Wait a minute… 2024 is coming to an end? Didn’t the year just begin? I welcomed 2024, then I blinked a few times, and now, 2025 is staring me right in the face.
Before 2025 is officially upon us, though, it’s time for my long-time tradition of looking back at the year that was in the crazy world of professional wrestling.
It’s easy to do the “year-end awards” schtick in a normal fashion, but I’ve always tried to do them in a slightly different fashion.
As always, my year-end awards column is sponsored by #BlackTwitter, as has been the case for well over a decade now. Some of you are very confused right now, with no idea what #BlackTwitter is, so this is the part where I explain things a bit.
In the early days of Twitter, a lot of the app’s rise in popularity was due to the #BlackTwitter subset taking off. #BlackTwitter was its own planet, with its own conversations, hashtags, and “tools” that could be used to help things “trend” on Twitter. The people posting on #BlackTwitter were always ahead of the curve when it came to many things, but especially with treating Twitter like a worldwide chat room. You would often see things on #BlackTwitter that required audience participation that would help its numbers grow exponentially.
Way back when, I wanted to pay tribute to #BlackTwitter, so I took a bunch of hashtags that were made popular there, and I decided to use them as the names of the awards I gave out at the end of the year. At the time, I was also a member of the Lords Of Podcast Roundtable, the official podcast of this site, back when it was known as LordsOfPain.net and not the current WrestlingHeadlines.com address. I called on a bunch of friends to help me hand awards out on a podcast episode, and none other than John Laurinaitis found out about what was going on, making an appearance of his own.
Fast forward to the current day… I’m still running with this, because I still think it’s a fun “gimmick” to use.
Over the course of this column, a total of seven awards will be handed out, so let’s use this time to introduce the categories and explain what they mean.
#TheStruggle is given out to the wrestling personality that saw the biggest decline in their position/situation from the year before.
#Swag is given out to the wrestling personality that saw the biggest improvement in their position/situation from the year before.
#TheThirst is given out to the wrestling personality who craved attention so much that it seemed like they were thirsty for it.
#NobodyCaresB is given out to the storyline or idea that was so bad, people just wanted it to go away, even if that means there would be no proper conclusion.
#Cryin is given out to the promo, segment, or moment of the year.
#Craftmaster is given out to the wrestler of the year.
#!!! is given out to the match of the year.
With the explanations out of the way, I think it’s time to go ahead and hand out the first award. No more wasting time.
#TheStruggle features a list of names that can’t wait for the calendars to be turned over to 2025. These are all people who saw varying amounts of success last year, only for that success to completely fall apart in 2024. Their struggle may have been their fault, and it may not have been, but they were struggles nonetheless. Here are this year’s nominees, in no particular order…
Wardlow: This guy might be the most baffling “what are they doing with him” case in all of AEW. At one point, he looked like a surefire future World Champion, with the right push and the live crowds completely behind him. 2023 was a successful year for him, at least on paper. He had two TNT Title reigns, although neither reign was all that memorable, but at least it was something. The year came to a close with the reveal that he was one of the masked men aligned with “The Devil” and found himself in the cursed feud between MJF and Adam Cole. That curse hit him hard, as he found himself stuck in a very similar storyline than the one he was in with MJF years earlier, and then found himself on the shelf with a serious knee injury. We’re coming up on ten months since the last time we saw Wardlow in the ring.
Samantha Irvin: Even in the relatively early days of her ring announcing career, there were already people confident that she was going to be one of the sport’s all-time greats, if she wasn’t already there. Then, out of nowhere, she revealed that she was leaving WWE. Not only that, but apparently she never liked ring announcing to begin with, and then she started chirping back and forth with fans on Twitter.
Jamie Hayter: Sometimes, things fall apart in your professional life, and it’s all your fault. Other times, like with Jamie Hayter, things just… happen. After a dominant reign as the AEW Women’s Champion, she would suffer a back injury that nearly forced her into retirement. That injury would put her on the shelf for a total of 15 months. Upon her return, things just didn’t seem to be the same. Not only did she change her look, but she didn’t seem to have the same connection with live crowds, and her matches weren’t as crisp as they were. Admittedly, she seems to be getting closer to being the Jamie Hayter of old recently, but it’s still a far cry from where she was at the end of 2022 and nearly the entire first half of 2023.
Chad Gable: In the summer of 2023, many members of the WWE Universe were calling for Gable to be the man that should defeat Gunther, ending the big Austrian’s epic Intercontinental Title reign. Gable saw his biggest push yet, taking Gunther to the limit on multiple occasions, but he was never quite able to get the win. Then, Gable had a heel turn that was well done, leading to more speculation that he might be given a major push. Unfortunately, that push never materialized. He went back to losing far more often than not, seems stuck in neutral as he leads a different stable of wrestlers, and was tragically murdered by the Wyatt Sicks upon the group’s debut.
Ilja Dragunov: After being one of the top stars in NXT during his run there, there was a lot of hype and excitement when Dragunov was moved to Raw during the WWE Draft earlier this year. After winning his main roster debut, a lot of that excitement started to dwindle after he lost his next four televised matches. To find his last four match losing streak, you’d have to go back to January and February 2020, when he lost one match in NXT, one match in PROGRESS, and then two matches in wXw. The rest of Ilja’s 2024 wasn’t much better. He failed to win back-to-back matches, and then tore his ACL at a house show, which might take him out of action until after WrestleMania.
Indi Hartwell: As one of the most popular female acts in NXT, there was a good amount of hype surrounding Indi’s main roster call up. Nothing really seemed to come of it, though. She didn’t win her first televised main roster match for four months after her debut, and then went another two months before her next televised victory. Eventually, she would be released from her contract, following another six-month streak of losses on television.
Gable Steveson: As one of the most heavily hyped signings in recent history, there was a lot of pressure on the 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist from the very beginning. Some will say it’s almost unfair that he’s listed here, as he wasn’t exactly setting the wrestling world on fire in 2023. I think he belongs, though, as 2023 saw him make his in-ring debut, and it was clear that NXT had visions of a big future for the guy. Those visions never materialized. There were all sorts of stories that made it seem like the sport wasn’t coming to him anywhere near as quickly as the company would’ve hoped, and he would be released from his contract in May.
Vince McMahon: Nobody would’ve accused Vince McMahon of being a saint before 2024. He has been involved in controversy almost every step of his career, with all sorts of rumors and speculation flying around on top of that. However, 2024 is when things really came crashing down around the man. Already completely out of the wrestling business, Vince was hit with a lawsuit that accused him of some of the most disgusting and heinous acts that anyone in the history of the sport has been accused of. A Netflix documentary series only added to things, and now, his entire legacy may have changed forever.
The winner of the very first award is… Vince McMahon! Others fell down the card, while others found themselves unemployed. Vince, on the other hand, absolutely found his legacy changed forever. 50 years from now, when people discuss Vince McMahon and what he did in his life, all of the criminal allegations will be mentioned just as quickly as him becoming a billionaire, WrestleMania, the Monday Night War, and anything else. That’s an amazing fall.
We went to the negative side of things, so now, let’s flip it and look at the world of positivity. It’s time to give out the #Swag award, looking at the people who made the biggest jumps from 2023 to 2024. Previous winners of this award have gone from afterthoughts to World Champions, small ponds to success on major stages, saw face/heel turns improve their status tremendously, or were young talents that finally put the puzzle pieces together to become better in-ring performers. Here are the nominees, in no particular order…
Nia Jax: This one is pretty simple to explain. Nia spent most of 2023 out of the wrestling business before returning to WWE in September of that year. At first, her return wasn’t exactly newsworthy, but things began to change once the calendar switched to 2024. After a record-tying performance in the women’s Royal Rumble match, she would go on to win the Queen Of The Ring tournament, earning a WWE Women’s Title shot at SummerSlam, which she would also go on to win. If that was all, she’d still be qualified as a nominee here. However, she has the added bonus of putting on the best work of her career. Her matches are better, and her character work is better, than her previous time with the company.
Joe Hendry: There are only a handful of wrestlers in history that can make the claim to truly going “viral” during their careers. Joe Hendry is one of those people. His character work and entrance music caused him to be nearly everywhere. He rose to the top tier of TNA and NXT at the same time, and now, has people calling for him to make a major appearance in the upcoming Royal Rumble match. That’s something that could blow the roof off of Indianapolis, Indiana’s Lucas Oil Stadium if it were to happen. It has been a fun trip.
Swerve Strickland: Whether you first caught his career in NXT, Lucha Underground, or any stop prior to him joining AEW, there was no denying the man born as Stephon Strickland was an incredibly talented in-ring performer. He just needed a chance to show that on a bigger stage. AEW has finally given him that opportunity, and he has repaid them tenfold. He would rise through the company’s ranks before finally becoming their World Champion earlier this year. Even after dropping the title in August, he has remained at the forefront of what AEW is doing, and looks like he will be a permanent fixture as a main event player.
Oba Femi: At this point in 2023, Oba was an incredibly raw in-ring performer, but was making waves in NXT’s Breakout Tournament. He would go on to win the tournament, earning himself a Money In The Bank style cash-in for a title shot whenever he wanted it. A week later, he would defeat Dragon Lee to become the new NXT North American Champion, and his meteoric rise has yet to stop since. He came from out of nowhere to become one of NXT’s biggest “can’t miss” prospects ever, and he enters 2025 with a future as bright as anyone in the wrestling business.
Damian Priest: He has a unique look and presentation, and has always been solid in the ring, but I’m not sure how many people really saw him as a top tier guy on a big stage like WWE. His work with The Judgment Day really started to open people’s eyes, though, and the next thing you know, he won the Money In The Bank briefcase in 2023. His rise continued, though, and he would go on to become the second MITB winner to cash in at WrestleMania, winning his first World Heavyweight Title. Since then, he has done nothing but solidify his place and prove to the world that he is, in fact, a top tier guy on a big stage.
Jacob Fatu: For years, fans have been dreaming of seeing “The Samoan Werewolf” in WWE, but they never really thought it would happen. He’s one of the most physically impressive performers in the entire Anoa’i family, but has always been too “real” for a lot of people. After years of waiting, the dreams of seeing Jacob on WWE programming came true, and he has been off to the races from the start. As of now, he has only competed in a total of ten matches on WWE television or pay-per-view, but he already has fans around the world talking about him as someone who will main event a WrestleMania sooner than later.
Ethan Page: The man known as “All Ego” saw his AEW run filled with disappointment, after coming in with a pretty good amount of hype. In 2023, he won a total of two matches on television or pay-per-view, and one of those wins was a six-man tag against enhancement talent. When he arrived in NXT, people were excited. Cautious, but still excited. I don’t think even the biggest of Ethan Page fans expected him to be the NXT Champion a little more than a month after debuting, but that’s what happened. It was a wild change in luck, and it happened in such a short amount of time.
Solo Sikoa: Sure, there are people who feel he shouldn’t be in the position he’s in, but the fact of the matter is this… he’s in the position he’s in. With one loss by Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, the original “Tribal Chief” went on hiatus, and would be replaced in the storylines by Solo. Nearly nine months later, Solo is still leading the way for the new Bloodline. His work as the “enforcer” for Roman Reigns really raised his stock, and I don’t think he has done anywhere near as bad a job of being the leader of the new Bloodline as many people seem to think. He may not be Roman Reigns, but nobody else in the history of pro wrestling is, either.
Jack Perry: You can argue on whether or not his heel turn has been effectively believable, but you can’t argue the success and placement on the proverbial ladder that the turn has provided for him. Speaking of ladders, it was a Ladder Match at Forbidden Door that saw him become the TNT Champion in June. He would hold the title for five months, but pairing him with The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada have pretty much guaranteed that he’s going to remain in an important spot on the card, title or no title.
Mariah May: When she first arrived in AEW, there was a good amount of hype, based on the work she had done in Japan for Stardom. It was a bit of a slow start for her in AEW, though, as she played the background to Toni Storm’s “Timeless” character. It took a heel turn and a split from Storm to really get the ball rolling for her. After winning the women’s side of the Owen Hart Cup and then defeating Storm to become the AEW Women’s Champion, the sky seems to be the limit for the 26-year-old.
The winner is… Oba Femi! It simply runs deeper than “his 2024 was better than his 2023” with this guy. We’re in the middle of watching what could be a generational talent rise through the ranks, starting from the bottom and working his way up to the point where the business could be his by this point next year. Time will tell, I guess.
Let’s keep it moving, shall we? Our next award is #TheThirst. This one is for the personalities who can’t keep their mouths and/or social media fingers from getting themselves into, at best, a lot of controversy, but at worst, a lot of trouble. In no particular order, here are the nominees…
Rikishi: Sticking up for your family is great. You should do that whenever you get the chance to. Rikishi takes things a bit further, though. His podcasts spots and social media posts not only continue finding ways to promote his family, but they also find ways to put himself over time and time again. Saying that his sons are the greatest tag team of all-time is one thing. Calling Roman Reigns the greatest superstar of all-time is one thing. Continuously saying that WWE should put you back on television as a member of The Bloodline is another thing entirely.
Tribalist Fans: I have included them in this category every year since the beginning of AEW, and I will continue to include them every year until the end of time at this rate. WWE dorks refuse to accept that there’s anything out there besides what is on Raw and Smackdown every week. AEW nerds refuse to accept any criticism of their company, constructive or otherwise. All of this was old years ago, and yet, here we are, having the same stupid conversations and seeing the same stupid social media posts. It’s tiring.
Jake Hager: In the aftermath of the 2024 United States Presidential Election, Hager would go on a Twitter rant, taking shots at wrestling fans and Tony Khan. He would refer to Khan as a “communist” on multiple occasions, and sharing an article and hoped it “triggers all the commies.” The funniest part of his rant is him repeatedly taking shots at the intelligence of wrestling fans, all while typing out “they’re” as “their” more than once. The ironing is delicious. He accused Tony Khan of trying to silence him, saying that Khan threatened his job if he continued to support Donald Trump. Obviously, I have no idea if that’s true or not, but it just comes across as strange, as it’s not like his Trump support was a secret. If TK really didn’t like Jake’s support of Trump, why hire him in the first place? The whole thing was silly.
Eric Bischoff: Here’s another veteran nominee for this category. If you’ve ever listened to his podcast, 83 Weeks, you know why he’s here. Every episode features several rants from Eazy E, targeted at Tony Khan, AEW wrestlers, AEW fans, Dave Meltzer, and the “dirt sheets” as a whole. The subject matter of the episode might have absolutely fuck all to do with Tony Khan, AEW wrestlers, AEW fans, Dave Meltzer, and the “dirt sheets” as a whole, but by golly, Bischoff is going to make time to bring them up. He will gladly derail his entire show just to rant about these people and topics that he continues to claim he doesn’t care about. Make it make sense, people.
Vince Russo: It’s rare that someone who accomplished so little on their own claim to have accomplished so much, but here we are with Russo. The man hasn’t had a good idea of his own since Bill Clinton was the President of the United States. Zero wrestling promotions have wanted to work with him in well over a decade. His podcast and social media numbers are dwindling further and further by the year. With all that said, he continues to vomit his opinions on everything all over the world. Even worse? He’s nearly 64 years old, and still can’t go two seconds without saying “bro” in all of his sentences.
The winner is… Vince Russo! Thanks to podcasting, there are a million wrestling personalities from years gone by that are trying to remain somewhat relevant in today’s scene. Some are good at it, and some are bad at it. What separates almost all of them from Vince Russo is that they were successful and are worth a damn in some way. Bro.
Are you ready to keep things going? Let’s give out the #NobodyCaresB award. This is about the worst of the worst… the storylines and the wrestlers that were so bad, fans just wanted them to go away. Maybe it’s something that was awful from the start, or maybe it became bad over time, but it was hated nonetheless. The nominees, in no particular order, are…
Pure Fusion Collective: First and foremost, Pure Fusion Collective is a really stupid name for a wrestling stable. Beyond that, though, the trio of Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler, and Zoey Stark are simply existing right now. To varying degrees, I enjoy the work of all three women, but fans haven’t been given a single reason to care about any of it since they’ve been together.
Chris Jericho: The “Chris Jericho Vortex” is a thing for a reason. He was once one of the best things about AEW, but time hasn’t been kind to him or the way he has been booked. We’ve reached the point where anyone associated with him on television, whether it’s feuding with him or teaming with him, sees their careers come to a complete halt. If they had any momentum built up before him, it stops dead in its tracks. It’s almost impossible to fuck that many things up, time and time again, so you almost have to wonder if it’s being done on purpose. Jericho has gone from someone who had thousands of people singing his entrance music on a weekly basis to having many of those same fans screaming for him to go away and retire.
Shawn Spears: Remember when Spears made his surprise return to NXT and got a good pop from the crowd? That was ten months ago, and I double dog dare you to name me anything Spears has done since that was memorable in any way. He’s one of the rare veterans in NXT that hasn’t really had any sort of spotlight placed on him, and it’s for good reason at this point. His work has been so bland and uninspired, and there hasn’t been any reason for crowds to care, and therefore, for NXT to give him anything deeper and more meaningful to work with.
Raquel Rodriguez: Her return at Bad Blood was met with almost zero response from the live crowd. To make it worse, her attack on Rhea Ripley caused a disqualification, but Raquel still placed Liv Morgan’s body atop Rhea for a pin attempt. The whole thing was awkward. It hasn’t gotten much better since, as many fans are beyond done with the Rhea vs Liv feud, which feels like it has been going on since the 1980’s at this point. Raquel is a background player in the feud, and it hasn’t done her any favors with the WWE Universe.
American Made: Last year, Chad Gable seemed to be on the verge of a true breakout as a singles face. He also had the super popular Otis, Akira Tozawa, and Maxxine Dupri by his side. Also last year, The Creed Brothers made their main roster debuts with a lot of momentum after a super fun stint in NXT, and they looked like major players in the tag team division. Fast forward to the end of 2024, and it hasn’t worked out for any of them. Gable went from leading Otis and Tozawa to leading the Creeds, and things look bleak. He has won a total of seven matches on television for the entire calendar year, but that’s still more than the five televised matches that the Creeds have won in 2024. Throw in the four matches that their stablemate, Ivy Nile, has won this year, and you have a cavalcade of fuckery that they’re going to have trouble bouncing back from.
The Final Testament: Karrion Kross has been given several opportunities to be successful on WWE’s main roster, and none of them have worked. I’m still a fan of his, but I think the nonsense that Vince McMahon put him through killed his chances of ever becoming what he’s capable of in front of the WWE Universe. Not that they were the NWA Road Warriors to begin with, but Authors Of Pain have suffered by even being aligned with Kross, and that’s extra unfortunate, as they looked like future stars at one point.
Adam Cole & MJF: Cursed. Simple as that. This entire storyline has been cursed, and AEW has only made things worse by continuing to try and push it and make sense of everything that happened. They were feuding, then they became an “odd couple” tag team, and then Cole broke his ankle before he was revealed to have turned heel on his new “best friend.” Then… nothing. Cole wasn’t able to do anything physically, and his injury ended up being worse than anyone expected, keeping on the shelf for longer than we thought. Then Cole returns, only to be thwarted immediately by MJF, and just when you thought it was all over… it wasn’t. Four-and-a-half months later, Cole returned again, this time to prevent MJF from attacking Daniel Garcia. So… we had a heel MJF and a face Cole, who then became friends and caused MJF to turn face, only for Cole to turn heel on MJF and disappear for several months, only for MJF to become a heel again, anyway, out of nowhere, and for Cole to return as a face to feud with MJF again. As soon as Cole injured his ankle, there should’ve been some sort of pivot in the storyline, allowing for things to continue on a logical progression once Cole was medically cleared. That would be too easy, though, and Tony Khan doesn’t like to do things the easy way.
AEW Rampage: The show peaked in August 2021, when CM Punk made his shocking return to pro wrestling on the second ever episode of Rampage. It has been all downhill ever since. Even when Dynamite and Collision are putting on great episodes, Rampage was always something you could miss unless you’re the biggest of AEW diehards. The top tier talent was almost always not included on the show, big titles weren’t on the line, and everything just seemed second or third-rate. 2024 came to an end with Rampage not even being a thing anymore, with Tony Khan announcing that the company taped the last episode for the “foreseeable future” recently.
The winner is… AEW Rampage! If you’re going to talk about things that nobody cared about, you don’t need to look any further than Rampage. Television viewership for the show had fallen into the toilet, and a show that was once viewed as “can’t miss” was something that was more “can’t watch” by the end. Even Tony Khan seemed like he stopped caring about the show, based on the talent available and the cards that were put together. It was sad to see unfold.
Time for another flip from negativity to positivity, as the #Cryin award is up next. Whether it’s a promo, a segment, or just a general moment, this goes to the best of the best that isn’t counting actual matches. In no particular order, the nominees are…
The New Day Splits Up: Everyone loves Big E, and WWE was very smart to use that love and create two mega heels in Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. This segment was very well done, with Kofi and Woods getting immediate heat as they continued to verbally attack E, who could only stand there as his heart shattered into more and more pieces. If E is able to get clearance to return to the ring, it will take this segment, and the entire story, to another level. For now, Kofi and Woods are riding high with nuclear heat, weeks later.
Tama Tonga Debuts: When Roman Reigns finally lost to Cody Rhodes, everyone wondered what that meant for The Bloodline. We saw Solo Sikoa step up and try to fill Roman’s shoes, but he was outnumbered, only having Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman at his side. That lasted all of one Smackdown episode, as we saw the debut of Tama Tonga, coming to the United States after a decade-and-a-half with New Japan. Solo and Tama would attack Jimmy Uso, putting him on the shelf, and kickstarting the new Bloodline group. It was a well done segment that made Tama Tonga look like an absolute menace, immediately introducing himself to the WWE Universe as someone to keep an eye on.
Carmelo Hayes Turns Heel On Trick Williams: Sometimes, a heel turn is something you can see coming from 100 miles away, and that ends up ruining things when the turn eventually happens. This wasn’t one of those instances. We all knew Melo was going to turn heel on Trick, but we didn’t want to see it. Then, when it did happen, we were even more upset. It was done really well, and it helped to launch Trick on a completely different path in his career.
Jeff Jarrett Vows To Win The Owen Hart Cup: One promo. That’s all it took for a wrestler in his mid-50’s… who hasn’t been a champion of any kind since 2018… who hasn’t been a champion of any kind in North America since 2017… who hasn’t been a major champion of any kind in North America since 2006… to capture the hearts of wrestling fans and have them call for that wrestler to be given a major push. Jarrett did an incredible job sharing the real emotions he had about his good friend Owen Hart, and just what winning a tournament named after Owen would mean to him, his family, and to Owen’s family.
The Blackpool Combat Club Turn Heel On Bryan Danielson: After a successful title defense of his AEW World Championship, Bryan Danielson was celebrating in the ring with his Blackpool Combat Club buddies, when Claudio Castagnoli hit him out of nowhere with a European Uppercut. As Bryan stared up at Claudio, trying to figure out what the hell just happened, Jon Moxley would come up behind Danielson and wrap a plastic bag around his head. It was attempted murder. Yes, the entire thing would’ve been eliminated right away if Danielson was simply smart enough to tear a hole in the bag so that he could breathe, but we’re not supposed to think about that. It was still a shocking moment, and it was another wild hurdle for Danielson to try and overcome in the final stretch of his career.
The New Bloodline Attacks Paul Heyman: Heyman has played such a great “mouthpiece” for so long, but he rarely gets involved in any physicality, for multiple reasons. He’s not exactly in “wrestling shape,” but more importantly, it makes things mean more when someone is able to get their hands on him. This was a great example of that. Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu got so much heat for attacking Heyman, and it came at a time when the group could really use that type of heat to take them to the next level.
The Rock Beats Cody Rhodes Bloody: If you wanted or needed a sign that Vince McMahon was no longer the man in charge of what we were seeing on WWE programming, this was it. The Rock was cursing up a storm, dropping a handful of F-bombs, as he delivered a beatdown on Cody Rhodes that left Cody a bloody mess, sprawled out in the parking lot as the rain poured down on him. It was almost jarring to watch the entire thing unfold, standing out amongst the “family-friendly” stuff we’ve been so accustomed to seeing with the WWE product.
Adam Page Burns Swerve’s House To The Ground: While AEW obviously hasn’t been around for all that long, I think it’s safe to say that the shot of “Hangman” sitting in a chair as Swerve Strickland’s childhood home burned to the ground behind him is the best and most memorable visual in company history. Their feud has been so personal and so violent, but this one segment shows the lengths that one of them will go to just to ensure that the other man suffers in unimaginable ways.
Post-Match After Cody Rhodes Defeated Roman Reigns: If you wanted or needed another sign that the Vince McMahon “era” in WWE was over, this was it. The length of the segment was a sign. Commentary repeatedly putting over how great “pro wrestling” was, making sure to not call it “sports entertainment” again and again, was another sign. Cody making sure to name drop Bruce Prichard and have Prichard come to the ring was yet another sign. This was the perfect follow-up to the perfect “WrestleMania moment” and it was so much fun to witness, from the emotion in Samantha Irvin’s voice during her announcement of the match result all the way to the end when the pay-per-view went off the air.
Jacob Fatu Debuts: From the moment he first appeared in a WWE ring, you could just sense that Jacob Fatu was something special. In one segment, he almost single-handedly destroyed Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens. On commentary, Corey Graves and WOI BAR-RUH did a great job painting Fatu as one of the most dangerous men in the history of the business. Even the crowd in Chicago played their parts well, delivering multiple “holy shit” chants, first on Fatu’s arrival and then after his path of destruction. This was easily one of the most memorable debuts in recent WWE history.
The Wyatt Sicks Debuts: Speaking of memorable WWE debuts, that brings us to the Wyatt Sicks. Their arrival had been teased and teased and teased for what seemed like a year, and when they finally showed up, it was like witnessing a combination of a horror movie and the gates of hell. The music, the lighting, the seemingly dead bodies that were sprawled out backstage… everything came together just right to deliver something that viewers won’t soon forget.
Wes Lee Turns Heel On Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel: We’ve talked about heel turns that you could see coming from a mile away, but sometimes, we get hit with a turn that nobody saw coming. That’s what we got here, and that’s what made it such a successful segment. We just saw The Rascalz reunite as a trio for the first time in years, and then it was taken away from us in an instant. Very well done.
The winner is… The Rock Beats Cody Rhodes Bloody! The difference between this segment and just about anything WWE had delivered over the previous 20-ish years was like night and day. Honestly, the true star of the entire segment was Mother Nature. It would’ve been cool to watch under normal circumstances, but the visuals of Cody getting his ass handed to him in the rain made everything that much better. The right icing on the right cake, you could say.
We’re getting close to the end here, folks. Next up on the agenda is the #Craftmaster award. It’s just as the name suggests… this goes out to the wrestler who was clearly the master of their craft during the year. Every year, I have way more nominees for this (and the final award) than the others, but that’s by design. I want to make sure everyone gets their flowers, even if they don’t win. Here are the nominees, in no particular order…
Konosuke Takeshita: Prior to joining AEW, Takeshita was a major player in Japan’s DDT Pro Wrestling promotion. Because DDT Pro hasn’t carried the same weight in the Puroresu scene through the years as companies like New Japan, All Japan, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Dragon Gate, etc, that means Takeshita hasn’t had the same profile as the top guys in some of those promotions. He has had to work extra hard in AEW to show that he’s on the same level as some of the top Japanese wrestlers of the last decade-plus. 2024 saw Takeshita win his first title in AEW, capturing the International Title in October, but it was also the year of his continued presence in the overall product. There aren’t many more consistently impressive performers in all of wrestling, let alone on the AEW roster. Title up for grabs or not, he has placed himself in the main event conversation, and it appears as though he will only continue that rise in 2025.
Drew McIntyre: The man has been on such a hot streak that he was pretty much able to make his feud with CM Punk a must-see event every week, even with Punk being injured and not able to make consistent appearances on television. In the ring, Drew has been tremendous, taking his aggression and physicality to another level as an angry heel. When he’s in a match, you know it’s going to be a doozy, and that it’s going to leave everyone involved battered and bruised. He has a claim to being the “MVP” of the company for multiple years now.
Axiom & Nathan Frazer: Even on NXT’s somewhat “small” stage, there’s no denying the year that FrAxiom had. On the day I post this column, the duo will have been NXT Tag Team Champions (over two reigns) for a total of 246 days in 2024. I don’t think they’ve had a single bad match during their run together, putting up some great stuff against challengers of all shapes, sizes, styles, and skill levels. There hasn’t been a lot of rumor and innuendo floating around about a potential call-up to the main roster, but I think they deserve it, and that their exciting in-ring work would translate well.
Cody Rhodes: 267 days, and counting, as the Undisputed WWE Champion. A win/loss record that has seen him on the losing end of only three matches all year. Every match he’s involved in feels like a bigger deal because of his inclusion, but especially his title defenses. As a general rule, the top guy in the top promotion on the planet should always be in the discussion for things like this, but Cody is doing some great work along the way to earn his inclusion.
Bryan Danielson: I’m on record calling him the greatest in-ring performer that the sport of pro wrestling has ever seen. Why wouldn’t he be a nominee for something like this? He kicked off the year with a Match Of The Year contender against Kazuchika Okada at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 18, and then followed it up with a lengthy string of superb in-ring performances, sometimes in victories and sometimes in losses. That’s the thing with Danielson’s AEW run… it was more about the quality of the matches than it was about the win/loss record. He couldn’t be kept away from the top of the mountain, though, defeating Swerve Strickland to win the AEW World Title in August. Even as his body began to give out on him again, he continued to have the types of matches we have grown to expect from him, delivering one of the best overall years he’s had in a long time.
Zack Sabre Jr: After previous years of success as a tag team wrestler in New Japan, 2024 was the year that really saw ZSJ become a singles star for the promotion. He entered the year as the NJPW Television Champion, although he would drop the title on the first show of the year before winning it back for a three-week reign in April. Later in the year, he would go on to win the G1 Climax tournament, which is the longest-running and most prestigious tournament in the sport. Winning the G1 Climax usually grants you a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Title at Wrestle Kingdom, but ZSJ “cashed in” earlier, announcing he would have his title shot at NJPW’s King Of Pro Wrestling event. He would win the title there, becoming the top guy in New Japan for the first time. There was never any question about his in-ring skills, but now, he finally had the accolades in New Japan to fully back those skills up.
Roxanne Perez: She has remained in NXT for a lot longer than almost anyone expected her to, but she has had a dominant year as a fighting champion. In her 268 days, and counting, as the NXT Women’s Champion, she has defended successfully against all comers, including those coming in from other companies and from the main roster. She just celebrated her 23rd birthday, which makes it safe to wonder if she has even come close to hitting her prime in the ring. That’s a scary thought.
Gunther: In the past, I’ve referred to Gunther as a horror movie villain in the mold of Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and so on. In the movies, those characters are constantly in chase mode, and no matter what you throw at them, they keep moving forward until they eventually kill their victim. He is able to withstand an ungodly amount of punishment and still move forward, eventually picking up the win and gaining what he wants. After his record-breaking 666-day reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion came to an end at WrestleMania, fans wondered what would be next for the man from Austria. The answer was a move up the card, and he would capture the World Heavyweight Title four months later. He continues to win on every level, and fans know they can count on him for a physical war that leaves nobody unscathed.
Athena: If you’ve been a champion for 751 days, and counting, you’re going to be considered for things like this, no matter what the title is. For over two straight years, Athena has been the RoH Women’s Champion, defending the title against all comers. Any negative opinions that fans have about her reign have zero to do with her, and 100% to do with Tony Khan. She has been given a job, and she has done it well, completely decimating the RoH women’s division.
Swerve Strickland: As was said earlier, 2024 was the year that saw Swerve finally get the right chances to put all of the puzzle pieces together and prove why people have been calling him a future star for years. In reaching the top of the AEW mountain, he more than proved that he belonged in a spot like that, and should stay there for as long as he wants to. He carries an aura about him that captures your attention and makes you pay attention to anything he does, whether it’s wrestle, cut a promo, rap, or anything else. It’s easy to see that he became a true star this year.
Will Ospreay: No matter the result… no matter the stakes… no matter the promotion… no matter how many people are in attendance… you know you’re going to get the highest of quality from a Will Ospreay match. He is so good that he is the proverbial rising tide that lifts all boats, as everyone he wrestles ends up being better, as well. This might not have been his best year from a championship point of view, but he did win the AEW International Title twice in 2024, and has been viewed as a megastar every step of the way.
Oba Femi: Like a movie monster, Oba Femi has continued to leave pure destruction in his path, wherever he goes, and it has been beautifully terrifying to watch. He just seems to get “it,” whatever “it” is. With no wrestling background, and with very little experience as a pro, he has been able to step into the ring with opponents of all shapes and sizes, and always come up with something entertaining. He is, far and away, the most consistent in-ring performer in all of NXT right now, and again, that’s mind boggling for someone with almost no experience.
Jordynne Grace: Grace, already one of the most successful Knockouts in TNA/Impact history, simply based on overall number of days as champion, took things to another level in 2024. Her third reign as Knockouts Champion was her longest, lasting 287 days, and she put the title up a total of 19 times in those nine-and-a-half months, stretching out over four different promotions and three different countries. She even found time to be a surprise entrant in the 2024 women’s Royal Rumble match. She WAS the Knockouts division for almost the entirety of the year. Pure dominance.
The winner is… Will Ospreay! I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again a million times, but I’ve never seen anything like the run Ospreay is on over the last few years. I’ve been watching pro wrestling for a long, long, LONG time, but nobody… not Bryan Danielson, not Ric Flair, not Eddie Guerrero, not Chris Benoit, not Shawn Michaels, not Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat… can make the claim that they’ve had the stretch of great matches Ospreay has had. I’ve watched every singles match of his that has been available for me to watch over the last few years, and the last time he had a match I personally rated below the 4 Star mark (outside of matches cut short due to outside interference, etc.) was in August 2023, and the previous one before that was in March 2022. Both of those matches were still over the 3 Star mark, though, so it’s not like he was putting on random duds. He is a truly special worker, and we’re witnessing the greatest in-ring run that anyone has ever had, in my opinion.
After a lengthy journey, it’s time to give out the final award of the year. The #!!! award goes to the Match Of The Year for 2024. It’s for the match that was so good that words couldn’t properly express your true feelings, so exclamations will just have to do. One more time, here are the nominees, in no particular order…
Mayu Iwatani vs Sareee (Stardom All-Star Grand Queendom): Wrestling as Sarray in NXT for nearly two years didn’t do much for Sareee’s career. Ever since leaving the company in March 2023, she seems to be hellbent on proving to the world that she is one of the best women in the business. She has been on another level for a while now. Mayu Iwatani, on the other hand, already has an argument that can be made for her being the best in-ring performer in women’s wrestling history, and she hasn’t even reached her 32nd birthday. Put that together, sprinkle in Iwatani’s IWGP Women’s Title on the line, and you have this match. If you like hard-hitting wrestling, this match is for you. It’s as physical as bout as you’ll see anywhere from 2024, from men or women. All the right ingredients came together here for something special.
Will Ospreay vs Kyle Fletcher (AEW Full Gear): The classic “big brother vs little brother” wrestling match, where little brother came in with a lot to prove to the world. Knowing each other so well meant that they were able to counter and reverse so much of what each other was doing. In case there was any doubt going in, this match proved that Fletcher, 25 years old at the time, was going to be a major star for AEW if the company saw fit in making him one.
CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre (WWE Bad Blood): Naturally, one of the most personal and nasty feuds of the last few years needed to end inside Hell In A Cell. To make it even better, we got a real old school Cell match, complete with blood and violence, and not the tame, toned down PG-rated versions of it we’ve been seeing for so long. I don’t need blood and guts in everything I watch, but this was the right match and the right situation for it, without a doubt. Just a great way to put the feud to rest.
Bryan Danielson vs Will Ospreay (AEW Dynasty): Era vs Era. All-time great vs All-time great. Two of the best that pro wrestling has ever seen grace its presence, meeting up for the very first time after years of fantasy booking by fans across the world. Everything about this was pure art, from the pacing to the crowd to the physicality to everything in between, even down to the back half of the match, when Ospreay was looking to quicken the pace with his aerial ability and Danielson was looking to slow things down with submissions. It was like watching two super computers play a game of chess against each other, always trying to think several moves ahead.
Sting & Darby Allin vs The Young Bucks (AEW Revolution): There have been a lot of “retirement matches” in wrestling history, but this might be the best one of them all. AEW always did a really good job with the way they presented Sting, and this was the best example of it. From the video packages to the entrance including his sons to the match itself… this was the absolute perfect tribute to one of the sport’s best and most beloved characters.
Michael Oku vs Will Ospreay (RevPro High Stakes): If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while, you might remember that Ospreay vs Oku from the 2022 edition of RevPro’s High Stakes show was my winner of the #!!! award for that year. Needless to say, I had a lot of high expectations for the rematch here. Not only did they meet those expectations, they exceeded them. The level of drama here was off the charts. Oku, still haunted by his loss to Ospreay two years prior, knows that he needs to alter his game plan. Ospreay, riding the wave of being a heel, came in ready to defeat the upstart again and make his way to the United States for “bigger” and “better” things. A lava hot crowd made things even more memorable, right down to what was damn near a double turn in the middle of the match as Oku continued to spiral into desperation because of that 2022 loss.
Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes (WWE WrestleMania 40): In the review column I did for night two of WrestleMania 40, I referred to this as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where everyone from all corners of the world had to come together to try and defeat Thanos. All these months later, that still fits. This might be the most overbooked match in company history, which covers a ton of ground, but everyone ate it all up. One of the better emotional roller coaster rides that you’ll ever see from a wrestling match.
Will Ospreay vs Konosuke Takeshita vs Ricochet (AEW WrestleDream): There aren’t many more divisive things in wrestling than the style of matches Ospreay and Ricochet have when they’re in the ring together. You either LOVE it or you HATE it, and there’s really no in between. We got a lot of that here, but Takeshita was able to balance things out with his own style of offense. When you put all of that together, we got as much action and non-stop excitement as three men can cram into a wrestling match.
Iyo Sky vs Utami Hayashishita (Marigold Summer Destiny): I think it’s safe to say that Iyo Sky is one of the best women that WWE has right now, and has been from the moment she signed with the company. She has had several opportunities to show how great she is in the ring. However, she hasn’t been truly allowed to let loose like she did when she was in Japan. If you’ve only seen her WWE work, and then you watched this match, you would wonder what the hell was going on. She was magical here, almost wanting to prove to the fans that she could still do this. Utami, to her credit, was able to shine, as well. She had a lot to prove, as well, because she has been compared to Iyo for most of her career. When Iyo left the Stardom promotion to join WWE, it was the young upstart Hayashishita that was chosen to be one of the new faces of the company. Even though only eight years separate these women in age, it was like watching the battle of two different eras, and both women brought their absolute best.
Will Ospreay vs Konosuke Takeshita (AEW Revolution): Every positive thing I’ve ever said about Takeshita came through shining in this match. He worked this one with a chip on his shoulder that everyone could see. This was Ospreay’s first match as an official member of the AEW roster, and he had all the hype in the world surrounding his arrival. That seemed to push Takeshita to the back burner, so to speak, and he wrestled like someone who wanted to show that he, not his opponent, was the best wrestler alive. These two proceeded to beat the hell out of each other, finding ways to counter and reverse as much of their opponent’s offense as possible, and push each other further and further and further.
Swerve Strickland vs Bryan Danielson (AEW All In): Drama. Cinema. Art. Whatever you want to use to describe these types of great matches, it all works. Swerve had his AEW World Title on the line, but Danielson had his career on the line, so the stakes couldn’t be any higher. Danielson’s wife and kids being in the front row for this brought things to another level, especially as Danielson is getting his ass kicked, but all he can do is focus on his family and literally tell them how much he loves them. The entire thing was an emotional roller coaster that only the best of wrestling matches, involving the best of wrestlers, is capable of taking us on.
Cody Rhodes vs AJ Styles (WWE Backlash): If this exact match took place in an empty arena, COVID era style, it would still be great. The fact that it took place in front of one of the rowdiest wrestling crowds you’ll ever see made it infinitely better. Remember that shot during the match introductions when the crowd was chanting and the camera was shaking as if it were in the middle of an earthquake? Pun completely intended, but that was an absolutely phenomenal shot, and man, those fans never let down. They probably gave Cody and AJ extra motivation to go out there and deliver one of the best matches of their careers.
Swerve Strickland vs Will Ospreay (AEW Forbidden Door): There’s a bit of a theme with Will Ospreay matches… his opponents know they have to step their game up, and they wrestle as if their entire career depended on it. That’s what we got here. Even as the AEW World Champion at the time, Swerve was viewed by many as the clear underdog in this match, and he seemed to take that personally. This was two of the most athletic wrestlers in the entire industry trying to out-athletic the other one, and it ended up being a complete blast to witness.
Bryan Danielson vs Kazuchika Okada (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom): A real master class in game plans and targeting a body part. Danielson suffered a broken arm in their previous match, and he kayfabe blamed Okada for the break, so his goal here was to even the score and break Okada’s arm. Unfortunately for The American Dragon, he had a target on him, as well, as he was coming off of a broken orbital bone, so Okada was trying to work that area. Both men were able to take everything that happened in their last encounter and use it as part of their strategy here. The minute details and the technicalities of the sport were on full, glorious display.
The winner is… Michael Oku vs Will Ospreay! A quick shout-out to Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes, which came in second place here and provided all of the epic wackiness that I love about pro wrestling sometimes. However, for the second time, Michael Oku and Will Ospreay took me on a journey that I won’t soon forget, and for that, they win out. It was an event where I could FEEL the drama as I watched it, and it told a fantastic story with both men working off of the events of their previous encounter. Kudos to both men, and I still have no idea how Oku isn’t signed to a big contract with WWE or AEW, but especially AEW.
Well, there you have it. 2024 was another great year for the sport we all love so much. Here’s to hoping that 2025 has some special moments in store for us. For now, it’s your turn. Use the seven categories I have listed here and tell me who your winners would be. You can use as many of the categories as you want, but I look forward to seeing what you loved (and didn’t love) this year. As always, feel free to hit me up in the comments section below, or on Bluesky (@aaronhyden.bsky.social), and let me know what’s on your mind.
Now, let’s get to a shortened version of my Weekly Power Rankings, followed by closing things out with the list of songs I was listening to as I put this column together.
Weekly Power Rankings
Will Ospreay vs Kazuchika Okada: From the start of the Continental Classic, this was the final bout that I wanted. It was worth the wait.
Will Ospreay vs Kyle Fletcher: If AEW plays their cards right, they have themselves an absolute megastar in Kyle Fletcher moving forward.
Mercedes Moné vs Kris Statlander: These two seem to bring the best out of each other, and they’ve helped to change the opinions of a lot of people.
Kazuchika Okada vs Ricochet: I’m glad AEW has decided to lean into the natural corniness of Ricochet, turning him heel pretty organically. He should be a lot more entertaining that way. Just make sure he never, ever, ever speaks. Ever.
Will Ospreay vs Brody King: Is there anybody on the AEW roster more underrated than Brody King? With the way he looks, many people gloss over the fact that he can “go” in the ring, and is able to have some really fun matches with anyone he faces.
Kazuchika Okada vs Shelton Benjamin: I love a world where this is a match that I was able to watch in 2024. Wrestling is pretty fucking cool sometimes.
Sami Zayn vs Drew McIntyre: As you can see, this wasn’t the strongest week for WWE, but Sami Zayn was clearly their MVP of the last seven days.
Kenny Omega: It’s good to see him make his return to AEW programming. He looked healthy, which is what’s important. Right off the bat, we’re already getting the tease of a future match/feud between Omega and Kazuchika Okada, and I can’t wait for that.
Sami Zayn vs Carmelo Hayes: Like I said, Sami was WWE’s MVP of the week, participating in a really fun match on Raw and another one on Smackdown.
Daniel Garcia vs Kyle Fletcher: There was a lot of buzz that Daniel Garcia could possibly be headed to WWE not all that long ago. He squashed those rumors and revealed he was staying in AEW, but I’m not sure he has had any real momentum built up since that happened, which is weird because he won the TNT Title. I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong. It just feels like he’s another guy in AEW, and not being presented as anything special, and that’s a shame.
Adam Copeland: Having him around automatically makes the AEW product better, but I do understand the concern from some folks online that AEW’s “savior” against Jon Moxley and his cronies is a 51-year-old that will always be thought of as a “WWE guy” for the rest of his life.
Darby Allin vs Ricochet: Darby is insane. Ricochet is insane. It’s hilarious how they’re insane for completely different reasons, though.
House Shows: It’s always cool to see how much more fun WWE wrestlers can have at house shows compared to television or pay-per-views. I got a legit laugh out of CM Punk running to the ring at the Madison Square Garden live event, wearing “nothing” but a towel and a shower cap to make the save for Damian Priest, who was being attacked by Dominik Mysterio and Ludwig Kaiser.
This Week’s Playlist: “Georgia Ways” by Quavo, Teddy Swims & Luke Bryan… “Enough” by Trevor Martin… “Oh Boy” by Chris Webby & Busta Rhymes… “Rearview” by Chris Webby, Rittz & Krizz Kaliko… “Hurricane” by The Click… “Must Be Nice” by Lyfe Jennings… “It’s OK” by Slimm Calhoun & Andre 3000… “Angels Around Me” by G-Unit… “Who Gives A Fuck Where You From” by Three 6 Mafia, Lil Whyte & Frayser Boy… “Groundhog Day” by Drag-On… “That’s The Way” by Mase, Foxy Brown & Fabolous… “What We Do” by Freeway, Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel… “Roc The Mic” by Freeway & Beanie Sigel… “Momma I’m So Sorry” by Clipse… “Mr. Me Too” by Clipse & Pharrell Williams… “Ride Around Shining” by Clipse & Ab-Liva… “Hello New World” by Clipse… “Popular Demand” by Clipse, Cam’ron & Pharrell Williams… “Throw Some D’s (Remix)” by Rich Boy, Andre 3000, Nelly, The Game, Murphy Lee & Jim Jones… “Look What I Got” by Playaz Circle… “Nolia Clap” by Juvenile, Wacko & Skip… “All Gold Everything” by Trinidad James… “U Guessed It” by OG Maco… “Game’s Pain” by The Game & Keyshia Cole… “My Lowrider” by The Game, Ice Cube, E-40, Paul Wall, Chingy, Crooked I, Lil Rob, WC & Techniec… “The Cypha” by The Game, Jay Rock, K.Dot, Ya Boy, Juice & Dubb… “Man Of The Year” by ScHoolboy Q… “luther” by Kendrick Lamar & SZA… “Spring Love” by Stevie B… “Dream About You” by Stevie B… “You Got It All” by The Jets… “Amber” by 311… “Fly” by Sugar Ray & Super Cat… “Cross Me” by Ed Sheeran, Chance The Rapper & PnB Rock… “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton… “Endless Summer Nights” by Richard Marx… “The Boys Of Summer” by Don Henley… “Two Tickets To Paradise” by Eddie Money… “Up Jumps Da Boogie” by Timbaland, Magoo, Missy Elliott & Aaliyah… “Finding My Way Back” by Jaheim
