by Alfonso "Fonzo" Castillo
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

Like the jerk 12-year old kid on the block who broke the news about Santa Clause to all the neighborhood seven-year-olds, I learned sometime in my teens that the PWI awards were – brace yourselves – fixed. I was crushed.

It’s been another rough year for wrestling since the industry was monopolized by the McMahon clan. We had our share of great matches, rising stars, and witnessed the rising and perseverance of a second national wrestling promotion. But for most loyal wrestling fans, 2003 will not be remembered fondly. It was the year that the McMahon’s narcissism reached new heights, the year that saw WWE’s creativity sink to new lows, and a year in which the wrestling industry lost more big stars than it created. But along the way, there were many standout performers and performances, and they certainly deserve a pat on the back, even if it comes from this jaded fan.  
 

THE VERY BEST OF 2003

BEST WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Brock Lesnar
1st Runner-Up: Kurt Angle
2nd Runner-Up: Chris Jericho

Comments: Last year he was a rookie with an awesome look and a decent upside, who was getting pushed before he was ready because WWE needed to fill a spot. In 2003 Brock Lesnar didn’t just get better, he got awesome. Lesnar started off the year with a dramatic title chase that culminated in a classic main event at WrestleMania. In the months that followed, he carried the sluggish Big Show through one of the more entertaining feuds of the year. When Kurt angle returned from his neck surgery, Lesnar picked up where he left off, rounding out three match-of the-year contenders with Angle, including the spectacular Iron Man match. But Lesnar didn’t really begin to hit his stride until his heel turn in the summer. He re-captured the kind of maniacal intensity that made him such a phenom upon his debut. It was only in the last few weeks that Brock claimed this honor as his own, with some of the best mic work anyone on the Smackdown! Roster has given this year and yet another MOTY candidate against Chris Benoit. Lesnar had more good matches with more people than anyone in WWE this year, and he’s still only 26 and relatively new to the business. Heck, nobody’s been this good, this fast since Kurt Angle.

Angle had one of the most inspirational career years of any wrestler in history, but missed a lot of action early in the year and in recent weeks because of his neck injury. What’s most impressive is that he’s been so great despite some pretty uninspired handling of his character. When he was on his A-game, nobody was better… Jericho was consistently the MVP of the RAW brand. Despite headlining plenty of shows and always being booked near the top, Jericho is still considered my many to be the most undervalued wrestler in the company. That speaks to how talented and durable he is. He’s gone from a one-dimensional gimmick wrestler who “didn’t get the WWE style” to WWE’s most well-rounded character – great in the ring, great on the mic, great as a face or heel. He’s been the saving grace of many a typical lackluster RAWs. His Highlight Reel segments and current storyline with Trish have shown he has more range than almost anyone in the business.

BEST TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR: America’s Most Wanted
1st Runner-Up: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
2nd Runner-Up: Los Guerreros

Comments: It’s only appropriate that the best tag team of the year comes from a promotion that prides itself on honoring the heritage of the NWA banner – the name that brought you the Rock N’ Roll Express, the Midnight Express and the Fabulous Freebirds. WWE’s tag team scene has deteriorated so greatly, that on Armageddon’s tag team turmoil match, there wasn’t one over tandem in the bunch. Chris Harris and James Storm are very much a throw back to a forgotten time – when teams were more than just two singles wrestlers thrown together. But AMW did more than just buy matching trunks, they put on TNA’s best match of the year against XXX in a cage, and carried themselves like superstars every week on TV.  

The only place to watch tag team wrestling on WWE this year was on Smackdown!, which started off the year with a pretty hot tag team division. For a while, Team Angle, as they were known then, was one of the hottest acts on Smackdown! And even headlined a big Madison Square Garden house show in March. They’ve cooled considerable since adopting the lame World’s Great Tag Team moniker... Los Guerreros were also part of the hot tag scene on Smackdown! during the winter and spring. But Eddie has since grown as a performer and deserves better than to be one part of a tag team in a dying tag team division.

BEST FEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Trish Stratus
1st Runner-Up: Torrie Wilson
2nd Runner-Up: Victoria

Comments: Or Trish Hogan, as I like to call her. Certainly no other woman – and few other men – have been able to portray the sympathetic babyface role like Trish has. She is, for the lack of a better word, adorable. Since Wendy Richter called it quits, WWE has been trying to find the perfect combination of sex appeal and wrestling ability. They nailed it with Trish, who in one second can make you drool by taking part in a bra and panties match, and the next second steal a show with her workrate in the ring. And her Matrix spot is about the coolest and most innovative move in the WWE  

The two runners-up are there for very different reason. In a year when WWE saw its public profile fall fast, Wilson’s Playboy spread was big news. Wilson was a team player all year, bringing her T&A to house shows all over the country and even kissing another woman for ratings’ sake. Way to take one for the team... Victoria is a lot like Trish – a good worker who provides plenty of eye candy. What’s more, Victoria was able to do something that few other woman have in WWE – portray a character, and do it well. Her psycho chick gimmick was a lot of fun early in the year.

BEST FEUD OF THE YEAR: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle
1st Runner-Up: Brock Lesnar Vs. Big Show
2nd Runner-Up: Hulk Hogan Vs. Vince McMahon

Comments: Not since Steamboat Vs. Flair have you had two wrestlers put on three match of the year- level matches in the span of a few months. This pairing was dreamt about by wrestling purists since the day it was rumored WWE was courting an NCAA wrestling, while it had an Olympic gold medallist already on the roster. And boy did they deliver, not just in the ring, but with compelling storylines and moments of true drama, both scripted and unscripted. From Angle pulling out of Mania, to Angle putting himself back in, to the infamous Smackdown! switcheroo with Eric Angle, to the botched shooting star press, to the post-match hug, to their brief alliance and its fallout, this feud had it all. Most importantly, all the hype paid off with a series of classic matches. Angle vs. Lesnar was everything WWE should be doing more of.  

Who woulda thunk the Big Show would end up as a runner on the upper half of the awards ballot? For decades Vince McMahon has been a mark for the “Battle of the Giants” gimmick. Here, it finally worked. The high impact, super heavyweight feud produced some memorable visuals and awesome feats of strength… Few feuds had more historic significance than Hulk Vs. Vince. Yes, it got way too much TV time, but the promos and angles building up for their WrestleMania battle, as well as the Mr. America stuff, were lost of fun in moderation.

BEST MATCH OF THE YEAR: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania XX)
1st Runner-Up: Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania XX)
2nd Runner-Up: Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble)

Comments: I’ve always felt that the match of the year is about more than just work rate. That’s why I’d never pick a 45-minute wrestling clinic from a boutique indy promotion, no matter how good it is. The match of the year should be a match of historical significance, with a great build up, on a big stage, in front of a passionate crowd, with two fantastic athletes, and, of course, with a fantastic work rate, and a satisfying finish. 2003 actually produced several matches that met that criteria, but none more so than the Michaels and Jericho’s first meeting. I was there in the crowd and was just blown away. Even before the bell rang, this match had all the fixings of a classic – the student versus the teacher; Shawn’s return to WrestleMania after five years; Jericho’s redemption after his lackluster main event performance at WrestleMania a year ago; two workers with such similar styles. WWE gave the match plenty of time to play out, and while some questioned the logic of putting Michaels over, the truth is both men came out with a higher stock than when they entered. Plus, Shawn’s victory led to the memorable post-match exchange. WrestleMania was loaded with terrific matches, but this one stole the show – and the whole year.  

For the same reasons Michael vs. Jericho won, Lesnar Vs. Angle are a close second. The hype for this match was better than anything WWE had produced in years, or has since. WrestleMania main events always have an edge in the MOTY category, because no other match can reach it in sheer scope, but these two reached the especially high expectations. The only reason it doesn’t take top honors is because both men were slowed down a notch with injuries and because of, arguably, the most memorable blown spot in wrestling history… It is absolutely perplexing how Chris Benoit did not become a main event player in WWE after his match with Angle at the Rumble. The crowd was just eating out of the palm of his hand. I attended a Smackdown house show the next night, and the fans were still going crazy for him. This was two world class athletes at their very best.

MOST FAVORITE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Ric Flair
1st Runner-Up: Kurt Angle
2nd Runner-Up: Chris Jericho

Comments: I met Flair twice this year, and was more overwhelmed than I have ever been meeting any celebrity. He just carries an air of royalty that I can only imagine would be like meeting the late Mickey Mantle or Muhammad Ali. Even pushing 60 and mishandled by WWE writers, the Old Nature Boy still showed up from time to time this year, and when he is on, nobody is more entertaining. Hopefully WWE will give his do more now since his huge DVD sales, which surprised nobody but maybe Vince McMahon. One note about the DVD: One of the highlights is his first MSG match in 1976.What I found remarkable is that 27 years later, he is doing the same exact schtick, and is still getting bigger reactions from fans than almost anyone else on the roster. Whoo!  

Like Flair, when you watched Kurt Angle this year, you really got the sense you were witnessing something special. I am still amazed how a relative newcomer to the business, who was not a fan growing up, could get such a grasp on every aspect of the industry so quickly that, not only is he considered great, but he in considered by many on pace to being the greatest… Jericho was the only reason to watch RAW much of the year. I remember watching a match of his this year where he went for the Lion Salt and the rope broke, ruining the finishing sequence. Without hesitation, he climbed to the top rope and hit a rare moonsault, and got the pin. I just though “what a pro.” An absolute pleasure to watch.
  

THE OTHER BEST OF 2003

BEST TECHNICAL WRESTLER: Chris Benoit
1st Runner-Up: Kurt Angle
2nd Runner-Up: Shawn Michaels

Comments: There are plenty of wrestlers in WWE talented enough to carry mediocre wrestlers to good matches, but none more than Chris Benoit. And against a good wrestler, prepare for your jaw to drop. Not since Rick Steamboat has a wrestler been able to portray a sense of drama and believability in his matches like Benoit. Somebody inform Vince of this.  

Angle, too, was able to carry mediocre wrestlers to strong matches this year, and have MOTY-level matches against capable opponents. What’s more, his amateur background has bred a unique wrestling style, unlike anyone else’s... Shawn Michaels proved you can go home again. In 2003, he proved he has barely lost a step from his days as the nation’s best worker in the mid-1990s. Heck, when Batista has the best match of a PPV, you know he was in the ring with someone special.

BEST HIGH FLYER: AJ Styles
1st Runner-Up: Rey Mysterio
2nd Runner-Up: Michael Shane

Comments: Styles was able to do what few others could – translate a high-spot, cruiserweight style into main events, with bigger, and more grounded wrestlers. Watching him, you didn’t get the sense he was just showing off, but rather that he was using his awesome arsenal to help tell a story in the ring.  

I, for one, will never believe WWE again when they talk about really getting behind the cruiserweight division. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 268 times… Mysterio began the year as over as any cruiser had ever been in the company, and even with a host of strong opponents to choose from (Tajiri, Ultimo Dragon, Nunzio, Kidman), WWE still dropped the ball and Mysterio became a Velocity staple. NWA also did some ball dropping this year… In 2002, the X-Division seemed like the next big thing in wrestling: a cruiserweight title that was given all the importance of a heavyweight title. But, sure enough, the X division collapsed this year. Still, Shane is a throwback to better times.

BEST BRAWLER/POWER WRESTLER: Brock Lesnar
1st Runner-Up: The Undertaker
2nd Runner-Up: The Big Show

Comments: Even though he’s quite the capable technician, there’s just something really fun about watching a 300-lb, crew-cut sporting monster named “Brock” pound the holy hell out of someone. It’s like Rocky IV’s Ivan Drago come to life. In fact, I think they should change his last name to Lesnarov and have him wear a red robe with a hammer and sickle on it. Thirteen years later, ‘Taker still knows how to make punching the crap out of his opponent look cool… In 2003, WWE finally remembered that Big Show is really, really, really big, and let him show this fact to the world.

BEST INTERVIEWS: Chris Jericho
1st Runner-Up: The Rock
2nd Runner-Up: Ric Flair

Comments: Jericho proved in ’03 that he was more than just a comedy act. His interviews to build up his WrestleMania match against Shawn Michaels, as well as the love-story angle with Trish, showed he can do drama as well as comedy. And he’s damn funny too. After triggering many a fan’s gag reflex with his stale babyface catch phrases in ’02, the Rock let loose on the mic early this year and nailed the perfect combination of smarmy and funny… WWE came to its senses and let Flair be Flair on the mic a few times this year, and the results were, as you’d expect, magical.

BEST HEEL: Brock Lesnar
1st Runner-Up: Kane
2nd Runner-Up: Vince McMahon

Comments: Not since George Clooney donned Batman’s cowl was anyone more miscast than Brock Lesnar as WWE’s top babyface early this year. When WWE writers finally came to their senses and turned Brock back, some were skeptical as to whether he could recapture the monster heel intensity he had when he first arrived. Well, he didn’t. He exceeded it. He pummeled a one-legged cancer survivor in front of his mother, then tossed him down a flight of stairs in his wheelchair. What more do you need to hear?  

I was one of those people calling for Kane to take off his mask for years. As I suspected, attaching a human face to the Kane character has given it a depth it never had before. He is the definition of a monster heel. What’s especially telling about Kane’s prowess in the villain arts is that he has managed to keep his credibility even after having a chubby wannabe in tennis shoes embarrass him for weeks on end… I’ve been as vocal as anyone about the dangers of overexposing the McMahon family on TV. But unlike his wife and two kids, Vince McMahon certainly adds something to the product. He is truly a sunuvabitch, and I mean that nicely. If the hairs on your back didn’t stand on end when a bloody Vince peaked those evil eyes over the ring apron during his WrestleMania match against Hogan, then you don’t understand what a great heel is.

BEST BABYFACE: Shawn Michaels
1st Runner-Up: The Undertaker
2nd Runner-Up: Kurt Angle

Comments: Not to take anything away form Shawn, but this award just shows how incredibly shallow WWE is in the babyface department. With HHH running the show on RAW, there has been no room for a top level babyface – outside his best friend. That said, the “reborn” Heartbreak Kid was able to connect with fans better than anyone this year. His was one of the few old school babyface characters who legitimately went to the ring each night to destroy the forces of evil. It didn’t hurt that he associated himself with history’s biggest babyface – the Big JC.  

A lot of people are holding out hope that Taker resurrects the Dead Man gimmick at WrestleMania. But I have to wonder: Why bother? Taker got as big reactions as he ever has this year – the first time in a while he has remained a good guy for 12 straight months. What’s more, he turned up his game in the ring, putting forth an effort many have never seen by Taker... After his inspirational performance at WrestleMania, it was only natural to cast Angle as a babyface, but he never really took off the way most had hoped. It didn’t help that he was still playing a goofball, and still inviting “You Suck!” chants from the crowd. He performed admirably in the role, but will never become WWE’s anchor babyface until WWE drops the comedy.

BEST CHARACTER/GIMMICK: Brock Lesnar
1st Runner-Up: John Cena
2nd Runner-Up: Kane

Comments: The “crazy monster” gimmick is certainly not new to the wrestling world, but Brock made it his own this year. His unrelenting violent streak was played to perfection, with plenty of help from an undersized supporting cast that included Zach Gowen, Spanky, Rey Mysterio and Shannon Moore. Usually, I’m against mismatching huge wrestlers with tiny ones. But in this case, it wasn’t done to make Brock look good, it was to make him look sadistic. Job well done.  

Since hip-hop took off in the 80s, wrestling promoters have tried to cash in, with the results usually exposing how out of touch they are. In John Cena, WWE has stumbled upon someone who plays the part with legitimacy. Cena would tell you that’s because it’s no gimmick… When Kane first arrived in WWE five years ago, the monster gimmick was well written and portrayed by Glen Jacobs. But by last year, he had become the fun loving babyface sidekick of the cartoonish Hurricane (is there a worst gimmick award?) Somehow, some way, WWE was able to recapture Kane’s dark and beastly persona this year. And it didn’t even take an act of necrophelia.

MOST IMPROVED WRESTLER: Big Show
1st Runner-Up: Brock Lesnar
2nd Runner-Up: John Cena

Comments: This is certainly not to say that Big Show is a good wrestler now. In fact, he’d probably still rank as well below average. But when you think about where he was at the beginning of 2002, you can appreciate how much he improved in 2003. He held the WWE title and main evented several PPVs. What’s more, his matches were often good. I’m sure it helped that he was paired with guys like Lesnar, Cena and Benoit, but you gotta give the big guy some credit.  As I stated before, Lesnar went from a promising prospect to a future WWE legend… Cena was playing the dreadful “blue chipper” role in 2002, before coming into his own as the doctor of thuganomics this year. He still needs to improve in the ring, but he is the biggest homegrown WWE success story in a while.

MOST UNDERRATED WRESTLER: Chris Benoit
1st Runner-Up: Chris Jericho
2nd Runner-Up: Booker T

Comments: How long must we sing this song? I was at a house show in Poughkeepsee, NY the night after his classic match against Kurt Angle at the Royal Rumble. The place was buzzing about his performance the previous night, and when he came out for a match against A-Train, the tiny crowd gave him another standing ovation. A year later, the only remnant of those times is that he is still wrestling A-Train. Sure, WWE seems ready to give Benoit another main event run, but I’ve learned my lesson. Benoit will remain on this list ‘til the day he retires.

Like Benoit, Jericho seems on the verge of his latest top-tier push, but that won’t erase his lackluster 2003. While Triple H headlined pay per views with slugs like Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash and Goldberg, RAW’s best worker hosted an in-ring talk show and tag teamed with Christian. Where is the justice?… Same goes for Booker T, who is not as skilled as Jericho, but arguably is more marketable and can match anyone in the charisma department. We got our hopes up with his “co-main event” at WrestleMania, but that was short-lived to say the least.

BEST SECOND: Ric Flair
1st Runner-Up: Teddy Long
2nd Runner-Up: Nidia

Comments: He’s widely considered wrestling’s all time greatest performer, so it should surprise nobody that he would shine as the smarmy ringside advisor to Triple H and the rest of the Evolution bunch. Pushing 60 and winding down his in-ring career, this is probably the future of the Nature Boy. It’s certainly better than no Nature Boy at all. Long gave some of the best promos of the year on RAW. Sadly, he gave them while standing next to some pretty bland wrestlers like Rodney Mack and Mark Henry. I’d love to see WWE’s favorite playa paired up with someone like Booker T, who could actually have some impact… In an era where “valets” are used mostly as eye candy, Nidia was the only female second who really contributed anything to her protégé’s matches. I’m curious where her character will go, now that Rey Mysterio has brought out the Latina in her.

BEST TELEVISION PERSONALITY: Steve Austin
1st Runner-Up: Jim Ross
2nd Runner-Up: Eric Bischoff

Comments: He had a rocky return early in the year, but once Steve Austin came to grips with his retirement and settled into his character of co-GM, it seemed like the Old Stone Cold much of the time. WWE was right to give him plenty of TV time, even after he couldn’t wrestle. The fans just adore him, and I expect that will be the case – and then some – when he inevitably returns. A lot of people have said JR just isn’t what he used to be. But taking into consideration the uninspired pile of crap RAW was most of the year, Ross deserves credit for being as inspired as he was... Who would have thought Bischoff could be so entertaining? What’s ironic is that in playing an arrogant, power-hungry tyrant, Bischoff has actually received credit for being a humble team player, compared to his WCW days.

"HOLY SHIT" MOMENT OF THE YEAR: Brock Misses the Shooting Star Press
1st Runner-Up: The Ring Collapses during Big Show vs. Brock
2nd Runner-Up: Brock Beats the Living Sh*t out of Zach Gowen in Front of his Mom.

Comments: It was technically a blown spot, but it was still the most incredible thing I saw all year. I was on the floor of Safeco Field, just a few rows away when it happened, and I remember the collective gasps – both when Brock attempted the move, and when he landed. On one hand,  it ruined what could have been a memorable WrestleMania moment. On the other hand, it only made it more memorable. Do I detect a pattern here? There’s something about Brock’s size, build, and aura that just make the guy awesome to watch. So when he does something especially nuts, it looks even more breathtaking because of the guy who’s doing it.

FUNNIEST MOMENT OF THE YEAR: The Rock’s Promos
1st Runner-Up: The Coach “physically provokes” Stone Cold
2nd Runner-Up: Kurt Angle’s promos

Comments: I’m not a big fan of this award because it serves only to reinforce one of the worst trends in modern pro wrestling. On RAW especially, the writers seemed more intent on eliciting giggles than getting wrestlers over, telling good stories and having good matches. That said, Rock was able to hit upon the right kind of comedy that took nothing away from his character and was a welcome relief in the show. His Rock Concerts were a lot of fun, as was his response to the first “Goldberg!” chants aimed at him. “Don’t think you’re cool just because you know the Rock’s accountant, Ira Goldberg.” Classic. The stipulation that Austin could only attack someone when he was physically provoked made for a few funny moments this year, but Coach’s stumbling on Austin at Summerslam, and the subsequent beating, was the most memorable… Yes, WWE should be waning Angle off the comedy stuff, but I can imagine it could be pretty hard when the guy plays such a terrific jackass.

BEST WRESTLING SHOW: Smackdown!
1st Runner-Up: WWE Confidential
2nd Runner-Up: NWA-TNA

Comments: Although it suffered form losing Paul Heyman as its head writer, Smackdown! was still the show to watch if you were a wrestling fan this year. With talents like Angle, Benoit, Lesnar, Guerrero and the entire cruiserweight roster on the brand, it’s hard to go wrong. Yes, it was also the brand with Vince and Stephanie McMahon, but luckily there was enough good to offset their masturbatory penchants for TV time.  

That’s right, I left RAW off the list this year, and for good reason. Sure, RAW is still the must-watch show if you are a wrestling fan, and it had some pretty great performances over the year. But there is no way RAW should be rewarded for what was nothing less than a miserable year of television – loaded with absurd and offensive plotlines, abhorrent comedy, paper-thin characters and, of course, the mighty Triple H. I’d much rather give props to WWE’s spin machine, Confidential, which was often loaded with lies, but was at least original (that is, when it wasn’t a rerun.) I really enjoy seeing the WWE superstars out of the ring, the classic matches and the packages on WWE legends of the past – some of which have showcased the WWE production team’s best work this year… NWA-TNA was consistently inconsistent, but at least it was something different. If nothing else, Jeff Jarrett and his gang deserve credit for offering a solid weekly alternative to WWE, with some good talent and exciting matches.

BEST MAJOR EVENT: WrestleMania XIX
1st Runner-Up: The Royal Rumble
2nd Runner-Up: SummerSlam

Comments: Did I mention I was there? In one of WWE’s worst years – both business-wise and quality-wise – in recent history, WrestleMania showcased everything that is right with WWE. It was all that WWE could be and should be. With three legit match of the year candidates, the spectacle of Hogan Vs. McMahon, and a solid undercard with several matches three-stars and above, this WrestleMania was widely considered one of the best in history. What’s more, the backdrop of Safeco Field was just picture-perfect. At least there’s one place that WWE is consistent. SummerSlam and the Rumble are widely considered the number 2 and 3 big shows of the year, and WWE delivered with both. January’s Rumble featured the fantastic Angle Vs. Benoit match, and the always-fun battle royal, while SummerSlam gave us Angle and Lesnar’s first rematch since WrestleMania, and the amusing Elimination Chamber gimmick match.  

BREAK-OUT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: A.J. Styles
1st Runner-Up: Brock Lesnar
2nd Runner-Up: John Cena

Comments: AJ Styles is the model of what NWA-TNA should be – young, exciting, and most importantly, original. The startup fed spends way too much time, money and resources trying to sign WWE and WCW has-beens to appear at their next show, when all the while they should be pumping our more like Styles. You have to think he’ll be in WWE this time next year. And you know what that means – yet another reason to tune into Velocity! Lesnar would have been my choice for the same award last year, when he took WWE by storm and won the world title within months of his arrival. This year, he climbed even higher on the ladder – going from the guy who could be carried to strong matches to the guy carrying others… Cena was the only new act that really caught on with fans this year. As was the case with Steve Austin back in 1996, you sense it’s not the writers pushing Cena, it’s the fans.

BREAK-OUT PERFORMER OF NEXT YEAR: John Cena
1st Runner-Up: Randy Orton
2nd Runner-Up: Edge

Comments: As much as Cena progressed in ’03, he still ended the year on the mid-card, albeit at the very top of the midcard. I expect that will change in ’04, as WWE continues to get behind its latest fan phenomenon, who has more mainstream appeal than anyone since the Rock. Who knows? Cena may even trade in his padlock chain for some WWE Championship gold.  

Orton had a strong ’03, but not the career-making year many had expected for him. With strong performances late in the year with Shawn Michaels, and more recently in Armageddon with Van Dam, and his star-making angle with Mick Foley, Orton may have more momentum than any other WWE superstar right now. With a possible babyface turn and program against Triple H in ’04, he should move to the next level... Edge was right on the brink of superstardom when he sidelined with a neck injury a year ago. If he returns healthy in early ’04, he should pick up where he left off and hopefully, finally break into the world title picture.

BEST "REAL WORLD" NEWS OF THE YEAR: WWE Business Improves
1st Runner-Up: Steve Austin returns to WWE
2nd Runner-Up: NWA-TNA Stays Afloat

Comments: It was certainly nothing to right home about, but at the very least, WWE will close out 2003 with a slight upsurge in business. TV ratings are slightly better than they were earlier this year; WWE’s stock is higher than it has been in more than a year, and WWE closed the year with a profit and a wrestling card in Iraq in front of US troops that will hopefully buy WWE some much-needed good publicity. It’s not much, but it’s certainly a better place than WWE was this time last year, when WWE programming was as awful as ever and the company was hemorrhaging dollars. And with both television shows improving moderately and WrestleMania XX surely being big business, there is reason to be optimistic about ’04.  

He may not be able to contribute as an active wrestler, but it was still tremendously important for WWE to mend fences with, arguably, the biggest superstar it ever produced. As bad as TV ratings were this year, you have to wonder how much worse they would have been without Austin as RAW’s on-air anchor… TNA is not blowing anybody away with the quality of its programming or with the size of its audience, but it is still WWE’s only competition, and has the best chance of any promotion to return the wrestling landscape to being “The Big Two.” Surviving all of 2003 was a step in the right direction.

THE bOOby PRIZES

WORST WRESTLER(S) OF THE YEAR: Kevin Nash
1st Runner-Up: Nathan Jones
2nd Runner-Up: Scott Steiner

Comments: Sure, you can argue that Nash wasn’t around enough in 2003 to warrant this award, but that’s sort of the point. He’s been on the DL for the better part of the last two years, and is making enough money to pay for a dozen wrestlers with more talent and a stronger work ethic. When he was around, he was worse than ever. He was so awful in his one major program this year with Triple H, that even Vince McMahon caught on. Building up to a PPV main event, he was hardly given any television time. That’s pretty pathetic. Now he’s going around saying that he wants an even bigger contract when it’s up for renewal next year. Hopefully, Vince will find that as humorous as I do.  

Vince McMahon this year was like the little kid playing with the hot pot of water on the stove. Everybody was saying “Don’t touch that. Don’t touch that.” But sure enough, he did, and he got repeatedly burned. That was the case with several oversized muscleheads who were pushed this year, despite having zero talent, just because they had “the look.” Of those, Jones and Steiner were the biggest flops. Like with Nash, WWE pretty much gave up on Steiner by the time he co-headlined No Way Out in February. The guy can barely move, much less take a bump. Jones is even worse, because he doesn’t have a broken down body to blame for ineptness. He’s another one that WWE gave up on – pulling him from his WrestleMania tag team match just minutes before the event began.

WORST NON-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Stephanie McMahon
1st Runner-Up: Linda McMahon
2nd Runner-Up: Vince Russo

Comments: From her painfully long TV segments to her desperate attempts to get herself over as a sexy Diva, nobody made WWE more difficult to watch than Stephanie McMahon this year. As the evil scorned wife of Triple H, she tested our patience last year. This year, she downright broke us down and, at times, robbed us of our will to live. Her self-promoting ways were the essence of everything that was wrong with WWE this year.  

Linda McMahon is so boring, it made me long to see her daughter. At least Stephanie dresses like a prostitute sometimes and can speak in more than one octave. The second the cheesy WresteMania theme stars to play, you know you’re in for some bad TV… Vince Russo is as big a mark as he was in his WCW days. As is too often the case with wrestling writers, he’d sooner get himself over than any of the wrestlers he represents.

WORST FEUD OF THE YEAR: Stephanie McMahon vs. Vince McMahon
1st Runner-Up: Kane vs. Shane McMahon
2nd Runner-Up: Triple H vs. Kevin Nash

Comments: The only thing worse that having on McMahon involved in a wrestling feud is to have two McMahons feuding against each other. Giving this match top billing on a pay per view that included Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle was as bad as anything WWE did all year.   

You successfully get Kane over as the most unstoppable monster in wrestling today and what do you do with him? You have him sell for the boss’ kid. Kane Vs. Shane exemplified the offensively lame TV writing that plagued RAW all year. Watching Kane attach jumper cables to Shane-O’s nuts was just surreal… And like the other two feuds mentioned here, Triple H Vs. Kevin Nash was just another case of management (in this case Triple H) booking wrestling for their own jollies rather than for the fans. Who in their right mind would put Kevin Nash in a world championship feud in 2003? His drinking buddy, that’s who.

MOST OVERRATED WRESTLER: Triple H
1st Runner-Up: Jeff Jarrett
2nd Runner-Up: Scott Steiner

Comments: Is there really any other choice? What’s strange is that this isn’t a case of an untalented wrestler being pushed at the top of the cards when he doesn’t belong there. Triple H absolutely deserves a spot as a main event performer, and even as a perennial world championship contender. But his absolute dominance over the RAW brand was so far reaching that it eclipsed everyone else. There are top tier wrestler and then there is Triple H, Lord of the Brand. Even in the few months that Goldberg held the title, Triple H was still treated as the main attraction. What’s sad is that this is probably the worst way Triple H could handle his career. With no one even close to being in his league, he’s had no strong challengers and the worst year of his main event run from a match-quality standpoint.  

On a much smaller scale, Jarrett is falling into the same traps at Triple H. It’s his company, so he justifies keeping himself the top star. While it’s true that nobody in NWA TNA has the main event experience that Jarrett does, he should be cognizant of how bad it looks for him to book himself the way he does, and work harder to create new stars like AJ Styles… Steiner’s push at the top of the cards may have been short lived, but it did last through two world heavyweight title matches on two consecutive pay per views. Even after being knocked down a peg, he still got plenty of TV time with his feud against Test.

"GODDAMMIT" MOMENT OF THE YEAR: RAW X Anniversary Special
1st Runner-Up: Shane Vs. Kane
2nd Runner-Up: S.H.I.T.

Comments: In my 20 years plus of watching wrestling, I have never been so infuriated than the night I walked out of The World after attending the RAW’s tenth anniversary special. It was hyped for months on TV and at the Times Square restaurant. Who would be there from the last decade? What classic clips of RAW’s early days would they show? What we got was a lame awards show with no effort put into bringing back names from the past or remembering the first five year’s of RAW’s history. In person, it was even worse, as workers from the World spread rumors of WWE superstars from the past being in attendance. I was so insulted as a loyal WWE fan that I actually fired off a letter to WWE. This was WWE’s one big opportunity to pay homage to its rich history, and it completely phoned it in. So for those waiting for Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage at WrestleMania XX, don’t hold your breath.  

RAW was awful in 2003, and here are a couple of reasons why. The Kane Vs. Shane feud just the kind of thing that makes non-wrestling fans roll their eyes at us for watching this crap. It stretched the boundaries of believability as never before, with both men seemingly committing acts of homicide each week. It also included the most homo-erotic wrestling segment this side of Chuck and Billy… The transformation of the massive and intimidating Rosey to Hurricane’s Super Hero In Training made for the worst comedy bits in a year chock full of awful comedy bits.

WORST "REAL WORLD" NEWS OF THE YEAR: The McMahons
1st Runner-Up: The World Closes Down
2nd Runner-Up: NWA TNA Booking Decisions

Comments: 2003 was the year that wrestling’s first family completely lost control and perspective of industry they are in. From the main event pushes of Vince and Shane as wrestlers, to Vince’s embarrassing appearance on HBO, the absurd amount of TV time given to Stephanie, to TV ads promoting “special appearances” by the McMahons, but not mentioning one match – the McMahon clan probably did more damage to wrestling this year than any other outside factors. Let’s not forget that the McMahons are also behind the antics of Triple H, now also a member of the family.  

I know it wasn’t a huge story, but as a New Yorker who often stopped by WWE’s Time Square complex, its closure probably bummed me out more than any other news. What’s really sad is that it didn’t have to be that way. A place for wrestling fans to gather and watch wrestling on huge screens while meeting their favorite superstars and loading up on merchandise could have and should have been a huge success. But the place was so terribly mismanaged that it was destined to flop eventually… While it NWA TNA survived in ’03, it certainly didn’t thrive. WWE can get away with putting on lousy shows for months at a time because they have the money and the market penetration to survive rough spots. It was crucial that NWA TNA try to do everything right. Instead, they brought in a bunch of WWE and WCW has-beens and handed creative control to irresponsible and out-of-touch bookers. Coming off their one cent “Best of” show, it was vital that TNA hit a home run the next week, in front of its largest paid audience to date. Instead it was the Vince Russo Show. If TNA doesn’t straighten up and stop making bonehead moves, the promotion could take the top spot in this award next year for closing down.

Title Wave 2003

Now here is the part where I am invited to include my own personal awards for the year. As the man behind the Title Wave and a big proponent of the importance of championships, I decided to make a list of the best champions of 2003.

Smackdown!

Best WWE Champion: Brock Lesnar
Brock had two impressive championship runs in 2003. His first, beginning at WrestleMania, saw him have impressive defenses against John Cena, Big Show and other WWE heels. His second, and current, reign this year has been even more extraordinary. As a killer heel, he took down Chris Benoit, the Undertaker, Rey Mysterio and a host of other WWE good guys.

Best U.S. Champion: Eddie Guerrero
This title was resurrected mid-year and has only been worn by two wrestlers –Guerrero and the Big Show. As one of WWE’s best workers, who seemed at one point on the brink of breaking into main events, Guerrero was the ideal choice for champion. He had some great matches and a fun program with John Cena during his reign, before dropping the title and returning to the tag team ranks. ‘Twas good while it lasted.

Best WWE Tag Team Champions: Team Angle
Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin had a great first half of 2003, get main event rub from their leader Kurt Angle and defending the titles against Los Guerreros and Chris Benoit & Rhyno at WrestleMania.

Best Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio
When Rey defeated Matt hardy for the title in the main event of a Smackdown!, fans started to believe WWE was finally getting behind the cruiserweight division. How foolish we were. Still, Mysterio was the perfect standard bearer for the division – ultra talented and ultra popular and able to have show stealing matches night in and night out.

RAW

Best World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H
It’s not like I have a ton of options here. As dreadfully overpushed as Triple H was all year, he could still pull out a strong performance in the ring and certainly carried himself with championship-caliber star power on TV. At least he is an actual wrestler, unlike that other guy who wore the title this year.

Best Intercontinental Champion: Christian
Christian seemed like the ideal wrestler to wear WWE’s longtime secondary title when it was resurrected earlier this year. Talented, but smarmy, Christian’s cheating ways were reminiscent of one of the greatest men ever to hold the title – the Honky Tonk Man.

Best Wold Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boys
Again, this is more a case of lack of options than anything else. The Dudleys’ act was stale two years ago, and is downright moldy today. Still, they could get a crowd excited and at least seemed like a united front, unlike the other mismatched tandems on the RAW brand.

Best Women’s Champion: Victoria
Strangely, it was the women’s title that was the most competitive of any of the championships on the RAW roster this year. Trish Stratus, Molly Holly and even Gail Kim all put forth goof efforts in ’03, but nobody had an impact on the women’s division like Victoria early in the year. Her feud with Trish Stratus produced some of the best women’s matches in WWE history and her portrayal of a headcase was a fun break from the rest of the mostly interchangeable Diva personalities.

NWA-TNA 

Best NWA Champion: AJ Styles
He’s the best thing to happen to NWA TNA and was great in the top spot in the company for several months. His main event title defenses were almost always good matches and his high flying capabilities brought a new dimension to the “heavyweight” ranks.

Best X-Division: Michael Shane
The X-Division saw a big drop in quality from 2002, but Michael Shane was able to push the bar with innovative offense in the ring and solid promos behind the mic. It must be something in that Hickenbottom blood.

Best NWA Tag Team Champions: America’s Most Wanted
NWA’s top tag team was also wrestling’s top tag team in 2002. Chris Harris and James Storm reminded us how fun wrestling can be with four men involved in a match instead of just two. Their teamwork was some of the best wrestling has seen in a while.

See you in ’04!
 

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Alfonso Castillo, 24, is has been a wrestling fan since he was six-years old.
He has been writing the "Fonzo's Title Wave" column since 1999. The host of
the Showdown radio audio program on www.Showdown.net currently lives in
Queens, NY and works as a reporter for a New York metropolitan area newspaper.

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