HFBoards' Slammy Awards: Most Improved

[M.C.G. 31]

First year.

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[Cor]

I was thinking dream, but I went for Baszler. She’s had a great year in terms of development

 

[Maffew]

Buddy went from cutting 25 pounds to join 205 Live, to dominating the division and putting on some of the best matches all year, topping himself almost every time.

 

[bobholly39]

Going to go with Rousey who came out of nowhere and has arguably been the MVP on the main roster this year. Insane performances all year long.

Yes she's very protected and they probably spend a ton of time/preparation booking her well and planning her matches but i don't care - on TV it comes across as great.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

In terms of most improved, I think Almas, Rusev, and Dream are ruled out because they were all already awesome.

I voted Buddy Murphy.

 

[Serac]

I'm genuinely curious what people mean as "most improved" when they vote for Elias. What exactly has improved ? The only thing I can think of is his guitar work. Genuinely curious behind the votes for him.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I'm genuinely curious what people mean as "most improved" when they vote for Elias. What exactly has improved ? The only thing I can think of is his guitar work. Genuinely curious behind the votes for him.

Right there with you. I still don’t see it in the ring

 

[M.C.G. 31]

In terms of most improved, I think Almas, Rusev, and Dream are ruled out because they were all already awesome.

I voted Buddy Murphy.

Dream I can see, but:

Almas was a flop upon debut, almost left to go back to Mexico and instead stuck it out and became amazing in NXT until the call up where he was rarely used since.

Rusev was almost pigeonholed in as the foreign heel until one off the cuff line about “Rusev Day” which allowed him to break free and show his actual personality, charisma and wit.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

Dream I can see, but:

Almas was a flop upon debut, almost left to go back to Mexico and instead stuck it out and became amazing in NXT until the call up where he was rarely used since.

Yeah but that wasn’t in 2018 was it?

Almas started 2018 as champion where we already knew he was going god level every night.

Rusev would count though.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Yeah but that wasn’t in 2018 was it?

Almas started 2018 as champion where we already knew he was going god level every night.

Rusev would count though.

I still considered it a float over into this year. He very likely had the MOTY, which says a lot considering where he was before this year’s run.

He’s so underused. I can’t wait for the inevitable Almas vs. Mysterio program.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Went Murphy. Thought he was just generic tag team wrestler #3 who was destined for future endeavors but he became a wrestling machine.

 

[Shoalzie]

Elias still isn't great in the ring but his overall gimmick has gotten over well. Murphy had done a great job in transitioning to a singles wrestler on 205 Live after being in a floundering tag team on NXT. That brand is in a much better place than when Enzo was champ.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Corbin went from winning the the Andre the Giant battle royal, to an afterthought, to one of the biggest heels in the company.

He'll likely revert back to afterthought status after tonight's Raw, depending on what Creative has planned.

But I'd still say this year was good for him as far as character development goes, especially compared to where he was last year.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I was a little torn between Almas and Murphy for some of the reasons @M.C.G. 31 outlined re: misuse and that he was thinking about leaving. But as I thought about it, he was already great in-ring and it took the pairing with Zelina Vega to turn around his fortunes, not anything he himself did. Buddy Murphy worked his ass off to get to where he is. He had the misfortune of being in a tag team in NXT where both guys were kind of interchangeable (one's from Texas, one's from Australia! One's named Blake, one's named Buddy, can you tell which is which if they don't open their mouths to talk?) I think he realized that he was a guy on the cusp of future endeavors and lobbied hard to get into 206 Live and has done a bang-up job in it.

 

[GarbageGoal]

I can't vote for Ronda here because there was never anything to judge her against. She's been awesome from match one.

So I'll go with Buddy Murphy because everyone seemed to think he sucked at one point but he's impressed me.

 

[Habsrule]

Rousey. Look at how little of time she has put in compared to others. Yes she had the massive hype coming in but her rise has been meteoric.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Bazler. Especially over Ronda.

 

[Natey]

Went with Liv, but Shayna is a really good pick too.

Ronda being an option is stupid. You can't improve on the previous year when you weren't there...

 

[DaaaaB's]

Going to go with Rousey who came out of nowhere and has arguably been the MVP on the main roster this year. Insane performances all year long.

Yes she's very protected and they probably spend a ton of time/preparation booking her well and planning her matches but i don't care - on TV it comes across as great.

She's been good but saying she's been putting on insane performances all year is a bit of a stretch.

 

[Disclose]

this is the one Becky should have all the votes. went with Dream.

 

[Emperoreddy]

A basic thing that would help Ronda a lot is top stop asking the crowd for the arm bar.

Less smiling like a big mark during every entrance would help. So would selling in post-match interviews, or the next night in the case of her Survivor Series beatdown.

It’s little things for sure, but that kind of detailed character work goes a long way. It’s also pretty basic. They might tell her to do that (though I have no idea why), but she has the power to tell them no with zero consequences.

 

[Dr Pepper]

A basic thing that would help Ronda a lot is top stop asking the crowd for the arm bar.

Less smiling like a big mark during every entrance would help. So would selling in post-match interviews, or the next night in the case of her Survivor Series beatdown.

It’s little things for sure, but that kind of detailed character work goes a long way. It’s also pretty basic. They might tell her to do that (though I have no idea why), but she has the power to tell them no with zero consequences.

I'd rather she smile then put on that scrunched-up little pouty face she alawys does. Looking like a girl who was just told she's not getting ice cream after ballet class.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

Buddy Murphy. Dude's amazing.

 

[GKJ]

I don't understand Elias. What specifically did he improve at?

 

[Cor]

I don't understand Elias. What specifically did he improve at?

Shut Up Saxton!