Owens and The New Day deserved to win trophies...
Tuesday 22 December 2015 14:43, UK
The 2015 Slammy Awards were dished out on Monday Night Raw, with Seth Rollins and Neville among those to triumph.
But did the right Superstars and Divas claim the coveted gold trophies? Here are the choices we would have made...
Superstar of the Year - Seth Rollins (Actual winner - Seth Rollins)
The Architect's year ended in frustrating fashion after he picked up a serious knee injury and was subsequently ruled out for between six to nine months and forced to vacate the world title, but 2015 should still be a considered a glittering annum for him. Rollins was part of a stonking Triple Threat bout at Royal Rumble alongside John Cena and Brock Lesnar and although he failed to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on that occasion, he rectified that by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania. A 221-day reign followed, which saw The Aerialist overcome the likes of Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Cena and Sting, and while his affiliation with The Authority helped him keep his belt, the continued high quality of his matches was mostly his own doing.
Tag Team of the Year - The New Day (Actual winner - The Usos)
Inside the ring, outside the ring, gyrating on the ring apron… Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have been one of the highlights of WWE programming in 2015. Since joining forces a year ago, the positive-thinking faction have made it their modus operandi to criticise every city they wrestle in and every Superstar they wrestle against, with Woods and his oft-blown trombone usually playing a starring role. The New Day - who have taken to wearing unicorn horns on their heads - are equally eye-catching between the ropes, seeing off The Dudley Boyz early in the autumn and then The Usos and The Lucha Dragons during a pulsating Ladder Match at TLC to retain their WWE Tag Team Titles. All together now: 'New Day rocks…
Celebrity Moment of the Year - Wayne Rooney slaps King Barrett (Actual winner - Arrow's Stephen Amell attacks Stardust)
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has not been at his best in front of goal this season, scoring just seven goals in all competitions for the Red Devils, but he was right on target when he slapped King Barrett as Monday Night Raw hit Manchester in November. Barrett, a lifelong Preston fan, made disparaging remarks about United and challenged Rooney to a fight while his tag-team partner, Sheamus, was squaring off with Cesaro. Rooney's clump on Barrett not only shocked the Brit but also Sheamus, who was subsequently pinned by Cesaro and dumped out of the WWE World Heavyweight Title Tournament. Barrett's response was to try ad track Rooney down at United's training ground, a quest that would prove futile.
Match of the Year - John Cena v Cesaro, Raw, July 6 (Actual winner - The Undertaker v Brock Lesnar, Hell in a Cell, October 25)
So, Cesaro conquered Sheamus in Manchester but his finest match of the year - and there were many to choose from - came arguably in a losing effort in Chicago. A week after Kevin Owens stopped him winning John Cena's United States Championship, the European grappler was granted a rematch against The Cenation Leader, with the two promptly tearing the proverbial house down. Cesaro unleashed uppercuts and suplexes galore, as well as the Neutralizer, but eventually fell victim to an Attitude Adjustment from the turnbuckle. Cena's Triple Threat with Rollins and Lesnar at Royal Rumble was a classic, while Sting wrestling Triple H at WrestleMania was an iconic moment, but Cesaro v Cena in Chi-Town takes this accolade.
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Diva of the Year - Nikki Bella (Actual winner - Nikki Bella)
Charlotte is the current Divas Champion, Paige is rarely out of the title picture, and Sasha Banks is, possibly, the finest in-ring performer in WWE, let alone in the female division. However, Nikki Bella's record-breaking stint with the Divas strap - the Arizona-born grappler holding the garland for 301 days, six days longer than AJ Lee's 295-day reign - means she deserves to be crowned Diva of the Year. From having her wrestling ability questioned and told by WWE fans that her relationship with Cena was the main reason she has earned such a prominent position on the card, a series of quality bouts with her contemporaries showed Bella could hang with the next generation.
Breakout Star of the Year - Kevin Owens (Actual winner - Neville)
His T-Shirt reads 'Fight, Owens, Fight' and, boy, can he do that. This time last year The Prizefighter had just made his debut in NXT, beating CJ Parker and battering Sami Zayn at TakeOver: R Evolution, but since then he has won and lost the NXT Championship - winning it from Zayn, losing it to Finn Balor - and the Intercontinental Championship - winning it from Ryback, losing it to Dean Ambrose - and defeated Cena on his first night on WWE's main roster. Owens is yet to land the WWE World Heavyweight Championship but it can't be too long before he does, and while his threads stipulate his penchant for a scrap, Owens is also one of the most captivating talkers in the grappling industry. The Canadian has a lot going for him.
