

Gunther by far. Honourable mentions to Ilja Dragunov and Roman Reigns.

MOTY:

Sami Zayn hitting Roman Reigns with a steel chair leaving the Bloodline at Royal Rumble. Bloodline attack Zayn to "Fuck you, Roman" chants.

[Godfrey]

I agree with you 100% about Sami/Roman. I don't have much to add to what you wrote except that a rewatch didn't hurt my enjoyment of the match because the crowd is so damn hot I got right back into it again

For whatever reason, my moment of the year was the Usos kicking Roman in Saudi Arabia and then fleeing the scene like they just robbed a bank. Pretty sure they weren't on the card either and the kayfabe implications of that are funny too. This clip doesn't have all of it but this shit got me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0cJNRv6wN0&ab_channel=WWE

[Johnny Sorrow]

My nomination for best secondary character who quietly became great at everything is Ludwig Kaiser. He's a special talent who definitely went to the Regal School of Acting.

Edited December 25, 2023 by Johnny Sorrow

[Eivion]

Don't have a specific MOTY. My top matches were Roman/Cody, Sami/KO vs. Usos WM, Charlotte/Rhea, Io/Bianca Backlash, Becky/Trish Payback,  Becky/Tiffany No Mercy, Gunther/Miz II, Ilja Dijak Battleground, Bron/Hayes II, Ilja/Hayes GAB/NM.

Performer of the Year was Dominick Mysterio for me. He has become so damn good as a sleazy heel you want to see get beat up and stepped up a good degree in the ring with the NA title runs in NXT. He is one of my favorites to watch.

WOTY is a harder choice because WWE just is an embarrassment of riches at this point in good-great wrestlers. Would probably be down between Gunther, Ilja, Sami, Bron, & Hayes for me.

 

[worldcupfever]

While I sort out my list, I do want to point out that the WWE moment of the year was when Savio came out at Backlash and Michael Cole screamed SAVIO VEGA!!! LOS BORIQUAS!!!!!!!!