Yahoo Sports The 2024 Crownies: Promo of the Year, Swerve, Gimmick, Most Improved and many more wrestling awards
With just a few hours left in 2024, the Uncrowned crew has run through pretty much every major wrestling category and picked our top matches, moments and wrestlers. So, with all of that covered, what else could we possibly have in store for the “Final Countdown?” (We miss you Bryan Danielson!)
Introducing The Crownies!
For the first time ever — not a stretch because Uncrowned has existed for three months now — the whole gang has united, Avengers-style, to hand out some (figurative) hardware for some of the under-appreciated wrestling categories. This is such a monumental event, we’re even tapping a brand-new voice, Robert Jackman, to lend his expertise to the inaugural Crownies.
(“Wrap it up” notes begin to play.)
So, without further ado, here are our picks in nine categories, ranging from Booker of the Year to the Best Celebrity Appearance. Cut the damn music!
And the winners are ...
Most Improved: Solo Sikoa
Robert Jackman: This time last year, the Bloodline’s then-enforcer was playing a predictable role on WWE's main roster: As the guy who filled in for Roman on "WWE SmackDown," lost to his boss’ next challenger on the go-home show, and then showed up on the PLE to interfere and extract revenge.
That all changed after WrestleMania, as the former Street Champion stepped up to claim the leadership of the Bloodline, setting up some truly huge moments. Remember Tama Tonga turning up to expel Jimmy Uso with a brutal punishment beating? Or the sight of a graying, bloodshot Paul Heyman cowering in fear? Or that table powerbomb?
But it isn’t just Solo’s presentation that has improved. The man himself has been working overtime to justify his place in those main event matches. His ring work looks smoother and quicker than ever, and he sounds much more convincing when delivering the big promos on "SmackDown." You can hear the difference in the crowd reaction.
Sikoa has also become a real workhorse when the cameras aren’t running. Did you know he’s now challenged Cody Rhodes more than 20 times at various house shows and WWE Live events? Sure, he might have lost every single time, but you can’t fault that level of commitment.
Perhaps winning doesn’t matter so much anyway. Let’s not forget the standout moment of Solo’s year, when he was forced to take five consecutive finishers in the climax of the men’s WarGames match. The usurper Tribal Chief looked like a star throughout — even with his shoulders pinned down for the three count.
Best Non-Wrestler (Manager/Character): Prince Nana
Kel Dansby: AEW’s Prince Nana earned the title of Best Non-Wrestler in 2024 for his standout role as Swerve Strickland’s manager. Nana’s electric dance moves to Strickland’s “Big Pressure” entrance theme turned the song into a viral sensation, amplifying the excitement around every appearance.
Beyond the theatrics, Nana provided essential grounding for Strickland’s character, seamlessly supporting him as both a heel and a babyface. His charisma and chemistry elevated Strickland’s rise, culminating in his victory as AEW Champion this year. Nana’s ability to enhance storylines and captivate audiences without stepping into the ring underscores his unmatched value to AEW in 2024.
Best Celeb/Non-Wrestler Performance: Tyrese Haliburton
Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: Running the risk of generating some heat with the Knicks faithful (sorry, Ariel!), I am going with Tyrese Haliburton here.
For those who may have missed it this summer, Haliburton and Jalen Brunson made an appearance at the June 28th episode of "WWE SmackDown" at Madison Square Garden. During the triple-threat Money in the Bank qualifying match between Santos Escobar, Logan Paul and LA Knight, Haliburton leaped over the barricade and threatened to upend the match with brass knuckles. He was countered by Jalen Brunson and the MSG crowd erupted.
Brunson and Haliburton played their roles well, including the Knicks star giving fans a scare by shaking his surgically repaired hand after getting into the ring, but what clinched it for the Pacers playmaker was his attire. The “Tyrese 3:17” shirt not only pays homage to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, but also Indianapolis’ area code. On top of that, he wore jorts — and not the John Cena ones, the old-school Austin style ones that belong in a Wrangler commercial.
Haliburton also moderated the Trick Williams vs. Ethan Page contract signing on NXT a few months later, generating heat there as well by bringing his teammates into Magic territory (while wearing an awesome Shawn Michaels shirt, I might add).
This, my friends, is a man who loves pro wrestling. The Crownie is his!
Gimmick of the Year: 'Timeless' Toni Storm
Cameron Hawkins: It’s almost disrespectful to call this a competition. Toni Storm employed a gimmick that’s usually reserved for the mid-card — a full-on personality change jumping back and forth over the line of absurdity — and turned it into one the top things on AEW television, to the point where you were looking forward to her vignettes just as much as her matches.
Hamfisted and detailed, she’d lose herself in the most absurd stories, tell cheesy sex jokes that would have you throwing your arms up trying to relocate reality, and most impressively, would find little ways to keep the gimmick going during her matches.
The black and white filters, the extravagant ensembles, and most importantly, keeping this going while being a top champion, “Timeless” Toni Storm is possibly the best character work done under the AEW banner, and all involved were smart enough to end it on a high note.
Swerve of the Year: New Day's heel turn
Jackman: Of the staple storylines in wrestling, the tag team break-up is among the more predictable. There are only so many ways to have former friends turn on each other and most of us have seen them multiple times over the years.
As soon as WWE began teasing tensions in the New Day, it looked as if we might be heading in a familiar direction. Sure, some of the promos were exceptional, but the overall angle seemed to boil down to one question: Would the long-running faction finally implode or would Big E come riding to the rescue?
When the beloved former WWE champion returned to a massive pop during the New Day’s 10-year celebration, it looked like we might be getting the happier of the two payoffs. Then came one of the biggest rug pulls in pro wrestling history, as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods turned on their former friend in the coldest way possible.
Given the potency of the storyline, it was little wonder that Big E looked genuinely crestfallen. But it was the fact that the twist managed to wrong-foot all of us that took things to the next level. This one hit like a sucker punch, and then left a long-lasting bruise. It also sets up a tantalizing subplot as we set off on the road to WrestleMania.
Swerves like that only come around once in a blue moon. Given how this one felt, perhaps we should be thankful for that.
Promo of the Year: The Rock's rain-soaked beatdown
Hawkins: Years ago, during WWE’s Diva Search competition, the women vying for a WWE contract were given a live mic to speak their peace, usually resulting in profanities and harsh name calling. It went so far that Triple H joked/lamented about calling Randy Orton things you’re more likely to hear in an episode of 'Deadwood.' So while it’s almost cheating, the promo of the year is The Rock’s post-"WWE Raw" beatdown of Cody Rhodes from his Instagram Live.
If anything signifies “Final Boss” privilege, it’s continuing to push a story on his account with tens of millions of followers, telling the production team that he doesn’t care if the shows over, dropping F-bomb after F-bomb, invoking Rhodes' mother’s name, all while beating the absolute hell out of him with the rain pouring down like a scene out of "Sin City" or "Road to Perdition."
The ability to freestyle an already strong segment and not have to work within the normal television boundaries might not be fair, but the entire Bloodline story has been about navigating the deepest waters with little more than your will to survive.
Promotion of the Year: WWE
Jackman: 2024 was a particularly good year for pro wrestling. Though that doesn’t mean the spoils were shared equally — with one particular promotion leading the pack.
No appraisal of WWE could start anywhere but the $5 billion Netflix deal, which was first announced in January 2024. Goodness knows that WWE loves big numbers, but you don’t get much bigger than 282 million (Netflix’s reported subscriber base).
The worldwide wrestling leader had a spectacular year in the ring too. We had the return of The Rock, which confounded expectations as the former People’s Champion morphed into the Final Boss. The passing of the torch to Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania XL was executed perfectly, justifying the decision to delay the American Nightmare finishing his story by a year.
On the weekly shows, the women’s division looks stronger than ever, with a big push for mid-card talent. Following the success of LA Knight, both "Raw" and "SmackDown" continue to create singles stars. This time last year, Jey Uso had only entered his Yeet era. Now he’s one of the most popular guys on the roster.
The departure of Kevin Dunn has seen a major glow-up for the production values as well, while the PLEs continue to smash records for crowds and gates alike. The international shows feel bigger than the mid-tier PLEs they replaced. Even the Saudi shows were high stakes in terms of storylines and consequences.
It just leaves one question. Can the WWE top it in 2025?
Booker of the Year: Shawn Michaels
Dansby: WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels takes home the Booker of the Year award for his extraordinary work in NXT.
Michaels masterfully balanced elevating veteran talents and developing fresh faces. His booking of Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer bolstered an already impressive NXT women’s division, creating the deepest roster in wrestling.
Under the Hall of Famer's leadership, Trick Williams became the face of NXT, while “All Ego” Ethan Page found new life in a veteran role. Michaels also introduced stars like Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker and Je’Von Evans, showcasing his eye for talent and long-term planning. His vision solidified NXT as a must-watch brand in 2024.
Best PLE/PPV: WrestleMania 40, Night 2
Sulla-Heffinger: Despite laying claim to our runaway Match of the Year in Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson and a surprisingly late candidate on Dec. 28, AEW Dynasty and AEW Worlds End fall just a notch below WrestleMania 40, Night 2 for the PLE/PPV of the Year.
So, what ultimately swung things in favor of the "Showcase of the Immortals"? The bookends and atmosphere from the stadium show. (Venue matters!)
In the opening match, Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins put on a strong performance to set the stage for the rest of the night — and what happened afterward set the stage for the rest of 2024 for three of WWE’s biggest stars. McIntyre won the World Heavyweight title before CM Punk’s distraction/attack ringside allowed Damian Priest to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase and win the championship himself. McIntyre-Punk was our Feud of the Year and this was a major spark for it.
When I recapped WrestleMania 40, Night 2, I called the main event among the greatest ever in professional wrestling history. I’m going to stand by that claim eight-ish months later. If Ospreay-Danielson was “Casablanca,” Rhodes-Reigns II was “Avengers: Endgame.” The latter doesn’t match up to the former from a technical or pure wrestling standpoint, but the storytelling — yearslong, not just in the match — made for an epic conclusion to Rhodes’ saga and moments we’ll be talking about for years to come.
If that isn’t enough, Bayley and Iyo Sky put on an excellent match and the Role Model walked out of Philadelphia the new WWE Women’s Champion after her first one-on-one contest at WrestleMania.
