The WWE Big Question™ #65 - 2009 Awards

[The Penguin]

With only an episode of Superstars left in 2009, I thought using our "off" WWE day during the week to reflect on the year seemed like a good move. I'm not up to reviewing all of it, but certainly a lot happened this year. The past few years, this has been the only appearance of The Big Question™ and I hope to bring you all a few more in 2010 (including one this weekend).

And now, The WWE Big Question™ is happy to bring you, the fifth anniversary of...


WWE 2009 Toon Zone 'Slammy' End of the Year Awards

http://www.wwe.com/content/media/images/3883682/8782110

Best Wrestler
Best "Sports-Entertainer"
Best Tag Team
Best Rookie
Best Superstar Return
Best Diva
Most Underrated
Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star')
Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=222940) (any means)

Best Match
Best Gimmick Match
Best Feud
Best Title Win
Best New Move
Best Weapon Shot
Best Pay-Per-View*
Best PPV 'Hype' History Video
Best PPV theme song

Best Face Turn
Best Heel Turn
Best Swerve
Biggest Screw Job
Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW)
Best Draft (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228176) Pick (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228244)
Best Promo
Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night")
Best In-Ring Moment (not match)
Best Out of the Ring Moment
Best Diva Outfit
Best Legend Appearance
Best WWE.com show/feature

"What in the hell?" – That Moment You Just Didn't 'Get'
"Holy :ack:!" Big Show/Brock Lesnar Award – Most Shocking Moment
"Let's Give 'Em a Hand" Mae Young Award – Most Outlandish/Ridiculous Backstage Moment
"Whipped Like a Government Mule" – Biggest Beatdown
"Look! It's..." – Best Outside WWE TV/Film Appearance by a WWE Superstar
"Look! It's..." – Best WWE Appearance by a celebrity/sports star
Favorite RAW Guest Host
Funniest Moment
Jerk of the Year
Best Toon Zone WWE talkback comment

Best Brand (RAW, SmackDown or ECW)


You don't have to answer all of them if you don't want to, but I think it's nice to offer a lot.

* 2009 Pay-Per-View Archive
Royal Rumble (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=223903)
No Way Out (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=224975)
WrestleMania 25 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=227791) l Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=227745)
Backlash (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228755)
Judgment Day (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=229707)
Extreme Rules (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=230727)
The Bash (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=231716)
Night of Champions (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=233137)
SummerSlam (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=234540)
Breaking Point (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=235639)
Hell in a Cell (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=236612)
Bragging Rights (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=237643)
Survivor Series (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=260592)
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=261514)

[Jin Kazama]

Hard to pick some this year. I'm not sure if the product is lacking or I'm just loosing interest in it.

-Best Wrestler: CM Punk
-Best "Sports-Entertainer": CM Punk
-Best Tag Team: The Hart Dynasty
-Best Rookie: Tyson Kidd
-Best Superstar Return: Christian
-Best Diva: Beth Phoenix
-Most Underrated: Dolph Ziggler
-Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star'): Jack Swagger
-Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (any means): Ken Kennedy. While I was more upset about Brian Kendrick, Kennedy had a much bigger future and was poised to go very far in the company.
-Best Match: CM Punk v. Jeff Hardy TLC Match (Summerslam)
-Best Gimmick Match: CM Punk v. Jeff Hardy TLC Match (Summerslam)
-Best Feud: Jeff Hardy v. CM Punk
-Best Title Win: CM Punk v. Jeff Hardy (Extreme Rules)
-Best New Move: Evan Bourne's Flying Knees
-Best Weapon Shot: Big Show chucks Cena into a spotlight
-Best Pay-Per-View: No Way Out
-Best PPV 'Hype' History Video: Wrestlemania 25
-Best PPV theme song: Can't remember any.
-Best Face Turn: I can't remember anyone going face.
-Best Heel Turn: CM Punk goes Straight Edge
-Best Swerve: Edge and Chris Jericho win the Tag Titles
-Biggest Screw Job: Teddy Long calls CM Punk making Undertaker submit.
-Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW): Money In The Bank match.
-Best Draft Pick: CM Punk to Smackdown
-Best Promo: CM Punk's "Trashcan of Vices"
-Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night"): can't think of one
-Best In-Ring Moment (not match):
-Best Out of the Ring Moment: Kofi Kingston's Leg Drop onto Orton
-Best Diva Outfit: can't think of one.
-Best Legend Appearance: Roddy Piper hosts Raw
-Best WWE.com show/feature: I often times forget there even is a WWE.com nowadays.
-"What in the hell?" – That Moment You Just Didn't 'Get': Tommmy Dreamer's retirement run that expired before he won the title, and didn't lead to his retirement anyway. Until he actually retired half a year later.
-"Holy !" Big Show/Brock Lesnar Award – Most Shocking Moment: Edge enters himself into the Raw elimination chamber.
-"Let's Give 'Em a Hand" Mae Young Award – Most Outlandish/Ridiculous Backstage Moment: Santina Marella
-"Whipped Like a Government Mule" – Biggest Beatdown: Batista turns on Rey Mysterio
-"Look! It's..." – Best Outside WWE TV/Film Appearance by a WWE Superstar: Can't think of one.
-"Look! It's..." – Best WWE Appearance by a celebrity/sports star: can't think of any.
-Favorite RAW Guest Host: Shaq
-Funniest Moment: can't think of one
-Jerk of the Year: Chris Jericho
-Best Toon Zone WWE talkback comment: Can't think of one.
-Best Brand (RAW, SmackDown or ECW): Smackdown

[Condiment King]

Best Wrestler: CM Punk was far and away the MVP this year. Nobody else touched him, especially on interviews.
Best "Sports-Entertainer": Chris Jericho made a lot of bad ideas like the RAW guest hosts or Big Show having a tag title run actually work.
Best Tag Team: The Hart Dynasty
Best Rookie: Tyson Kidd
Best Superstar Return: Undertaker returning from his 6-month hiatus at Summerslam and chokeslamming Punk was awesome. Too bad that was essentially the beginning of the end of Punk's main event push in WWE, at least for the time being.
Best Diva: Natalya. As great as Beth is, between all the Santina stuff and then not really being in the title mix pretty much all year, she didn't have much to do.
Most Underrated: CM Punk
Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star'): Evan Bourne. Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler are also good candidates, but Bourne is amazing in the ring and the best seller in the WWE currently. He really should be doing more.
Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=222940) (any means): Mr. Kennedy for the same reasons Jin Kazama said. I, too, was more upset at Brian Kendrick, though.

Best Match: Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio at The Bash
Best Gimmick Match: Christian vs Shelton Benjamin in a ladder match at TLC
Best Feud: CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy hands down
Best Title Win: Jericho both winning the IC title and stealing Rey's mask at the end of Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio at Extreme Rules. Also John Morrison winning the IC title against Rey Mysterio was one of the best matches of the year.
Best New Move: John Morrison's Flying Chuck
Best Weapon Shot: Kofi's double leg drop onto Randy Orton through a table
Best Pay-Per-View*: WWE Judgment Day wasn't flashy but had the best card top to bottom all year

Best Face Turn: John Morrison
Best Heel Turn: CM Punk
Best Swerve: Chris Jericho dresses up as Rey Mysterio fan and attacks him
Biggest Screw Job: Punk/Taker/Vince/Long/Armstrong
Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW): Money in the Bank
Best Draft (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228176) Pick (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228244): CM Punk to Smackdown
Best Promo: CM Punk "Trashcan of Vices"
Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night"): Jeff Hardy is the "charismatic enabler"
Best In-Ring Moment (not match): Shawn Michaels all white heavenly "bizarro Undertaker" segment
Best Out of the Ring Moment: CM Punk's PPV promo in the crowd on Jeff Hardy
Best Diva Outfit: Maryse every episode of Raw
Best Legend Appearance: Jesse Ventura
Best WWE.com show/feature: The Dirt Sheet

"What in the hell?" – That Moment You Just Didn't 'Get': All segments involving Jillian Hall, Chavo Guerrero or Hornswoggle
"Holy :ack:!" Big Show/Brock Lesnar Award – Most Shocking Moment: It's happened before but Shawn Michaels kicking out of Undertaker's tombstone at WrestleMania 25
"Let's Give 'Em a Hand" Mae Young Award – Most Outlandish/Ridiculous Backstage Moment: Too many to count this year with all the RAW guest host hijinx and pretty much all of them were terrible
"Whipped Like a Government Mule" – Biggest Beatdown: Randy Orton handcuffs Triple H and then DDTs ole Steph
"Look! It's..." – Best Outside WWE TV/Film Appearance by a WWE Superstar: N/A
"Look! It's..." – Best WWE Appearance by a celebrity/sports star: Freddie Prinze Jr was underrated as a guest host
Favorite RAW Guest Host: Jesse Ventura
Funniest Moment: Chris Jericho ranting on guest commentary about Rey Mysterio on Smackdown before Judgment Day
Jerk of the Year: CM Punk
Best Toon Zone WWE talkback comment: The Landstander's response to the Jeff Hardy arrested thread: http://forums.toonzone.net/showpost.php?p=3373634&postcount=2

Best Brand (RAW, SmackDown or ECW): Smackdown, no question, from May through August of this year, that show was amazing

[ToonFaithful]

Best Wrestler: CM Punk(he had the attitude, sense of humor, and he can wrestle)
Best "Sports-Entertainer":Chris Jericho
Best Tag Team: The Hart Dynasty
Best Rookie: Evan Bourne
Best Superstar Return: Christian
Best Diva: Mickie James
Most Underrated: CM Punk
Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star'): Jack Swagger
Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=222940) (any means): Mr. Kennedy (same reasons for what Jim said)

Best Match: Undertaker vs HBK at Wrestlemania 25(Not because the WWE liked it but because there was alot of suspense in that match and I thought Undertaker was gonna lose. Great match.
Best Gimmick Match: Shelton Benjamin vs Christian at TLC
Best Feud: CM Punk and Jeff Hardy
Best Title Win: John Morrison and Rey Mysterio for the IC Championship.
Best New Move: Drew McIntyre's "Scot Drop"
Best Weapon Shot: Big Show throws John Cena into stage lights
Best Pay-Per-View*: Extreme Rules
Best PPV 'Hype' History Video: Stone Cold Promo for WWE HOF.
Best Face Turn: John Morrison( I honestly thought he was gonna be a bad face but he's actually doing a good job.)
Best Heel Turn: CM Punk
Best Swerve: Rey Mysterio dresses up as one of the fans and attacks Chris Jericho.
Biggest Screw Job:Taker/Punk/Long incident
Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW): Money In The Bank
Best Draft (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228176) Pick (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228244): Rey Mysterio returning to Smackdown
Best Promo: CM Punk's "Trashcan of Vices"
Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night"): Can't think of one
Best In-Ring Moment (not match): DX pedigrees Hornswoggle.
Best Out of the Ring Moment: Kofi Kingston beating up Randy Orton's car.
Best Diva Outfit: Maryse
Best Legend Appearance: Ricky Steamboat
Best WWE.com show/feature: The Dirt Sheet

[Fifi Fanatic]

Best Wrestler: CM Punk
Best "Sports-Entertainer": Chris Jericho
Best Tag Team: The Hart Dynasty
Best Rookie: Shameus (Now if he would only work on his tan)
Best Superstar Return: Christian
Best Diva: Being a total mark here, but Mickie James. ;)
Most Underrated: CM Punk
Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star'): Jack Swaggah
Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=222940) (any means): Mr. Kennedy

Best Match: Jericho vs. Mysterio (The Bash)
Best Gimmick Match: Punk vs. Jeff Hardy TLC (Summer Slam)
Best Feud: Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk by far
Best Title Win: Shameus wins WWE Championship
Best New Move: Starship Pain
Best Weapon Shot: Cena getting chucked into the spotlight
Best PPV: Judgement Day
Best PPV 'Hype' History Video: Wrestlemania 25
Best PPV theme song: I never remember any of those.

Best Face Turn: None really stand out, I'll go with John Morrison.
Best Heel Turn: CM Punk
Best Swerve: Batista turns on Rey Rey.
Biggest Screw Job: Montreal 2.0 with Punk, Teddy, & Company
Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW): Money in the Bank
Best Draft (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228176) Pick (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228244): CM Punk to Smackdown
Best Promo: "Trashcan of Vices" hands down.
Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night"): Punk calling Hardy "The Charismatic Enabler"
Best In-Ring Moment (not match): Vince and Shawn announcing Bret Hart's return. "Good things will happen."
Best Out of the Ring Moment: Kingston's leg drop on Orton.
Best Diva Outfit: Natalya's Hart Dynasty look.
Best Legend Appearance: Tie between Roddy Piper and Jesse Ventura
Best WWE.com show/feature: The Dirt Sheet.

"What in the hell?" – That Moment You Just Didn't 'Get': Chavo jobbing to Hornswoggle week after week.
"Holy :ack:!" Big Show/Brock Lesnar Award – Most Shocking Moment: Edge entering himself into the Raw Elimination Chamber.
"Let's Give 'Em a Hand" Mae Young Award – Most Outlandish/Ridiculous Backstage Moment: Little People's Court.
"Whipped Like a Government Mule" – Biggest Beatdown: Orton DDT on Stephikins while handcuffed Triple H has to watch.
"Look! It's..." – Best Outside WWE TV/Film Appearance by a WWE Superstar: Nothing stands out.
"Look! It's..." – Best WWE Appearance by a celebrity/sports star: Again, nothing really stands out.
Favorite RAW Guest Host: Jesse Ventura
Funniest Moment: The same people who would look down their noses at us and call wrestling "fake" believing that Donald Trump had actually purchased Raw!
Jerk of the Year: Tie between Jericho and Punk.
Best Toon Zone WWE talkback comment: Not sure...

Best Brand (RAW, SmackDown or ECW): Smackdown by far! No guest hosts and no Cena!

[The Penguin]

Best Wrestler: Chris Jericho, he says he is the best at what he does for a reason.
Best "Sports-Entertainer": Normally I think of this award as someone who would be a joke as the best wrestler category, but I’m going to give mine to The Miz.
Best Tag Team: Legacy, Rhodes & DiBiase really stepped it up this year even though they didn’t win the titles again. Next year, I need to add a “Breakout Star” category (not necessarily a rookie as WWE uses the name)—I would have nominated Legacy for that.
Best Rookie: Based on accomplishment alone, it would have to be Sheamus.
Best Superstar Return: Christian, it’s been great having him back.
Best Diva: Maryse was on fire early in the year and picked up right where she left off in her return a few weeks ago.
Most Underrated: Dolph Ziggler is better than he is often given credit for. He could be underrated solely because he was apparently deemed ‘unworthy’ of the Intercontinental Championship.
Most Underutilized (formerly Best HEAT 'all-star'): Evan Bourne, I agree that based on his skill level he could be doing more. Survivor Series was his first PPV match in more than a year.
Biggest WWE Cut of 2009 (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=222940) (any means): Probably Mr. Kennedy in terms of what his future could have been with the company.

Best Match: Lots of good choices out there, but I think I’ll go with the obvious one, Undertaker vs. Michaels from WrestleMania 25
Best Gimmick Match: Hell in a Cell - DX vs. Legacy (Hell in a Cell)
Best Feud: Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho
Best Title Win: Jeff Hardy beating CM Punk at Night of Champions
Best New Move: The Hart Dynasty’s version of the Hart Attack
Best Weapon Shot: Sheamus putting Mark Cuban through the table is the only one that immediately comes to mind.
Best Pay-Per-View*: No event was perfect, I think I’m actually going to go with Hell in a Cell. It had a decent undercard and the WWE Title and DX-Legacy matches were pretty dang good.
Best PPV 'Hype' History Video: Sometimes I can think of one easily, but nothing sticks out this year.
Best PPV theme song: “Seasons” by The Veer Union - Backlash

Best Face Turn: They weren’t that many that I can think of, but John Morrison’s has worked out better than I expected.
Best Heel Turn: CM Punk easily. It was natural and organic, but now it seems like he has been a villain forever.
Best Swerve: Chris Jericho announcing Big Show as his new tag partner
Biggest Screw Job: Undertaker-Punk at Breaking Point
Best Crossover (any combination of RAW vs. SmackDown vs. ECW): I think I’ll go with Money in the Bank too, although Bragging Rights as an actual event gets honorable mention.
Best Draft (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228176) Pick (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=228244): There are many good choices terms of what it meant to their careers or the enhancement of the brand such as Miz to RAW, Zack Ryder to ECW, Dolph Ziggler to SmackDown and John Morrison to SmackDown, but I think the best one has to be CM Punk to SmackDown.
Best Promo: Being fresh in my mind helps, but I need to go with Tommy Dreamer’s emotional good-bye at the end of the year.
Best Quote (one-liner, think "quote of the night"): "Are you allowed to hold hands with a girl?" Christian asking CM Punk about being Straight Edge (ECW Nov. 17)
Best In-Ring Moment (not match): Shawn Michaels convincing Vince McMahon to bring Bret Hart back.
Best Out of the Ring Moment: The entire SmackDown X Anniversary party
Best Diva Outfit: Glancing at the Divas 365 I think I’ll go with ‘Guilty Pleasures’ shoot, which had them as mobsters and flappers.
Best Legend Appearance: (tie) The Million Dollar Man and Dusty Rhodes as guest hosts for the effect it had on the story arc of their sons.
Best WWE.com show/feature: I felt I should keep this category, but the shows are mostly gone. I guess the Power 25, which can still be interesting.

"What in the hell?" – That Moment You Just Didn't 'Get': Sgt. Slaughter turning heel on Canada as the RAW guest host.
"Holy :ack:!" Big Show/Brock Lesnar Award – Most Shocking Moment: (tie) Big Show throws Cena through the spotlight at Backlash and Shawn Michaels kicking Triple H at the start of the Survivor Series WWE Title match.
"Let's Give 'Em a Hand" Mae Young Award – Most Outlandish/Ridiculous Backstage Moment: Two words: Dr. Ken
"Whipped Like a Government Mule" – Biggest Beatdown: Kofi’s brawl with Orton in Madison Square Garden
"Look! It's..." – Best Outside WWE TV/Film Appearance by a WWE Superstar: John Cena wasn’t half bad in 12 Rounds so I'm gonna go with that.
"Look! It's..." – Best WWE Appearance by a celebrity/sports star: I guess I’ll give Bob Barker this one in addition to…
Favorite RAW Guest Host: As far as celebrities go, I have to go with Bob Barker. ‘The Price is RAW’ was perfect and he managed to be pretty entertaining the whole night.
Funniest Moment: Santino Thanksgiving pies - Vickie cake to the face
Jerk of the Year: Vince McMahon for picking on Teddy Long
Best Toon Zone WWE talkback comment: I like this category, but you almost have to take notes to come up with one. I was doing some ‘research’ for my PPV vote and found two that EinBebop posted. One a quote, one his own thought; one funny, one great insight…
Hog Pen match (Extreme Rules) (http://forums.toonzone.net/showpost.php?p=3276363&postcount=29)
Undertaker as World Champion (Bragging Rights) (http://forums.toonzone.net/showpost.php?p=3423317&postcount=25)

Best Brand (RAW, SmackDown or ECW): Overall, I think I’d have to say SmackDown. They all have their moments though.


For those who don’t know all the PPV theme songs I keep a list because it’s what I do. Here is 2009:

Royal Rumble – “Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf
No Way Out – “Hunt You Down” by Saliva
WrestleMania XXV – “Shoot to Thrill” by AC/DC
WrestleMania XXV – “War Machine” by AC/DC
[WrestleMania XXV – “So Hott” by Kid Rock (Divas battle royal)]
[WrestleMania XXV – “Touched” by VAST (Highlight video open)]
Backlash – “Seasons” by The Veer Union
Judgment Day – “Rescue Me” by Buckcherry
Extreme Rules – “You’re Going Down” by Sick Puppies
The Bash – “Whyyawannabringmedown” by Aranda
Night of Champions – None (stock music: NFL Films - Heavy Hittters)
SummerSlam – “You Gotta Move” by Aerosmith
Breaking Point – “Still Unbroken” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hell in a Cell – “Monster” by Skillet
Bragging Rights – “Step Up (I’m On It)” by Maylene & The Sons of Disaster
Survivor Series – “Get Thru This” by Art of Dying
TLC – “Bullet Soul” by Switchfoot