10 Wrestlers You Didn't Know Won Wrestling Observer Awards

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards are a big deal for wrestling fans and those in the industry themselves. Dave Meltzer hands out his awards to the very best of the business and the very worst, which is why it's not a surprise that some of the greatest wrestlers of all time have managed to win them.

The likes of Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega have won plenty of awards throughout their history. However, it is expected that great names such as them are going to win some awards, but there are many surprising wrestlers that people may not have expected to actually pick up some awards over the years.

10 Braun Strowman (Most Improved - 2017)

Braun-Strowman-wwe-impact-aew — Braun Strowman

Typically, wrestling fans expect to see amazing in-ring workers take all the Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards, which is why Braun Strowman is quite a surprising name to have won one. However, in 2017, the Monster Amongst Men picked up an award for being the most improved wrestler.

There is no denying that he made a lot of improvements at this stage in his career, but it is still a surprise to see him win a Wrestling Observer award, especially since he wasn't really at the peak of his abilities here.

9 Sean O'Haire (Rookie Of The Year - 2000)

Sean O'Haire was pushed heavily when he first broke into the wrestling industry, which was clear by the fact that he won this award in 2000. However, while the WCW star had all the right attributes, he didn't follow up on this year.

O'Haire was retired by 2006, showcasing the fact that he didn't have a lengthy career in the industry. That is why most fans wouldn't have expected to ever see him win an award as his career overall didn't justify it.

8 Evan Bourne (Most Underrated Of The Year - 2009)

This particular award always goes to somebody who people know are great wrestlers but don't quite get pushed to that level. That is why Evan Bourne ended up winning in 2009, but he isn't somebody that most fans would have expected to ever have an award.

Even though Bourne wasn't even pushed into the main event scene, he was always a featured talent during his stint with WWE, which makes him winning this particular award even more surprising.

7 Shorty G (Most Underrated Of The Year -2019)

Another wrestler who won this particular award was Shorty G, which was also surprising. Most fans wouldn't expect Shorty G to have ever won an award due to how poor the gimmick was, but there is no denying he was underrated as a wrestler.

However, at the same time, Shorty G had been around WWE for a while by this point, so everybody knew what he was capable of and he was getting the chance to showcase it inside the ring at the time. The only thing holding him back here was how bad the gimmick was, which stopped him from being pushed further.

6 Matt Striker (Best Television Announcer - 2008)

When fans think about the greatest wrestling commentators of all time, Matt Striker is not often a name that comes up in conversation. He was very unique in terms of his announcing, which some fans loved and others didn't.

However, there is no denying that Striker was passionate about his work. Despite that, he wasn't kept around for a long time in the role with WWE, which is why it's surprising that he was ever given this particular award.

5 Ricardo Rodriguez (Non-Wrestler Of The Year - 2011)

That's right, Ricardo Rodriguez has managed to win a Wrestling Observer Newsletter award, with the former ring announcer being given credit for his work that year. He was a huge part of Alberto Del Rio's character, being more than just an announcer for him.

However, he is still not the type of person that most would have expected to have won a Wrestling Observer Newsletter award. Rodriguez didn't often get involved in terms of wrestling, and when compared to other people who have won this award such as Paul Heyman and Vickie Guerrero, he isn't quite at the same level.

4 The Miz & John Morrison (Tag Team Of The Year - 2008)

The Miz and John Morrison in 2008 Cropped

Over the years, there have been plenty of amazing tag teams, many of which have won this award from Dave Meltzer. They're typically teams that put together incredible moves such as The Briscoe Brothers or The Young Bucks, which is why The Miz and John Morrison are quite an odd choice.

The two of them were always incredibly entertaining together, putting on some fantastic segments, but they were not the typical team that people would assume could win this award, particularly The Miz.

3 Santino Marella (Best Gimmick Of The Year - 2007/08)

Santino Marella didn't just win one Wrestling Observer Newsletter award, but he won two back to back. Somehow, Santino was given the Gimmick of the Year award, which has seen the likes of Matt Hardy, The Rock, and Kurt Angle win.

Marella was always a funny wrestler, but it is hard to say that he had the best gimmick in the entire wrestling industry for both 2007 and 2008. Most fans would be surprised that he ever got given this opportunity, but clearly, Dave Meltzer was impressed with him.

2 Buff Bagwell (Most Embarrassing Wrestler Of The Year - 2001)

Not every Wrestling Observer Newsletter award is a positive one, and that was clear with this particular award, which was eventually retired in 2003. However, before it was brought to an end, Buff Bagwell was the unlucky recipient of it.

This is something that wrestlers wouldn't have wanted to win. Because the award is now gone, people would have forgotten that he ever won it. However, 2001 wasn't a particularly good year for him, which is why he ended up with it.

1 Pat McAfee (Rookie Of The Year - 2020)

Pat McAfee is somebody who most fans might think could win an award for his commentary work, but he won one for his wrestling skills. McAfee did a brilliant job during his time inside the ring, working against Adam Cole to put together a great storyline.

Clearly, Dave Meltzer saw this and thought the same as the fans, which led to McAfee being named the Rookie of the Year. Compared to how many great wrestlers were around at that time, it was a credit to his work that helped him win this award.