The Best Feud Of 2003
Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
- This is my pick simply because these 2 provided some very entertaining matches throughout the year. The first match was their epic Wrestlemania XIX showdown that featured Kurt Angle with an injured neck. Lesnar came away with the victory after a botched Shooting Star Press that could have broke his neck. Their rematch at Summerslam saw Lesnar tap out to Angle, which gave us fans, the �You tapped out� chant. One of the best matches of the year was their final encounter on Smackdown in September with the 1 hour Iron Man match. This time Lesnar came out on top even though Angle showed lots of heart. Overall this feud set the standard for future feuds and showed us that sports entertainment is by nature �wrestling�.
Most Improved Wrestler Of The Year
John Cena
- Since he burst onto the scene in 2002 and challenged Kurt Angle, I have been watching Cena to become the next big star. Obviously, the WWE sees this too. Cena even had a WWE Title match at Backlash against Brock Lesnar. I really wanted the Dr of Thuganomics to win. The cool thing about him is he works well as a heel and a face. He had a great feud with Eddie Guerrero for the US title, but always came up short. And if anyone saw him dead lift Big Show and FU him, knows this kid has talent. Look out for Cena in 2004, and don�t be surprised if he wins the WWE title soon.
WWE Diva Of The Year
Torrie Wilson
- Does this surprise anyone? She gained mainstream attention with her spread in the May 03 edition of Playboy. I was quite impressed by her assets if you know what I mean. She didn�t wrestle all that much, but was involved on screen with the returning Billy Gunn. She also married the luckiest man on the earth, Billy Kidman, earlier this year. Needless to say Torrie Wilson enjoyed a fruitful 2003, and should be looking forward to her next big achievement.
The �I Was Squashed By Triple H� Award For 2003
Booker T
- It seems that Triple H can only be happy when he�s wearing �Big Gold� and burying wrestlers that are better than him. This year was no exception. He held the World Title from Dec 2002 until Sept 2003, and then won it back in December. But, his biggest accomplishment was squashing Booker T. The Book-man earned a well-deserved title shot at Wrestlemania, and even though he looked great in the match, ol� Trips won again. Booker T went from wrestling in one of the main events at Wrestlemania to competing mid-card against the likes of Mark Henry. I was very pleased however, when Booker T won the IC strap back in the summer, only to lose it due to an injury. I really believe Booker T got dumped on by Triple H�s political �Game� that he likes to play. Anyways, here is hoping that some day in the near future Booker T will kick the crap out of Trips and win the World Title.
Match Of The Year
Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels � Wrestlemania XIX
- This was the toughest of all the awards to decide. The other big match that almost won this was the Royal Rumble encounter between Angle and Benoit. I think Jericho and Michaels earned this one with the longevity of this classic match. It was Michaels� first Wrestlemania since 1998, and a highly anticipated event. The biggest question before this match was if Michaels could perform again at his �Showstopper� level. He answered that one with a resounding �YES�. They carried each other in the epic battle, which saw HBK victorious over the �King of bling-bling�. This was a dream match that came true and delivered in every way�entertaining, interesting, and great wrestling. If you haven�t seen this match, go out and buy the DVD and watch it.
Wrestler Of The Year
Eddie Guerrero
- This was also a tough category to decide. Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels were all at the top of their wrestling game in 2003. I finally decided on Eddie because he never has a bad match. He has great mic skills and backs up his words in the ring. He became the first US Champion since the WWE brought back this historic title, and defended it with great honor that remind me of former champs like Ric Flair and Sting. His battles with Big Show were brutal, especially when Show attacked him on the low rider. Latino Heat does not receive enough praise for his wrestling abilities, so I want to give him some appreciation. Maybe soon the WWE higher-ups will give him a WWE title run so he may show exactly how great he truly is.
In Memoriam 2003
The WWE and us wrestling fans lost some truly great individuals in 2003. You all will be truly missed.
- Curt Hennig
- Miss Elizabeth
- �Classy� Freddie Blassie
- Stu Hart
- Michael �Hawk� Hegstrand
- Michael �Crash Holly� Lockwood
Well, that about does it. I hope that all of you have a safe and Happy New Year!
Written by "The Samster" of The Wrestling Round Table - December 29, 2003