The Takedown On SI's 2024 Pro Wrestling Awards: Best Wrestler, Storyline, Match, Rivalry & More

Was anyone able to pry the title of 'Men's Wrestler of the Year' away from WWE Champion Cody Rhodes?

Cody Rhodes moments after finishing his story at WrestleMania XL / WWE.com

Another spectacular year for professional wrestling is nearly in the books and there's a great deal to look back upon. New stars we're born. Careers came to an end. Lifelong dreams were accomplished.

Cody Rhodes finished his story in the main event of WrestleMania XL when he defeated Roman Reigns to capture the WWE Championship. Bryan Danielson's brilliant and Hall of Fame caliber (full-time) wrestling career came to a close after he was able to capture one more World Title. The 'Icon' Sting wrestled his last match ever in one of the greatest send-offs in pro wrestling history and those moments really only scratch the surface of what 2024 had to offer.

What stood out as the best of the best?

#WrestleMania XL Sunday was a movie 🍿 pic.twitter.com/qoWnWWDJXJ

— WWE (@WWE) April 8, 2024

We had 11 categories up for debate this year with every aspect imaginable carefully considered. Not just who won what title or which show a performer main evented, but also content quality, the importance of a particular moment or match and the story that went into crafting it. Not to mention the all important audience engagement factor.

The Takedown on SI's panel of voters submitted their top five selections for each category and the winners were tabulated based on total overall points.

Now... on to the results!

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Storyline of the Year: The Bloodline Saga Continues

We have to acknowledge the Bloodline / wwe.com

Just like the two years that preceded it, 2024 belonged to The Bloodline. Now, the storyline operated differently this year with Roman Reigns on the sidelines for much of the summer, but the angle got an influx of new talent and webs of narrative that will carry it into 2025 and beyond.

Enter Solo Sikoa. The new Tribal Chief received a major push as the leader of his own Bloodline after Reigns lost his Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania XL. He onboarded WWE newcomers Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa, and also gave a platform to Jacob Fatu -- a star that's emerging as a big name act down the road for WWE. A new leader like Sikoa at the top of The Bloodline meant new interactions, even more drama, and fresh feuds.

Sikoa's rise as the leader of The New Bloodline meant that some of the OG Bloodline characters were able to go off on their own and grow. 'Main Event' Jey Uso defeated Bron Breakker to win the Intercontinental Championship -- his first singles title in WWE. 

Also, The Rock factored into The Bloodline saga for the first time this year. He transformed into the Final Boss, a more sadistic version of his Hollywood Rock persona, hellbent on protecting his family's spot at the head of WWE's table. His interactions with Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns this year have set up to major singles matches down the road.

Everything, though, leads back to the OTC. Roman Reigns is the central character and WWE milked his return and subsequent feud with The New Bloodline for all its worth. Getting not one, not two, but three PPV main events out of it with Tribal Combat still to come on the Raw Netflix premiere.

The Bloodline saga has been woven into the very fabric of WWE creative, with the likes of Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens among it's benefactors. It's practically eclipsed the size of the Anoa'i family Family Tree itself and continues to be the single most important story currently told in wrestling.

Top contenders: Cody Rhodes finishing his story, The rise and fall of Timeless Toni Storm

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Rivalry of the Year: CM Punk & Drew McIntyre

With all due respect to this year's competition, no rivalry unfolded as brilliantly and arguably as brutal as CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. Despite feelings of genuine disdain for each other, both men were able to put their grievances aside and deliver a nearly year long program in the face of physical limitations due to Punk's triceps injury.

This feud may not have happened at all if circumstances were just slightly different. It was a Future Shock DDT delivered by McIntyre during the Royal Rumble that left Punk injured, subsequently robbing the self-proclaimed 'Best in World' of his coveted WrestleMania main event.

That fateful moment stolen from Punk gave wrestling fans so much more in return, including multiple viral memes, promos so fiery that either one of them could have unseated Silky Johnson as “Player Hater of the Year," a successful Damian Priest Money in the Bank cash in at WrestleMania XL, and a trio of incredible matches that culminated in a true five-star classic Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood that left McIntyre with a head wound so large, it required16 staples to close it.

CM Punk and Drew McIntyre delivered an absolute all-time rivalry, even in the face of harsh criticism over a friendship bracelet finding itself at the heart of their hatred. Alleged McGuffin malfeasance aside, these two brought out the absolute best in one another as performers.

Top contenders: Cody Rhodes & The Bloodline, Swerve Strickland & Hangman Adam Page

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Heel Turn of the Year: Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods kick Big E out of New Day

A twist that absolutely no one saw coming / WWE.com

Recency bias aside, The New Day's 10 Year Anniversary celebration may go down as one of the most heart wrenching moments in WWE history. After months of conflict and frustration over their in-ring failures, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston looked as though their partnership was standing on its final legs.

Heading into the December 2 edition of Monday Night Raw, fans were fully expecting Woods to turn on Kofi or vice versa. Or perhaps, Big E would would ride in on a golden unicorn at the last possible second and save The New Day from an ugly break up. The WWE Universe did erupt in total jubilation when E did make his triumphant return that night, but their smiles would not last long.

The former WWE Champion went on to try and reunite his friends. He even announced that he would return to the road full-time to be the duo's manager. However, Kingston and Woods shockingly rejected this offer and blamed their recent struggles on Big E's extended absence due to a serious neck injury.

This brutal and scathing diatribe ripped E apart, but it also broke the heart of many fans who wanted to see the original New Day trio together once more. After screaming for E to get out of the ring, Xavier and Kofi finally united as one. In an ironic twist, E got what he wanted by bringing his New Day brethren back together, but it was a reunion in spite of their fallen brother.

The massive amount of heat Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have received in the fallout shows just how pristine this heel turn was. It has made the wildly popular and legendary New Day tandem into WWE's most hated and dastardly heels, which makes it a perfect betrayal and character shift.

Top contenders: The Rock transforms into the Final Boss, Mariah May turns on Toni Storm

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Best on the Mic: Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre has elevated himself as a performer every single year since he returned to WWE in the spring of 2017. Standing 6'5" 275lbs, the Scottish Warrior is one of the most believable bad asses in professional wrestling with the in-ring skills to give credence to his credibility.

McIntyre is World Champion material from head to kilt, and as many found out in 2024, that includes his ability to tell a story.

His battles with CM Punk and the Bloodline over the past year plus have really allowed McIntyre to showcase his promo chops. If you give Drew lines on a page he's good. If you give him a story that's based in truth, and that he has an emotional connection with, there may be no one better with a microphone in his hand. And that includes the 'Voice of the Voiceless', CM Punk.

The ability that both men possess to blur the lines of reality helped shape their now award-winning feud into a critically acclaimed masterpiece. On more than one occasion, not only did McIntyre best Punk in the verbal jousting arena, but he seemed to visually stun his rival in the process.

If you want to see a legendary work-shoot promo, check out his monologue on a recent episode of Busted Open. It’s a masterwork. Drew makes you feel empathetic to his plight. You understand his motivations but don’t agree with his tactics. He’s not wrong, even though you may not agree with his actions. It takes an Oscar-winning screenwriter and actor to portray this in film. For WWE, all it takes is Drew McIntyre.

Top contenders: Kevin Owens, CM Punk & The Rock

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Breakout Wrestler of the Year: Jacob Fatu

How can you not be impressed with Jacob Fatu? / wwe.com

There are certain prototypes for professional wrestlers that have been adhered to through the decades. Jacob Fatu belongs to a class of wrestlers we can call “The Madman”, joining the likes of The Sheik, Abdullah The Butcher, Bruiser Brody, Terry Funk, The Wild Samoans, and so many more classic villains.

Fatu has those maniacal qualities in spades, but he also has a raw, animal appeal. He’s a snarling, blood-fanged beast whose warpath you can’t look away from.

What makes him truly unique, though, is his incredible athleticism. He’s Jason Voorhees bred with an Olympic athlete. Instead of slowly ambling toward his prey, Fatu is sprinting at full speed, prepared with a feast of violence that can come from any direction, at any time, and in any place. 

Every now and then a new wrestler bursts on the big stage seemingly ready for the most significant spotlight. Jacob Fatu is that guy. He commands the attention of everyone watching. In 2024, he seized our imagination. It would not be surprising at all if he seizes gold in 2025.

Top contenders: Mariah May, Stephanie Vaquer & Joe Hendry

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Tag Team of the Year: Fraxiom

In a wrestling world with teams like the Young Bucks, Motor City Machine Guns, and FTR, it's strange to crown a thrown together team like Nathan Frazer and Axiom as the best team of the year, but the numbers for these guys add up. The moments, matches, and relevance all adding up to make them the landslide winners in this particular category.

These guys have been a team for over a year now and captured the NXT Tag Team Championships from The Wolfdogs in April of 2024. They've defended the championships 14 times this year, with only one hiccup, and that was losing the titles to Chase U. They won them back 19 days later.

Frazier and Axiom have gelled together as a unit in 2024 and their sum together has been greater than the parts. Yes, there's been drama and disagreement in their ranks, but what good tag team doesn't have that?

Frazier and Axiom created something from nothing in 2024. Both men and the tag team division in NXT as a whole are stronger because of their partnership.

Top contenders: Young Bucks, MCMG, Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair

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Women's Wrestler of the Year: Timeless Toni Storm

Wendi Richter fears Timeless Toni Storm! / AEW

Amongst a crowded field of fierce competitors 'Timeless' Toni Storm was able to break away from the pack just enough to capture the number one spot at the box office in 2024.

While many of the set pieces for the Timeless Cinematic Universe were put in place toward the end of last year, Storm's unique and often risqué brand of storytelling provided non-stop entertainment for AEW fans and simultaneously elevated her understudy until Mariah May was ready to take over as the leading lady.

The 'Timeless' persona was an incredibly nuanced and deranged homage to the past with Storm paying respects to the likes of Wendi Richter and Stan Hansen - in her own very distinctive way.

The splash of her black and white backdrop, coupled with her film noir Hollywood starlet vibe connected with a new age audience, while the New Zealand native herself stayed true to the old school style of professional wrestling. Never once did Storm break character over the past year. Even now the same holds true as she's returned to being the Rockstar.

There's apparently an all new journey for the three-time AEW Women's Champion to take us on, and we can't wait to experience the ride.

Top contenders: Rhea Ripley, Roxanne Perez & Liv Morgan

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Men's Wrestler of the Year: Cody Rhodes

Let's be honest, this honor was Cody Rhodes' to lose this year. The American Nightmare overcame extreme adversity, both on screen and behind the scenes, in order to finish his story at WrestleMania XL and capture the one championship that had eluded his iconic family.

It’s hard to understate the emotion and the gravity of Rhodes’ win at Lincoln Financial Field. As significant a moment as it was for Rhodes personally, and WWE as a company, his victory was underscored by the realization of betting on yourself and proving the doubters wrong.

Rhodes' story was one of roadblocks, creative missteps, new beginnings, triumphant returns, a torn pectoral muscle, a crushing loss at WrestleMania 39, and back-to-back wins in the Men's Royal Rumble Match.

The return of The Rock this year nearly derailed Rhodes' entire climb to the top of the WWE mountain. Instead of showing gratitude for being gifted a generational match-up of The Great One vs. The Tribal Chief, fans revolted in droves. Hashtags and chants of "We Want Cody" forced WWE to bench one of the all-time greats and anoint a new franchise quarterback.

Post WrestleMania, Rhodes has continued to be a man of the people. Capturing the hearts of adoring fans across the globe and garnering their attention with his masterful performances. Cody is a champion through and through. The ultimate company ambassador and someone WWE can be proud to have carry the flag into a brand new era of even grander cultural significance.

Top contenders: Will Ospreay & Bryan Danielson

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Match of the Year: Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty

Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson tore the house down at AEW Dynasty / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

All Elite Wrestling adopted the moniker of "Where The Best Wrestle" this year, and no other match in the entire wrestling business in 2024 fit this catchphrase more than Bryan Danielson vs. Will Opsreay at AEW Dynasty.

With two legacies wrapped around the idea of being "the absolute best wrestler in the world," both The American Dragon and The Aerial Assassin have crafted careers that have been filled with instant classics that push forward the art of wrestling. Their first ever meeting at Chaifetz Arena on April 21 was everything that makes a match an in-ring epic.

From the electric atmosphere of the crowd in St. Louis to the facial expressions of both men right at the opening bell, this was a bout that had moments that have stayed with fans all year long. Blending the hybrid, state-of-the-art in-ring exploits of Ospreay with the technical mastery and hard hitting strikes of Danielson, this Dynasty dream match had the audience on the edge of their seats for nearly 33 minutes.  

The closing stretch was capped by the unforgettable moment where both Ospreay and Danielson stood in opposite corners. Danielson looking for another knee was hit in mid-air by the Hidden Blade before Ospreay put him away with a Tiger Driver 97 and another Hidden Blade. 

The lasting impact of this bout saw Bryan hurt in the post match, which led to Ospreay's arc of not wanting to use the Tiger Driver in a match ever again. With expectations extraordinarily high, Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson were somehow able to exceed them and craft one of the greatest pro wrestling matches ever.

Top contenders: Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk - HIAC at WWE Bad Blood, Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland at AEW All In

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Show of the Year: WrestleMania XL

Really, how could this not win? WrestleMania XL was the ultimate flex by WWE as a company. They ditched Vince McMahon, Paul Levesque was firmly in control of creative, TKO Group had the business side locked down, and the company emphasized all of that during this show.

WrestleMania XL also broke company revenue records and was the most successful live event in WWE history.

Then there were the two appearances from The Rock.

The world's highest paid actor and global superstar laced up his boots for the first time (legitimately) in over a decade to compete in an all-star tag team bout with Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on night one. The show culminated on night two with the crowning moment of Cody finishing his story and winning the WWE Championship, ending the four year long reign of terror of the Tribal Chief in the process. The night two main event itself was a celebration of WWE's past icons with special appearances by John Cena and The Undertaker.

The Philadelphia crowd was also treated to a Money in the Bank cash-in by Damian Priest, a heavyweight clash in the women's division between Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley, Bayley winning the WWE Women's championship and so much more throughout the weekend.

Bottom line? This event was the start of a new era for WWE.

Top contenders: AEW All In, AEW Revolution & AEW Dynasty

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Promotion of the Year: World Wrestling Entertainment

2024 was a monumental year for WWE / IMAGO / Icon Sports Wire

Maybe at no point in history has the professional wrestling industry been as healthy as it is right now. It's a vast landscape of options where fans and performers alike can find the company that best fits their needs and personal preferences.

That said... it's WWE's world and we all just continue to live in it.

Whether WWE is your company of choice or not, there is no denying the unrivaled success they've experienced. Not just in 2024 mind you, but since Paul 'Triple H' Levesque took over as the Chief Content Officer.

On numerous occasions this year Levesque has touted record numbers across the board, whether that be ticket sales, merchandising or some other revenue stream. The reason he's done so ad nauseum is due to WWE continuing to break records in seemingly every city they hunker down in for a night.

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the massive 10-year, multiple-billion dollar media rights deal that WWE secured with Netflix, that will see Monday Night Raw debut on the streaming giant January 6, 2025.

Speaking from a creative standpoint, the company is as hot as its ever been, generating more captivating storylines and over Superstars than WWE has in decades. From Cody Rhodes to 'Main Event' Jey Uso to Rhea Ripley, the fans are invested.

Triple H preached sustainability during Wednesday's Netflix kick-off show. It will truly be interesting to see what's in store for the WWE Universe in 2025 and beyond.

Top contenders: AEW, TNA, & CMLL