2016 Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award (Wrestler of the Year)

Post by **Garuda** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:17 pm

As we reach the midpoint of 2016, I'm curious to know what people's feelings are about the Wrestler of the Year. Who's owned this half-year?

I'm not looking for a prediction; just a taking of the temperature. Kota Ibushi was injured around this time last year after he seemed like the easy choice for a chunk of 2015. Plenty of time left for anyone to get hot or cold. But if you had to vote tomorrow, who would you choose?

With Ospreay winning the BOSJ, he feels like the choice to me. Dallas made 2016 his breakout year, but this New Japan run has given it some real resume-style heft. It feels like his half-year.

Post by **Quentin Moody** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:24 pm

1 and 2 are Styles and Naito easily for me.

Post by **Pinkman** » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:29 pm

Yeah, Ospreay for me. He kicked off the year with my current MOTY against Scrull and then he had an awesome Dallas weekend, a great NJPW debut against KUSHIDA and now a really good BOSJ run.

Post by **Lawsoncomedy** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:25 pm

3. Styles
2. Naito
1. Ospreay

Post by **Shining Wiz** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:29 pm

1. Styles
2. Naito
3. Kushida
4. Ospreay

Post by **mprentice84** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:31 pm

AJ Styles or KUSHIDA. Could make a very strong argument for either

Post by **ayaashm** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 4:02 am

Updating this to :
1.Naito
2.Shingo
3.Miyahara

Post by **ceftaxias** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:06 am

If someone wanted to vote an indie guy like Hero or Ospreay, with the way the landscape is today that wouldn't sound crazy to me at all. Would still vote for Naito #1 at this point, but I think those two are above AJ at least and I love AJ as much as anyone.

Could easily be talked into AJ's main event status in the top two companies being significant enough to be the top vote though.

Post by **Lawsoncomedy** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 6:06 pm

It is kind of incredible that Naito, yes Tetsuya Naito, is probably the favorite to win this thing at the end of this year. You truly can never write anybody off.

Post by **Buzz Sawyer** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:13 pm

1. Heath Slater: easily the MVP of the WWE
2. Will Ferrara: The glue of ROH
3. Captain New Japan: When you are such a legend as the good Captain, you have to let others get the limelight.

Post by **King Of Indy Style** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 8:25 pm

1. Ospreay
2. Naito
3. KUSHIDA

They've all been consistently great-fantastic this year. But Ospreay gets the nod for me.

Post by **Napalm Death** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:14 pm

1 AJ Styles
2 Naito
3 Zach Sabre Junior

Post by **Grammarian** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:15 pm

Ospreay is having an amazing year. I might be leaning toward him for the Most Outstanding award.

Naito and Styles have a case for Thesz/Flair.

Post by **mlev76** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 9:16 pm

I think at this point, it's hard to not make the case for AJ. Semi main evented Wrestle Kingdom. Came into WWE and in less than half of a year became a main eventer and is feuding with the biggest star in the company. He's also the first guy in quite a long time to debut on the main roster without a stint in NXT first. Anderson did it shortly thereafter, but in a clearly lesser role.

Naito stepping up to the main event level and being one of the most compelling characters out there would make him my number 2.

I'd probably go with either Ospreay or Ishii as third best. Ospreay is obviously the breakout star of the industry this year, but I don't think Ishii is getting enough credit for the great stuff he's done all year long.

Post by **Edu_Tessis** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:51 pm

1 - Naito
2 - Styles
3 - Ishii

If we're talking Juniors, then Ospreay and KUSHIDA have to be in the list as well, but for how over Naito is right now, and how consistently good his matches have been, I gotta give it to him, although Styles isn't far behind and Ishii is having a sneaky excellent year, with the Shibata feud and both his matches against Naito at the Cup and at Dontaku.

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