Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year

Janithor wrote:

x-no-archive: yes
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On 12/24/2025 6:53 PM, Definitely Not Chad wrote:

Araxen <araxen@gmail.coms> wrote in news:10gqrnp$3spnj$1@dont-email.me:
>

Since 1980 a "Rookie of the Year" award has been given by the
Wrestling Observer Newsletter to highlight the achievements of
wrestlers in their first year of significant competition. To be fully
transparent, this is copied from a user from a few days ago who copied
this from another account's post from 4 years ago. It was left
un-updated, and since a lot has changed in such a short amount of
time, I thought it’d be best to take it upon myself to do so, as
well as to give some of the entries more of a proper write-up with
added bits of context I thought were necessary.
>
1980 - Barry Windham
>
Barry Windham went on to carve out a 30+ year career filled with many
accolades in various promotions. He was most notable for his work in
WCW, where he became a member of The Four Horsemen and held the NWA
World Championship. Most recently he was inducted into the WWE Hall of
Fame a second time, joining an elite class to do so, with his
brother-in-law Mike Rotunda as part of the US Express.
>
1981 - Brad Armstrong & Brad Rheingans
>
Son of "Bullet" Bob Armstrong, Brad Armstrong won numerous midcard and
tag-team titles in different Southern promotions but never reached his
ceiling. He signed with WWE in 2006 initially for the ECW brand but
soon became a producer. His career lasted for over 30 years before he
died of a heart attack at the age of 50. Brad Rheingans was a prolific
Greco-Roman wrestler before entering pro wrestling. He didn’t do
much as a pro wrestler, though, and had a better career as a trainer,
training the likes of Brock Lesnar, JBL, and Vader.
>
1982 - Steve Williams
>
Dr. Death had a solid career in the US but an even better one in
Japan. One of the top gaijins of all time, he was a former Triple
Crown Champion and 8x Tag-Team Champion in AJPW. His career was slowed
down with a throat cancer diagnosis in 2004, which returned in 2009
and worsened. He passed away at the age of 49 in December of 2009 as a
result.
>
1983 - The Road Warriors
>
Joe Laurinaitis and Mike Hegstrand were given the names “Hawk” and
“Animal” and joined “Precious” Paul Ellering as the “Road
Warriors” in Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1983. What followed
was a tag team that is often recognized by many as the greatest of all
time and certainly went on to become one of the most popular acts of
the 1980s. They held gold in multiple promotions, and despite both
having since passed on, their impact on wrestling still persists to
this day.
>
1984 - Tom Zenk & Keiichi Yamada
>
The Z-Man (not to be confused with Brian Zane) was a perennial
midcarder throughout much of his career, being more of an impressive
bodybuilder than a wrestler. He passed away at the age of 59 in 2017.
Yamada, on the other hand, went on to become arguably the greatest
junior heavyweight in Japan as Jushin "Thunder" Liger. A record 11x
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, he retired in 2020 until 2025, when
he came out of retirement (literally last Saturday as I’m writing
this) to answer Joey Janela’s open challenge at the WrestleCade
Supershow in Winston-Salem, North Carolina (no, I am not making this
shit up).
>
1985 - Jack Victory
>
Jack Victory never really amounted to anything despite boasting a 37
year career. He was mostly an undercard guy in WCW, but his most
notable run was in ECW when he was aligned with Steve Corino. He
retired in 2021, teaming in a match alongside Steve’s son Colby
Corino.
>
1986 - Bam Bam Bigelow
>
Scott Bigelow was a bounty hunter, with a prison stint in Mexico,
before deciding to get into wrestling. What resulted was an all-around
great talent, who found success in the US and Japan. He was a former
ECW Champion and a WrestleMania main eventer when he took on Lawrence
Taylor at WrestleMania 11 (he also won the Slammy for Best Head in
1987, which is the greatest achievement on this list). He
unfortunately passed away at the age of 45 in 2007 due to an
accidental drug overdose, a fate that has plagued way too many. His
legacy as one of the best big men wrestlers lives on to this day.
>
1987 - Brian Pillman
>
One of the most innovative and best workers of his generation as
“Flyin’ Brian” and the "Loose Cannon," Brian Pillman is
remembered as a great “what if” case in wrestling. He
unfortunately passed away from a heart attack at the age of 35 in
1997, right in the midst of his WWF run. People often wonder if he
could have been a bigger name if not for the unfortunate circumstances
he faced in life. Currently, his son, Brian Jr., carries on his legacy
in WWE as Lexis King.
>
1988 - Gary Albright
>
Originally from Stampede Wrestling, Gary Albright had a much better
career in Japan with runs in AJPW as a 2x World Tag Team Champion, but
he was never as big as the other top gaijins. He sadly passed away in
the ring at the age of 36 at an indie show in the year 2000. As a side
note, he married Afa’s daughter and therefore was a member of the
Anoa’i’s through marriage. He was even included in the Rock’s
bloodline family tree during the buildup to WrestleMania 40.
>
1989 - Dustin Rhodes
>
Dustin never managed to get over the shadow of his father in WCW, but
after a repacking to the weird, androgynous character Goldust in WWF,
he quickly carved out his own legacy as one of the most memorable
performers of all time. He never quite reached the main event level in
his many runs, but he’s always been seen as a great worker with
character skills that can only be matched by a few. He joined AEW in
2019, where he’s worked since, most recently winning the TNT
Championship at All In Texas at the age of 56.
>
1990 - Steve Austin
>
There's not really much to say about Steve that hasn’t already been
said to death. Simply put, he became the biggest name in all of
wrestling during one of the hottest boom periods for the industry. His
rivalry with Vince McMahon was one of the most defining fixtures of
the Attitude Era. After stepping away super young in 2003 due to
nagging neck issues, he returned 19 years later to defeat Kevin Owens
in the main event of WrestleMania 38. An iconic household name of the
business forever, Stone Cold Steve Austin is by far the most
successful star on this list.
>
1991 - Johnny B. Badd
>
Whether as a Little Richard impersonator or as a boxer, Marc Mero saw
success with runs in WCW and WWF, always being a decently popular act.
He was a bit overshadowed by his own former valet and then-wife,
Sable, near the end of his run, and didn’t do anything else of note
as a wrestler after his departure from the WWF in 1999. He has since
gone on to have a successful career as a motivational speaker, touring
schools across the country to lecture on the dangers of bullying and
drug abuse.
>
1992 - Rey Misterio Jr.
>
With great runs in AAA, WCW, and ECW, Rey’s run in the WWE is what
truly led him to become the most popular luchador of his generation.
Despite his small stature, he won 3 world championships in the WWE and
became a globally recognized name. He was inducted into the WWE Hall
of Fame as an active wrestler in 2023 and shows no signs of stopping
any time soon. Currently, he's wrapped up in a perpetual feud with his
son Dominik.
>
1993 - Jun Akiyama
>
Jun Akiyama managed to carve out a respectable Hall of Fame worthy
career as one of the best technical wrestlers of his generation.
Having success in promotions AJPW and NOAH as a 2x Triple Crown
Champion and 3x GHC Heavyweight Champion, he currently competes in
DDT, where he is also a former KO-D Openweight Champion.
>
1994 - Mikey Whipwreck
>
A former ring-crew worker turned pro wrestler, he became a hugely
popular underdog babyface in ECW. He reached his peak by winning the
ECW World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 22, the youngest
world champion of a major promotion. He continues to work sporadic
indies but mostly remains a cult favorite amongst the loyal diehard
ECW fanbase.
>
1995 - Perro Aguayo Jr.
>
Perro Aguayo Jr. was mostly known for being the leader of the “Los
Perros del Mal” stable in CMLL, which was a big draw for the
company. He was well on his way to becoming one of the biggest names
in Mexico with AAA before his sudden passing in the ring. He
tragically suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of three broken
vertebrae in a match in 2015. In the wake of his death, he was honored
greatly, and it raised many questions on the safety of wrestlers in
the industry as a whole.
>
1996 - The Giant
>
The Giant debuted by beating Hulk Hogan to become the WCW World
Heavyweight Champion. What followed was a respectable career for Paul
Wight, better known as “The Big Show,” where he had as many ups
and downs as he had heel and face turns throughout his career. In WWE,
he ended his 22 year run as a 4x world champion for the company. In
2021, he left WWE to join AEW, where he's worked as an analyst and
occasional wrestler ever since.
>
1997 - Mr. Aguila
>
Águila has had a career as a respected veteran in the Lucha scene,
but he’s known by many for his brief stint in the WWF as lower card
wrestler "Essa Rios." He eventually joined the aforementioned Los
Perros del Mal stable in CMLL and now finds work in the Mexican
independent scene.
>
1998 - Goldberg
>
Goldberg’s look, intensity, presentation, and charisma all led to
him becoming WCW’s most popular act despite his lack of in-ring
prowess. His undefeated streak and popularity as the WCW Heavyweight
Champion were synonymous with that era of wrestling as a whole. His
later WCW run and future runs in the WWE made him one of the most
polarizing figures in wrestling, but at his peak, there was just about
no one who was bigger than Bill Goldberg. He officially retired
earlier this year, losing to Gunther at Saturday Night’s Main Event
in July 2025.
>
1999 - Blitzkrieg
>
Blitzkrieg was an insanely fun wrestler to watch, with his brief stint
in WCW being somewhat of a predecessor to the high-flying car crash
style. He retired in 2004 to focus on a career as a computer
technician, bestowing the gimmick on Jack Evans for a short period of
time. He now works as a registered nurse in Texas.
>
2000 - Sean O'Haire
>
One of the biggest cases of a “what if,” his runs in WCW and the
WWE showed he had the potential to be a main eventer but was never
granted a real opportunity. He was released in 2004, and his life sort
of spiraled afterward. He had many demons and was sadly not able to
overcome them, passing away in 2014. It’s a tragic reminder that if
you ever feel alone or lost, please reach out and seek the help you
need.
>
2001 - El Hombre Sin Nombre
>
El Hombre Sin Nombre is a title passed on to many luchadors, and thus
it is hard to place the exact one this is referring to. The original
author attributed this to Ephesto, but not only is the award not
listed on his Wikipedia, he also didn’t use the “Sin Nombre”
name until 2005. I don’t have much knowledge of Mexican wrestling,
and therefore I’m stumped. If anyone can help identify this guy,
please do.
>
2002 - Bob Sapp
>
Did somebody say Sapp Time?
>
After failed careers as a football player and wrestler, he became a
star in MMA and kickboxing during the boom period of PRIDE and K1.
With wrestling and MMA intertwined in Japan at the time, he was used
in places such as NJPW and AJPW, even holding the IWGP Championship
for a run. At his peak, he was a massive celebrity in Japan and a huge
draw. His larger-than-life character keeps him memorable in MMA and
wrestling today, and at 52 he still does occasional fights. Expect to
see him and Jake Paul in the not so distant future.
>
2003 - Chris Sabin
>
Chris Sabin was one of the best workers in TNA history, with memorable
runs in the X-Division and alongside Alex Shelley as the Motor City
Machine Guns. Despite holding the TNA World Championship for a brief
period, he was never really valued as a main eventer. Despite this,
he's wrestled pretty much everywhere for over two decades, with him
and Alex Shelley ultimately signing with WWE in 2024, becoming
prominent figures in their tag division ever since.
>
2004 - Petey Williams
>
Another TNA X-Division guy, the inventor of the Canadian Destroyer, is
considered one of TNA’s best workers of all time who never made it
out of the midcard. He had many on-and-off again runs with the company
until 2022, when he joined WWE as a producer, where he remains today.
>
2005 - Shingo Takagi
>
Shingo Takagi was one of Dragon Gate’s biggest stars in its history,
amassing 15 titles during his run with the company. He joined NJPW in
2018 and is one of the most consistent main event workers. In 2021 he
won the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and led the company
as its top act during his run.
>
2006 - Atsushi Aoki
>
Atsushi Aoki was one of the best junior heavyweights of his
generation, working for both AJPW & NOAH. He was in the middle of his
4th reign as AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Champion when he tragically
died in a motorcycle accident in 2019. The company honored his reign
as champion until the 6-month defense clause kicked in after his
death.
>
2007 - Erick Stevens
>
Erick Stevens was a promising talent in ROH, mostly known for his feud
with Roderick Strong on the late 2000s indie scene. His career never
really panned out, and he’s retired and come back numerous times
since 2010. His most recent comeback happened this year, where he even
got to reignite his feud with Roderick Strong in Deadlock Pro
Wrestling.
>
2008 - Kai
>
Kai was primed to be a potential face of AJPW someday, but he was one
of the many that joined Keiji Mutoh in the exodus towards WRESTLE-1.
He was a focal point in the company, becoming their 3rd Wrestle-1
Champion, but he did not go far in terms of long term popularity. He
left in 2016 to become a freelancer and currently does most of his
work in Dragon Gate.
>
2009 - Frightmare
>
Frightmare was one of the top acts of CHIKARA when it was at its peak
as a top indie promotion. He stayed with Chikara until the company's
death and never really got out of the indie circuit. He continues to
take various bookings at indies today.
>
2010 - Adam Cole
>
One of the best workers of the 2010s, Adam Cole went on to have
successful runs in all the promotions he’s worked for. He was the
top heel in both ROH and NXT before he arrived in AEW in 2021. After
returning from a nasty concussion in 2023, he began an oddball
friendship with MJF, where the two main evented AEW’s All In event
from Wembley Stadium. His career was sadly cut short, as earlier this
year he was forced to vacate the TNT Championship before the All In
Texas event due to undisclosed health issues. His future as a
performer remains in jeopardy, but the time we’ve had with him on
our screens cannot be forgotten so easily.
>
2011 - Daichi Hashimoto
>
Son of the late three musketeer Shinya Hashimoto, Daichi saw decent
success early on but  failed to overcome the shadows of his father and
the other two three musketeers. He left promotion Zero1 in 2014 and
joined the deathmatch promotion Big Japan Wrestling, where he remains
today.
>
2012 - Dinastia
>
Dinastía was practically the face of AAA's Mini Estrella division,
winning the AAA World Mini's Championship twice. With a total combined
reign of 2,888 days, the title was vacated and abandoned once he left
the company. There isn’t much more information about him online, but
according to cagematch, he still does work on the Mexican independent
scene.
>
2013 - Yohei Komatsu
>
After an excursion, he was repackaged as “YOH”  and had a
successful junior heavyweight tag-team run as Roppongi 3K with Sho
Tanaka (repackaged as “SHO”). SHO turned on YOH in 2021, and the
two would feud. YOH has continued to be a mainstay in the junior
division ever since.
>
2014 - Dragon Lee
>
One of the best luchadors today, Dragon Lee was a multi-time champion
across CMLL and NJPW. In 2022, he won the AAA World Tag Team
Championships with his brother Draslico and announced to the world
that he had signed with WWE. His run in WWE got off to a shaky start,
but it’s recently come around after WWE bought AAA earlier this
year. He is currently one-half of the World Tag Team Champions
alongside AJ Styles on Raw.
>
2015 - Chad Gable
>
Starting in NXT with Jason Jordan as part of American Alpha, it had
tons of potential to be a great tag team but never panned out. He
coasted for a while and was saddled with an awful Shorty G gimmick
that would’ve killed anyone else. It’s a testament to his skills
as a performer that he not only overcame it but also became a
naturally popular act in the company. His recent heel run has been a
mixed bag, especially when a new talent, “El Grande Americano,”
joined the company and took his spot. He has been out with an injury
since June of this year, and only time will tell what’s in store for
him in his future.
>
2016 - Matt Riddle
>
UFC fighter turned wrestler Matt Riddle joined WWE in 2018 and became
an incredibly popular midcard act in the WWE. After his pairing with
Randy Orton ended with the Viper getting put on the shelf, it looked
as if he was primed to be a main eventer. Real life controversies and
general unprofessional behavior got in the way, and he was fired from
WWE in 2023. He’s popped up in a few places since, but hasn’t
gotten close to the heights he was reaching before.
>
2017 - Katsuya Kitamura
>
Kitamura was one of the more unique looking young lions in NJPW,
mainly due to his massive size, and was touted as the most promising
of his class. He won the Young Lions Cup in 2017 but suffered a
cerebral concussion that ended his career in 2018, quietly leaving New
Japan in 2019. In 2022, Katsuya Kitamura was tragically found dead at
the age of 36, with no cause ever being publicly released.
>
2018 - Ronda Rousey
>
Ronda Rousey was the first female UFC fighter signed to the company
and the face of MMA at her peak. She made her long awaited debut at
WrestleMania 34, which may have been her peak as a wrestler. She
quickly went on to become one of the most polarizing, if not downright
hated, wrestlers for multiple reasons, both in and out of the ring.
However, she did manage to boast an impressive resume as a multi-time
women’s champion and one of the first women to main event
WrestleMania, but her star faded in her second run. She left WWE in
2023 and quietly retired in 2025.
>
2019 - Jungle Boy
>
Son of late actor Luke Perry and nephew of famed Simpsons character
Krusty the Clown, Jungle Boy Jack Perry joined AEW as one of its young
prospects. Seeing early success alongside Luchasaurus (and Marko
Stunt) as the “Jurassic Express,” his heel run was not perceived
as well. After mocking CM Punk on the Zero Hour to All In in 2023
about an incident involving “real glass,” the two got into a legit
fight backstage. Perry was suspended but used his heat to become the
“Scapegoat,” joining the Elite and winning the TNT Championship.
Recently he turned face and reunited with Luchasaurus for another tag
team run.
>
2020 - Pat McAfee
>
Not a wrestler in the traditional sense, McAfee is mostly known as an
NFL punter turned sports analyst. The Pat McAfee Show is one of the
most popular sports talk shows today. He joined the WWE in 2019 to
become an analyst, but he also had a feud with Adam Cole in NXT, where
he had an impressive debut match. He’s mostly known to wrestling
fans today as one of the most polarizing commentators of all time. Pat
is a guy you either really love or really hate. He still wrestles
occasionally, with matches at WrestleMania's 38 and 39, SummerSlam
2022, and Backlash 2025.
>
2021 - Jade Cargill
>
Jade was primed to be a major star in AEW right out of the gate,
becoming the inaugural TBS Champion. She held the title for 373 days,
boasting a 60-0 win streak at the same time. She left the company in
2023, joining WWE as a “monumental signing” for them. Her initial
run was used to strengthen up the women’s tag division alongside
Bianca Belair, to mixed results. Recently a turn has led to her
becoming the WWE Women’s Champion as a dominant heel, where she
stands today.
>
2022 - Bron Breakker
>
Son and nephew to Rick and Scott Steiner, respectively, Bron burst on
the scene with insane momentum. His skills as a performer as well as
his intensity led to him winning the NXT championship 4 months after
his debut, ultimately becoming the top star for the brand. On the main
roster it’s already clear he’s being primed to become the future
of the company, a 2x Intercontinental Champion, a member of the top
heel act alongside Paul Heyman and Bronson Reed as “the Vision,”
and most recently scoring the deciding fall in War Games by pinning
the World Champion CM Punk, Bron has perhaps the brightest future of
anyone else on this list.
>
2023 - Yuma Anzai
>
A very hot prospect in the Japanese wrestling scene, Yuma Anzai won
the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in 2024, becoming the
youngest to do so at the age of 24. He continues to wrestle in All
Japan today, so we'll just have to see what's in store for him in the
future.
>
2024 - Je’Von Evans
>
Signing with WWE in 2023 at the age of 19, Evans has already become
one of the most impressive and popular prospects in the company today.
He has essentially become WWE’s go to guy for crossovers, competing
in AAA, TNA, on SmackDown, and most recently on Raw as the sole NXT
rep in John Cena’s “Last Time is Now Tournament.”
>

>
Super interesting. You're an established RSPWer. Why didn't you respond
to Janithor's request to perform a test post to the moderated group?
This would have been a perfect test post - it's Meltzercentric fer
cryeye. Did you just drop in here to post that without checking the
temperature of the group? Context is really important, everywhere,
always. Janithor has been demanding answers here for a while now. You
could have helped...

>
Indeed.

 i remember rose

Date	Sujet	#		Auteur
4 Dec 25	What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	7		Araxen
25 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	6		Definitely Not Chad
25 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	5		Janithor
25 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	4		%
26 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	3		Janithor
26 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	2		%
27 Dec 25	Re: What Happened to Every WON Rookie of the Year	1		Janithor

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