WRA 2012: Wrestling Radio Awards recap
The Wrestling Radio Awards show is a web event held annually to honor the best in wrestling media from the past year.
The 11th annual Wrestling Radio Awards show (WRA 2012) was held on Sunday, January 29th and was streamed live on ShowdownNetwork.com and AudioWrestling.com. The full 90 minute audio stream and video clips from the event are now archived on WrestlingRadioAwards.com.
This year's event was hosted by the award winning Ministry Of Slam U.K. radio show and AltAwards.com nominated model Ruby Renegade who is currently featured in the Jan/Feb issue of Inked Girls Magazine.
The show kicked off with the announcement of the WRA "Host Of The Year" winner being Colt Cabana for his podcast "The Art Of Wrestling." Cabana then accepted the award personally and thanked all of the fans for the support. Cabana explained that his show is a forum for wrestlers like himself to tell their story. He regularly has on big named guests like CM Punk & Mick Foley but he urges everyone to check out the stories from some of the lesser known talents he has had on to share their experiences on the road in the wrestling business.
There was then a remote broadcast of The Score's "Aftermath Radio" hosted by Arda Ocal and former WWE Referee of over 20 years Jimmy Korderas. The topic was 2011 "Wrestler Of The Year" and top finalists for the award discussed included: TNA's Bobby Roode and WWE Superstars John Cena, CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, and Randy Orton.
CM Punk was announced as the 2011 Wrestler Of The Year. An audio excerpt from CM Punk was played where he discusses the wrestling business being on a trail to not exist in 20-30 years. Punk wishes to facilitate changes to make the business fun again. Now that Punk is a main eventer, he feels it is his responsibility to make more money so that everyone lower on the card can survive. Punk made fun of how WWE has over-pushed Twitter on the air in recent weeks.
Rima Fakih was announced as the WRA Female Interview Of The Year for her appearance on "Running The Ropes." Fakih accepted her award personally to thank the fans. In her interview excerpt Fakih discussed potentially using TNA as a stepping stone to reach her ultimate goal of wrestling for WWE.
Kevin Nash was announced as the WRA Media Interview Of The Year for his appearance on Wrestling News Live. Topics discussed with Nash included his hair color where Nash revealed he was forced to die his hair black in order to return to WWE, a running disagreement between himself and Vince McMahon for two years.
There was then a tribute to the late Macho Man Randy Savage featuring a recap of his national wrestling career and commentaries from Bret Hart, Kevin Nash and Savage's ex-girlfriend Stephanie "Gorgeous George" Bellars courtesy of VOC Nation which was awarded with an Editor's Choice Award for their tribute show which originally aired the week of Savage's death.
The "Wrestling Voice Radio" show hosted a roundtable segment to discuss the best matches of 2011. The Money In The Bank match between John Cena and CM Punk was later announced as the 2011 Match Of The Year.
Serena Deeb was announced as the Editor's Choice Female Interview Of The Year for her appearance on VOC Nation. Topics discussed by Deeb included her concussion that put her out of action in 2011.
The Miz was announced as the Editor's Choice Male Interview Of The Year for his appearance on Ministry Of Slam. Topics discussed by The Miz included the awkwardness when the fans choose to cheer him. The Miz said losing the WWE title might be a good thing for his career because it will motivate him to earn a WWE title match by working his way up to being the #1 contender and actually "earning" his title shot rather than cashing in a Money In The Bank contract.
Dameon Nelson accepted the award for "Broadcast Show Of The Year" for his show "Pro Wrestling Report."
Eve Torres was announced as the "Hottest Babe In Wrestling." In an audio excerpt Torres discussed how the role of women in the business has changed in the last decade from a very sexualized portrayal to the current blend of beauty and talent.
John "The Big Mosh" Masiulionis accepted the award for "Best Booked Show Of The Year" for his show "Monday Night Mayhem."
Shawn Michaels was announced as the WRA Male Interview Of The Year for his appearance on Wrestling News Live. Topics discussed by Michaels included his plans to return to WWE one day to work backstage. Michaels puts down wrestlers that say they "love the business" but don't have the warrior mentality to return quickly from setbacks. Michaels talks about his losing record in his final months in the WWE as a great body of work because of great storytelling.
Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas accepted the award for "Show Of The Year" for their show "Aftermath Radio." After giving thanks, an audio excerpt from their interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin was played. Austin commented on a potential match with CM Punk at WM28 that might have made sense if CM Punk had stayed heel. Austin said their was never any plan at any point to wrestle Hulk Hogan.
There was an off air Twitter vote for "WRA People's Choice Award" that was awarded to "Wrestling News Live." All of the wrestling shows mentioned above are eligible to win "Internet Show Of The Year" (an award that is open to Internet radio shows and podcasts from all genres of entertainment) at the Alternative Media Awards being held on February 26. Fans can vote for their favorite shows on the AltAwards.com website now.
Nominations for next year's awards show can be submitted here beginning this summer. |
