2016 PW Awards: Promotion of the Year

Winner: NJPW

“I think WWE has had its best year in a LONG time. The brand split, the additions to the main roster, and the people they are showcasing have made it an incredibly enjoyable year, that being said, NJPW lost 4 of its biggest stars and did not dip for a second. AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows were running the show at NJPW for a few years, and their homegrown talent of Shinsuke Nakamura was having MOTY candidates every single time he walked out to the ring. Losing that kind of talent would kill most promotions, yet NJPW looked as strong as ever with Kenny Omega rising to the top. I am looking forward to Wrestle Kingdom 11 as much, if not more, than ever before.” – Chris Langevin

“There’s a lot of great wrestling out there but for my money, New Japan Pro Wrestling is the best promotion out there right now. Who would’ve thought they’d have an even better year than 2015 after losing AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and Gallows & Anderson to the WWE machine. Career years from Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega made us forget about that sooner rather than later. Great wrestling and great storylines sell. It also helps when you protect your titles and make every single defense mean something.” – Dave Reno

Runner Up: Lucha Underground

“If you like: linear storytelling, Aztec mythology, Lucha Libre-style wrestling, submission-based wrestling, Strong Style, mythical creatures, violence, high-caliber acting skills, blood, a dedicated fanbase, wrestling history, intergender matches, high production value, strong female performers, excellent cinematography, live music at wrestling shows, suspense/thrillers, stories about cops, shows where they kill characters off, science-fiction, bi-lingual promos, and monsters…then Lucha Underground is for you. And if you’re not into those things…the Last Battle of Atlanta is on the WWE Network now, I hear.” – Lady J

“For so long we’ve looked for an alternative to WWE. And while there have been other good companies, nothing has been an alternative to WWE. It’s simply been what WWE is in a different format. That’s what makes Lucha Underground the promotion of the year to me. They’re the only ones continuously pushing the boundaries of what exactly wrestling is, and what wrestling can be. More companies need to take this approach instead of just being WWE with a different emphasis.” – Aaron Oster

Honorable Mention: PROGRESS

“This British promotion’s popularity has snuck up on the wrestling industry and grabbed it by the throat. They showcased the best talent in the business, and it’s no secret that WWE is plucking from their roster to make future headliners. Progress has the best talkers, the best wrestling styles and, in my opinion the biggest roster of future Hall of Famers.” – Canadace Kidd

Next: MVP