With 2016 coming to a close, we at SLTD Wrestling have not only decided to have our very own Awards 2016 (Vote Now – HERE) but we have gotten together to share some of our personal ‘Best of the Year’
Here we are sharing our Superstar of the Year. That one match that has stood out above all else in 2016. Below our ours, but what is yours? let us know in the comments/Twitter/Facebook or by voting on the SLTD Wrestling Awards 2016.
@ALFarrand (Facebook Manager)
If you would have told me, this time last year, that AJ Styles would debut in WWE during the 2016 Royal Rumble, face Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania, beat John Cena at Summerslam and be WWE Champion by the end of the year, I wouldn’t have believed you. I know AJ best from his time with TNA and often lived in hope (especially during and after the Hogan/Bischoff era) that Styles would make his way to WWE. My wish came true during the aforementioned Rumble match and as is evident, AJ Styles is my pick for Male Superstar Of The Year. He’s had a phenomenal year (pun intended) and his WWE career will continue to go from strength to strength. He’s already proven his expertise in big match scenarios, something that can only play into his favour as long as he’s fit and healthy enough to perform in a WWE ring.
@mrnebarry (Old Skool View)
I’ve narrowed this down to three guys, they are AJ Styles, Chris Jericho & Matt Hardy. I have to give it to Y2J. Whilst he may not have title runs to talk about for this year, the way he’s re-invented himself during his current run has been superb, and he’s about the only reason to turn into raw for recently.
@maruwe22 (What Would Matt Do?)
This was the easiest decision to make. Compared to anyone else on the roster, AJ Styles stands out ahead of the rest by a country mile. If Balor hadn’t have got injured then Styles may have had competition. If The Miz had started 2016 the way he has finished it, again he would have been competition. Looking back on the year that he has had, it has been a Phenomenal One (sorry, couldn’t help myself). Easily the best debut year for any wrestler since Angle debuted in 1999.
@TomRobinson5199 (Armbar Analysis)
For me, the superstar of the year has been somewhat a no contest ever since he debuted in WWE at the Royal Rumble 2016. AJ Styles has been nothing but phenomenal this year, with some of the best matches of the year coming from an AJ Styles classic. As a main-eventer so soon into his WWE run, AJ has adapted to his new surroundings well and been able to work effectively to propel himself and others to new heights. From his back-to-back clinics with Roman Reigns to his classic encounter with John Cena, AJ has been leaps and bounds ahead of everyone this year. Roman Reigns would certainly have been a seriously strong contender… with the exception of the fact that AJ Styles was around.
@kieranthekiz (UKayfabe)
This year has been fantastic for new talent coming through, so many superstars have upped their game. Chris Jericho really proved that regardless of how old he is or how busy his schedule may be, he can still be on the best form. Putting on some excellent matches, providing the best microphone work in the industry as well as putting people over like nobody else can. With an array of new catchphrases and quips, and holding Kevin Owens’ hand through what would have been a very abysmal Universal title reign without him, Jericho has outshone many of the top superstars in WWE, and proving that he is still the best in the world at what he does. AJ Styles has been great this year, but Jericho has been better.
@TheWWEVoiceless (The Voice of Reason)
From the moment he entered the Royal Rumble at the start of 2016, right up to last SmackDown Live of the year, AJ Styles has indeed been, the phenomenal one. He has been part of gripping feuds against Y2J, John Cena and Dean Ambrose and has had some of the best matches this year – the second match against Roman Reigns being one of my favourites. Styles is now the face of the blue brand and deservedly so as no one really knew what to expect after he debuted. History would have suggested Styles get buried or be an upper mid carder at most, but now being he WWE Champion is a testament to his abilities in and out the ring. Let’s look forward to WrestleMania season with the phenomenal one at the spearhead (hopefully).
@JoshMorrell (Wrestling World)
AJ has been a personal favourite wrestler of mine since 2006, in that other promotion that was good back then, now he is in the WWE, he is so much better.
Debuting in the Rumble, he has become the fastest rising growing talent not from the WWE developmental system, He is the current WWE Champion and I am hoping he can be the one to break Punks record in 2017.
@ColinHebert614 (The Curtain Jerker)
Began the year as leader of the Bullet Club and had a match of the year candidate against Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom and ended it with the WWE World Heavyweight title. Oh, and in between, he made his WWE debut, had a fantastic match with Chris Jericho at WrestleMania, gave WWE’s “Golden Boy” Roman Reigns fits when Reigns was WWE Champion and won a feud with John Cena. I say he was simply phenominal.
@callumowen98 (Facebook Manager)
This for me is the most easiest one to answer, my superstar of the year, is The Phenomenal One AJ Styles, if you said last year that AJ Styles would not only be in the WWE, but be WWE Champion, I’m sure you would have been laughed at. It was arguably the best moment in 2016,when AJ debuted to a raucous reaction and pizza dropping one from me at the 2016 Royal Rumble. Seeing one of the best wrestlers on the planet today in a WWE ring is a moment I’ll never forget. Whether it be pairing up with Chris Jericho in the short lived Y2AJ and having a barnburner of a match vs The New Day in Chicago or having a truly phenomenal match against John Cena at Summerslam, Styles has been the best superstar in 2016 and I for one hope we get many more great years out of AJ whilst he’s in WWE.
@BigMatchSully (Monster Match Sully)
AJ Styles: Debuting in the WWE, to a huge pop, at the Royal Rumble, AJ has consistently put on fantastic matches throughout the year, including nine 4-star matches! He competed in the best match at WrestleMania 32; beat John Cena clean in a Match of the Year candidate; and won the WWE Champion just 8 months after his debut, becoming the first person to have held the TNA, WWE and NJPW World Championships.
AJ truly is the face that runs the place, and is without a shadow of a doubt WWE’s leading competitor.
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