Every Wrestling Rookie Of The Year: Where Are They Now?

21. 2002: Bob Sapp

Essa Rios Lita
NJPW

Bob Sapp's name is everywhere in the 2002 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards issue.

He won Rookie of the Year and (quite rightly) Best Box Office draw, as the newsletter conflated wrestling and MMA during award season (years later, faced with weekly horrendous scripted WWE promos, Conor McGregor did the Best on Interviews threepeat between 2015 and 2017).

The gregarious, hyper-charismatic Sapp was a cultural icon in the east, a fittingly massive one: an impulsive monster of a fighter who just thrashed opponents in lieu of any real skill, literally racing against his poor stamina by rampaging to the ring, he is best remembered for delivering a powerbomb to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

In a shoot fight.

He's not up to much these days, having destroyed his credibility and even drawn accusations of throwing fights for easy money - but he lived several hundred lifetimes before fading from the public eye.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!