10 Alternative Wrestling Awards For 2023
Wrestler Of The Year? Match Of The Year? These achievements extend yet farther...
WhatCulture Wrestling has throughout the last however many weeks already awarded the more traditional prizes - and to those who have read them already, thank you for that, and indeed your support throughout 2023.
(For a run-down of the Best Wresters Of 2023, click here. For the Best Wrestlers of the Year, click here.)
Some achievements however don't fall within the scope of traditional year-end content. Sometimes, an action or pattern of behaviour is so ill-advised that the person must be recognised in their field, even if that field is very, very dumb. Sometimes, the biggest achievement is in not doing anything. Think about it: between WWE and AEW alone, not counting LVL UP, ROH or Main Event, the former puts out seven hours of weekly television, the latter five. How is it possible to get away with barely appearing on television at all?
You are all glued to your smartphones at all times. You are either reading this on a smartphone or are taking a break from social media to read this on your work computer. You need to log off.
Which wrestler simply can't being themselves to do that?
10. The 'Well, That Sounds Like A F*cking You Problem' Award
Look, episodic pro wrestling television is flawed, and the sooner you learn this, the better off everybody will be. Don't go losing your dignity when somebody says it's bad. It's bad and or a bit dumb even when it's good.
Logic gaps appear everywhere. For example, there is no set policy on when a babyface needs to be saved. They need to have friends, but then, the heels also need to get heat. A promoter will intervene when they don't want to allow fans too long a glimpse of an upcoming main event, but some midcard babyface is about to get his head staved in?
Go wild. It's only Matt Sydal, who cares?
Poor Nick Wayne's mom, on the November 22 Dynamite, was almost blasted in the temple with a Con-chair-to courtesy of her son's new father, Christian Cage. A civilian was in the middle of the ring, mere moments away from, potentially, a life-threatening head injury, and it took Adam Copeland ages to make the save. AEW's security team didn't care. The referee corps didn't care. Copeland only cared until his music struck.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I can only go to that place when I hear Metalingus!'"
Tony Khan was sat in gorilla for all this, and he presumably didn't care either.
"Nick Wayne's mom's brain matter splattering over the canvas will be great for us".