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Readers and Staff Agree. 2008's Wrestler of The Year is...

By World Wrestling Insanity's Readers & Staff
Jan 1, 2009 - 4:13 PM


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He saved us.  From who?  From your child-bearing hips, for one.  Take that sparkly vest and stick it, kids.  The King of Bling Bling is reborn and this time, he serious...

2008's Wrestler of The Year is...

Chris Jericho

Readers
2nd Place:  Shawn Michaels
3rd Place:    Edge
Honorable Mention:    Randy Orton, C.M. Punk


Staff
2nd Place: Shawn Michaels
3rd Place:  Jeff Hardy, John Cena, C.M. Punk, Nigel McGuinness (tie)


Reader Comments:

"Put very simply he has been the most consistent, compelling reason to watch any wrestling programme this year. He's not had the injury problems or "other" worries guys like Orton, Cena and Hardy have had. Jericho's character really took off post-Wrestlemania as he slowly turned heel against HBK and you could almost say that we've finally seen him "grow up" and grow into his most compelling character for years. "
- Mark in London

"What a huge leap for him! His new gimmick is killer, and he's a solid in the ring as ever. He finally shook whatever it was that was keeping him out of the main event."
- Chris Hageman

"He has evolved more in t his one year alone than he ever did in 1999-2005 run. He has elevated himself to the Number One heel spot on RAW, earned himself a World Championship through his abilities alone. And his mic work was one of the top reasons why the HBK-Batista and eventually  HBK-Jericho feud was to me, some of the most compelling televsion I've seen, on a wrestling show atleast, in quite some time."
- Robertwmrose

"Chris Jericho ignited a forgotten flame of passion in pro wrestling this year. After returning to WWE from a 2 year absence, I didn't think Jericho would add much to the company since he already had a fantastic career. Thankfully, I was mistaken because the former "Y2J" lead a one man crusade to Save Us fans from the boredom that was WWE. His feud with Shawn Michaels was one of my favorite feuds ever, and the matches they had stole EVERY show. By revitalizing the ladder match, delievering consistent thought-provoking promos, and winning the World Championship multiple times, Chris Jericho has secured his legacy as one of the all time greats and more importantly, this year's true MVP."
- capncrunch

"I'm surprised WWE let him get as over as he is."
- Ari Lipkin


"He saved himself from the lame Save Us gimmick and reinvented himself into the serious Jericho. He also is the only guy not named Hardy to hold both a mid-card and world title in the same year."
- JT


Staff Comments:

"He's the best heel in the business and, given what we saw after his debut, it's what he does best.  No one can play the comedic bad guy like Jericho.  However, 2008 taught us that no one can play the cold calculating heel like Chris either.  All of Y2J's critics have to stand up...put their pudgy little hands together...and chant 'Go, Jericho, Go!  Go, Jericho, Go!'  Because this bad mama jamma has burst from his bubble and come full circle.  He's more over now than when he beat both Stone Cold and the Rock in one night.  That says a lot. Something tells me that the Ayotallah of Rock-n-Rollah is never - e,e,e,e,ever - going back to the mid card a-gay-ne, Junior!"
-
James Guttman

" Completely reinvented  himself and his character. The break from the business really helped him and while his return lacked some steam, the fact that he has been simply amazing on the mic and in developing himself as a true heel. Not a cool heel, not a tweener but someone who is so awesome that the fans actually boo him is incredible. He really upped his stock with his latest WWE run and has cemented himself as a great main event level guy. "
- Matt Dawgs

" Now listen, this ain’t no  make- believe.   Miz and Morrison continue to entertain both in and out of the ring.  They’re not a spectacular team like the Briscoes but they are consistently good and I’m still amazed at the transformation the Miz has made from “Get off my TV” to that Douchebag you just love to hate.   Sometimes these guys are a little too cute for their own good (injuring a babyface would be a good way to cement their heel standing) but they’re the best thing going in the WWE tag team ranks"
- Mike Rickard

"It was a three-way race for me in deciding who deserved this accolade. While CM Punk had an amazing breakthrough of a year, and Nigel McGuinness became the undisputed top star in Ring of Honor in 2008, Chris Jericho was the all-star of wrestling this year. From his feud with Shawn Michaels to his incredible series of matches with everyone he came in contact with (even JBL!), to his scintillating promos, The Artist Formerly Known As Y2J was everything you’d want from a top star. Jericho has proven that he is not only worthy of being called “Wrestler of 2008,” but also one of the best of this generation. Now if we could only find his long tights before 2009…"
- James Bullock

 

"Is there really any other choice here? After a lackluster return in late-2007, Jericho carefully engineered his heel turn, character rebirth, and his role in the most intriguing storyline of the year. I believe JG mentioned this just recently on Club WWI with Lance Cade, but Jericho is more over now than he was as the Undisputed Champion about five years ago. That takes talent, and Jericho truly deserves all the success he's enjoying now. ."
- Canadian Bulldog



Check out - All The 2008 Year End Winners!

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Alphabetical Listing of Guests You Can Hear on...

A

Sivi Afi
Aaron Aguliera
Skandar Akbar
Brent Albright
Ole Anderson
Road Warrior Animal
Tony "T.L. Hopper" Anthony

B

Buff Bagwell
Doug Basham
Paul Bearer
Giant Bernard
Big Daddy V
Eric Bischoff
Steve Blackman
Brian Blair
Tully Blanchard
Nick Bockwinkel
"The Boogeyman" Marty Wright
Bad News Brown
D-Lo Brown
"Jumping" Jim Brunzell
Mike "Simon Dean" Bucci
Bull Buchanan

C

Lance Cade
Christian
John Cena Sr.
Chaz "Headbanger Mosh"
Bryan "Adam Bomb" Clark
Rob Conway
Jim Cornette

Justin Credible

D

D-Ray 3000
Scott D'Amore
Christopher Daniels
Shawn Daivari
Dangerous Danny Davis
Dawn Marie
Damian Demento
Colin Delaney
Brother Devon
Demolition Ax
Demolition Smash
Bill DeMott
Ted DiBiase
J.J. Dillon
Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore
Disco Inferno
Spike Dudley

Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Kenny Dykstra

E

Bobby Eaton
Paul Ellering

Armando Estrada

F

Manny Fernandez
Francine
Mr. Fuji
Dory Funk Jr.
Terry Funk

G

Greg Gagne
Ronnie Garvin
Jackie Gayda
Robert Gibson
Glacier
Sylvain Grenier
Tod Gordon
Zach Gowen
Juventud Guerrera

H

Chalie Haas
Chris Harris
Bruce Hart
Jimmy Hart
Diva Search's Jessica Hatch
Dave Hebner
Earl Hebner
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Jon Heidenreich
Christy Hemme
Hillbilly Jim
Molly Holly
The Honky Tonk Man
Tim Horner
Scotty 2 Hotty
Sam Houston

Mr. Hughes


I

The Iron Sheik
Ivory

J

B.G. James
Jazz
Ahmed Johnson
Judge Jeff Jones
Orlando Jordan

K


Kamala
Kid Kash
Kevin Kelly
Pat "Simon Diamond" Kenney
Ron Killings
Cpl. Kirschner
Kizarny
Kevin Kleinrock
Brian Knobbs
Ivan Koloff

Nikita Koloff


L

Bobby Lashley
Bruno "Harvey Wippleman" Lauer
Jerry "The King" Lawler
"The Total Package" Lex Luger
Buschwhacker Luke

M

Rodney Mack
Magnum T.A.
Balls Mahoney
Dutch Mantell
Rick Martel
Clarence Mason
"Masterpiece" Chris Masters
Robbie McAllister
Rory McAllister
Matt Morgan
Ernest Miller
Missing Link
Father James Mitchell
Mo From Men on a Mission
Sean Mooney
Ricky Morton

Trevor Murdoch

N

Kevin Nash
Nidia

Nunzio

O

One Man Gang
Sonny Onoo
Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff
Oscar From Men on a Mission
Fred "Typhoon/Tugboat/Shockmaster" Ottman
Pierre-Carl Ouellet

Outback Jack

P

Diamond Dallas Page
Ken Patera
Nick Patrick
Thunderbolt Patterson
Jim Powers
Tom Prichard
Ivan Putski

R

Harley Race
Baron Von Raschke
"The Yeti" Ron Reis
Rhino
Dustin Rhodes
Tommy Rich
Rikishi
Paul Roma
"Super Hero in Training" Rosie
Jacques Rougeau
Terri Runnels

Lance Russell


S

Samoa Joe
Bruno Sammartino
Samu
Tito Santana
Dan "The Beast" Severn
Ron Simmons
Elix Skipper
Slick
Tracey Smothers
Al Snow
Sim "Deuce" Snuka
Dennis Stamp
George "The Animal" Steele
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner
Idol Stevens
The Stro
AJ Styles
Dave "Evad" Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan

T

Dave Taylor
Sylvester Terkay
ECW's Tiffany
Too Cold Scorpio

V

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Jimmy Valiant
Johnny Valiant
Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Sid Vicious
Vito
Nikolai Volkoff


W

 

Y
David Young
Mae Young


Z

Larry Zybszko

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