WWE Year in Review: Nominees for the First-Ever 'Tunney' Awards

The conclusion of 2011 is rapidly approaching and, to say the least, it has been another interesting year for Vince McMahon's WWE. The Rock returned and made a huge impact in pay-per-view buyrates. John Cena remained the top babyface in the company. Randy Orton single-handedly lifted the Smackdown brand and carried it on his back, while superstars such as Wade Barrett, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, and Daniel Bryan were primed for top spots on the Friday night roster.

The Divas continued to be mistreated and poorly booked, while Zack Ryder had enough of being forgotten and invented a push for himself.

CM Punk shot on an entire company and became more popular (and more wealthy) as a result. Alberto Del Rio finally achieved his destiny, and R-Truth became one of the most amusing, unique heels on the roster. Mark Henry exceeded low expectations and became one of the MVPs of the company. Dolph Ziggler grabbed the spotlight and proved himself one of the budding stars on the roster.

Yes, 2011 was a year that could very well shape the future of the WWE. There were comings and goings, pushes and de-pushes. There were matches that left an undeniable mark on the WWE Universe and individual performances that will be remembered for years to come.

These are the nominees for the first-ever Tunney Awards, named after former long-time (on-screen) President of the World Wrestling Federation, Jack Tunney. They celebrate the best (and at times, worst) of WWE in 2011. Who is nominated? Who was not? Were there any surprises?

Find out inside and leave your votes for each category in the comments section below. Winners for the awards will be announced on New Year's Eve.

The Most Popular Superstar of 2011

The nominees are:

CM Punk

John Cena

Randy Orton

Sheamus

CM Punk became one of the most popular superstars in the entire sport with one shoot promo in June. He spoke his mind, running down a company he thought had become complacent and boring. He threatened to take the WWE Championship and leave once his contract with the company ran out at the end of the Money in the Bank pay-per-view.

The higher-ups, seeing the following the "Second City Saint" had garnered, came to an agreement with him on a new contract that would keep him with the company. Punk spent the rest of the year at the top of the card in the main event picture and was rewarded for his attitude with the support of the "WWE Universe."

John Cena, for all of his faults and all of his detractors, will always land on a list of nominees for "most popular" awards. His fanbase is enormous. Children believe in him in the manner that so many kids believe in Superman or Batman. He is a larger-than-life superhero that families can get behind, even if the ever-so-important 18-35 demographic detests the staleness of his character. Cena had another strong year, collecting three WWE Championships and remaining the most visible Superstar in the company.

Randy Orton took his game to another level in 2011. The most popular star on the Smackdown brand, he relished the opportunity to be the brand's top attraction and the fans relished the opportunity to voice their support for him. His in-ring work, which ranks among the best in the company in 2011, was a large part for his following...as is his anti-Cena, Viper-like demeanor.

Sheamus is the surprise candidate on the list. A terrible spring gave way to a summer and fall that saw Sheamus turn babyface, challenge the dominant Mark Henry, and in the process, become one of the most beloved stars on the roster. Add to that the fact that Sheamus' work in the ring has improved, and there is evidence that 2011 may just be the beginning of something huge for the newly dubbed "Great White."

The Most Hated Superstar of 2011

 The nominees are:

Alberto Del Rio

Christian

CM Punk

Mark Henry

The Miz

Alberto Del Rio exploded onto the scene in late 2010 and began a push to the WWE Championship that culminated in 2011 at SummerSlam, when he cashed in a Money in the Bank briefcase and defeated CM Punk to achieve what he had referred to as his "destiny." The fans despised the Mexican aristocrat and everything he stood for. Perhaps the most unique thing about Del Rio is his ability to win matches cleanly with his cross arm breaker submission finisher.

Christian started 2011 as one of the more popular superstars, but by the time May approached, and thanks to an unfortunate injury to Edge, he would end the most successful year of his individual career as one of the most hated Superstars in wrestling. His whining and complaining after losing both of his World Heavyweight Championships this year made fans cringe and grow to despise the self-proclaimed "Captain Charisma."

Unfortunately, an ankle injury has put him out of action and may have prevented him from ending the year on a high note.

Considering the year he has had, most forget that CM Punk began the year as one of the most hated heels in the sport. He was the leader of the Nexus and wasted little time in targeting mega-stars Randy Orton and John Cena to the dismay of the WWE Universe.

Punk used his mic skills to run down the popular stars and prevent them from achieving their goals of becoming WWE Champion. The fans despised CM Punk for the first half of the year. One of the few stars that can say they were nominated for "most hated" and "most popular" in the same year.

Mark Henry had a career year in 2011. Drafted to Samckdown in April, Henry wasted no time in destroying superstars put in his path. By September, he had put Big Show and Kane out of action with broken ankles and defeated the otherwise unstoppable Randy Orton to become World Champion.

Henry's inducting of Smackdown stars into the Hall of Pain has made for one of the most interesting aspects of WWE TV in 2011, as well as one of the most despised men on the roster.

The Miz is a candidate for "most hated" everytime he opens his mouth. But factor in a successful title defense at Wrestlemania over John Cena and his thwarting of Jerry Lawler's attempt to win his first WWE Championship, and you have all the reason in the world to despise The Miz. Take into consideration his partnership with R-Truth and his constant whining about a conspiracy within WWE, and you have what could be the beginning of a dynasty for The Miz in this category.

The Most Valuable WWE Diva

To be awarded to the most valuable WWE Diva of 2011

The nominees are:

Beth Phoenix

Eve Torres

Kelly Kelly

Michelle McCool

Beth Phoenix started off slow in 2011, but eventually hit her stride after turning heel and denouncing the "Barbie doll" movement in the WWE. Teaming with Natalya, Beth rediscovered her dominant side and wreaked havoc over the Divas roster during the second part of 2011.

After two fluke losses to Kelly Kelly, Beth recorded her first Divas Championship win. As 2011 comes to a close, she remains the titleholder with no real threat emerging.

Eve began 2011 with a bang, picking up her second Divas Championship in January at the Royal Rumble. She would lose it to Brie Bella in April, but would not become irrelevent. Partnering with Kelly Kelly during her battle with Beth Phoenix and Natalya, Eve would remain an integral part of the Divas division. She would challenge Beth for the Divas Championship in two consecutive months, including a high-quality affair at Vengeance.

Kelly Kelly had a whirlwind 2011. In June, she became Divas Champion for the first time. From there, she would become the plucky underdog champion of the Divas division. She defeated Beth Phoenix in two consecutive title matches at SummerSlam and Night of Champions. Kelly became the most popular woman in WWE and graced the cover of Maxim magazine in November. The most controversial woman on the roster.

Michelle McCool's 2011 was a short one, but during her four months with the company, she remained one its top female performers. LayCool was a top heel act and Michelle was featured in a high-profile match at Wrestlemania 27, teaming with Layla and Dolph Ziggler in a loss to Trish Stratus, Snooki and John Morrison. Michelle lost a "Loser Leaves WWE" match to Layla and retired to her home in Texas with real-life husband The Undertaker.

The Top Jobber

The nominees are:

Drew McIntyre

Ted DiBiase

Tyson Kidd

Somewhere along the line, Drew McIntyre became an afterthought in WWE, and in 2011, spent the majority of his time in the undercard. Still considered to be one of the performers with the most potential, it remains to be seen if Drew can climb out of the doghouse and back into the penthouse of the WWE. His most memorable appearance was as part of the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match in February.

Ted DiBiase is another in the same vein of McIntyre. He was pushed heavily right out of the gate but ended up on the receiving end of poor booking and bad positioning on the card. As 2011 comes to a close, he appears to be climbing back into the mix of things on the Smackdown brand, but he has fallen a long way from his "Legacy" days, when he and Cody Rhodes were battling Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and Triple H in pay-per-view main events.

Tyson Kidd has been on a downward spiral since his partnership with DH Smith in the Hart Dynasty came to an end. A highly-talented performer, Kidd has the ability to have a good match with anyone when motivated. Unfortunately, he is not a strong talker, and it has led to him being disregarded by the creative team. While he may be a fixture on the Smackdown program, it is often as a jobber for the most established and popular stars.

The Most Valuable Mid-Card Superstar

To be awarded to the most valuable mid-card Superstar

The nominees are:

Cody Rhodes

Daniel Bryan

Dolph Ziggler

John Morrison

Cody Rhodes took his game to a new level in 2011. No longer known for being the second-generation son of Dusty, Cody began forging his own legacy. His "disfigured" gimmick got over with the audience in a manner the terrible "Dashing Cody Rhodes" character did not.

Rhodes' in-ring work improved, mostly due to his work with Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton. He won the Intercontinental Championship in the fall and, as 2011 comes to a close, Cody appears poised to enter the main event picture in the next year.

Daniel Bryan did not have the amazing, blow-away year many expected based on his eventful 2010, but he still managed to be one of the most valuable stars in the mid-card scene. He started the year as the United States Champion, a title he won by defeating the Miz back in 2010. 

Then, in April, he was drafted to Smackdown, where he prospered far more than he would have had he stayed on the Raw brand. There, he won the Money in the Bank briefcase and seems poised to pick up his first World Heavyweight Championship around Wrestlemania time. He was vital in suring up Cody Rhodes' skills over the summer and is a featured performer on Smackdown as the calendar readies to turn.

Dolph Ziggler became the breakout star of WWE in 2011. A cocky, arrogant performer, he was in the middle of some of the best matches the company had to offer this year. In January, he feuded with Edge over the World Heavyweight Championship, even adding a 30-second reign with the gold to his record. He was featured in the high-profile six-person tag match at Wrestlemania, then was rewarded with another run as United States Champion. 

Lately, he has come into his own as a talker, adding the last piece needed to his repetoire in order to take the next step up the ladder.

John Morrison had a very up-and-down 2011, but still managed to remain relavent for most of the year. He started off hot with a tremendous performance in the Raw brand Elimination Chamber match. Then, he was featured in a major six-person tag match at Wrestlemania and followed that up by appearing in the main event of Extreme Rules, a triple threat cage match that saw him come up short in his bid to become WWE Champion.

Then, behind the scenes attitude issues—mainly linked to real-life girlfriend Melina—and injuries derailed his push. The rest of the year would see Morrison hang around the mid-card before his contract ran out, and he left the company in November. 

The Best Tag Team of 2011

The nominees are:

Air Boom

David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty

Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater

The Usos

Wow...slim pickings.

Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne single-handedly revitalized a tag-team division that had grown stale a long time ago. They are two very popular individual stars who have brought their exciting and innovative style to the tag team division, and as a result, fans care about their matches.

After defeating Michael McGillicutty and David Otunga for the titles, they went on to have a streak of high-quality tag matches that saw them defeat Miz and R-Truth and Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger in consecutive months. An ill-timed suspension for Bourne put a halt to the division's progress.

David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty...not a bright spot in tag team history. But they were champions. For a long time. So they are nominated.

Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater started the year as the top team in the division, but by the summer months, they would have broken up, and neither man would be a pivotal part of the division.

The Usos are, perhaps, one of the most underrated talents on the roster. The sons of former WWE star Rikishi, Jimmy and Jey have continued to improve their skills and develop as performers. Their recent work on NXT and Superstars has not gone unnoticed, and one can only wonder what is in store for them in 2012.

The Best Match of 2011

To be awarded to the best match of 2011

The nominees are:

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler (Royal Rumble)

Smackdown Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship (Elimination Chamber)

Triple H vs. The Undertaker (Wrestlemania 27)

WWE Championship Match: CM Punk vs. John Cena (Money in the Bank)

No Holds Barred for the World Heavyweight Championship: Randy Orton vs. Christian (SummerSlam)

The Best in-Ring Performer

The nominees are:

Alberto Del Rio

Christian

CM Punk

Daniel Bryan

Dolph Ziggler

Randy Orton

All six of the men mentioned above have spent 2011 delivering consistently spectacular in-ring work. Character flaws aside, all six of these superstars proved they could be relied upon to deliver between the ropes.

Alberto Del Rio has proven himself to be more like Rey Mysterio than Sin Cara in that he came from Mexico and showed that he could adapt to different in-ring styles. His cross arm breaker allows him to be different from most other heels on the roster because it allows him to win matches decisively and by submission. His matches with Edge, Christian, Rey Mysterio, John Cena and CM Punk were all solid-to-spectacular contests.

Christian spent most of 2011 engaged in a rivalry with Randy Orton, which produced the best series of matches in any company all year long. Whether it was their televised Smackdown near-classic, their even better Over the Limit match, an underrated story-progressor at Captiol Punishment or their Match of the Year Candidate at SummerSlam, "Captain Charisma" proved he belonged in the main event scene. His post-Orton matches with Sheamus have been solid as well.

CM Punk dubbed himself "the Best in the World" mid-way through the year, but from the start of 2011, he backed that nickname up. His early matches with John Cena are overlooked by the Summer Series, but they were high-quality affairs as well, even if they were relegated to Raw.

The tandem of matches with Randy Orton at Wrestlemania and Extreme Rules are also underrated due to the wealth of great matches those individuals had throughout the rest of the year. The mid-summer feud with Cena produced two MOTY candidates, and the later series with Alberto Del Rio proved that good, old-fashioned professional wrestling, complete with in-ring psychology and strong submissions, could still prosper and be over with the WWE Universe.

Daniel Bryan is the closest thing to Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko the company has today. While often stuck in mid-card hell,and rarely the most over star on the roster, Bryan has the ability to get the crowd on his side based solely on the intensity and pride he brings to his craft. His high-impact, mat-based technical style is a welcome addition to the WWE's current landscape and a throw-back to Kurt Angle and the previously-mentioned Benoit.

His matches with Wade Barrett were stiff contests that may or may not have been responsible for their late-year pushes. The series with Cody Rhodes made fans take Cody's talents seriously. And Bryan's recent clashes with Mark Henry have the common fan believing he has what it takes to beat the "World's Strongest Man."

Dolph Ziggler arrived on the scene of the top-tier performers in 2011. He has become the most polished non-main event talent on the roster and single-handedly brought those less-talented then him to his level. He stole a number of shows, including the October Vengeance pay-per-view. When involved in a match with an established main eventer, such as John Cena or Randy Orton or CM Punk, Dolph proved he belonged. He has also proven to be a valuable foil for the rising Zack Ryder.

In 2011, Randy Orton became the performer so many expected him to become. His matches with CM Punk at Wrestlemania and Extreme Rules are underrated. Throughout the summer months, he and Christian tore the roof off of arenas across the country. Perhaps more underlooked than anything when it comes to the year, Randy had is his ability to put other wrestlers over.

He brought Cody Rhodes to his level in October and November, laying down for the second-generation star when another superstar from Raw, one who Rises Above Hate, would likely not have. He has brought Wade Barrett back to relevance by losing to him on a number of occasions lately.

And in September and October, he put over Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship in a move that has paid off for the company. It is because of that intelligence from a business standpoint, as well as his constantly improving and evolving skill set between the ropes, that Randy is a nominee for this award.

Readers, It Is Up to You to Decide

These are simply the nominees. There can be no winners unless you, the reader, vote. Cast your votes in the comments section below.

Agree with the nominees? Disagree? Voice your opinion.

The winners of each "Tunney" will be announced on December 31, 2011. Also on that day, the recipients of other honorary awards will be announced.

These awards are not to be confused with any official awards that other websites or Bleacher Report itself may conduct.