Year End Awards: The WORST of 2024 in wrestling
So, another year has passed, and a lot has happened in pro wrestling. It’s time once again to review the year that was in pro wrestling. Over the next two weeks, I’ll be sharing my thoughts. This week, I’m starting with the “Worst of 2024,” and next week, I’ll move on to the “Best of 2024.”
1. Worst Promotion: A Tie Between AEW and NWA
Let’s start with the NWA. The NWA had a tough year. They began 2024 with a deal with The CW, although it was somewhat tainted due to poor booking decisions made by Billy Corgan in 2023. Despite this, they still had a presence on the CW app with Powerr. Unfortunately, plans for additional programming never materialized. Then NXT premiered on The CW, giving the network a reason to drop the NWA entirely. On top of that, they stopped doing PPVs—likely due to last year’s setbacks—leaving them with minimal exposure. Now they’re airing on X, which is decent but nowhere near the reach they once had.
Now for AEW. This pick isn’t about their in-ring product, as they have a talented roster capable of delivering great matches. The issue lies in everything happening backstage. In 2024, AEW’s popularity continued to decline. While they had a few big crowds, ticket sales were down overall compared to last year, and TV ratings struggled to keep pace. Meanwhile, backstage drama persisted. Tony Khan refused to release wrestlers, seemingly putting his ego over the company’s best interests. He surrounded himself with yes-men unwilling to challenge him and controlled wrestlers’ bookings to settle personal grudges. Add to this the Penta and Fenix drama, the Ryan Nemeth incident, and Khan’s refusal to acknowledge the company’s declining momentum, and you’ve got a mess. The one bright spot was their strong TV deal, giving AEW three years to course-correct—if someone can step up and tell Tony the hard truths. For these reasons, AEW is tied as the worst promotion of 2024.
2. Worst Male Wrestler of the Year: Chris Jericho
It pains me to put Jericho here, as I’m a fan, but age is catching up to him. His “learning tree” approach isn’t working, and his in-ring performances are becoming a parody of his former greatness. Sadly, he’s starting to resemble Ric Flair near the end of his career, unwilling to retire or put others over.
3. Worst Female Wrestler of the Year: Naomi
Initially, I considered Mercedes Moné for this spot, but I felt she was more of a disappointment than outright bad. Naomi, on the other hand, has struggled since returning to WWE. While she was never the best in-ring performer, she could deliver with the right opponent. However, something felt off this year, and it showed. The worst example was the WarGames match where miscommunication with Nia Jax led to a disastrous botch. Multiple mistakes like this earned her the title of worst female wrestler.
4. Worst Tag Team: First Class
This was a tough choice, as most prominent teams have been great this year. However, after watching TNA recently, I went with First Class. The original version of the team worked well, with A.J. Francis as a standout heel and Rich Swann providing a complementary dynamic. But Swann’s injury led to K.C. Navarro stepping in, and he just doesn’t fit. The team has lost momentum, and Navarro’s performances pale compared to Swann. They’ve barely won matches, making them my pick for worst tag team.
5. Worst PPV/PLE: A Tie Between Crown Jewel and Turning Point
Crown Jewel was a mess. Unlike previous Saudi shows, which WWE usually books well, this one felt like a glorified house show. Both champion vs. champion matches harmed more than helped, making this the worst Saudi event of the Triple H era.
Turning Point was a disaster. The production quality was amateurish, the arena looked empty, and the card felt hastily thrown together to fulfill a convention obligation. It was a boring, unnecessary show.
6. Worst Booker: Tony Khan
Most of what I said about AEW earlier applies here. Tony is booking for himself rather than the fans, turning them away instead of attracting new ones. The drama with talents like Ricky Starks and Rey Fenix, combined with his unwillingness to release underutilized talent, underscores why he’s the worst booker of 2024.
7. Worst Match: Mercedes Moné vs. Britt Baker
This match was highly anticipated but turned into a trainwreck. It was overly long and disappointing, given the talent involved.
8. Worst Wrestling Show: A Tie Between AEW Rampage and NXT Level Up
Both shows feel irrelevant. Rampage has become an afterthought and is reportedly getting canceled at the end of 2024. Meanwhile, Level Up showcases developmental talent who aren’t ready for TV. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s also canceled soon.
9. Worst Commentary Team: Vic Joseph and Booker T
I feel for Vic Joseph, who has to endure Booker T’s incoherent rambling every Tuesday. Booker’s commentary lacks consistency—sometimes praising heels, other times faces—leaving Joseph struggling to maintain focus on the matches.
10. Worst Feud of the Year: MJF vs. Adam Cole
This convoluted feud highlighted AEW’s disconnect from its fans. Injuries disrupted the storyline, but instead of moving on, AEW doubled down. The role reversal (MJF as a heel, Cole as a face) made the feud nonsensical. Let’s hope it ends soon.
11. Most Embarrassing Moments of 2024
Darby Allin’s Dangerous Glass Spot: At Revolution, Darby’s jump through glass injured fans, leading to potential lawsuits. This reckless stunt was approved by Tony Khan, showing a lack of foresight.
CM Punk/Jungle Boy Security Footage: AEW airing footage from last year’s All In felt desperate and only confirmed Punk’s version of events, making AEW look unprofessional.
Tony Khan Pulling Ricky Starks from GCW: This petty move, driven by Tony’s personal grudges, hurt AEW’s reputation.
That wraps up my “Worst of 2024” awards. I’ll be back next week with the “Best of 2024!”