Welcome to the 2013 Bloggie Awards, presented to the best in the wrestling industry for the last calendar year. Announced within are the winners of these awards, but before we begin, here's what the Bloggies are and aren't:
Wrestler of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... The Shield!
I understand the weirdness associated with giving an individual award to three guys. However, the group was very much a WWE equivalent of the Magus Sisters. Alone, each single wrestler is effective to varying degrees, but as a group, they had such a unique aura. Together, they were one complete wrestler, and they were so important to the fabric of so many stories, whether as ancillary actors or main focuses. Plus, they were basically asked to define a style of match in WWE that they had used sparingly as a regular trope in its history, and they did so excellently. I don't care if this is a cop out, or if it's hokey. The Shield, as a singular collective, was the best thing in WWE and wrestling on the whole this year, and I think their impact was greater than just as a stable.
The Ricky Steamboat Award
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Daniel Bryan!
The year 2013 will be known as WWE's finest for televised wrestling. Their free TV matches more often than not were leagues better than what was presented on pay-per-view, and Daniel Bryan getting multiple segments to have fully-fleshed out contests was a big reason. No matter what the setting, Bryan dazzled. Tag matches? Got it. Trios matches? You know it. Singles wars? He's got a whole bunch. In a year where mostly everyone else's quality was spotty at best, Bryan was boss from wire to wire.
Talker of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Zeb Colter!
Honestly, Colter making me like him despite spewing the most racist, xenophobic rhetoric allowed on a TV-PG program is nothing short of a miracle. He's so endearing though because he's way over the top both on material and delivery. Then again, he is doing his job as a heel, and the fact that he's been able to walk the line between gross racism and fun, cartoon villainous racism is a huge plus on his resume.
Independent Wrestler of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Chuck Taylor!
Taylor's year in Chikara, DGUSA, and other various promotions has been predictably good. He's always one of the most entertaining adds on any card, but I put a lot of stock on building your own way. The idea of using DIY video to promote mini-wrestling matches was right there, and Taylor seized it, creating perhaps the most prestigious Championship in pro wrestling, if prestige is mined directly from entertainment value. Maybe that makes him more a booker than a wrestler, or even with the footage manipulation a producer, but regardless, this project is him, a video, and his friends making something original and enthralling out of pro wrestling. If those things can't get someone a fake award handed out by a douchebag on the Internet, nothing will.
Tag Team of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winners are... The Young Bucks!
More than the belts they've accumulated, the Bucks bring stability and entertainment to any card they appear on. They've started to export their PWG characters across the country, providing great work in Chikara, DGUSA, FWE, ROH, and other name promotions around the country. They come in, heel it up for the crowd, put the local guys or the opponents over like a million bucks, and they entertain the shit out of me at least in the process. Plus, their tag work in the ring is impeccable. Very few teams have honed their game year in and year out like the Bucks, and sometimes, I feel like I take them for granted (although not this year).
Manager of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Chris Trew!
Being a great manager entails more than getting on a microphone or having dudes who win titles. Trew is hands-on, even going to the point of volunteering his services in matches. Yes, The Business has heat magnet extraordinaire Angel Blue on hand, but that group is as nuclear as it is because of Trew, a performance artist at the highest level.
Group of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winners are... The Shield!
Duh. See their Wrestler of the Year entry.
The New to Me Award
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... The Estonian Thunder Frog!
In many ways, the Frog was Chikara's MVP of 2013 despite appearing on a grand total of one main-brand show. If the Wrestling Is... universe was to be the main thrust of Chikara this year, no wrestler worked as tirelessly to provide a complete package like the Thunder Frog. He combined comedy, quality wrestling, dedication to his gimmick, and social media to win over so many hearts starting with mine, and he did so coming out of nowhere.
Comedian of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winners are... Los Ice Creams!
They had me at National Pro Wrestling Day while applying a chinlock and shouting "¡ME GUSTA RANDY ORTON!" They appeared on more and more cards this year, and more often than not, they were in the funniest match on the card. They barely speak, which makes their efficacy couched mostly in performance art. I admire the hell out of that fact.
Feud of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn!
Maybe this pick shows my innate bias towards feuds that mainly play out in wrestling matches, but Zayn and Cesaro owned the middle portion of the year just because the Swiss Superman wanted some damn competition. Zayn gave it to him, and despite the fact that he came out on the overall losing end of it, three falls to two, the former El Generico was able to build an entire base of babyface goodwill through nothing but comebacks and fire segments. This feud was an archetypical feud, and it worked because both performers threw themselves entirely into it to create wrestling magic.
Announcer of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Excalibur!
Am I going to switch this award between Remsburg and Excalibur every year? Well, both guys make it hard for me to deny them their props. Excalibur wins for another great year of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla commentary with a rotating booth (sometimes just by his lonesome), creating atmosphere for matches that more often than not don't have stories attached to them.
Moment of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Mark Henry Suckers John Cena into Believing He'd Retire and Attacks Him!
In the back of my mind, I thought this would be a swerve, but Henry's performance had me bought, hook, line, and sinker. I think Cena's performance gets a bit lost in the shuffle. The sheer surprise on his face when Henry pulled him in for the World's Strongest Slam was amazing. That moment was wrestling perfection between two veterans.
Social Media Award
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Chuck Taylor!
Podcasts are cool. Free matches on YouTube rock. Kitschy video shows are kinda awesome too. But when you can mold the parameters of Instagram video and define an entire genre of wrestling while still remaining entertaining and fresh, no way you lose out on this award.
Promotion of the Year
And the nominees are:
And the winner is... Beyond Wrestling!
Beyond Wrestling stepped forward this year and staked its claim as the top super indie promotion in America. They built a base that took years to lay down, and they didn't just half-ass it either. Their approach was fresh for the indies, a foundation strong. Upon that rock, they built a church in Providence, attracting the biggest names in indie wrestling while being able to provide scions like JT Dunn and Biff Busick that could hang with those icons of the unsigned. Plus, they've raised the concession game and done more to improve the fan experience past the matches themselves than any wrestling promotion this year or maybe even in the last five. No promotion in America deserves this accolade in 2013 more than Beyond Wrestling.
- The Bloggies are NOT a measure of who drew money or drove business. Look to the Observer for that scope.
- The Bloggies are NOT a measure of kayfabe accomplishment. Pro Wrestling Illustrated has that covered like a boss.
- The Bloggies are NOT crowd-sourced or openly voted upon. They're chosen by me and me alone, so if anyone has a problem, take it up with me.
- The Bloggies ARE a measure of who did the most to advance the ART of wrestling. Who told the best stories? Who talked with the silverest of tongues? Who wrestled the best matches? Who had the biggest emotional impact? These are the questions that these awards have set out to answer.
Wrestler of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Chuck Taylor
- Daniel Bryan
- Randy Orton
- Sami Zayn
- The Shield
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
I understand the weirdness associated with giving an individual award to three guys. However, the group was very much a WWE equivalent of the Magus Sisters. Alone, each single wrestler is effective to varying degrees, but as a group, they had such a unique aura. Together, they were one complete wrestler, and they were so important to the fabric of so many stories, whether as ancillary actors or main focuses. Plus, they were basically asked to define a style of match in WWE that they had used sparingly as a regular trope in its history, and they did so excellently. I don't care if this is a cop out, or if it's hokey. The Shield, as a singular collective, was the best thing in WWE and wrestling on the whole this year, and I think their impact was greater than just as a stable.
The Ricky Steamboat Award
And the nominees are:
- Antonio Cesaro
- Athena
- Daniel Bryan
- Kevin Steen
- Sami Zayn
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
The year 2013 will be known as WWE's finest for televised wrestling. Their free TV matches more often than not were leagues better than what was presented on pay-per-view, and Daniel Bryan getting multiple segments to have fully-fleshed out contests was a big reason. No matter what the setting, Bryan dazzled. Tag matches? Got it. Trios matches? You know it. Singles wars? He's got a whole bunch. In a year where mostly everyone else's quality was spotty at best, Bryan was boss from wire to wire.
Talker of the Year
And the nominees are:
- CM Punk
- Damien Sandow
- Enzo Amore
- Paul Heyman
- Zeb Colter
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Honestly, Colter making me like him despite spewing the most racist, xenophobic rhetoric allowed on a TV-PG program is nothing short of a miracle. He's so endearing though because he's way over the top both on material and delivery. Then again, he is doing his job as a heel, and the fact that he's been able to walk the line between gross racism and fun, cartoon villainous racism is a huge plus on his resume.
Independent Wrestler of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Biff Busick (Frank O'Rourke)
- Cheerleader Melissa
- Chuck Taylor
- Icarus
- The Young Bucks
 |
| Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
Taylor's year in Chikara, DGUSA, and other various promotions has been predictably good. He's always one of the most entertaining adds on any card, but I put a lot of stock on building your own way. The idea of using DIY video to promote mini-wrestling matches was right there, and Taylor seized it, creating perhaps the most prestigious Championship in pro wrestling, if prestige is mined directly from entertainment value. Maybe that makes him more a booker than a wrestler, or even with the footage manipulation a producer, but regardless, this project is him, a video, and his friends making something original and enthralling out of pro wrestling. If those things can't get someone a fake award handed out by a douchebag on the Internet, nothing will.
Tag Team of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Pieces of Hate (Jigsaw and The Shard)
- The Rhodes Boys (Cody Rhodes and Goldust)
- The Shield (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins)
- Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane)
- Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)
 |
| Photo Credit: Devin Chen |
More than the belts they've accumulated, the Bucks bring stability and entertainment to any card they appear on. They've started to export their PWG characters across the country, providing great work in Chikara, DGUSA, FWE, ROH, and other name promotions around the country. They come in, heel it up for the crowd, put the local guys or the opponents over like a million bucks, and they entertain the shit out of me at least in the process. Plus, their tag work in the ring is impeccable. Very few teams have honed their game year in and year out like the Bucks, and sometimes, I feel like I take them for granted (although not this year).
Manager of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Chris Trew
- Paul Heyman
- Sidney Bakabella
- Sylvester LeFort
- Zeb Colter
 |
| Trew is leaning up against the turnbuckle here Photo Credit: Texas Anarchy |
Being a great manager entails more than getting on a microphone or having dudes who win titles. Trew is hands-on, even going to the point of volunteering his services in matches. Yes, The Business has heat magnet extraordinaire Angel Blue on hand, but that group is as nuclear as it is because of Trew, a performance artist at the highest level.
Group of the Year
And the nominees are:
- The Business (Angel Blue, Chris Trew, Jojo Bravo, Ricky Romida, Thomas Shire)
- Mount Rushmore (Adam Cole, Kevin Steen, Matt and Nick Jackson)
- The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins)
- The Submission Squad (Davey Vega, Evan Gelistico, Gary Jay, Pierre Abernathy, Hot Young Briley [AIW only])
- The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper)
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Duh. See their Wrestler of the Year entry.
The New to Me Award
And the nominees are:
- Andrew Everett
- Biff Busick (Frank O'Rourke)
- Enzo Amore
- Estonian Thunder Frog
- Tyler Breeze
 |
| Photo Credit: Zia Hiltey |
In many ways, the Frog was Chikara's MVP of 2013 despite appearing on a grand total of one main-brand show. If the Wrestling Is... universe was to be the main thrust of Chikara this year, no wrestler worked as tirelessly to provide a complete package like the Thunder Frog. He combined comedy, quality wrestling, dedication to his gimmick, and social media to win over so many hearts starting with mine, and he did so coming out of nowhere.
Comedian of the Year
And the nominees are:
- 3MB
- Fandango
- Los Ice Creams
- Santino Marella
- The Submission Squad
 |
| Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
They had me at National Pro Wrestling Day while applying a chinlock and shouting "¡ME GUSTA RANDY ORTON!" They appeared on more and more cards this year, and more often than not, they were in the funniest match on the card. They barely speak, which makes their efficacy couched mostly in performance art. I admire the hell out of that fact.
Feud of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Amasis vs. Ophidian
- Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn
- Biff Busick vs. Eddie Edwards
- Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton
- The Rhodes Boys vs. The Shield
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Maybe this pick shows my innate bias towards feuds that mainly play out in wrestling matches, but Zayn and Cesaro owned the middle portion of the year just because the Swiss Superman wanted some damn competition. Zayn gave it to him, and despite the fact that he came out on the overall losing end of it, three falls to two, the former El Generico was able to build an entire base of babyface goodwill through nothing but comebacks and fire segments. This feud was an archetypical feud, and it worked because both performers threw themselves entirely into it to create wrestling magic.
Announcer of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Bryce Remsburg
- Denver Colorado
- Excalibur
- Renee Young
- William Regal
 |
| Photo Credit: Devin Chen |
Am I going to switch this award between Remsburg and Excalibur every year? Well, both guys make it hard for me to deny them their props. Excalibur wins for another great year of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla commentary with a rotating booth (sometimes just by his lonesome), creating atmosphere for matches that more often than not don't have stories attached to them.
Moment of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Bully Ray Reveals He Is Aces and Eights' President
- Damien Sandow Double-Crosses Cody Rhodes and Wins the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Match
- Mark Henry Suckers John Cena into Believing He'd Retire and Attacks Him
- Mount Rushmore Forms at the end of Battle of Los Angeles, Crushing Drake Younger, Candice LeRae, Joey Ryan, and Kyle O'Reilly Under Its Foot
- Sami Zayn Executes a Leaping, Through-the-Corner Tornado DDT on Antonio Cesaro to the Floor during Their Best Two-out-of-Three Falls Match
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
In the back of my mind, I thought this would be a swerve, but Henry's performance had me bought, hook, line, and sinker. I think Cena's performance gets a bit lost in the shuffle. The sheer surprise on his face when Henry pulled him in for the World's Strongest Slam was amazing. That moment was wrestling perfection between two veterans.
Social Media Award
And the nominees are:
- Beyond Wrestling
- Chuck Taylor
- Colt Cabana
- Kevin Steen
- Steve Austin
 |
| Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
Podcasts are cool. Free matches on YouTube rock. Kitschy video shows are kinda awesome too. But when you can mold the parameters of Instagram video and define an entire genre of wrestling while still remaining entertaining and fresh, no way you lose out on this award.
Promotion of the Year
And the nominees are:
- Beyond Wrestling
- Chikara
- Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
- World Wrestling Entertainment
- WWE NXT
 |
| Photo Credit: Elliot Wish |
Beyond Wrestling stepped forward this year and staked its claim as the top super indie promotion in America. They built a base that took years to lay down, and they didn't just half-ass it either. Their approach was fresh for the indies, a foundation strong. Upon that rock, they built a church in Providence, attracting the biggest names in indie wrestling while being able to provide scions like JT Dunn and Biff Busick that could hang with those icons of the unsigned. Plus, they've raised the concession game and done more to improve the fan experience past the matches themselves than any wrestling promotion this year or maybe even in the last five. No promotion in America deserves this accolade in 2013 more than Beyond Wrestling.
