The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Voting Has Some People Absolutely Fuming!
It seems that this year's Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) awards have stirred up quite a bit of debate, with prominent figures like Bryan Alvarez expressing strong opinions on the results. While Alvarez generally found himself in agreement with many of the fan-chosen accolades, a few specific categories have him questioning the collective judgment of the voters.
On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Live, Alvarez and fellow personality “Filthy” Tom Lawlor delved into the intricacies of the annual awards. The most contentious point for Alvarez? The designation of John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes from night two of WWE WrestleMania 41 as the Worst Match of the Year. Alvarez vehemently argued that the Butterbean vs. Minoru Suzuki bout, which finished second in this category, was a far more deserving, and frankly, objectively terrible, contender.
Alvarez didn't hold back, declaring, "This is the worst I’ve ever seen out of the Observer Awards and it’s not even close." He went on to elaborate on the Butterbean vs. Suzuki match, describing it as the worst he has ever witnessed in his entire life, a sentiment he claimed was shared by Dave Meltzer, the esteemed publisher of the WON. To have it come in behind Cena vs. Rhodes, in his view, is a monumental voting error.
Adding to the discussion, Lawlor chimed in about the refereeing in the Butterbean vs. Suzuki match, noting that Dan Severn, the official, "actively made the match worse somehow." This sentiment further fuels the argument that this particular bout was a catastrophic failure.
But the disagreements didn't stop there. Alvarez also expressed his profound shock regarding the Worst Television Announcer voting. He was particularly aghast that Booker T received this unfortunate distinction, asserting that Booker T "’s not even the worst guy on that announce team," pointing to Vic Joseph, who ranked fourth in the voting, as a more fitting candidate.
Furthermore, Alvarez found himself at odds with the ranking of AEW Collision as the third-best television show, placing it ahead of both WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown. He firmly stated, "I’m sorry, but in no universe is Collision better than Raw and SmackDown." For context, AEW Dynamite secured the first-place spot in this category, with CMLL Super Viernes coming in second.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is it possible that the voters were trying to make a statement about the impact of a match rather than its technical execution when awarding 'Worst Match'? Could the sheer absurdity and unexpected nature of Butterbean vs. Suzuki, while undeniably poor, have been seen by some as more of a bizarre spectacle than a truly detrimental viewing experience compared to a more conventional, yet still disappointing, WWE contest? And what does it say about the current landscape of wrestling television when a show like AEW Collision is being ranked above the flagship programs of WWE?
What are your thoughts on these voting results? Do you agree with Bryan Alvarez's strong opinions, or do you think the voters had a different perspective? Let us know in the comments below – we'd love to hear your take on this year's WON Awards!
