Best of 2013 Pro Wrestling Tracker

[Warner2BruceTD]

KIng of Pro Wrestling would be the best show of the year 8 of 10 years. I doubt it would crack my top five this year. Borderline top ten.

2013 is the fucking best, man. Anybody who complains about wrestling right now is a straight up asshole.

[FedEx227]

But, but, but...RYBACK!

Seriously though, turn that WWE/TNA bullshit off when Daniel Bryan, Cesaro or Punk aren't on TV, do a 5-minute google search and watch some amazing wrestling.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Even WWE has had a great year in ring.

New Japan is on a level that we may have never seen (early 90's All Japan is only fair comparison), WWE has been very good, Dragon Gate has been amazing lately and good all year long, PWG, ROH is drastically improved this year, Wrestle-1 looks encouraging, Sekimoto is fucking killing it in Big Japan, DDT always has awesome main events, DGUSA had great stuff the first half of the year, lucha fans have raved about everything except for AAA.

Chikara/Wi? has sucked, Evolve is boring, TNA is a dumpster fire, AAA stinks, NOAH is the shits, All Japan is dying but has had great title matches. Everything else is really good.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

If there is a "Comeback of the Year" gimmick award...I'll nominate Goldust. He's really putting in work since he's been back. He hasn't had even an average performance yet. Really strong work. He's in good shape, too.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Even WWE has had a great year in ring.

New Japan is on a level that we may have never seen (early 90's All Japan is only fair comparison), WWE has been very good, Dragon Gate has been amazing lately and good all year long, PWG, ROH is drastically improved this year, Wrestle-1 looks encouraging, Sekimoto is fucking killing it in Big Japan, DDT always has awesome main events, DGUSA had great stuff the first half of the year, lucha fans have raved about everything except for AAA.

Chikara/Wi? has sucked, Evolve is boring, TNA is a dumpster fire, AAA stinks, NOAH is the shits, All Japan is dying but has had great title matches. Everything else is really good.

Yup. WWE has at least one match per week somewhere buried under 9 hours of TV and a PPV once a month that you should go check out. Sometimes more than one. DVR is a helluva thing.

I haven't watched as little wrestling in regards to time spent...but I've watched more stuff over more promotions than ever before. I really don't miss much of what is going on and I see all of the good stuff. Just gotta cut out the crap, and I do.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Meltzer went the full five for Tanahashi/Okada, to the surprise of nobody.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Running list of rookies from puropotsy of Wrestling Culture podcast, following Observer eligibility (debut after 9/1/12).

I've seen a few of the puro guys and a few of the NXT people. Nobody jumps out at me. Pretty dire list.

This is an area I always like to track and put together a list.

People will often post that the rules are confusing for this (cannot have worked for a major promotion or full-time before 9/1/2012) and that the category should be for break-out performer of the year.

I am posting this list for the purpose of tracking what rookies are out there and what people think of them.

To clear up any ambiguity I have only listed wrestlers who had their first match after 9/1/2012 (from what I can tell) and while others can always go outside that group there are at least a lot of people within that guideline. Some are VERY obscure but there are a lot of NXT wrestlers and a few mainstream guys in Japan, and as usual quite a few girls from Joshi.

Wrestlers who had their first match after September 1, 2012:

New Japan:

Sho Tanaka (d.o.b. 8/27/1989) debuted 11/15/2012 and is a graduate of the NJPW Dojo, he is a junior heavyweight at 205 pounds

Yohei Komatsu (d.o.b. 6/25/1988) debuted 11/19/2012 and is a graduate of the NJPW Dojo, he is a junior heavyweight

NOAH:

Hitoshi Kumano (d.o.b. 11/22/1991) debuted 2/9/2013 vs Atsushi Kotoge (although he was in a number of battle royals through January 2013)

DDT:

Konosuke Takeshita (d.o.b. 6/29/1995) debuted 8/4/2012 in DDT

Dragon Gate:

Ryotsu Shimizu (d.o.b, ?/?/1993), debuted 5/5/2013 in Dragon Gate and has also wrestled as Yuki Shimizu

K-Dojo:

Katsumi Oribe (d.o.b. ?/?/1988) debuted 2/24/2013 in Osaka Pro and has worked in K-Dojo

Taiyo Yoneda debuted 4/29/2013 in Osaka Pro

Tank Nagai (d.o.b. 4/28/1984) debuted 10/14/2012 in K-Dojo

WNC:

Hiroki Maruse debuted 2/3/2013 in WNC

Rionne McAvoy (d.o.b. 7/2/1986) also known as Lion McAvoy debuted 2/3/2013 in WNC

Joshi:

Akane Fujita (d.o.b. 1/3/1987) debuted 5/22/1983 in Ice Ribbon

Kumiko Kamata (d.o.b. 8/1/1986) debuted 11/10/2012 in Ice Ribbon

Risa Sera (d.o.b. 11/19/1991) debuted 10/20/2012 in JWP and has wrestled in Ice Ribbon, STARDOM and WAVE

Rutsuko Yamaguchi (d.o.b. 9/15/1990), debuted 12/29/2012 and has wrestled in STARDOM and Ice Ribbon

Shoko Hotta (d.o.b. 8/16/1986) debuted 10/20/2012 and wrestles in Ice Ribbon

Sumie Yoshino (d.o.b. 2/2/1983), debuted 4/7/2013 in STARDOM in Japan

Takumi Iroha (d.o.b. 1/4/1993) debuted 4/29/2013 in STARDOM in Japan

Yuie Yukoo (d.o.b. 11/14/1989) debuted 12/24/2012 and wrestles in STARDOM

235 (d.o.b. 4/14/1987) debuted 12/31/2012 in Ice Ribbon

WWE/NXT:

Anya, real name Anna Bogomazova (d.o.b. 4/7/1990) debuted 10/24/2012 in NXT

Angelo Dawkins (d.o.b. 7/24/???), debuted 12/20/2012 in NXT, former college athelete who is 6’5 and 282 pounds

Baron Corbin (d.o.b. 9/13/1984), debuted in NXT on 10/8/2012, is 6’6 and 273 pounds.

Cal Bishop (d.o.b. ?/?/?/?), name being used by former NCAA All-American wrestler Clayton Jack who was signed by WWE in January 2013, not sure if he has had his first match yet

Charlotte, name being used by Ashley Fliehr-Johnson (d.o.b. 4/5/1986), debuted 10/25/2012

Enzo Amore (d.o.b. 12/8/1986), debuted on 10/25/2012 in NXT

Eva Marie (d.o.b. 9/19/1984) debuted 7/1/2013 in NXT

Memo Montenegro (d.o.b. 4/26/1988), debuted on 9/20/2012, brother of Alberto Del Rio and son of Dos Caras, real name is Guillermo Rodríguez, started in WWE developmental without previous experience in Mexico

Sawyer Fulton (d.o.b. 4/2/????), debuted on 11/30/2012 in NXT

Travis Tyler (d.o.b. 3/20/????) debuted on 11/30/2012 in NXT

US Indies:

Falcon, debuted 2/2/2013 in IZW and has had several matches, is in the tag team Birds of Prey with Phoenix

Jonathan Ramser, debuted 5/11/2013 in OVW

Momma Excellent (d.o.b. 3/17/1965), real name Debbie Bouch, mother of Greg Excellent, teamed with Greg at CZW Cage of Death on 12/8/2012

Matt Majestic (d.o.b. 6/28/????), debuted 1/5/2013 in SRPW and has had several matches

Phoenix, debuted 2/2/2013 in IZW and has had several matches, is in the tag team Birds of Prey with Falcon

Psycho Sawyer (d.o.b. 4/13/????), debuted on 11/10/2012 and is wrestling in SRPW

Stuart Perry, debuted 6/5/2013 in OVW

International Indies:

David Finlay Jr (d.o.b. 5/16/1993), debuted 12/20/2012 in Germany and is the son of Finlay.

John Dozer, debuted 3/23/2013 in Australia

Morgan Leigh (d.o.b. ?/?/1991), debuted 3/1/2013 and is wrestling in France and Germany

Pete Bouncer (d.o.b. 6/3/1987), debuted 9/15/2012 in Germany

Mexico:

Anime (d.o.b. 1/1/1982), debuted 3/16/2013 in Mexican indies (female)

Hell Boy, debuted 9/?/2012 in Mexico

Shekina Elijah (d.o.b. 6/24/1991) debuted 11/?/2012 in Mexican indies (female)

Did some research.

Flamita of DTU, who had those great matches with Rich Swann & Ricochet, and debuts for Dragon Gate this month, debuted in 2005. Dragon Gate lists him as 18, but luchawiki says he as born 11/1/92, which would make him just shy of 21. Dude was 13 when he debuted. He debuted in DTU in 2012, but i'm not sure that's considered a "full time major promotion". He debuted in AAA in openers this year, and will work Dragon Gate soon. So to me, 2013 fits the criteria.

U-T of Dragon Gate made his pro wrestling debut in April 2013 in Mexico on excursion, and is now Dragon Gate full time since August, so he just made the 9/1 cutoff for 2013.

I'll try to get clarification/consensus on both, but to me I think it'd be fair to vote for them. I think both have a decent case for a top three vote.

EDIT - U-T made his Dragon gate debut on 8/30/13. So he qualifies this year and not 2014.

[Warner2BruceTD]

YAMATO, BB Hulk, Cyber Kong vs Akira Tozawa, Shingo, Uhaa Nation - The Gate of Destiny 11/3

ALL OF THE STARS. ALL OF THEM. ****1/2, ***** if the finish had been clean.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Best Tag Team...people have kind of anointed The Shield in July or so, and that was that...now i'm not so sure. It's not like they haven't done well, but they stopped having the best match on TV every week and i'm not sure this is a slam dunk anymore.

The Young Bucks won major tag titles under three major umbrellas (PWG, Open the United Gate, IWGP Junior Heavyweight). Their heel act hurts match quality a bit, but to me makes them far more interesting in terms of overall package.

Forever Hooligans have been a rock in New Japan, and then came stateside and did good things in ROH.

KES is a real throwback to the old days of the Road Warriors, Doc & Gordy, The Skyscrapers, Demolition, etc. Davey Boy Smith Jr might be Most Improved for his sudden personality and really finding himself as a worker in New Japan, and these guys have torn it up in ever match i've seen them in live as well, although that NWA stuff has limited exposure. Who would have ever thought TNA back tat Lance Hoyt would have ever developed in to a top monster?

Uso's, reDragon, Time Splitters, Rhodes Brothers all worthy of consideration, and I can tell you right now the Rhodes will get votes.

Don't forget that for the fist half of the year, Chavo & Hernandez vs Bad Influence vs Aries & Roode was probably the best thing going in TNA. Then for some reason they put the titles on Storm & Gunner.

I like Shield, KES, & The Bucks is some order. Not sure which yet.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Whoever crowned The Shield when The Young Bucks are still active is silly. Its #theBucks and it ain't close.

The Shield and KES (I have warmed up to Archer a ton in the past year) are 2/3, probably in that order. If I rounded out my Top 5 Tag Teams of 2013...The Rhodes Dynasty and...I dunno...a ton of teams that are good, just not sure I can separate them...probably the Hooligans.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

As for rookies...here in 'Murica, the pickins are slim Indy side. The WWE has Summer Rae and Enzo Amore...both more advanced than you'd think for true rookies. Enzo has a good gimmick and a natural entertainer and that might be good enough to get a random vote from me when I don't see a ton of guys I'm familiar with.

Flamita isn't a rookie to me.

From that list...only Sho Tanaka and Yohei Komatsu are guys I'm truly familiar with abroad, and that is because I've seen them wrestle each other.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Only indie "rookie" I can even think of is Cheesburger from ROH, who also does a gimmick for Wrestling Is that is escaping me right now. He's no contender.

I don't like the WWE choices

If Flamita qualifies he'd be right up there with Ryoto Shimizu & U-T of Dragon Gate for me. It helps that these guys have gimmicks in place, which gives them an edge over the New Japan young lions, but fuck if I don't love Sho Tanaka's fire.

This is not a great year for rookies, but it's not as dire as it was looking a few months ago.

[Leftwich]

Only indie "rookie" I can even think of is Cheesburger from ROH, who also does a gimmick for Wrestling Is that is escaping me right now. He's no contender.

I don't like the WWE choices

If Flamita qualifies he'd be right up there with Ryoto Shimizu & U-T of Dragon Gate for me. It helps that these guys have gimmicks in place, which gives them an edge over the New Japan young lions, but fuck if I don't love Sho Tanaka's fire.

This is not a great year for rookies, but it's not as dire as it was looking a few months ago.

You don't like Enzo Amore?!

[SuperKevin]

Warner doesn't like Enzo Amore because as an Italian American from Jersey he is offended by this sterotypical caricature. It is his own private Redskins situation

[FedEx227]

Whoever crowned The Shield when The Young Bucks are still active is silly. Its #theBucks and it ain't close.

The Shield and KES (I have warmed up to Archer a ton in the past year) are 2/3, probably in that order. If I rounded out my Top 5 Tag Teams of 2013...The Rhodes Dynasty and...I dunno...a ton of teams that are good, just not sure I can separate them...probably the Hooligans.

I'd have to go Bucks now. Most consistent tag act of the year IMO. They've been having well above average matches all across the world all year. Shield is up there as is KES but to me, it still has to be The Bucks, especially as Warner pointed out that they've won tag belts under 3 major companies/umbrellas.