Kenny Omega Crowned Wrestling Observer's 2021 Wrestler Of The Year

Kenny Omega has been named the Wrestling Observer's wrestler of the year for 2021, outdoing runner-up Roman Reigns to take the outlet's Lous Thesz/Ric Flair award.

More than a pure workrate award, the Thesz/Flair encompasses the wrestler's importance to the business, in-ring success, and more. Holding the AEW, AAA, and IMPACT Wrestling World Championships and helping spark good business in those promotions, while constantly delivering between the ropes, made Omega the favourite for this one.

With Reigns second, Shingo Takagi (3rd), Bryan Danielson (4th), and Utami Hayashishita (5th) rounded out the top five.

Takagi scored the Most Outstanding Wrestling award, which is based solely on quality of work. Danielson (2nd) and Omega (3rd) were also in the top three. Reigns did not feature in the top 10.

The vast majority of the Wrestling Observer awards are voted on by the publication's subscribers, rather than arbitrarily judged by Dave Meltzer. To win the Thesz/Flair award, Omega earned 629 first-place votes to Reigns' 90. It wasn't even close.

Other notable Wrestling Observer award winners for 2021 are as follow:-

Tag Team Of The Year: The Young Bucks

Best On Interviews: MJF

Promotion Of The Year: AEW

Best Weekly TV Show: AEW Dynamite

Match Of The Year: The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Brothers (AEW All Out)

Women's Wrestling MVP: Utami Hayashishita

Best (Pro Wrestling) Box Office Draw: CM Punk (note: this is not a voted-for award, based, as it is, on objective data)

Feud Of The Year: Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page

Most Improved: Tay Conti

Most Overrated: EVIL

Most Underrated: Ricochet

Rookie Of The Year: Jade Cargill

Best Major Wrestling Show: AEW All Out 2021

Worst Major Wrestling Show: WWE Survivor Series 2021

Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic: WWE firing wrestlers during a pandemic while setting record profits

Worst TV Show: WWE Raw

Worst Promotion Of The Year: WWE

Best Booker: Tony Khan

Best Promoter: Tony Khan