It was a banner 12 months for WWE creatively and that’s actually mirrored in The Submit’s professional wrestling awards for 2024.
WWE gave us among the finest WrestleMania’s ever, handed the torch from Roman Reigns to Cody Rhodes and noticed performers similar to Liv Morgan, Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest take issues to a complete new stage as the corporate signed a historic media rights take care of Netflix.
AEW nonetheless had loads of highs, simply not as many as years previous. Tony Khan’s firm noticed the rise of Swerve Strickland and “Timeless” Toni Storm and watched Will Ospreay ship on the hype because it gave us emotional retirement moments for Sting and Bryan Danielson. AEW might be round for a very long time after an enormous media rights renewal with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Rising tides have raised all ships as NXT and TNA really feel like they’re on the ascent, too.
Listed below are the perfect from 2024:
Male Wrestler of the 12 months
Cody Rhodes, WWE
Rhodes moved into the “quarterback” spot and WWE’s enterprise has continued to choose up steam. “The American Nightmare” received the Royal Rumble for the second straight 12 months and watched fan assist sway WWE to vary its Rock vs. Roman Reigns major occasion at WrestleMania 40 to Rhodes ending his story by ending The Tribal Chief’s historic 1,316-day world championship reign in an all-time nice major occasion. He adopted that with memorable feuds versus AJ Types, Logan Paul, Gunther and Kevin Owens.
Honorable point out: Bryan Danielson (AEW); Gunther (WWE); Drew McIntyre (WWE); Swerve Strickland (AEW); Will Ospreay (AEW).
Feminine Wrestler of the 12 months
Toni Storm, AEW
Storm took one in every of wrestling’s most unusual characters — a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet working in black and white — and her profession to the subsequent stage whereas making Mariah Could. Watching “Timeless” Toni Storm go from an aloof star heel to a caring mentor babyface betrayed by Could — who ended her 280-day reign as AEW Girls’s champion at All In — was usually essentially the most entertaining a part of AEW’s exhibits. Storm, who finally put all of it collectively within the ring with character, introduced wanted levity AEW by by no means breaking kayfabe and is already onto her second act.
Honorable point out: Jordynne Grace (TNA); Liv Morgan (WWE); Mercedes Mone (AEW); Rhea Ripley (WWE); Roxanne Perez (NXT).
Tag Workforce of the 12 months
Younger Bucks, AEW
Matthew and Nicholas Jackson had a sneaky good 12 months and haven’t missed a step. The Bucks gave Sting one heck of a retirement match, participated in Anarchy within the Enviornment, received the AEW World Tag Workforce championships for a 3rd time by beating FTR and had among the finest matches at All In, towards Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher. They ended 2024 by placing over Personal Get together within the group’s first AEW tag title victory.
Honorable point out: Finn Balor and JD McDonogh (WWE); Nathan Frazier and Axiom (NXT); Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards (TNA); Motor Metropolis Machine Weapons (TNA/WWE); Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (WWE).
Faction of the 12 months
The Judgment Day, WWE
The Judgment Day had its arms in every little thing even whereas breaking apart. The Rhea Ripley-Dominik Mysterio-Liv Morgan love triangle story was among the finest of the 12 months. Ripley, Morgan and Priest all held world titles. Priest cashed in Cash within the Financial institution at WrestleMania 40 and Morgan ended Ripley’s 379-day title reign at SummerSlam whereas ascending to major occasion standing — all whereas Finn Balor had tag group title reigns with Preist and J.D. McDonagh.
Honorable point out: The Bloodline (WWE); The Don Callis Household (AEW); Harm CTL (WWE); The Elite (AEW); The System (TNA).
Storyline of the 12 months
Cody Rhodes finishes his story at WrestleMania 40, WWE
The conjunction of real-life feelings, cinema-quality story and star energy could by no means be replicated. Followers loudly expressed their need to see Rhodes lastly win the Undisputed WWE championship. It led to a pivot from WWE to scrap the Roman Reigns-Rock match to present Rhodes his rematch with The Tribal Chief. Rock became among the finest heels within the enterprise due to it, altering The Bloodline story. The match and pop when Rhodes received will stand the take a look at of time.
Honorable point out: The Bloodline splinter into Tribal Chief struggle (WWE); Liv Morgan-Dominik Mysterio-Rhea Ripley love triangle (WWE); Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Web page blood feud (AEW); Drew McIntyre-CM Punk private feud (WWE); Mariah Could backstabbing Toni Storm (AEW); Bayley exits Harm CTRL (WWE); JBL retains serving to Nic Nemeth (TNA).
Promo of the 12 months
Drew McIntyre, CM Punk torch one another on Uncooked, March 25, 2024
McIntyre and Punk gave us 10 months of memorable promos and masterclass in story billing with the previous producing elite mic work. However this intense change turned up the depth and laid the bedrock for what was to return with McIntyre calling Punk “his muse.” It was additionally crammed with real-life references — together with Punk’s previous tries to be a pacesetter and Vince McMahon choosing McIntyre as The Chosen One.
Honorable point out: Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Web page face-to-face earlier than All Out (AEW); Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods activate Huge E (WWE); Sting and Darby Allin’s final phrases earlier than Revolution; Roxanne Perez explains her heel actions (NXT); Rhea Ripley, Dominik Myterio, Liv Morgan SummerSlam fallout (WWE); MJF’s damage return (AEW).
Pay-per-view of the 12 months
WrestleMania 40, WWE
Each nights garnered A grades from The Submit and so they delivered feel-good and beautiful moments galore in among the finest WrestleMania’s ever. We noticed legends return to assist Cody Rhodes end his story, the World Heavyweight championship change arms twice because of a Cash within the Financial institution cash-in, The Rock return to the ring, Bayley win a championship in her first Mania singles match and Sami Zayn finish Gunther’s historic Intercontinental championship reign.
Honorable point out: AEW Revolution; AEW All In; AEW WrestleDream; SummerSlam; WWE Unhealthy Blood; NXT Heatwave.
Match of the 12 months
Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson at AEW Wrestle Dynasty
This was two masters at their craft in a first-time-ever dream match pitting arguably the perfect wrestlers of their respective generations — and it exceeded the hype. The number of wrestling types on show — mat wrestling, counter wrestling, strong-style and even some aerial offense — was unimaginable and hit a crescendo. The end was two gunslingers in both nook taking their greatest shot, and Danielson’s Busaiku Knee received out.
Honorable point out: Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk, Hell in a Cell; Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland, All In; Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, WrestleMania 40; Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale Avenue Struggle; Bayley vs. Iyo Sky, WrestleMania 40; Younger Bucks vs Sting and Darby Allin, Revolution.
Supervisor of the 12 months
Paul Heyman, WWE
Roman Reigns is one the largest babyfaces within the business regardless of months off TV because of Heyman carrying the majority of the accountability. Heyman did a few of his greatest work changing into a sympathetic determine for the primary time, even taking a powerbomb by way of a desk from the brand new Bloodline. Couple that along with his shock return earlier than WarGames and the favor he owes CM Punk and Heyman continues to push the narratives.
Honorable point out: Don Callis (AEW); Prince Nana (AEW); Robert Stone (NXT); Stokley Hathaway (AEW).
Male Breakout Wrestler of the 12 months
Bron Breakker, WWE
Breakker was known as up in February and ran with each alternative given to him. His spears have grow to be must-see the best way Goldberg’s had been at his top. Breakker shined throughout his Intercontinental championship program with Sami Zayn, culminating in profitable the distinguished title at SummerSlam to safe himself as a future major eventer.
Honorable Point out: Jacob Fatu (WWE); Jack Perry (AEW); Joe Hendry (TNA); Je’Von Evans (NXT); Konosuke Takeshita (AEW); Oba Femi (NXT).
Feminine Breakout Wrestler of the 12 months
Mariah Could, AEW
Could began as an unknown to a great portion of the U.S. viewers after her time in STARDOM. She shined as “Timeless” Toni Storm’s understudy and had the viewers spend money on each activate her strategy to among the finest betrayals of the 12 months. Could left Storm bloodied with a strike from her shoe main into her ending Storm’s 280-day reign as AEW Girls’s champion at All In. Could’s aggressive ring model to suits the heel she’s grow to be.
Honorable point out: Harley Cameron (AEW); Jaida Parker (NXT); Kelani Jordan (NXT); Lola Vice (NXT); Stephanie Vaquer (NXT/New Japan).
Finest Return/Debut of the 12 months
The Rock returns at Day 1, WWE
After the Jinder Mahal fake-out, it was a second and line that followers waited years for The Rock to utter. It set so many issues in movement – together with a “Fina Boss” heel flip – on the best way to WrestleMania 40. The Rock made a shock look and for the primary time laid the gauntlet down for cousin Roman Reigns, asking if he ought to sit on the “head of the table.”
Honorable point out: The Wyatt Sicks debut on Uncooked; Mercedes Mone debuts at AEW Huge Enterprise; Jacob Fatu debuts on SmackDown; Roman Reigns returns at SummerSlam; Nigel McGuinness returns to wrestling at All In.
Finest OMG Second
Liv Morgan kisses Dominik Mysterio at SummerSlam, WWE
It was foreshadowed and constructed towards for three-plus months, however WWE gave the viewers little or no indication it could occur at SummerSlam. Throughout the match, Mysterio appeared to be doing every little thing he may to assist Rhea Ripley, and even his interference that price her the match may have been seen as an try to assist her. However when Mysterio and Morgan locked lips it was a grand payoff and poured gasoline on one in every of WWE’s greatest tales.
Honorable Point out: New Day breaks up at anniversary celebration; Mariah Could activates Toni Storm; “Hangman” Adam Web page burns Swerve Stickland’s home; Ethan Web page wins the NXT championship; The Rock whips Cody Rhodes exterior his bus; Sting’s sons get entangled in retirement match dressed as traditional Stings.
Greatest Story
Vince McMahon’s sexual assault allegations
This story rocked and altered the wrestling world perpetually. Vince McMahon was accused in January of sexual assault and intercourse trafficking by former WWE worker Janel Grant in a bombshell lawsuit. Two days later, McMahon resigned from the TKO board and not has any energy or official connection to WWE for the primary time in 40 years. WWE distanced itself from its former CEO at WrestleMania 40, formally ushering within the Paul “Triple H” Levesque Period.
Honorable Point out: WWE’s media rights take care of Netflix; AEW simulcasting on Max in a brand new tv deal; WWE/TNA partnership; Sting’s retirement; Bryan Danielson ending full-time wrestling profession; AEW contract drama.
