2009 was quite the year for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which had its share of ups and downs. This is the year where TNA went through a substantial slump in PPV quality, but also a year where IMPACT ratings began to increase, with the signing of several well known figures in the professional wrestling business. Now, let’s break down 2009, with the TNA Wrestling Year In Review 2009 Awards!
TNA Wrestler Of The Year Award Goes To…
The current TNA World Heavyweight Champion, “The Phenomenal One” AJ Styles!
What a year 2009 was for Mr. AJ Styles! As one of the originals here in TNA, AJ really broke out, as a top contender on the TNA roster this year, capturing TNA heavyweight gold at Sacrifice, in a 4-way matchup, against Matt Morgan, Kurt Angle, and Sting. As AJ hit the 450 splash for the win, the roof blew off the IMPACT Zone, as the hundreds and hundreds of TNA fans flooded the ring in celebration. Despite what many critics laid claim to, AJ went on to hang onto the gold for quite some time, and still hold on to the gold today. He went on to retain the title against Sting at Bound For Glory, retained the title against Samoa Joe and Daniels in an epic encounter at Turning Point, and recently retained that same title at Final resolution, by defeating Daniels once again an another epic bout. Those are a few of the reasons, among many, that AJ Styles deserves this year’s TNA Wrestler Of The Year Award!
TNA Match Of The Year Award Goes To…
Kurt Angle VS. Jeff Jarrett From Genesis!
[adinserter block=”1″]What a classic match this truly was, and to boot, this took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the very first TNA PPV of the new year! Deciding the best match of TNA in 2009, was a very daunting task, as many classic wrestling matches have recently taken place, including the two great bouts between Desmond Wolfe and Kurt Angle, the incredible 3-way match between Samoa Joe, Daniels, and AJ Styles for the world title at Turning Point, Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan from Bound For Glory, The AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle time limit draw match from IMPACT, among others! After countless hours of reasoning and reviewing, I have obviously decided to give this award to Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett from Genesis. The reason I chose this bout over all the others, is because it was an incredible wrestling match, with magnificent psychology to boot! This twenty plus minute match, took us on a proverbial roller coaster, making us feel the emotion going through the bodies of both gladiators. Both of these veterans make us feel their pain, feel their desperation, feel their fatigue, feel their sheer exhaustion. In the end, “The Olympic Gold Medalist” Kurt Angle got the victory, continuing the beat down on Jarrett even after the bell. This was truly a classic, and deserves nothing less, than TNA Match Of The Year!
TNA Angle Of The Year Goes To…
The Main Event Mafia VS. The TNA Front Line Feud!
With honorable mention to angles such as the Sting/Kurt Angle saga,The Main Event Mafia vs. the Front Line feud was, without question, the angle of the year. This feud dominated the better portion of the entire year of 2009 in TNA. After making their debut as an established stable in late 2008, the Main Event mafia went on to wage war with the TNA Front Line, in 2009, in a battle for power and supremacy, much like the WCW vs. the NWO angle back in the day. Here in TNA, the MEM and the Front Line battled it out many times, including a big six man tag match at Genesis, a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown, and several group warfare type matches, not to mention countless world title matches featuring representatives from each respective stable. So, as you can see, this was defiantly the biggest, most perpetual TNA Angle Of The Year!
TNA Story Of The Year Goes To..
The Announcement Of Hulk Hogan Officially Signing With TNA!
Without question, the biggest story of the year in TNA, if not all of professional wrestling, is the announcement of Hulk Hogan signing with TNA Wrestling! Although rumored for quite some time before, this official announcement left the professional wrestling world reeling! The following is the official announcement via TNA’s official website;
“Hulkamania” is back! The biggest name in professional wrestling history, Hulk Hogan, is joining Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling (TNA), the fastest rising wrestling organization in the world and home to one of cable television’s highest rated shows for young men, TNA iMPACT! The announcement was made by TNA Wrestling in conjunction with Spike TV at a press conference held in New York City.
[adinserter block=”2″]As far as we know, Hulk Hogan is going to be in some sort of management role with TNA Wrestling, and will be making his all so anticipated debut on a live addition of IMPACT, on Monday night, January 4, 2010, going head to head with WWE Monday Night RAW!
Whether it be for one night only or not, this will be the fist time in nearly 10 years, that we will witness a Monday Night War! This is another announcement that deserves honorable mention, and rightfully so! This can all be attributed to the signing of Hulk Hogan with TNA, which is why am awarding that signing, TNA Story Of The Year!
Overall, 2009 was a bad and good year for TNA Wrestling. With January 4 anticipation in the air, this could have the potential to be another hot era for professional wrestling! After giving out the awards, all that’s left to do, is sit back, relax, and enjoy what TNA brings us in 2010!
Win a TNA Prize Pack here on CamelClutchBlog.com. Click here for details and entering!
*Be sure to check out my very new pro wrestling news site, at www.elitewrestlingnews.blogspot.com! Also, I’m looking for writers!
Todd Frizzell is from Columbus Ohio, and has been a huge professional wrestling fanatic for the last ten years. Todd is very interested in all aspects of pro wrestling, including what goes on when the cameras aren’t rolling. Todd is very excited to write about his passion, and will try his best to entertain and provoke the wrestling fans.
Order TNA: Kurt Angle: Champion on DVD by clicking here.
Check out TNA Wrestling: Sting – Return of an Icon on DVD by clicking here.
