Step into the Ring

Tuesday 16 December 2014

GLAD TIDINGS WE BRING



It’s the most wonderful time of the year you know? According to some at least! The only time of the year that you get to stuff your face with rubbish that really isn’t good for you, drink more than your own body weight in alcohol and shout obscenities at passing strangers that you don’t even know whilst they smile merrily and carry on their merry way. Unless you live in Liverpool that is, then its Christmas all year around and you probably don’t get that warm, sentimental festive feeling the rest of us have when Christmas descends upon us every year. Which is a shame; because Christmas is meant to be the one time of the year we can wind down everything that has gone on during the year and forget our troubles.

Let’s be honest, we all work bloody hard at doing something or other during the year, we deserve a little break with loved ones even if it does mean listening to Christmas songs for the thousandth time whilst unwrapping a truly hideous jumper that Stevie Wonder wouldn’t wear. That is what Christmas is about my minions and this year has been a particularly tough year for us all. Whether you have tons of money, just enough money to keep you ticking over or nothing at all we’ve all had to make sacrifices in 2014 and I truly hope that 2015 is a better year for us all. And yes, my festive friends, that does include World Wrestling Entertainment.

Whilst I don’t want to go into too much detail about wrestling in this particular post, because it’s Christmas and we have the end of year awards coming up below so they’ll be enough included in that, I will say that WWE has taken remarkable steps towards change in 2014 without actually getting any further than they were when January 1st rolled around. True, they have laid foundations for wrestlers such as Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler and Rusev to pave their way in the New Year but just when it seemed the promotion were getting on the band wagon of a youth movement, John Cena reared his ugly head and Vince McMahon lacked the balls to pull the trigger and anyone’s push. Had he done so, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt would all be main event stars by now whilst Dolph Ziggler would be in prime position to fight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

So, let’s take a look at what’s occurred this year in a very brief year in review. The Undertaker’s unforgettable streak finally came to a close when he lost a forgettable match to Brock Lesnar and WrestleMania XXX. Though it lacked that magical element an Undertaker bout usually carries, it was still a moment in history to witness and one no one who saw it will ever forget. After a few years back under WWE’s wing, Brock Lesnar finally captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of SummerSlam in a truly dazzling performance against John Cena, who deserves all the credit in the world for agreeing to be beaten so comprehensively. The Shield split in the most dramatic of consequences whilst Daniel Bryan joined Roman Reigns on the injured list just as both of their pushes were beginning to get off of the ground; now that is what you call bad luck. Talking of Daniel Bryan, after months and months of torture at the hands of The Authority, he finally accomplished his dream by winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXX in a tremendous triple threat match against Randy Orton and Batista. It was another moment which will live long in the memory.

Then there were the unlucky ones who will prefer to forget 2014 ever existed. Alberto Del Rio who was released from WWE for responding to a racist comment made to him by a WWE employee. Rather than firing the person who made the comment, WWE decided that it would put Del Rio out of his misery and a cavalcade of firings followed including Ricardo Rodriguez who felt the brunt of Del Rio’s justified actions. Bray Wyatt, whilst not fired from the company must have thought all his Christmases had come at once when he was given John Cena as an opponent in the WrestleMania season but soon found that it was a curse rather than a blessing when he was forced to almost completely rebuild his career after WWE lacked the guts to put him over. Now with The Wyatt Family no more, Bray will have to make 2015 on his own or fail trying. It’s the only way that he’ll become a star now. Paige and A.J Lee together redefined the Divas division with some excellent matches and performances only to see all their hard work undone by The Bella Twins. That’s gratitude for you.

And then there are those who burst onto the scene in 2014 and who are now permanent fixtures of the industry. Paige, as mentioned was one of the highlights of 2014 and indeed WWE’s stale Divas division. When she captured the WWE Divas Championship the night after WrestleMania XXX it was a moment in history. Since then she’s been valiantly battling to keep her spot on the card whilst her matches with A.J Lee have to be the best female matches of the year in WWE at least. Rusev has come on in leaps and bounds in 2014. Firstly he was given nothing enhancement talent to run through in a scene reminiscent of Ryback in 2013 but flourished when he was fed bigger and better stars to devour. Showing the world he had more talent than WWE were allowing him to show, Rusev had stunning matches with Big E. and respectable outings with Jack Swagger. His United States Championship victory over Sheamus was a decent effort though his battles against Big Show and Mark Henry were tiresome. In 2015, he will undoubtedly be undone by John Cena but must bounce back if he’s ever going to hold the biggest prize in sports entertainment.

There is more. Tons of it in fact, but this blog is going to be long enough as it is. Let’s just say that WWE have flourished in 2014 but must build on the strides they’ve made in 2015 if business is going to take a turn for the better. I would touch upon the WWE Network but I think enough has been said about that in the past year so I’ll leave it alone. Now though, instead of the usual 2015 predictions which never come true anyway, let’s delve into the ‘1st Annual Wrestling God Awards’ for which you have been voting in your droves and I thank you for that. When I first set up the poll and had the idea I wasn’t sure you were as keen but there were a plethora of viewers voting.

Before we delve into who you voted the winner of each category, let’s explain how the voting works and how I calculated them into percentages. When you voted, the blog didn’t split the percentage like it normally would so it’s not out of a solid one hundred percent vote. So for example, instead of calculating it in a one hundred percent category so one gets sixty percent, another gets ten and so on to add it up to one hundred percent, the voting has done it according the number of people who voted for one option. You could vote for multiple options which meant on occasion you’ll see a 100% vote for the winner whilst those underneath have 50%, 25% and so on. If you’re confused then you’ll get the hang of it as we go along. Without further ado, I present to you the ‘1st Annual Wrestling God Awards’.

Wrestler of the Year: Dolph Ziggler (45%)

Though Dolph Ziggler wasn’t a landslide winner, he did receive more than anyone else in a surprising result which your Wrestling God though would go to Daniel Bryan or Bray Wyatt who came runner up as you can see below. However, Dolph Ziggler has been the highlight and the hardest working wrestler of the last year so I will concur that he deserves the victory you have handed to him. At the beginning of the year, Ziggler was looking for something more than the lower-card spot he was being given and though wasn’t in WWE’s plans for anything major during the year had the support of the fans.

Every time you switched on WWE programming, Dolph Ziggler’s name was being chanted. The message from fans was clear and that was WWE needed to harness his talent because it’s what we wanted to see. Since WrestleMania XXX, Dolph Ziggler has risen rapidly through WWE’s ranks even holding the Intercontinental Championship twice in a bizarre set of circumstances with The Miz which never should have been. The first real instance of WWE taking him seriously as a higher card talent was the 2014 Survivor Series when Dolph Ziggler may have been overshadowed by the appearance of Sting but was still the sole survivor for Team Cena in a Shawn Michaels inspired performance.

As 2014 comes to its conclusion and 2015 dawns on the horizon, things are beginning to look up for Dolph Ziggler once again, locked in a thrilling feud with Luke Harper over the Intercontinental Championship. It’s been a good year for Dolph Ziggler and hopefully it will only get better. The only thing which could scupper his rise now is the return of Roman Reigns who will have returned by the time you read this. If WWE can simultaneously push both men then 2015 will be a rich year for new talent indeed.

Bray Wyatt (30%)
Daniel Bryan (10%)
Luke Harper (10%)
Triple H (10%)
Dean Ambrose (10%)
Cesaro (10%)
Alberto Del Rio (10%)
Other (10%)
Seth Rollins (0%)
Randy Orton (0%)
Roman Reigns (0%)
Brock Lesnar (0%)
Sheamus (0%)

Worst Wrestler of the Year: The Great Khali (55%)

Genuinely the worst wrestler WWE had employed in a long time, The Great Khali was a physical wreck when the company gave him his marching orders in mid-2014. His knees were all but useless and even walking to the ring caused him a great deal of pain which he put himself through on a nightly occurrence for nothing at all. No one enjoyed The Great Khali as a wrestler and without a doubt, 2014 was his worst year yet. Putting in only a handful of appearances, Khali should have made sure to make the most of them whilst they lasted. He didn’t and produced some of the most boring and grotesque bouts we’ve seen.

I don’t know anyone who will shed a tear over Khali’s disappearance from wrestling. His spot could be used much more beneficially for younger stars who need a break. What he does now is anyone’s guess but anything is better than wrestling for him. In fact, after seeing him literally bomb in the WWE, I can’t image there will be a plethora of promotion’s queuing up to attract his signature. It’s time for The Great Khali to do himself and everyone else a favour and find a new line of work.

John Cena (33%)
Big Show (22%)
Chris Jericho (22%)
Hornswoggle (22%)
Ryback (22%)
Mark Henry (11%)
Adam Rose (11%)
Heath Slater (11%)
Alex Riley (11%)
Damien Sandow (11%)
Fandango (11%)
R-Truth (11%)
Titus O’Neil (11%)
Brodus Clay (11%)
Xavier Woods (11%)
Jinder Mahal (11%)
Batista (0%)
Curtis Axel (0%)
Darren Young (0%)
El Torito (0%)

Female Wrestler of the Year: Paige (62%)

Without a doubt, Paige has been the very best female performers in WWE this year. When A.J Lee left the company to marry C.M Punk and take some time out of her career to enjoy life, Paige was ready and willing to step into the breach even though she had absolutely no main stage experience with the company. It would have been easy for her to back away, citing that she wasn’t ready for the spotlight which awaited her but she didn’t. Sensing that she was lucky to get this chance, Paige grabbed the opportunity with both hands and ran with it, contesting some gripping matches with Alicia Fox and Naomi on the way to her unforgettable series with A.J Lee which set the division on fire as both women swapped the Divas Championship in rapid fire switches.

Paige has been an anchor for the Divas Division throughout the year and fully deserves her victory even though WWE have dropped her into a smaller role which doesn’t suit her character. Going from novice to stalwart, face to heel surely 2015 can only get better for Paige as WWE introduce more and better female talent to their main roster. She doesn’t need a title around her waist to shine, Paige does it anyway necessary and she now has to already be the greatest female British wrestler the industry has ever seen. I hate to break it to the American readers, but Norwich girls are awesome.

Brie Bella (25%)
A.J Lee (12%)
Tamina (12%)
Naomi (12%)
Nikki Bella (0%)
Alicia Fox (0%)
Cameron (0%)
Emma (0%)
Eva Marie (0%)
Layla (0%)
Natalya (0%)
Rosa Mendez (0%)
Summer Rae (0%)
Aksana (0%)

Match of the Year: The Shield vs The Wyatt Family (Elimination Chamber, February 23rd) (70%)

It was one of those moments in time when everything came together perfectly to showcase what the future of the industry and the future of this company could do when given ample time and sensible booking decisions. The Shield were on fire when they entered the 2014 Elimination Chamber and The Wyatt Family were just coming into their own as a team with Bray Wyatt breaking away from Harper and Rowan as a talent all on his own. With one eye on Roman Reigns as the next big star of the company, all six men did battle in a truly thrilling encounter which will live long in the memory.

With spot-on performances from all six men, high flying, technical brilliance, fans were left breathless by near falls and false finishes including a brilliant Seth Rollins Dropkick reversal from Luke Harper’s stunning Hangman Chokehold as the bout built to a big fight finish. As Luke Harper nailed a perfect top rope German Suplex which Seth Rollins countered by landing on his feet before immediately nailing a suicide dive, fans were emotionally drained before Bray Wyatt dropped Roman Reigns with Sister Abigail for a popular and stature enhancing victory where all six men were the winners as were the capacity crowd.

The Shield vs Evolution (Payback, June 1st) (42%)
The Shield vs Evolution (Extreme Rules, May 4th) (28%)
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber Match (Elimination Chamber, February 23rd) (28%)
Daniel Bryan vs Triple H (WrestleMania XXX, April 6th) (28%)
Sami Zayne vs Cesaro (NXT Arrival, February 27th) (28%)
Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton (WrestleMania XXX, April 6th) (14%)
Bray Wyatt vs John Cena (Payback, June 1st) (14%)
Brock Lesnar vs John Cena (SummerSlam, August 17th) (14%)
Adrian Neville vs Bo Dallas (NXT Arrival, February 27th) (14%)
Cesaro vs John Cena (Raw, February 17th) (14%)
C.M Punk vs Dean Ambrose (Raw, December 9th 2013) (14%)
Bray Wyatt vs Daniel Bryan (Royal Rumble, January 26th) (14%)
Randy Orton vs Cesaro (Smackdown, February 14th) (14%)
Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs The Shield (Battleground, October 6th 2013) (14%)
Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton (Raw, February 3rd) (14%)
John Cena vs Randy Orton (TLC, December 15th 2013) (0%)
Alberto Del Rio vs Rob Van Dam (Battleground, October 6th 2013) (0%)
Rusev vs Big E. (Money in the Bank, June 29th) (0%)
A.J Lee vs Paige (SummerSlam, August 17th) (0%)
The Shield and The Wyatt Family vs The Usos, C.M Punk and Cody Rhodes (Raw, November 18th) (0%)
Rusev vs Big E. (Payback, June 1st) (0%)
The Usos vs Rybaxel vs Los Matadores vs Cody Rhodes and Goldust (WrestleMania XXX, April 6th) (0%)
Bad News Barrett vs Dolph Ziggler (Raw, June 23rd) (0%)
Natalya vs Charlotte (NXT Takeover, May 29th) (0%)
Daniel Bryan vs The Wyatt Family (TLC, December 15th 2013) (0%)
Cesaro vs Alberto Del Rio vs Dolph Ziggler vs Sheamus (Raw, March 24th) (0%)
Cesaro vs Sheamus (Payback, June 1st) (0%)
Paige vs Emma (NXT Arrival, February 27th) (0%)
Daniel Bryan vs Kane (Extreme Rules, May 4th) (0%)
The Shield vs The Wyatt Family (Raw, March 3rd) (0%)
The Shield vs The Usos vs Cody Rhodes and Goldust (Hell in a Cell, October 27th 2013) (0%)
John Cena vs Damien Sandow (Raw, October 28th) (0%)

Most Improved Wrestler of the Year: Roman Reigns (45%)

I really thought that Dean Ambrose would take this category, especially since Roman Reigns had been out of the picture for a while and Ambrose has taken his spot and made it his own. But, you’re unpredictable if nothing else and have voted Roman Reigns as your Most Improved Wrestler of 2014. It was visible when The Shield were a cohesive unit that Roman Reigns was beginning to break away from Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. WWE preferred him to the other two to the point where it was Reigns who scored the pinfall against Batista to send The Shield home with a victory at Payback. But Roman Reign’s ascension goes back further than 2014 as his height and his build made sure he was treated as a star.

Since the split of The Shield, Roman Reigns has had the best of the feuds, against Randy Orton but unfortunately suffered an injury which set him back a few months which will be regained in 2015. He’s upped and adapted his game and surely deserves what’s coming to him next year. But the big question is whether WWE will see it through to the biter end. We know how they are with new talent.

Cesaro (33%)
Dean Ambrose (33%)
John Cena (16%)
Rusev (16%)
Bad News Barrett (16%)
Kofi Kingston (16%)
Sin Cara (16%)
Batista (0%)
Eric Rowan (0%)
Big E. (0%)
Goldust (0%)
Justin Gabriel (0%)
The Miz (0%)

Breakthrough Star of the Year: Dean Ambrose (75%)

I would fully concur and since Dean Ambrose and Paige were the only names you voted for, Ambrose won by a landslide. It looked bleak for Dean Ambrose when The Shield split up, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were handpicked to shine and it seemed like he would be left in the shadows. Maybe the best thing for Dean Ambrose was Roman Reigns suffering an injury. It certainly allowed him to break free of the third wheel shackle and move on with his career because I really couldn’t see where he was going when it seemed Roman Reigns was going to battle Seth Rollins. What could he have possibly done and who could have taken up arms against?

For me, and I’ve said this before, I would be quite happy to see Dean Ambrose carry on his semi-main event run ahead of Roman Reigns. It’s not that I don’t like Reigns because I do, but it would be a great injustice after everything Dean Ambrose has done with Seth Rollins if he was suddenly dropped from the picture to be replaced by the man he stepped in for. Without Dean Ambrose, WWE would have been truly lost for a programme for Seth Rollins in the summer and therefore Roman Reigns should wait for his turn which will come and WWE should reward Dean Ambrose for the extraordinary work he’s done.

Paige (25%)
Roman Reigns (0%)
Seth Rollins (0%)
Cody Rhodes (0%)
Tyson Kidd (0%)
Justin Gabriel (0%)
Bad News Barrett (0%)
Alicia Fox (0%)
Jack Swagger (0%)
Bo Dallas (0%)
Rusev (0%)
Big E. (0%)

Brand of the Year: NXT (75%)

Takeover, Arrival and everything that came before and after, NXT has excelled at trumping Raw and Smackdown, let alone the inferior Superstars and Main Event. With some of the greatest stars of tomorrow including Kevin Steen, Adrian Neville, Sami Zayne and the artist formerly known as Prince Devitt this is what WWE’s regular programming should be. In the last year, NXT has produced some of the very best stars including Paige and Rusev and looks to carry on that tradition because in 2015 Sami Zayne, Adrian Neville and several others including Charlotte should make their transition to the main roster.

For those who haven’t seen any of NXT’s pay-per view events must search them out, they’re stunning displays of what is possible if you give youth their head and allow them to flourish. Some of their main events on pay-per view and television are the very best of the year and trump anything WWE have done on their main shows. In short, NXT won this by a landslide and probably will again next year. It’s fresh, different and vibrant and it’s what we want. All that I yearn WWE to do now is bring out the NXT events on DVD; they’d sell like hot cakes.

Raw (25%)
Smackdown (25%)
Superstars (0%)
Main Event (0%)

Media Release of the Year: Ladies and Gentlemen My Name is Paul Heyman (100%)

Without a shadow of a doubt, Paul Heyman’s first and last release was the very best DVD and Blu-ray WWE put out in 2014. When it was announced at the beginning of the year I was unsure about it, having flashes of what WWE to Bobby Heenan’s release a few years ago. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Exciting, tragic, funny and touching all at the same time, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen My Name is Paul Heyman’ was WWE’s fastest selling release of the year surpassing WrestleMania XXX and earned them a small fortune. It was so popular that shops ran out of copies and WWEDVD.co.uk had to put it on pre-order shortly after its release because even they couldn’t keep up with the demand.

There’s something about Paul Heyman that makes you want to sit and listen to him. Something which captivates you as a listener and reader and this release had such a great story behind it that people were willing to listen to Paul Heyman talk and talk and talk. It’s one of the greatest and most popular WWE releases in the last twenty years and one you really must get your hands on, otherwise you really are missing something special.

Shawn Michaels: Mr. WrestleMania (50%)
The Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection (50%)
Triple H: They Kingdom Come (0%)
WWE Straight to the Top: Money in the Bank Anthology (0%)
WWE Best Pay-Per View Matches 2013 (0%)
The Best of Raw and Smackdown 2013 (0%)
WCW’s Greatest Pay-Per View Matches Volume 1 (0%)
WrestleMania XXX (0%)
United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash (0%)

Worst Media Release of the Year: The John Cena Experience (100%)

It was dismal wasn’t it? ‘The John Cena Experience’ was a one disc adaptation of the three disc DVD that had been released complete with matches. Knowing that fans wouldn’t be willing to watch the same release once again, WWE decided that we may be willing to watch just the documentary which was a complete let down as it shied away from his wrestling career and concentrated on his boring personal life which no one cared about anyway.

Completely inferior to the excellent ‘John Cena’s Greatest Rivalries’, ‘The John Cena Experience’ was a release with no backbone, no spine and no substance. It shouldn’t have been re-released and as I said in my summation of the release in Review Corner, ‘The John Cena Experience’ was a bad one indeed.

Goldberg: The Ultimate Collection (50%)
History of WWE (50%)
WWE Presents Wrestling’s Greatest Factions (50%)
Raw: After the Show (0%)
Batista: The Animal Unleashed (0%)
OMG the Top 50 Incidents in WCW History (0%)
Brothers of Destruction (0%)

Announcer of the Year: JBL (50%)

What can you say about JBL? One of the most funny commentators on the WWE roster has been a highlight of both Raw and Smackdown over the last year, providing witty insight and glorious one liners to keep viewers watching. He’s made the transition from wrestler to announcer without a problem and is one of the best things about what are usually dreary Monday nights. Overshadowing Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole who you didn’t vote for at all, JBL may have his flaws but we don’t see them on television. I concur with your choice and it should be JBL who is the voice of WWE, not Michael Cole.

Jerry Lawler (25%)
William Regal (25%)
Michael Cole (0%)
Byron Saxton (0%)
Josh Matthews (0%)
Tom Phillips (0%)
Jason Albert (0%)
Alex Riley (0%)
Rich Brennan (0%)

Worst Storyline / Angle or Happening of 2014: Fandango’s Love Triangle (75%)

God it was painful wasn’t it? Just when you thought Fandango couldn’t get anymore ridiculous or banal, WWE create a storyline for him in which he dumps Summer Rae over Twitter to take up with Layla. That would have been bad enough for a WWE storyline but the madness didn’t stop there and after being dumped in a humiliating and embarrassing situation, Summer Rae made a further spectacle of herself by trying to win the love rat back. I mean, did WWE give any thought to what it would do to Fandango or Summer Rae in the long term? It’s bad enough if someone dumps you and treats you like that to want them back, but when it’s been done on a worldwide stage, you look like a desperate slapper.

And that is exactly what Summer Rae looked like when she constantly tried to best Layla to win back the man who had embarrassed her. There was no dignity about it, Summer Rae looked like a desperate slut who couldn’t get another man and wanted the same one. It was painful to watch, I can’t imagine how embarrassing it was for the trio to act this nonsense out. And in the end, what did it do for Fandango? And then came silence. The answer is absolutely nothing. He’s going nowhere in WWE, even he can see that.

Cody Rhodes Reinventing Himself as Stardust (50%)
Nikki Bella Turning on Brie Bella (50%)
Brie Bella Stands in For Daniel Bryan (25%)
Kane’s Main Event Run (25%)
The Undertaker’s Streak Ending (25%)
El Torito and Hornswoggle’s Mini Battle (0%)
Jack Swagger and Rusev Rehashing the Patriot Angle (0%)
Alberto Del Rio’s Release (0%)
WWE Network Launch (0%)
The New Age Outlaws Return (0%)
Tensai Becoming Jason Albert (0%)
Hunico Becoming Sin Cara (0%)

Most Promising NXT Rookie of the Year: Adrian Neville (100%)

Once again, you clever people are correct about the winner of this category. Adrian Neville has set the NXT roster alight and although his highlights are too much to mention you only have to watch one of his matches to see what a special talent he is. The reigning NXT Champion though that could have changed by the time you read this, Neville has been one of the only men in NXT to build on what he was doing in the indies and take it further. An excellent high flyer, technical wrestler and ring psychologist, the man formerly known as Pac is going places in NXT but it’s what comes next when he’s promoted to the WWE roster.

Without a doubt, Neville has been attempting to bulk up, his physique now is much larger than it was when he was flying on the indie promotions because he knows that when he gets to the main WWE roster, he’s going to be buried like Kaval was before him. It’s not a nice thing to say, but I don’t think Neville has the interest of the booking committee to push him any further than a United States Championship spot though I could be wrong and by this time next year Neville could be WWE World Heavyweight Champion. If worst comes to worst, WWE could always re-build its Cruiserweight division around Neville; at least he’ll be able to do what he wants.

Sami Zayne (70%)
Kevin Steen (50%)
Everyone Else (0%)

Pay-Per View Event of the Year: WrestleMania XXX (100%)

Without a doubt, WrestleMania XXX was the very best event of the year. Of course it was, it was WrestleMania for crying out loud. Whether it’s good or bad, WrestleMania is always a special occasion because of the history and the grandeur but the thirtieth anniversary was something special and will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest WrestleMania events in history. Opening with a stunning collision between Daniel Bryan and Triple H which was mouth watering as well as the continuation of the Bryan’s fairytale to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship the action switched to nostalgia mode as The New Age Outlaws were massacred by The Shield.

John Cena may have stolen Bray Wyatt’s thunder when he needed a victory the most, but no one will ever forget Brock Lesnar shocking the world and making history by ending The Undertaker’s WrestleMania undefeated streak before Daniel Bryan made the world shed a tear by besting Randy Orton and Batista in a stunning triple threat match for the biggest prize on offer. The final picture of the entire arena on their feet doing the ‘Yes’ chant with Bryan is one which will live long in the memory. What a night it was.

Money in the Bank 2014 (50%)
SummerSlam 2014 (50%)
Battleground 2013 (0%)
Hell in a Cell 2013 (0%)
Survivor Series 2013 (0%)
TLC 2013 (0%)
Royal Rumble 2014 (0%)
Elimination Chamber 2014 (0%)
Extreme Rules 2014 (0%)
Payback 2014 (0%)
Battleground 2014 (0%)
Night of Champions 2014 (0%)

Worst Pay-Per View Event of the Year: Survivor Series 2013 (100%)

You surprise me my minions, for I thought that you would choose TLC 2013 as the worst event of the year. Yet a resounding number of you have gone with Survivor Series and looking back on it, you were right. Of course you were, you always are. Featuring just one notable bout in which Roman Reigns came out as the sole survivor, Survivor Series 2013 was a dismal excuse for an event which never shocked or surprised and failed to live up to the awe factor of the year previous when The Shield burst onto the scene in shocking fashion.

It was almost as if WWE were tired in November 2013 and just couldn’t be bothered to come up with anything decent to put on their show. John Cena predictably went over Alberto Del Rio whose career was at an end when Cena sabotaged it as everyone predicted he would and there wasn’t even a satisfactory ending as Randy Orton defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against the Big Show in a pathetic excuse for a match. At the end of the night, Survivor Series did more damage to the company than it did good and that’s never a positive sign. No wonder WWE Network had trouble getting off of the ground off the back of showings like this.

Battleground 2013 (50%)
TLC 2013 (50%)
Hell in a Cell 2013 (0%)
Royal Rumble 2014 (0%)
Elimination Chamber 2014 (0%)
WrestleMania XXX
Extreme Rules 2014 (0%)
Payback 2014 (0%)
Money in the Bank 2014 (0%)
Battleground 2014 (0%)
SummerSlam 2014 (0%)
Night of Champions 2014 (0%)

Wrestler You’d Most Like to See in the Main Event in 2015: Dean Ambrose (75%)

Dean Ambrose is the out and out winner of this year’s awards with two triumphs. Not only have you voted him as the Breakthrough Star of 2014, you have also voted Dean Ambrose as the man you would like to see most in the main event in 2015, though Dolph Ziggler came a very close second. I do believe I have said everything I can about Dean Ambrose’s year so I will leave it at that, but just to add a little side note, Dean Ambrose has been a marvel in the ring on the level that Daniel Bryan captured our hearts and imaginations. For his efforts, he deserves a prolonged main event programme even if it goes nowhere.

Dolph Ziggler (50%)
Cesaro (50%)
Rusev (25%)
Seth Rollins (25%)
Roman Reigns (25%)
Bray Wyatt (0%)
Ryback (0%)
The Miz (0%)
Jack Swagger (0%)
Cody Rhodes (0%)

What Feature Would You Most Like to See on This Blog in 2015: Q&A (75%)

And finally, the last thing for you to vote on was what you’d like to see added to this blog in 2015. This one surprised me because for an audience who don’t follow me on twitter you chose a monthly Question and Answer segment which we will be trialling in January 2015. You’re welcome to send me wrestling related questions of any type to my twitter account, just tweet me otherwise I will be setting up a special hashtag for your questions to find me in the New Year. If it goes well, I’ll set up a special email account for you to send your questions too.

Giveaways (50%)
Fantasy Warfare (25%)
More News on Other Wrestling Promotions (0%)

So that’s it. All she wrote for 2014 but before I go I would just like to take this moment to once again thank you for sticking with me for the best part of three years. For the regular readers, you’ll have heard me mention that I was thinking of closing this blog in 2015 because you weren’t interacting with me and I felt like I was doing this for nothing. This vote has partially changed my mind but not completely. I still don’t know how you feel about this blog even though we’ve hit well over 26,000 viewers which is phenomenal. So contact me on Twitter, participate in the Q and A in 2015 and help me change wrestling forever. This is our world and whilst I still may bring this to a close at some point in 2015, we’re here for the foreseeable future and there is some great stuff to come beginning on January 3rd as usual.

As well as the continuation of Review Corner in 2015, which will be bang up to date thanks to the Christmas break and we will also have some previously untouched areas of features to bring you, including a very special Review Corner featuring one of the most hotly anticipated wrestling books in many years and an interview with its author. Also, we’ll be keeping the pay-per view previews and begin the Q&A section of this blog. We’re going places my friends, but before we do, sit back, drink, be merry and listen out for those sleigh bells on your roof. As we go onwards and upwards, I hope you all receive exactly want you want this festive season and that 2015 finds you and find you well.

So I raise my glass to you all and you have my sincerest thanks and best wishes for the holiday season. From your Wrestling God, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.