Quick note: NXT efforts and superstars have not been included. They'd just win everything.
Superstar of the Year
Seth Rollins
Huge things were expected from Seth Rollins following a memorable 2014, and the former Shield member delivered instantly. A string of early excellent performances lead Rollins to the WWE title in stunning fashion and ‘The Architect’ never looked back. A superb summer programme with John Cena proved he truly belonged at the summit, before the champion joined an elite group of competitors to enjoy success over the legendary Sting. Sadly a knee injury cut Rollins’ year and reign short, but I’m sure he’ll be back among the WWE’s elite sooner rather than later.
Runner up: John Cena
Match of the Year
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins - Royal Rumble
2015 saw some awesome work produced in the ring, but the year’s best match was actually decided very early on in the year. Returning for the first time in months, then-WWE champion Brock Lesnar faced tall odds once again, but continued his reign of suplex-based terror with an incredible comeback victory over both John Cena and Seth Rollins. A frantic bout with a ‘big-time’ feel, crammed with unexpected reversals and jaw-dropping spots, each of the participant’s unique attributes combined perfectly and resulted in a match that has lingered in memory ever since that otherwise unfortunate night last January.
Runner up: Seth Rollins vs. John Cena - SummerSlam
Team/Stable of the Year
The New Day
To see just how far The New Day have come you only need to rewind the clock back a year. Debuting in the fall of 2014 as a group of squeaky clean positive preachers, the trio of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E were instantly dismissed by fans who were tired of seeing the same old crap. Organic changes have long been the key to success in professional wrestling, and the group were soon afforded the freedom to tweak their gimmick following frustration with WWE Creative’s solutions. The result was beyond anyone’s expectations: a completely revitalised stable who are now an essential component of any show. Unicorn power!
Runner up: The Authority
Diva of the Year
Nikki Bella
No superstar, male or female, improved themselves as dramatically as Nikki Bella did in 2015. Previously considered to be one of the WWE’s weaker ‘Divas’, Nikki took extreme measures to prove herself worthy of a record-breaking reign as champion. The results were unremarkable initially, but her matches soon began to improve thanks to a new focus on strength and conditioning and dedication to superior storytelling. Today Nikki is a completely different prospect, and her ability to not only hang with, but defeat the more capable female superstars is a testament to the hard work she put into turning her career around.
Runner up: Paige
Breakthrough of the Year
Kevin Owens
Following a brief, but brutal spell in NXT, Kevin Owens again made an instant impact when he thrust himself into a high-profile feud with John Cena. Many were expecting big things from the Canadian indy superstar, but he didn’t just deliver a stunning debut performance at Elimination Chamber, he actually did what few have done and beat the former WWE champion...clean. Owens has since slipped into the upper midcard, but he remains a breath of fresh air; a highly entertaining monster heel who has the potential to do huge things in 2016.
Runner up: Neville
Spot of the Year
Kalisto’s Ladder Salida Del Sol - TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
Other than killing themselves in the name of ‘sports entertainment’ I wasn’t sure anything could shock me in a ladder-based match anymore. Enter Kalisto, the WWE’s newest insane luchador. Precariously perched atop the ladder battling a member of the Usos, the high-flying superstar ensured the mass dropping of jaws by flipping over the unfortunate Uso brother before using the momentum of the swing to smash the two through a second suspended ladder below. Words just can’t do it justice, so this should help. What an incredible move.
Runner up: Seth Rollins’ top rope Suplex into a Brainbuster - SummerSlam
Moment of the Year
Seth Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank contract - WrestleMania 31
In this blogger’s humble opinion WrestleMania 31 was...good, until Seth Rollins’ audacious cash-in made it great. The WWE had really backed themselves into a tight corner with their choice of main event: Roman Reigns wasn’t remotely ready to defeat Brock for the title, and Brock just couldn’t lose at the same event he’d been so successful at a year prior. Their solution was as brilliant as it was simple: Rollins became not only the first man to cash in at WrestleMania, but also the first to cash in during a match. The move matched Rollins’ character perfectly and the end result was an unexpected sequence instantly up there among the show’s greatest ever moments.
Runner up: The Undertaker’s 25th Anniversary entrance - Survivor Series
Most Overrated
Roman Reigns
A winner in this category for the second year in a row, Roman Reigns has made significant improvements over the course of 2015, but he’s still not being used correctly, and hasn’t demonstrated anywhere near the level of quality that should be required to hold the WWE’s richest prize. Don’t confuse me for a ‘hater’, I really want to like this guy. He has the look, cool ring gear, suitably awesome entrance music, but he’s just not found a way to put it together where it matters most: inside the ring. The potential is definitely there, but Reigns’ absurdly quick ascent to the top of the ‘E has been forced beyond all realism, and stinks of a company desperate to have a top superstar ready for Cena’s ever-nearing last hurrah.
Runner up: Sheamus
Worst Show of the Year
Royal Rumble
If it wasn’t for the inclusion of the aforementioned triple threat match of the year it’s very likely that the 2015 Royal Rumble would go down as one of the WWE’s worst pay-per-views ever. Who thought that four (including the evening’s kick off show) consecutive tag team matches was a good idea? Who thought that a Royal Rumble match in which every single conceivable future star the company has got smashed and dumped over the top rope at the hands of a duo with a combined age of 91 years (More on them in a minute!) was a smart move? Not even a surprise appearance from The Rock could save poor Roman Reigns from the fury of the fans. That should’ve been the moment WWE Creative knew they’d truly messed it all up. Horrific.
Runner up: Survivor Series
Fire the Creative Department Award
Big Show and Kane’s continued dominance
Big Show and Kane are performing way beyond their use-by-date, yet the WWE continues to book them as dominant destroyers. The duo’s booking in the Royal Rumble match was infuriating, as was Show’s Andre the Giant battle royal win at WrestleMania. Worse, both have been involved in main event pay-per-view matches on multiple occasions, and Kane even competed for the WWE championship. Ugh.
Big Show and Kane are without a doubt two of the WWE’s greatest, most dedicated performers. For two decades these giant superstars have smashed their way into the history books and for the most part have produced some great matches and moments along the way. There comes a time however when it’s time to focus on new superstars, not only for continued fan enjoyment, but also for the future of the industry. It’s time to utilise these legends properly, and use them as tools to get future performers over on the industry’s biggest stage.
Agree? Disagree? Who do you think were the WWE’s winners and losers for 2015? Leave your comments below!
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