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AJ Styles became a two-time WWE Champion last year
What’s the story?
Current WWE Champion AJ Styles has added another award to his illustrious list of achievements as The Phenomenal One has been named as Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Wrestler of the Year award for 2017.
In case you didn’t know…
After a successful debut year in the WWE, AJ Styles followed up 2017 in an equally brilliant manner as he held two different championships in the company over two different reigns. The Phenomenal One also got his first WrestleMania win last year, when he defeated Shane McMahon in a gruesome match. Later on in the year, Styles would go on and win the WWE United States Championship for the first time in his career after defeating Kevin Owens at Madison Square Garden.
Styles would eventually become a two-time US Champion in 2017. AJ would also go on to achieve more success as he captured the WWE Title for the second time after he dethroned Jinder Mahal as the World Champion in August 2017 and ended The Maharaja’s reign.
The heart of the matter
Pro Wrestling Illustrated has revealed their entire list of 2017 awards and winners, and WWE Champion AJ Styles has been awarded the Wrestler of the Year for the second year in a row. Styles now joins the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, John Cena and CM Punk as the only wrestlers to earn that achievement in consecutive years.
The two time WWE Champion received a total of 38% of the votes, followed by current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada at 21%, IWGP US Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega is at third with 11%, and former Ring of Honor World Champion Cody Rhodes with 9%. The remainder of the votes has been split among other numerous wrestlers.
Here is a full list of PWI award winners for 2017:
Rookie: Otis Drozovic
Inspirational: Christopher Daniels
Most Improved: Jinder Mahal
Comeback: The Hardys
Best Female Performer: Asuka
Best Feud: Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega
Most Hated: Jinder Mahal
Most Popular: AJ Styles
Best Tag Team: The Young Bucks
Match of The Year: Kenny Omega vs Kazuchika Okada (1/4)
What’s next?
AJ Styles’s next big challenge is to successfully defend his WWE Title at this year’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, when The Phenomenal One puts his title on the line in a 2-on-1 handicap match against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at the Royal Rumble PPV on January 28th, 2017.
Author’s take
AJ Styles truly had a ‘Phenomenal’ 2017 to say the least and wholly deserves the award. He has been one of the hardest workers in the WWE in the past year and his in-ring achievements reflect that.