Smark Out Moment

WWE has the Slammy Awards. But here at Smark Out Moment, we like to take an even closer look at what happened throughout the year. Not only do we award the best of many more categories, we also point out the worst that we've seen in the past 12 months of what World Wrestling Entertainment had to offer.

Welcome to the WWE half of the 13th annual SMARK OUT MOMENT AWARDS (aka the Smarkies)!

Make sure you let us know in the comments what your choices are for the best and the worst of each award in all of our divisions including Technical Skill Awards, Writing Awards and Performer Awards!

As per usual, I've made some changes to the awards lineup compared to previous years. This time around, I've consolidated things quite a bit.

We're down to just the three major umbrella categories to act as equals to the AEW awards. Gone are the separate Programming Awards and On-Air Personality Awards. In part, that was due to WWE not having as many shows worth differentiating in the Programming section, as well as many of the other categories just going away entirely.

In total, we've removed the Cameo Appearance, Ring Announcer, Authority Figure, Extra/Other Character, and condensed Talk/Recap Show, Documentary Show, Oddball Show and New Program into just the overall Best Show type award to streamline this.

Let us know what you think of the new setup and if you'd like to see any changes for next year.

Without further ado, let's start reviewing this year in WWE!

[TECHNICAL SKILLS AWARDS]

ENTRANCE

Explanation: This award should take into account everything including pyro, lighting, music, what the superstars do during their entrances, and so on. Your choices can be a singular entrance in particular (such as their upgraded WrestleMania one) or someone's standard entrance that happens every time he/she comes to the ring.

[BEST]: Edge at WrestleMania 38

- Runner-up options: 

• King Woods and Sir Kofi throne at Day 1
• Brood Edge (Day 1)
• Seth Rollins SHIELD entrance (Royal Rumble)
• Rick Boogs and Shinsuke Nakamura (WrestleMania)
• Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania)
• Drew McIntyre (Clash at the Castle)
  

[WORST]: Becky Lynch just walks out of an SUV at WrestleMania 38

CLOTHING / ATTIRE

Explanation: Who has the best and worst outfits, whether it's just what they wear during their entrance or if it's their normal ring gear?

[BEST]: Edge (WrestleMania 38)

- Runner-up options: 

• Becky Lynch (mirror outfit)
• Zelina Vega (Royal Rumble)
• Becky Lynch (Royal Rumble)
• Sasha Banks (Royal Rumble)
• Bianca Belair (WrestleMania)
• Logan Paul and The Miz (WrestleMania)
• Liv Morgan (WrestleMania)
  

[WORST]: (4-Way Tie) Charlotte Flair's Christmas pajamas at Elimination Chamber, Rey Mysterio's Fruit Stripe Gum Zebra looking outfit on October 10 Raw, nearly everything Becky Lynch has worn except her mirror outfit, Scrypts

SIGNATURE MANEUVER

Explanation: What is your favorite and least favorite regularly seen wrestling move was that had been featured multiple times as something on a superstar's repertoire. Typically, these are finishers (such as the Attitude Adjustment) but it could also be a signature setup (such as the Five Knuckle Shuffle) or something along those lines.

[BEST]: Stone Cold Stunner

- Runner-up options: Bianca Belair's KOD, Tiffany Stratton's spinning splash (NXT 2/8 against Wendy Choo), The Hurt Lock

[WORST]: 24/7 Roll-Ups

- I inherently hate the ones that I don't remember, as well as any time someone uses a weak kick or a DDT because they have no other finisher

SPOT / BOTCH

Explanation: What was the most entertaining spot and what was the biggest disaster of a botch that happened this year?

[BEST/COOLEST SPOT]: Brock Lesnar flips the ring with a tractor at SummerSlam

[WORST/BIGGEST BOTCH]: Cora Jade's skateboard breaks before hitting Roxanne Perez

- Runner-up options:

• Big E injury
• Kofi Kingston's Royal Rumble failure
  
• Nikki Cross fails to toss the 24/7 Championship in the trash can
• Vince McMahon selling Stone Cold Steve Austin

RECOGNITION

Explanation: Perception is everything, so which superstar deserved more credit this year than they received and which superstar was unworthy of all the praise he or she received?

[MOST UNDERRATED]: Josh Briggs

- Runner-up options: Duke Hudson, Santos Escobar, Tommaso Ciampa

[MOST OVERRATED]: Bray Wyatt

- Runner-up options: Finn Balor, Liv Morgan

IMPROVEMENT IN A SUPERSTAR

Explanation: Which superstar improved their work and saw the biggest upgrade and who saw the biggest downgrade in terms of a regression of their performance, spot on the roster, quality of value and so forth?

[BIGGEST UPGRADE]: Liv Morgan

- Runner-up options: Cody Rhodes

[BIGGEST DOWNGRADE]: Raquel Rodriguez

- Runner-up options: AJ Styles, Austin Theory, Big E, Vince McMahon

RING WORK

Explanation: Which two superstars were the best and the worst when performing in the ring?

[BEST]: The Usos

- Runner-up options: Bianca Belair, Carmelo Hayes, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Sheamus

[WORST]: Mostly All of the Women in NXT (Arianna Grace, Lash Legend, Yulisa Leon, etc)

- Runner-up options: B-Fab, Maxxine Dupri, Scarlett, Shotzi

MIC WORK

Explanation: Who had the best and worst promo skills, charisma, and performing as an entertaining character with all of the verbal aspects of WWE.

[BEST]: Sami Zayn

- Runner-up options: Edge, Kevin Owens, LA Knight, Roman Reigns

[WORST]: AJ Galante dubbing Tony D'Angelo the Don of NXT

- Runner-up options: Countless bad acting in NXT (especially Roderick Strong, Yulisa Leon, Valentina Feroz, and Axiom), Dominik Mysterio, Maxxine Dupri

MATCH OF THE YEAR

Explanation: Matches can be from any show, including Raw, SmackDown, NXT, Main Event, 205 Live, NXT Level Up, NXT UK, pay-per-views and special events.

[BEST]: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship) from SummerSlam

• Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bianca Belair (Raw Women's Championship Match) — WrestleMania 38 Night 1
• Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins — WrestleMania 38 Night 1
• Anything Goes Match: Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville — WrestleMania 38 Night 2
• Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins — Hell in a Cell
• The Usos vs. The Street Profits (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match) — Money in the Bank
  
• Gunther vs. Sheamus (Intercontinental Championship Match) — Clash at the Castle

[WORST]: Indi Hartwell vs. Lash Legend from NXT, July 12

• The New Day vs. Ridge Holland and Sheamus — WrestleMania 38 Night 2
• Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki A.S.H. — Monday Night Raw, May 23
• Shayna Baszler vs. Shotzi — SmackDown, November 18

[WRITING AWARDS]

CATCH PHRASE or SLOGAN

Explanation: This includes any kind of regularly mentioned slogan, taunt, catch phrase, signature sign-off or any verbal sayings of those sorts.

[BEST]: Feeling Ucey

- Runner-up options: Melo don't miss, You the twos and we the ones, Acknowledge me

[WORST]: The Most Stupendous WrestleMania!

- Runner-up options: If you didn't know, now you know

GIMMICK

Explanation: Which superstars portrayed the best and the worst characters this year?

[BEST]: Honorary Uce Sami Zayn

- Runner-up options: Andre Chase University, Hank Walker

[WORST]: Scrypts

- Runner-up options: Axiom, Brooks Jensen's love life, "Dana Brooke is awful and everyone knows it but she gets offended and just wants to wrestle and prove herself", Dancing Shanky, Ezekiel

HEEL or FACE TURN

Explanation: The Best/Worst Heel or Face Turn award asks which character turn (whether it was from heel to face or face to heel doesn't matter) was the most effective and interesting and which one was stupid and a mistake.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: all heel and face turns are on this list

[BEST]: Solo Sikoa turns heel at Clash at the Castle to cost Drew McIntyre

- Runner-up options: Trent Seven turns heel on Tyler Bate, Dominik Mysterio

[WORST]: Cora Jade turns heel on Roxanne Perez

- Runner-up options: Lacey Evans, Finn Balor/Edge Judgment Day

TITLE REIGN

Explanation: Who had the most meaningful time with a championship to their name, where the matches were good, the feuds were interesting, and you were enjoying their reign, as well as who failed to meet those expectations and perhaps had a boring, uneventful, bad run with a belt.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: all of the title reigns on this list

[BEST]: The Usos

- Runner-up options: Bianca Belair, Bron Breakker, Roman Reigns

[WORST]: Too many to pick from this list

• Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez (NXT Women's Tag Team Championship)
• Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship)
• Solo Sikoa (NXT North American Championship)
• Liv Morgan (SmackDown Women's Championship)
• Alexa Bliss and Asuka (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship)
• Everything with the 24/7 Championship and the house show title changes that don't even count
• Bobby Lashley (WWE)
• MSK (NXT Tag Team)
• Mark Coffey (NXT UK Heritage Cup)
• Austin Theory (Money in the Bank)

TELEVISION SHOW or DIGITAL PROGRAM

Explanation: Out of WWE's programming all across the board on networks, streaming services, and digital platforms, which shows are your favorite and least favorite?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: In-ring shows (205 Live, Main Event, NXT, NXT Level Up, NXT UK, Raw and SmackDown) and other shows (Afterburn, After the Bell, Bottom Line, Broken Skull Sessions, The Bump, Corey & Carmella, Grit & Glory, Miz and Mrs, Playback, Pop Question, Raw Talk, #Short Facts, Superstar Toyz, Table for 3, Talking Smack / SmackDown Lowdown, This is Awesome, This Week in WWE, The Ultimate Show, UpUpDownDown, What's NeXT?, WWE 24, WWE Ahora, WWE Evil, WWE Now)

[BEST]: The Ultimate Show

[WORST]: Afterburn, Bottom Line and all those pointless recap shows

- Runner-up options: 205 Live and Main Event

PAY-PER-VIEW or SPECIAL EVENT

Explanation: What were your favorite and least favorite pay-per-views or special events from the year?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All pay-per-views and special events are indicated on this list

[BEST]: SummerSlam

- Runner-up options: Survivor Series

[WORST]: NXT In Your House

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT

Explanation: What was the absolute biggest surprise you had this entire year that you didn't see coming?

[MOST SHOCKING MOMENT OF 2022]: Vince McMahon Retires

- Runner-up options: 

• Ivory's return as Right to Censor character
• WrestleMania stuff with Vince McMahon
• Cody Rhodes wrestles at Hell in a Cell
• Liv Morgan wins Money in the Bank and cashes in on Ronda Rousey
• Sasha Banks and Naomi walk out
• Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky return with Bayley at SummerSlam after Becky Lynch's babyface turn

SMARK OUT MOMENTS

Explanation: What did you consider to be the overall best and worst things to have happened this year? What was the coolest thing to make you happy as a fan and which moment was so horrible that it made you the most disappointed with WWE?

[BEST]: Cody Rhodes Competes at Hell in a Cell

- Runner-up options: Austin's stuff on both nights of WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes returns at WrestleMania

[WORST]: Austin Theory Fails Money in the Bank Cash-in

- Runner-up options: Big E injury, Time constraints from WrestleMania

STORYLINE

Explanation: What were the most interesting, well-executed storylines of the year and which feuds were the least interesting, terrible ones to watch?

[BEST]: Sami Zayn and The Bloodline

[WORST]: Double wedding between Akira Tozawa/Tamina and Reggie/Dana Brooke

- Runner-up options: The Miz hired Dexter Lumis, Nearly everything with The Judgment Day

[PERFORMER AWARDS]

MANAGER or VALET

Explanation: This includes anybody who regularly accompanies someone down to the ring in some capacity, but is not their tag team partner in the ring.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All managers and valets on the roster are indicated on this list

[BEST]: Paul Heyman

[WORST]: Eddie Dennis

BROADCAST CORRESPONDENT

Explanation: This includes all ring announcers, backstage interviewers, panelists and correspondents.

RING ANNOUNCERS: Alicia Taylor, Francesca Brown, Mike Rome, Samantha Irvin

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEWERS: Cathy Kelley, Kayla Braxton, Kelly Kincaid, Kevin Patrick, McKenzie Mitchell, Megan Morant, Maria Menounos (WrestleMania), Sarah Schreiber

PANEL ANALYSTS / OTHER ANCHORS: Alicia Taylor, Booker T, Byron Saxton, Gaelyn Mendonca (WWE Now India), Jackie Redmond, Jerry Lawler, Jimena Sánchez (WWE Saturday Night), John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Kayla Braxton, Matt Camp, Moein Al Bastaki (WWE Wal3ooha), Nathalie Mamo (WWE Wal3ooha), Nina Wu (WWE Now China), Peter Rosenberg, Quetzalli Bulnes, Ryan Pappolla, Sam Roberts, Scott Stanford

[BEST]: (tie) Matt Camp and McKenzie Mitchell

- Runner-up options: Ryan Pappolla, Sam Roberts, Scott Stanford

[WORST]: Quetzalli Bulnes

- Runner-up options: Jackie Redmond

COMMENTATOR

Explanation: This includes all members of the commentary teams on all brands, including the foreign commentators.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: Andy Shepherd, Booker T, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, Jimmy Smith, Kevin Patrick, Michael Cole, Nigel McGuinness, Pat McAfee, Sudu Shah, Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

[BEST]: Michael Cole with Pat McAfee

- Runner-up options: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

[WORST]: Booker T

- Runner-up options: Kevin Patrick, Sudu Shah

ROSTER NEWCOMER

Explanation: The Best/Worst Newcomer award applies to anybody who either made their debut somewhere on the main roster or NXT, or were repackaged into a completely different gimmick with a different name.

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All newcomers to the roster are indicated amongst the superstars on this list

[BEST]: Logan Paul

- Runner-up options: Damon Kemp

[WORST]: Scrypts

- Runner-up options: Eliza Alexander, Ezekiel, Gable Steveson, Maxxine Dupri / Sofia Cromwell

MAIN ROSTER CALL-UP

Explanation: Which of the superstars who moved up from NXT or developmental to the main roster have done the best and the worst with their promotion?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All call-ups to the main roster are indicated amongst the superstars on this list

[BEST]: Imperium

- Runner-up options: Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky, Solo Sikoa

[WORST]: Maxxine Dupri

- Runner-up options: Scarlett Bordeaux

TAG TEAM or STABLE

Explanation: Which tag team or stable did you like and hate the most?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All tag teams can be found on this list

[BEST]: The Bloodline

- Runner-up options: Chase University, RK-Bro

[WORST]: Die Familie

- Runner-up options: Hit Row, Jack Starz and Dave Mastiff, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter, Symbiosis

HEEL

Explanation: Who was the most hated villain and which superstar failed the most to get the crowd to boo them?

[BEST / MOST FAVORITE]: The Bloodline

- Runner-up options: Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, Imperium, Grayson Waller, Toxic Attraction, Tiffany Stratton

[WORST / LEAST FAVORITE]: Scrypts

- Runner-up options: Doudrop, Harland, The Judgment Day, Lacey Evans, Max Dupri, Natalya, Shotzi, Symbiosis, Teoman and Rohan Raja

BABYFACE

Explanation: Who was the best fan-favorite hero and which superstar wasn't able to pull off being a babyface?

[BEST / MOST FAVORITE]: (tie) Thea Hail / Bianca Belair

- Runner-up options: Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, Matt Riddle, Stone Cold Steve Austin

[WORST / LEAST FAVORITE]: Ronda Rousey

- Runner-up options: Aliyah, Axiom, Dante Chen, Dana Brooke, Guru Raaj, Hit Row, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter, Lacey Evans, Reggie, Sarray, Shanky, Shotzi

FEMALE SUPERSTAR

Explanation: Which female wrestlers were the cream of the crop and the bottom of the barrel?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All superstars who were in WWE this year can be found on this list

[BEST]: Bianca Belair

[WORST]: (tie) Eliza Alexander or Erica Yan

- Runner-up options: B-Fab, Lacey Evans, Maxxine Dupri

MALE SUPERSTAR

Explanation: Which male wrestlers were the cream of the crop and the bottom of the barrel?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All superstars who were in WWE this year can be found on this list

[BEST]: Sami Zayn

- Runner-up options: Roman Reigns

[WORST]: Ru Feng

- Runner-up options: Guru Raaj, Harland, Reggie, Scrypts, Shanky, Top Dolla

SUPERSTAR OF THE YEAR

Explanation: Judging as a co-ed award out of both the men and women wrestlers who were in the company at some point, who was the absolute best and worst in the company this year?

POSSIBLE OPTIONS: All superstars who were in WWE this year can be found on this list

[BEST]: Sami Zayn

- Runner-up options: Bianca Belair, Roman Reigns

[WORST]: Ru Feng

- Runner-up options: Guru Raaj, Harland, Lacey Evans, Reggie, Scrypts, Shanky, Top Dolla

LET US KNOW YOUR PICKS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!