2015 Wrestling Examiner Awards
Now that 2015 is over, we can look back at the whole year. It also means that it's time for the second-ever Wrestling Examiner awards. The first-ever awards were a success last year, and it's only getting bigger this year. Now, we have more awards (29 in total) to present over five different promotions: WWE, NXT, TNA, ROH, and Lucha Underground. Almost all of the awards are brand-specific, but there are three awards that transcend promotional boundaries: Weekly Show of the Year, Promotion of the Year, and Legend of the Year. Without further ado, let's get started.
Weekly Show of the Year:
Lucha Underground
In its debut season, Lucha Underground made a huge mark on network television. In fact, it even has a 9.3 rating on IMDB. In comparison, The Wire has a 9.4, Mad Men has an 8.7, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has a 9.2, Raw has an 8.0, and SmackDown has a 7.2. The inaugural season of LU was always entertaining and delivered in every single aspect. No other show proved to be as entertaining every single week.
NXT Superstar of the Year:
Finn Bálor
Who else was going to win this award? The current NXT Champion had an incredible year. At NXT TakeOver: Rival, he beat Neville in one of the best NXT matches of the year. A few months later, at Beast in the East, he beat Kevin Owens to become the champion, then successfully defended the title in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. At NXT TakeOver: Respect, he teamed up with Samoa Joe to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. After Joe turned on him, Bálor beat him at NXT TakeOver: London to retain his belt.
Legend of the Year:
Dusty Rhodes
We mean all due respect to Roddy Piper, Verne Gagne, and the other legends who passed away this year. Rhodes simply gets the nod because he still has three relatives in the WWE (Goldust, Stardust, and Eden) and had a tag team tournament named after him in NXT. We also recognize him for the impact he had on a lot of current stars, including Kevin Owens and Paige. The wrestling world lost one of its all-time greats on June 11th. RIP Dusty
NXT Feud of the Year:
Sasha Banks vs. Bayley
The Divas Revolution was ultimately a flop in WWE, but women's wrestling was a big success down at Full Sail University. This was due in big part to the incredible rivalry these two women shared. Though they did feud at the beginning of the year and compete with the other two Four Horsewomen of NXT at NXT TakeOver: Rival. The feud really took off however, when she beat Becky Lynch in August to become #1 Contender for Banks's NXT Women's title. The two then clashed for the title in Brooklyn in an absolutely incredible match (more on that later). Bayley walked away with the title in a very emotional moment. At NXT TakeOver: Respect, the two met in the first-ever women's 30-minute Iron Man match in the main event. This marked the first time women had ever main evented a PPV or special event, truly signalling a new era for women's wrestling.
WWE PPV of the Year:
WrestleMania 31
Going into the show, fans were understandably worried. What if The Undertaker was not healthy enough to put on a good match? Was Sting too old to wrestle? Would Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar be the worst main event ever? As it turns out, the show turned out to be a candidate for one of the best 'Manias ever. Reigns and Lesnar had an incredible match, both Sting and 'Taker looked impressive, and Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in one of the most shocking 'Mania moments ever.
TNA Wrestler of the Year:
Ethan Carter III
When TNA made its move to Destination America, many assumed it signaled the coming demise of the company. There wasn't a lot to be excited about, especially since they had lost stars like AJ Styles, Sting, and Low-Ki. For many, the lone bright-spot was EC3. The former Derrick Bateman had proven himself to be a talented wrestler, full of charisma, and more than capable of being a top heel. In the summer, he defeated Kurt Angle to win his first ever TNA World Heavyweight Championship, cementing his place atop the company. Though he lost the title 102 days later, Carter has proven himself to be the best thing about TNA.
Most Entertaining WWE Superstar of the Year:
The New Day
Come on, who else was going to win this. Ever since they turned heel in April, the New Day has consistently been extremely entertaining both inside the ring and out. Xavier Woods has turned into an absolute gem at talking, and has proven his worth multiple times, whether it be at ringisde, at the commentary table, or backstage. Kofi Kingston and Big E have also let loose and let their charisma burst forth. The group threatened to get overexposed by the end of the year, but they are still one of the best things in wrestling today.
WWE Talker of the Year:
Paul Heyman
As great of a talker as Woods is, Paul Heyman is the real master of the mic. In my opinion, he actually had a better year as a talker last year (he also won this award last year), but he was still phenomenal this year. For proof of this, check out his Glory promo during Brock Lesnar's feud with The Undertaker. Other great talkers this year include Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, and Stephanie McMahon.
ROH Wrestler of the Year:
Jay Lethal
Lethal wins this award mainly for one reason: he's the first man in history to hold the ROH World Championship and ROH World Television Championship simultaneously. He's the current World champion and has been since defeating Jay Briscoe in June. His TV title reign ended in October, but only after Lethal had held it for a record-setting 567 days. Lethal already has defended his title against Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, and AJ Styles.
WWE Match of the Year:
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins at Royal Rumble
The first great match of the year turned out to be the best of the year. Going into the event, people were sure it was going to be a good match (all three men involved are great workers), but no one thought it would be this good. Lesnar played the role of the dominant behemoth beautifully, Cena brought out his A-game, and Rollins showed why he is arguably the best wrestler in the world. If you only watch one match this year, make it this one.
WWE One Night Performance of the Year:
Seth Rollins at Night of Champions
No one had a bigger night than Seth Rollins did at the September pay-per-view. The double champion was defending his United States Championship against John Cena while also defending his WWE World title against Sting in the show's main event. Rollins had a very good match against Cena, though he ended up losing. Immediately afterwards, he defeated Sting in a match that was better than it should have been.
TNA Breakout Star of the Year:
Rockstar Spud
When Rockstar Spud was allied with EC3, he wasn't that interesting. Upon breaking out however, he quickly became one of the biggest babyfaces in all of TNA. He ultimately lost his feud to EC3 (bi the blowoff Hair vs. Hair match was critically acclaimed), but went on to capture two X Division titles throughout the year. He also got a World title shot against EC3, though he fell short. The runner-up for this award, Drew Galloway, also had a great year, but Spud's stardom was a bit of a surprise, so he gets the nod here.
WWE Moment of the Year:
Seth Rollins Cashes in at WrestleMania
What else could it be? WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns (the winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble) were having a great, hard-hitting match in the main event of 'Mania. Out of nowhere, Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins (who had lost to Randy Orton earlier in the night) ran down to the ring and cashed in his MITB contract. He then proceeded to pin Reigns and walk out with the title. It was an all-time great moment.
WWE Debut of the Year:
Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks
Women's wrestling was in a bit of a pickle at the beginning of the year. Things weren't going well, and fans were clamoring for a change in the way WWE booked women. For a few months, it looked like nothing was changing. Then, on an episode of Raw, three of the Four Horsewomen (the fourth being NXT Women's Champion Bayley) debuted and stood ready to change the course of women's wrestling. Of course, the Divas division isn't perfect now, but it's a lot better off now than it was this time last year.
Promotion of the Year:
NXT
Last year, NXT became the hottest thing in wrestling thanks to its indy-like feel and with stars such as Sami Zayn, Bo Dallas, and Charlotte. This year, NXT got even bigger and added international stars such as Apollo Crews, Asuka, and Samoa Joe. On top of that, they had mass success touring in places such as Brooklyn and London. Lucha Underground may be a better show, but it doesn't have the global reach of NXT. WWE is obviously bigger, but NXT is a much better product. ROH had a great year, but it doesn't have the clout of NXT. TNA had a critically acclaimed year, but their TV issues really hampered them.
WWE Return of the Year:
Sting
This year's edition of SummerSlam was arguably the biggest in history. It became the first non-WrestleMania show ever to be four hours long. To mark this historic occasion, WWE booked a big edition of Raw for the next night. In one of the best Raw episodes of the year, we saw the return of the Dudley Boyz and John Cena taking out Jon Stewart. The biggest event of the night however, came when Sting made a surprise return in the main event segment to take out Seth Rollins and hold up the champ's World title. It was an incredible moment that got the whole wrestling world buzzing.
WWE Breakout Star of the Year:
Kevin Owens
Let's all take a moment out to look at KO's WWE career so far. On his first night on Raw, he laid waste to John Cena. In his first ever WWE match, he pinned Cena cleanly in a MOTY contender. At the next network special (Money in the Bank), the two clashed in another MOTY contender. Though Owens would ultimately lose the feud, he bounced back strongly. At SummerSlam, he pinned Cesaro cleanly and beat Ryback for the IC title at Night of Champions. Yeah, it's safe to say Owens had a strong 2015.
TNA Knockout of the Year:
Gail Kim
For years, Kim has been the centerpiece of the Knockout division. She continued her reign atop the other women in TNA by feuding with the likes of Awesome Kong and The Dollhouse. She also won her fifth Knockouts Championship (no one in history has held the title longer) and advanced to the Round of 16 of the TNA World Title Series before being defeated by Tigre Uno.
NXT Match of the Year:
Sasha Banks vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
Forget being NXT Match of the Year, this may have been the best women's wrestling match in WWE history. Banks and Bayley put on an absolute clinic that had the whole crowd in Brooklyn on the edge of their seats. The storytelling in the match and leading up to it was simply phenomenal and made sure everyone was invested in the outcome. When Bayley finally pinned Banks and won the NXT Women's Championship, the crowd absolutely erupted.
WWE Diva of the Year:
Nikki Bella
This may seem like an odd choice, but there's really no one else to go with here. The only other Diva to hold the title was Charlotte, and she wasn't even on the main roster until midway through the year. Sasha Banks had a phenomenal year, but she did most of her damage on NXT. Paige competed at 'Mania, but soon found herself overshadowed by Charlotte on the main roster. This leaves us with Nikki, who started the year as champ and held the title all the way until Night of Champions in September.
TNA Tag Team of the Year:
The Wolves
Last year's winner of this award, Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards are the obvious choice again this year. In 2015, they won the TNA World Tag Team Championship three times, bringing their total number of reigns to 5, the highest in history. You could argue that this team is the greatest in TNA history, right alongside the likes of Beer Money and The Motor City Machine Guns. Look for more big things out of this duo in 2016.
WWE Manuever of the Year:
Neville's Red Arrow
This won the award last year, and for good reason. Neville created this move to standout, and it has given him widespread fame. If you've never seen him perform this move, take a couple of minutes to find a clip of it on Youtube. If you have seen it, then you know just how awe-inspiring and breathtaking it is to witness. As long as Neville is in the WWE, he'll probably keep winning this award.
Lucha Underground Wrestler of the Year:
Prince Puma
The man also known as Ricochet was a big reason Lucha Underground was such a big hit this year. The company made a smart decision by crowning Puma to be their first ever champion, and Puma rewarded their trust in him. Although he would eventually drop the title to Mil Muertes at Ultima Lucha, Puma was still the promotion's biggest star of 2015. He'll no doubt also play a big role in 2016.
WWE Comeback Superstar of the Year:
The Undertaker
Before he resurfaced at WrestleMania, the last time we saw The Deadman was after a horrendous losing effort to Brock Lesnar at 'Mania 30. His match against Bray Wyatt was markedly better and he looked to be in better shape. He went on to have a fantastic feud with Lesnar (more on that later) and even had a fantastic Hell in a Cell match against him. Many thought 2014 would be 'Taker's last year, but he proved he still can go with the best of them.
WWE Faction of the Year:
The New Day
Is New Day a tag team or faction? According to us here at The Wrestling Examiner, they're both. So, they're eligible to win this award, which they are very deserving of. During the last half of the year (and possibly even before that), there was no single act that was as consistently entertaining and over with the crowds than these three men. On top of that, they won the tag titles twice. Their only real competition for this award is the Wyatt Family, but they didn't reform until the summer.
NXT Diva of the Year:
Bayley
As great a year as Sasha Banks had, no female wrestler meant more to the brand than Bayley. She started the year feuding with the other Four Horsewomen of NXT over Charlotte's NXT Women's title. Though Bayley was unsuccessful then, she would beat Banks in Brooklyn in an absolutely incredible match. She then beat Banks in a rematch to hold on to the title and successfully retained against Nia Jax in London.
WWE Tag Team of the Year:
The New Day
As mentioned before, this wonderful trio is both a faction and tag team. After all, they did win two tag titles this year. There really is no one else who really could lay claim to this award. The Usos were dormant for months after Jey Uso suffered a shoulder injury, the Prime Time Players didn't do anything after dropping the titles in August, Bubba Ray and D-Von only showed up in August, Cesaro & Tyson Kidd only lasted as a team until June, and The Ascension did absolutely nothing.
WWE Feud of the Year:
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
Yes, John Cena and Kevin Owens had two match of the year contenders and a great feud, but this one was still better. It originated in July when 'Taker disrupted Lesnar's World title match with Seth Rollins. The next night on Raw, the two engaged in an awesome brawl and were announced as the main event of SummerSlam. The Phenom won that match, so the rubber match was made for Hell in a Cell's main event. In an absolutely great match, Lesnar defeated 'Taker to win the feud.
WWE Superstar of the Year:
Seth Rollins
For the second time in a row, Rollins walks away with the biggest prize of the night. And really, who else but The Architect would win? He started the year off by competing in the best match of the year, was on the winning side of a six-man tag match at Fastlane, won the main event on 'Mania 31, defeated Randy Orton in the main event of Extreme Rules, won the main event match at Payback, beat Dean Ambrose in a ladder match at Money in the Bank, beat John Cena at SummerSlam to become the first ever superstar to be both WWE World Heavyweight Champion and United States Champion, beat Sting in the main event of Night of Champions, and successfully retained his WWE title against Kane at Hell in a Cell. Yeah, this was definitely Rollins's year.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Weekly Show of the Year:
Lucha Underground
In its debut season, Lucha Underground made a huge mark on network television. In fact, it even has a 9.3 rating on IMDB. In comparison, The Wire has a 9.4, Mad Men has an 8.7, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has a 9.2, Raw has an 8.0, and SmackDown has a 7.2. The inaugural season of LU was always entertaining and delivered in every single aspect. No other show proved to be as entertaining every single week.
NXT Superstar of the Year:
Finn Bálor
Who else was going to win this award? The current NXT Champion had an incredible year. At NXT TakeOver: Rival, he beat Neville in one of the best NXT matches of the year. A few months later, at Beast in the East, he beat Kevin Owens to become the champion, then successfully defended the title in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. At NXT TakeOver: Respect, he teamed up with Samoa Joe to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. After Joe turned on him, Bálor beat him at NXT TakeOver: London to retain his belt.
Legend of the Year:
Dusty Rhodes
We mean all due respect to Roddy Piper, Verne Gagne, and the other legends who passed away this year. Rhodes simply gets the nod because he still has three relatives in the WWE (Goldust, Stardust, and Eden) and had a tag team tournament named after him in NXT. We also recognize him for the impact he had on a lot of current stars, including Kevin Owens and Paige. The wrestling world lost one of its all-time greats on June 11th. RIP Dusty
NXT Feud of the Year:
Sasha Banks vs. Bayley
The Divas Revolution was ultimately a flop in WWE, but women's wrestling was a big success down at Full Sail University. This was due in big part to the incredible rivalry these two women shared. Though they did feud at the beginning of the year and compete with the other two Four Horsewomen of NXT at NXT TakeOver: Rival. The feud really took off however, when she beat Becky Lynch in August to become #1 Contender for Banks's NXT Women's title. The two then clashed for the title in Brooklyn in an absolutely incredible match (more on that later). Bayley walked away with the title in a very emotional moment. At NXT TakeOver: Respect, the two met in the first-ever women's 30-minute Iron Man match in the main event. This marked the first time women had ever main evented a PPV or special event, truly signalling a new era for women's wrestling.
WWE PPV of the Year:
WrestleMania 31
Going into the show, fans were understandably worried. What if The Undertaker was not healthy enough to put on a good match? Was Sting too old to wrestle? Would Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar be the worst main event ever? As it turns out, the show turned out to be a candidate for one of the best 'Manias ever. Reigns and Lesnar had an incredible match, both Sting and 'Taker looked impressive, and Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract in one of the most shocking 'Mania moments ever.
TNA Wrestler of the Year:
Ethan Carter III
When TNA made its move to Destination America, many assumed it signaled the coming demise of the company. There wasn't a lot to be excited about, especially since they had lost stars like AJ Styles, Sting, and Low-Ki. For many, the lone bright-spot was EC3. The former Derrick Bateman had proven himself to be a talented wrestler, full of charisma, and more than capable of being a top heel. In the summer, he defeated Kurt Angle to win his first ever TNA World Heavyweight Championship, cementing his place atop the company. Though he lost the title 102 days later, Carter has proven himself to be the best thing about TNA.
Most Entertaining WWE Superstar of the Year:
The New Day
Come on, who else was going to win this. Ever since they turned heel in April, the New Day has consistently been extremely entertaining both inside the ring and out. Xavier Woods has turned into an absolute gem at talking, and has proven his worth multiple times, whether it be at ringisde, at the commentary table, or backstage. Kofi Kingston and Big E have also let loose and let their charisma burst forth. The group threatened to get overexposed by the end of the year, but they are still one of the best things in wrestling today.
WWE Talker of the Year:
Paul Heyman
As great of a talker as Woods is, Paul Heyman is the real master of the mic. In my opinion, he actually had a better year as a talker last year (he also won this award last year), but he was still phenomenal this year. For proof of this, check out his Glory promo during Brock Lesnar's feud with The Undertaker. Other great talkers this year include Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, and Stephanie McMahon.
ROH Wrestler of the Year:
Jay Lethal
Lethal wins this award mainly for one reason: he's the first man in history to hold the ROH World Championship and ROH World Television Championship simultaneously. He's the current World champion and has been since defeating Jay Briscoe in June. His TV title reign ended in October, but only after Lethal had held it for a record-setting 567 days. Lethal already has defended his title against Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, and AJ Styles.
WWE Match of the Year:
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins at Royal Rumble
The first great match of the year turned out to be the best of the year. Going into the event, people were sure it was going to be a good match (all three men involved are great workers), but no one thought it would be this good. Lesnar played the role of the dominant behemoth beautifully, Cena brought out his A-game, and Rollins showed why he is arguably the best wrestler in the world. If you only watch one match this year, make it this one.
WWE One Night Performance of the Year:
Seth Rollins at Night of Champions
No one had a bigger night than Seth Rollins did at the September pay-per-view. The double champion was defending his United States Championship against John Cena while also defending his WWE World title against Sting in the show's main event. Rollins had a very good match against Cena, though he ended up losing. Immediately afterwards, he defeated Sting in a match that was better than it should have been.
TNA Breakout Star of the Year:
Rockstar Spud
When Rockstar Spud was allied with EC3, he wasn't that interesting. Upon breaking out however, he quickly became one of the biggest babyfaces in all of TNA. He ultimately lost his feud to EC3 (bi the blowoff Hair vs. Hair match was critically acclaimed), but went on to capture two X Division titles throughout the year. He also got a World title shot against EC3, though he fell short. The runner-up for this award, Drew Galloway, also had a great year, but Spud's stardom was a bit of a surprise, so he gets the nod here.
WWE Moment of the Year:
Seth Rollins Cashes in at WrestleMania
What else could it be? WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns (the winner of the 2015 Royal Rumble) were having a great, hard-hitting match in the main event of 'Mania. Out of nowhere, Mr. Money in the Bank Seth Rollins (who had lost to Randy Orton earlier in the night) ran down to the ring and cashed in his MITB contract. He then proceeded to pin Reigns and walk out with the title. It was an all-time great moment.
WWE Debut of the Year:
Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks
Women's wrestling was in a bit of a pickle at the beginning of the year. Things weren't going well, and fans were clamoring for a change in the way WWE booked women. For a few months, it looked like nothing was changing. Then, on an episode of Raw, three of the Four Horsewomen (the fourth being NXT Women's Champion Bayley) debuted and stood ready to change the course of women's wrestling. Of course, the Divas division isn't perfect now, but it's a lot better off now than it was this time last year.
Promotion of the Year:
NXT
Last year, NXT became the hottest thing in wrestling thanks to its indy-like feel and with stars such as Sami Zayn, Bo Dallas, and Charlotte. This year, NXT got even bigger and added international stars such as Apollo Crews, Asuka, and Samoa Joe. On top of that, they had mass success touring in places such as Brooklyn and London. Lucha Underground may be a better show, but it doesn't have the global reach of NXT. WWE is obviously bigger, but NXT is a much better product. ROH had a great year, but it doesn't have the clout of NXT. TNA had a critically acclaimed year, but their TV issues really hampered them.
WWE Return of the Year:
Sting
This year's edition of SummerSlam was arguably the biggest in history. It became the first non-WrestleMania show ever to be four hours long. To mark this historic occasion, WWE booked a big edition of Raw for the next night. In one of the best Raw episodes of the year, we saw the return of the Dudley Boyz and John Cena taking out Jon Stewart. The biggest event of the night however, came when Sting made a surprise return in the main event segment to take out Seth Rollins and hold up the champ's World title. It was an incredible moment that got the whole wrestling world buzzing.
WWE Breakout Star of the Year:
Kevin Owens
Let's all take a moment out to look at KO's WWE career so far. On his first night on Raw, he laid waste to John Cena. In his first ever WWE match, he pinned Cena cleanly in a MOTY contender. At the next network special (Money in the Bank), the two clashed in another MOTY contender. Though Owens would ultimately lose the feud, he bounced back strongly. At SummerSlam, he pinned Cesaro cleanly and beat Ryback for the IC title at Night of Champions. Yeah, it's safe to say Owens had a strong 2015.
TNA Knockout of the Year:
Gail Kim
For years, Kim has been the centerpiece of the Knockout division. She continued her reign atop the other women in TNA by feuding with the likes of Awesome Kong and The Dollhouse. She also won her fifth Knockouts Championship (no one in history has held the title longer) and advanced to the Round of 16 of the TNA World Title Series before being defeated by Tigre Uno.
NXT Match of the Year:
Sasha Banks vs. Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
Forget being NXT Match of the Year, this may have been the best women's wrestling match in WWE history. Banks and Bayley put on an absolute clinic that had the whole crowd in Brooklyn on the edge of their seats. The storytelling in the match and leading up to it was simply phenomenal and made sure everyone was invested in the outcome. When Bayley finally pinned Banks and won the NXT Women's Championship, the crowd absolutely erupted.
WWE Diva of the Year:
Nikki Bella
This may seem like an odd choice, but there's really no one else to go with here. The only other Diva to hold the title was Charlotte, and she wasn't even on the main roster until midway through the year. Sasha Banks had a phenomenal year, but she did most of her damage on NXT. Paige competed at 'Mania, but soon found herself overshadowed by Charlotte on the main roster. This leaves us with Nikki, who started the year as champ and held the title all the way until Night of Champions in September.
TNA Tag Team of the Year:
The Wolves
Last year's winner of this award, Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards are the obvious choice again this year. In 2015, they won the TNA World Tag Team Championship three times, bringing their total number of reigns to 5, the highest in history. You could argue that this team is the greatest in TNA history, right alongside the likes of Beer Money and The Motor City Machine Guns. Look for more big things out of this duo in 2016.
WWE Manuever of the Year:
Neville's Red Arrow
This won the award last year, and for good reason. Neville created this move to standout, and it has given him widespread fame. If you've never seen him perform this move, take a couple of minutes to find a clip of it on Youtube. If you have seen it, then you know just how awe-inspiring and breathtaking it is to witness. As long as Neville is in the WWE, he'll probably keep winning this award.
Lucha Underground Wrestler of the Year:
Prince Puma
The man also known as Ricochet was a big reason Lucha Underground was such a big hit this year. The company made a smart decision by crowning Puma to be their first ever champion, and Puma rewarded their trust in him. Although he would eventually drop the title to Mil Muertes at Ultima Lucha, Puma was still the promotion's biggest star of 2015. He'll no doubt also play a big role in 2016.
WWE Comeback Superstar of the Year:
The Undertaker
Before he resurfaced at WrestleMania, the last time we saw The Deadman was after a horrendous losing effort to Brock Lesnar at 'Mania 30. His match against Bray Wyatt was markedly better and he looked to be in better shape. He went on to have a fantastic feud with Lesnar (more on that later) and even had a fantastic Hell in a Cell match against him. Many thought 2014 would be 'Taker's last year, but he proved he still can go with the best of them.
WWE Faction of the Year:
The New Day
Is New Day a tag team or faction? According to us here at The Wrestling Examiner, they're both. So, they're eligible to win this award, which they are very deserving of. During the last half of the year (and possibly even before that), there was no single act that was as consistently entertaining and over with the crowds than these three men. On top of that, they won the tag titles twice. Their only real competition for this award is the Wyatt Family, but they didn't reform until the summer.
NXT Diva of the Year:
Bayley
As great a year as Sasha Banks had, no female wrestler meant more to the brand than Bayley. She started the year feuding with the other Four Horsewomen of NXT over Charlotte's NXT Women's title. Though Bayley was unsuccessful then, she would beat Banks in Brooklyn in an absolutely incredible match. She then beat Banks in a rematch to hold on to the title and successfully retained against Nia Jax in London.
WWE Tag Team of the Year:
The New Day
As mentioned before, this wonderful trio is both a faction and tag team. After all, they did win two tag titles this year. There really is no one else who really could lay claim to this award. The Usos were dormant for months after Jey Uso suffered a shoulder injury, the Prime Time Players didn't do anything after dropping the titles in August, Bubba Ray and D-Von only showed up in August, Cesaro & Tyson Kidd only lasted as a team until June, and The Ascension did absolutely nothing.
WWE Feud of the Year:
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
Yes, John Cena and Kevin Owens had two match of the year contenders and a great feud, but this one was still better. It originated in July when 'Taker disrupted Lesnar's World title match with Seth Rollins. The next night on Raw, the two engaged in an awesome brawl and were announced as the main event of SummerSlam. The Phenom won that match, so the rubber match was made for Hell in a Cell's main event. In an absolutely great match, Lesnar defeated 'Taker to win the feud.
WWE Superstar of the Year:
Seth Rollins
For the second time in a row, Rollins walks away with the biggest prize of the night. And really, who else but The Architect would win? He started the year off by competing in the best match of the year, was on the winning side of a six-man tag match at Fastlane, won the main event on 'Mania 31, defeated Randy Orton in the main event of Extreme Rules, won the main event match at Payback, beat Dean Ambrose in a ladder match at Money in the Bank, beat John Cena at SummerSlam to become the first ever superstar to be both WWE World Heavyweight Champion and United States Champion, beat Sting in the main event of Night of Champions, and successfully retained his WWE title against Kane at Hell in a Cell. Yeah, this was definitely Rollins's year.
Thanks for reading everyone.
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