It was a banner year for WWE creatively and that’s certainly reflected in The Post’s pro wrestling awards for 2024.
WWE gave us one of the best WrestleMania’s ever, passed the torch from Roman Reigns to Cody Rhodes and saw performers such as Liv Morgan, Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest take things to a whole new level as the company signed a historic media rights deal with Netflix.
AEW still had plenty of highs, just not as many as years past. Tony Khan’s company saw the rise of Swerve Strickland and “Timeless” Toni Storm and watched Will Ospreay deliver on the hype as it gave us emotional retirement moments for Sting and Bryan Danielson. AEW will be around for a long time after a massive media rights renewal with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Rising tides have raised all ships as NXT and TNA feel like they are on the ascent, too.
Here are the best from 2024:
Male Wrestler of the Year
Cody Rhodes, WWE
Rhodes moved into the “quarterback” spot and WWE’s business has continued to pick up steam. “The American Nightmare” won the Royal Rumble for the second straight year and watched fan support sway WWE to change its Rock vs. Roman Reigns main event at WrestleMania 40 to Rhodes finishing his story by ending The Tribal Chief’s historic 1,316-day world championship reign in an all-time great main event. He followed that with memorable feuds versus AJ Styles, Logan Paul, Gunther and Kevin Owens.
Honorable mention: Bryan Danielson (AEW); Gunther (WWE); Drew McIntyre (WWE); Swerve Strickland (AEW); Will Ospreay (AEW).
Female Wrestler of the Year
Toni Storm, AEW
Storm took one of wrestling’s most unique characters — a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet working in black and white — and her career to the next level while making Mariah May. Watching “Timeless” Toni Storm go from an aloof star heel to a caring mentor babyface betrayed by May — who ended her 280-day reign as AEW Women’s champion at All In — was often the most entertaining part of AEW’s shows. Storm, who eventually put it all together in the ring with character, brought needed levity AEW by never breaking kayfabe and is already onto her second act.
Honorable mention: Jordynne Grace (TNA); Liv Morgan (WWE); Mercedes Mone (AEW); Rhea Ripley (WWE); Roxanne Perez (NXT).
Tag Team of the Year
Young Bucks, AEW
Matthew and Nicholas Jackson had a sneaky good year and haven’t missed a step. The Bucks gave Sting one heck of a retirement match, participated in Anarchy in the Arena, won the AEW World Tag Team championships for a third time by beating FTR and had one of the best matches at All In, against Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher. They ended 2024 by putting over Private Party in the team’s first AEW tag title victory.
Honorable mention: Finn Balor and JD McDonogh (WWE); Nathan Frazier and Axiom (NXT); Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards (TNA); Motor City Machine Guns (TNA/WWE); Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair (WWE).
Faction of the Year
The Judgment Day, WWE
The Judgment Day had its hands in everything even while breaking up. The Rhea Ripley-Dominik Mysterio-Liv Morgan love triangle story was one of the best of the year. Ripley, Morgan and Priest all held world titles. Priest cashed in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 40 and Morgan ended Ripley’s 379-day title reign at SummerSlam while ascending to main event status — all while Finn Balor had tag team title reigns with Preist and J.D. McDonagh.
Honorable mention: The Bloodline (WWE); The Don Callis Family (AEW); Damage CTL (WWE); The Elite (AEW); The System (TNA).
Storyline of the Year
Cody Rhodes finishes his story at WrestleMania 40, WWE
The conjunction of real-life emotions, cinema-quality story and star power may never be replicated. Fans loudly expressed their desire to see Rhodes finally win the Undisputed WWE championship. It led to a pivot from WWE to scrap the Roman Reigns-Rock match to give Rhodes his rematch with The Tribal Chief. Rock turned into one of the best heels in the business because of it, altering The Bloodline story. The match and pop when Rhodes won will stand the test of time.
Honorable mention: The Bloodline splinter into Tribal Chief war (WWE); Liv Morgan-Dominik Mysterio-Rhea Ripley love triangle (WWE); Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Page blood feud (AEW); Drew McIntyre-CM Punk personal feud (WWE); Mariah May backstabbing Toni Storm (AEW); Bayley exits Damage CTRL (WWE); JBL keeps helping Nic Nemeth (TNA).
Promo of the Year
Drew McIntyre, CM Punk torch each other on Raw, March 25, 2024
McIntyre and Punk gave us 10 months of memorable promos and masterclass in story billing with the former producing elite mic work. But this intense exchange turned up the intensity and laid the bedrock for what was to come with McIntyre calling Punk “his muse.” It was also filled with real-life references — including Punk’s past tries to be a leader and Vince McMahon picking McIntyre as The Chosen One.
Honorable mention: Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Page face-to-face before All Out (AEW); Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods turn on Big E (WWE); Sting and Darby Allin’s last words before Revolution; Roxanne Perez explains her heel actions (NXT); Rhea Ripley, Dominik Myterio, Liv Morgan SummerSlam fallout (WWE); MJF’s injury return (AEW).
Pay-per-view of the Year
WrestleMania 40, WWE
Both nights garnered A grades from The Post and they delivered feel-good and stunning moments galore in one of the best WrestleMania’s ever. We saw legends return to help Cody Rhodes finish his story, the World Heavyweight championship change hands twice thanks to a Money in the Bank cash-in, The Rock return to the ring, Bayley win a championship in her first Mania singles match and Sami Zayn end Gunther’s historic Intercontinental championship reign.
Honorable mention: AEW Revolution; AEW All In; AEW WrestleDream; SummerSlam; WWE Bad Blood; NXT Heatwave.
Match of the Year
Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson at AEW Wrestle Dynasty
This was two masters at their craft in a first-time-ever dream match pitting arguably the best wrestlers of their respective generations — and it exceeded the hype. The variety of wrestling styles on display — mat wrestling, counter wrestling, strong-style and even some aerial offense — was incredible and hit a crescendo. The finish was two gunslingers in either corner taking their best shot, and Danielson’s Busaiku Knee won out.
Honorable mention: Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk, Hell in a Cell; Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland, All In; Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, WrestleMania 40; Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale Street Fight; Bayley vs. Iyo Sky, WrestleMania 40; Young Bucks vs Sting and Darby Allin, Revolution.
Manager of the Year
Paul Heyman, WWE
Roman Reigns is one the biggest babyfaces in the industry despite months off TV thanks to Heyman carrying the bulk of the responsibility. Heyman did some of his best work becoming a sympathetic figure for the first time, even taking a powerbomb through a table from the new Bloodline. Couple that with his surprise return before WarGames and the favor he owes CM Punk and Heyman continues to push the narratives.
Honorable mention: Don Callis (AEW); Prince Nana (AEW); Robert Stone (NXT); Stokley Hathaway (AEW).
Male Breakout Wrestler of the Year
Bron Breakker, WWE
Breakker was called up in February and ran with every opportunity given to him. His spears have become must-see the way Goldberg’s were at his height. Breakker shined during his Intercontinental championship program with Sami Zayn, culminating in winning the prestigious title at SummerSlam to secure himself as a future main eventer.
Honorable Mention: Jacob Fatu (WWE); Jack Perry (AEW); Joe Hendry (TNA); Je’Von Evans (NXT); Konosuke Takeshita (AEW); Oba Femi (NXT).
Female Breakout Wrestler of the Year
Mariah May, AEW
May started as an unknown to a good portion of the U.S. audience after her time in STARDOM. She shined as “Timeless” Toni Storm’s understudy and had the audience invest in every turn on her way to one of the best betrayals of the year. May left Storm bloodied with a strike from her shoe leading into her ending Storm’s 280-day reign as AEW Women’s champion at All In. May’s aggressive ring style to fits the heel she’s become.
Honorable mention: Harley Cameron (AEW); Jaida Parker (NXT); Kelani Jordan (NXT); Lola Vice (NXT); Stephanie Vaquer (NXT/New Japan).
Best Return/Debut of the Year
The Rock returns at Day 1, WWE
After the Jinder Mahal fake-out, it was a moment and line that fans waited years for The Rock to utter. It set so many things in motion – including a “Fina Boss” heel turn – on the way to WrestleMania 40. The Rock made a surprise appearance and for the first time laid the gauntlet down for cousin Roman Reigns, asking if he should sit at the “head of the table.”
Honorable mention: The Wyatt Sicks debut on Raw; Mercedes Mone debuts at AEW Big Business; Jacob Fatu debuts on SmackDown; Roman Reigns returns at SummerSlam; Nigel McGuinness returns to wrestling at All In.
Best OMG Moment
Liv Morgan kisses Dominik Mysterio at SummerSlam, WWE
It was foreshadowed and built toward for three-plus months, but WWE gave the audience very little indication it would happen at SummerSlam. During the match, Mysterio looked to be doing everything he could to support Rhea Ripley, and even his interference that cost her the match could have been seen as an attempt to help her. But when Mysterio and Morgan locked lips it was a grand payoff and poured gasoline on one of WWE’s best stories.
Honorable Mention: New Day breaks up at anniversary celebration; Mariah May turns on Toni Storm; “Hangman” Adam Page burns Swerve Stickland’s house; Ethan Page wins the NXT championship; The Rock whips Cody Rhodes outside his bus; Sting’s sons get involved in retirement match dressed as classic Stings.
Biggest Story
Vince McMahon’s sexual assault allegations
This story rocked and changed the wrestling world forever. Vince McMahon was accused in January of sexual assault and sex trafficking by former WWE employee Janel Grant in a bombshell lawsuit. Two days later, McMahon resigned from the TKO board and no longer has any power or official connection to WWE for the first time in 40 years. WWE distanced itself from its former CEO at WrestleMania 40, officially ushering in the Paul “Triple H” Levesque Era.
Honorable Mention: WWE’s media rights deal with Netflix; AEW simulcasting on Max in a new television deal; WWE/TNA partnership; Sting’s retirement; Bryan Danielson ending full-time wrestling career; AEW contract drama.
