February 27, 2023 Observer Newsletter: 2022 Observer Awards issue

As expected this turned into a two-person race with Moxley (Jonathan Good, 37) and former Shield partner Reigns (Leati Joseph Anoa’i, 37).

The way I see the argument it comes down to Reigns as the biggest star of the year in pro wrestling, as WWE champion for the entire year, and headliner on the biggest shows, during a year that got very strong for the company after April. He had good-to-great matches on top, which is a big part of the award.

But the argument is Most Valuable. Reigns worked a very limited schedule and the company did roughly as well with him and not with him. The Smackdown rating rise was as much tied to Sami Zayn and Jey Uso, who carried it to strong results when Reigns wasn’t around, as the weekly angle.

Moxley was the more valuable, because he was twice, after injuries to Punk, called to lead the company. Had he been not around, the declines would have been greater than they were. Coming off rehab at the start of the year, he and Chris Jericho really carried the company during different periods when so many top names were out with injuries and later after All Out when Punk, Kenny Omega, and the Young Bucks were suspended. You take both out of the picture in 2022, and it’s AEW that would be hurt far worse.

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