Most Overrated Wrestler

Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler who really has little talent, but has a large
place in the spotlight nonetheless. This is a measure of how undeserved a
wrestler's push is.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Hulk Hogan
  1991: Hulk Hogan
  1992: Ultimate Warrior
  1993: Hulk Hogan
  1994: Hulk Hogan
  1995: Hulk Hogan
  1996: Hulk Hogan
  1997: Hulk Hogan
  1998: Hollywood Hogan

**1999**: Hulk Hogan

349 first place votes
341 second place votes
333 third place votes

 69 30 20  475   Hulk Hogan
 29 28 19  267   Kevin Nash
 33 19 14  250   Rock
 29 12 14  207   Steve Austin
 16 23 17  183   Sid Vicious
 22 12 10  166   Rob Van Dam
 22  7 10  151   Goldberg
  9 16 24  141   Mr. Ass
 14 12  7  120   Buff Bagwell
  8 11 13   99   Triple H
  5 13 14   92   Total Package
  8 11  5   83   Chyna
  6  7 11   73   Big Bossman
  5 10  9   73   Diamond Dallas Page
  7  9  4   70   Bret Hart
  6  6  8   64   Taz
  3 10  9   63   Konnan
  4  9  6   59   Shane Douglas
  3  8  9   57   Big Show
  5  6  4   51   Vampiro
  5  4  7   51   Shane McMahon
  2  8  8   50   Road Dogg
  2  6  8   44   Scott Steiner
  6  3  2   43   Chris Benoit
  2  5  8   41   Undertaker
  3  5  4   38   Sable
  2  5  6   37   X-Pac
  3  2  6   33   Ric Flair
  3  2  5   31   Sting
  3  2  2   25   Chris Jericho
  1  4  4   25   Berlyn
  2  2  2   20   Godfather
  1  3  3   20   Sabu
  1  2  3   17   Justin Credible
  1  2  2   15   Dean Malenko
  1  0  5   15   Roddy Piper
  1  2  1   13   Jeff Jarrett
  0  3  2   13   Scott Hall
  0  3  2   13   Rick Steiner
  0  3  2   13   Kane
  0  2  2   10   Mark Henry
  0  3  0    9   Randy Savage
  0  1  3    9   Fit Finlay
  1  0  1    7   Warrior
  0  1  2    7   Debra
  0  1  2    7   British Bulldog
  0  0  3    6   Val Venis
  1  0  0    5   Vader
  1  0  0    5   Tori
  1  0  0    5   Rey Mysterio Jr.
  1  0  0    5   Norman Smiley
  1  0  0    5   Meng
  1  0  0    5   Kurt Angle
  0  0  2    4   Cat
  0  1  0    3   Wrath
  0  1  0    3   Owen Hart
  0  1  0    3   Kidman
  0  1  0    3   Kendo KaShin
  0  1  0    3   Eddie Guerrero
  0  1  0    3   David Flair
  0  1  0    3   Booker T.
  0  0  1    2   Vince McMahon
  0  0  1    2   Tommy Dreamer
  0  0  1    2   Test
  0  0  1    2   Sandman
  0  0  1    2   Mankind
  0  0  1    2   Madusa
  0  0  1    2   Fantasia
  0  0  1    2   Evan Karagias
  0  0  1    2   Disciple
  0  0  1    2   Buh Buh Ray Dudley

REJECTED 

  0  1  1        Triple H (duplicate)
  0  1  1        Chyna (duplicate)
  0  1  0        "Tie" votes

CHRIS BIRD: Kevin Nash built the entire promotion around himself and it
fell apart. Hulk Hogan did too, and it fell apart too - it just took a
little longer. Billy Gunn got the most undeserved push of the year,
forever proving that he is dependent on Road Dogg for his heat.

EDC: What do these three all have in common? The all say the same thing
over and over and over again. And the suck in the ring too.

RFLAGG13: For everyone who says Vader is back, I say GET A CLUE. He's
still one of the slowest pieces of crap on legs, and he's only been in
great matches because Misawa carried him. He said it best at Over The Edge
'98 when he told the world, "I'm a big fat piece of s***." I
wholeheartedly concur. Next up, we've got Randy Savage, who a lot of
people say is the only WCW main eventer who is any good anymore. I just
don't see it, and the fact that he's been injuring people right and left
with the flying elbow doesn't help matters.  Third, we present the British
Bulldog, who a lot of people seem to be saying is back somehow. Sorry, he
still sucks, and he will never be any good anymore.

K. CANZANELLA: Rocky Miavia takes the cake. If I have to read one more
rube tell me how many "****+" matches he's in or how his interviews are
all different because he changes the catchphrases around I think I'm going
to puke. He's a shitty worker who once had potential, but now would rather
be lazy and ride on the fan's fondness for repetitiveness than do
anything. Taz had a kata hajime on that ECW world title belt and almost
successfully suffocated it. Thank God he's now gone to the fed that shall
dare not feculantize my TV set anymore. You know the only reason Gunn got
that huge singles push is because the WWF wanted to run up the ass count
into triple digits each show. Stick to pointing at Road Dogg's wang,
please.

SVEN MASCARENHAS: With increased exposure to ECW comes more exposure to
those I hate the most: Rob Van "Too flashy for my own good" Dam and Taz,
who I'm thinking I'm going to hate in the WWF. Van Dam can't work a good
match without a chair being involved, Taz doesn't sell for anyone other
than Mike Awesome, and neither is anything when they're before crowds
bigger than 600. Shane Douglas was hailed as one of the best pickups WCW
made all year: instead, his much-vaunted interviews have been pathetically
bad. Even if he does remember what city he's in.

AARON: Shane Douglas must retire. And quickly. Being the gimped bitch boy
for the Revolution isn't going to get him anywhere. Big Show had a lot of
hype going into the WWF, and so far, has failed pretty badly due to his
laziness. Hulk is Hulk.

DON BECKER: I hesitate to add him simply because he's not a wrestler, but
Shane McMahon takes a few nice-looking bumps and all of a sudden he's a
"best flyer" nominee?  As SCSA would say, "eh eh".  I'm still scratching
my head as to why Kendo KaShin was given the IWGP Jr. title and the Best
Of The Super Juniors tourney this year, but then again so are a lot of
other net folk.  Taz's one-dimensional offense may have been caused by
Paul Heyman's booking of him as mini-Goldberg, but time will tell if Vince
can do anything more interesting with him.

SHAWN MULLIN: The definition of this award is who got the largest
undeserved push, and Hogan is almost always going to get this award.  
This guy has worn out his welcome as WCW champion, he's worn out his
welcome in the main event, and unlike Flair, you can't go back to Hogan
and always come out successful.  Chyna sucks, and she's only been truly
over when she was matched up with the surprisingly over Jeff Jarrett.  
Most of the time the reactions for her are quiet and mixed, and she's not
half the wrestle Shane McMahon is.  That's not good folks.  Billy Gunn
will never be over or interesting on his own.

MAX CHITTISTER: What's the big deal about Vampiro? I don't care if she is
great PR, Chyna needs to be carried through every little bit of a match
(except the nut punch, that is). And Billy Gunn is all attitude, no skill.

CAN00K: I hate Hulk Hogan.

PAUL SHOCK:  HHH is an AWFUL wrestler.  He's a good interview, and that's
it.  I kept hearing how good Douglas was in ECW, but all I saw in WCW was
a pudgy version of HHH with a good finisher.  Shane McMahon had his
moments, but let's be honest, people.  When he had to get in there and mat
wrestle, he was sucking wind after about twenty seconds.

BLOB: Man oh man, did the marks ever come out of their holes when Hogan
turned back into the Hulkster. There is no question about Hogan. As for
Luger, he is WAY overrated as well. The guy is just terrible. Undertaker
is getting to be more and more unbearable as time passes by.

ALDO: Why did WCW keep giving in to Hulk Hogan pre-Russo?  He sucks as a
wrestler, has an irritating voice, won't job for most anyone and has the
least convincing finishing sequence I've seen in my life.  Yet, he gets
most of the focus during much of 1999!  I placed Debra second mainly due
to her only asset -- her breasts.  If someone came up to her and slashed
her tits off, there would be no reason to keep her employed.  Third went
to Sid Vicious in this category.  I'll admit that I marked out when I saw
him appear live at ECW's Guilty As Charged, but he's too much of a
neanderthal in a ring and his interviews are atrocious.  Thank God someone
kept him away from the scissors this year.

GEORGE CARTER: 'Too soon' is what you can say to describe Triple H's title
reign. The only time he was interesting was when he, Shawn, Chyna and Rick
Rude were all apart of DX, but since he 'picked up the ball' Hunter has
been boring.  He has decent mic skills, his wrestling skils are
non-existant (but looks at Austin) and it takes him to reform DX, verbally
attack Jesse the Body Ventura, beat up Vince, Shane, the Rock, Austin and
Arnold. in order to get heat.I don't think I have ever seen a promotion
promote a guy so heavily just to get him over (the last time was either
Rocky Maivia or Glacier/Blood Runs Cold).

JOHN C.:Hogan is the pick of many people but I have to go with Nash cause
he was easily the worst wrestler this year. Watch any of his matches with
Hogan, Sid or Savage and try not to cry.

RICHARD BEAUBIEN:  The Outsiders, the people who helped make WCW into the
#1 company for awhile. And boy if WCW and others didn't think they could
do it again...And boy did Nash booking suck, big time...  And people still
think they're creative and innovative. Nope, Awful and terriible are
better words for them. Overrated is another one.  Shane Douglas leaps to
mind as well, being another Heyman creation. His in-ring schtick was
middling at best, not worthy of the franchise hype given him by some ECW
marks. At least he's good on the stick, where he should be kept.

ELLIOT SPARKS: Most over-rated is a category that may as well be sponsored
by World Wrestling Federation Entertainment (Inc). With the year's crop of
Sports Entertainment Superstars largely consisting of people with little
pro wrestling training, there's a wealth of 'serious competitors' that
have no place in a wrestling ring. But it's not their push that makes
these people truly over-rated; it's the acceptance they have garnered from
fans of all kinds. Chyna epitomises this whole deal, so she gets my top
vote. A pathetic performer, I'm shocked that so many people overlook her
imcompetence because of her laughable status as an 'equal rights' icon. If
people would stop and think, maybe they would realise what a joke her push
really is. Worse yet, the punchline sucks.

DAVID HANNA:  We are entitled to our opinions.  I think Chris Benoit and
Dean Malenko are two of the most overrated guys on all the internet.  I am
so sick and tired of everyone trying to out praise Herb Krunze.  These
guys suck.  I am not talking workrate here.  I am talking what matters in
the 90s and thats mic skills, charisma and personality.  I voted for Billy
Gunn 3rd because everyone thinks he is better than the Road Dogg.  Uh-uh.  
Billy is boring, he is blessed to have Mr. Armstrong to carry his ass.

SEAN FLYNN: This is tough, because I like all of these guys, particularly
RVD.  However, they are all overrated due to their fanbases.  Rey is
deteriorated and repetitive.  Benoit: great technician, but doesn't know
how to make himself seem important (partially crappy booking) , and RVD is
good, but NOT the next Shawn Michaels.

LUKE JOHNSTON: Without a doubt, the most overrated wrestler in this
industry in the year 1999 was Rick Steiner. Never before have I seen a man
pushed so unmercifully down the collective throats of fans while receiving
absolutely no heat whatsoever. WCW's pathetic attempts to establish him as
a main eventer by teaming him with Sid Vicious and giving him lengthy
title reigns were met with zero response from the audience. Not getting
the hint, however, WCW continued to push and push and push, and as the
voting year comes to an end Rick Steiner still holds onto the TV title.
It's one of those things that makes you scratch your head and wonder what
the hell is going on.=20

BEN MILLER:  Van Dam is just so bad in so many areas that highspots cannot
make up for it.

KEVIN WONG: What do you mean I can only choose 3??  This year, I've
decided to gloss over the obvious choices and list these three guys:
Berlyn, because at one point, Alex Wright was at least a decent wrestler;
Konnan, who is exactly what he says he is - the Lucha Hulk Hogan; Rob Van
Dam, because he's simply not that great.

B. SZPAKOWICZ: Can someone please kill Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Triple
H? The last two are particularly annoying, since they have far more
ability than they ever bother to show. Diesel was actually a *decent*
wrestler, folks. Really! And HHH does have moves not involving his knee.
He just refuses to use them!

SUGAR RAY: Hulk Hogan continues to be pushed to the world title and only
God knows why. Will our suffering ever end ? David Flair, US champion???
What the fuck is that??? And in case you haven't noticed, Roddy Piper is
past his prime and he can retire now. Giving him the US title made a
mockery of the belt.

JEREMY SORIA: Wow, someone actually rated higher than Diamond Dallas Page
this year, eh?  Jeff Jarrett, no one cares about you. They never did in
the WWF, and they most certainly won't in WCW. Do we have to El KaBong you
over the head with your own guitar to make you understand that?

MICHAEL STAKELY: Most overrated Of course this will probably be won by
Kevin Nash or Hogan who don't really belong in this category, the vast
majority of internet fans hate them as is.  Perhaps it would be best to
just retire Hogan from the voting entirely and give him a Lifetime
Overrated Achievement Award so other deserving candidates can get a shot.
1st. It occurs to me that if Rob Van Dam was in any other organization his
stalling and crowd pandering would result in him being burned in effigy...
plus it would have almost universally been accepted that Jerry Lynn was
doing all of the work. 2nd. Catchphrase to move ratio: 2 to 1.  Thanks but
no.

OTTO "HACK-MAN" HEUER: Most Overrated Wrestler is the ONE category each
year where I have trouble narrowing it down to twenty, much less three.  
The top two are easy:  Steve Austin and Taz.  Neither one should have won
a single match all year, much less hold a world title.  Austin is a
cripple who hasn't been all that interesting for two years, and may have
been the most interesting with Pillman in th Hollywood Blonds. For the
third spot I considered Buff Bagwell, Big Show, Billy Gunn, Bret Hart,
Dean Malenko (who was at the top of my list for "favorite wrestler" only
three years ago) , Godfather, Hulk Hogan, Ivory, Kevin Nash, Mark Henry,
Sting, Tori, Triple H, and Undertaker, but ended up going with Debra.  
She was boring in WCW and the plastic surgery only made her a little more
pleasing on the eyes, but was still damn annoying.  That, and she'd
probably getting old enough to be my grandmother, and there's people my
age who are grandparents.  It was especially hard to leave out Konnan and
Shane Douglas, who should both have been jobbing to Mike Tenay.

MDB: World Champ Triple H.  Does that sound pathetic or what?  Sid is one
of the luckiest guys in the world.  Why promoters think anyone cares about
him is beyond me.  And just to prove anyone could hold the WWF title and
still have WCW's ass handed to them, Vince put the belt on the Big Giant
in the middle of one of the lamest feuds of the decade.