Year-End Awards

The GCW Year-End Awards are announced New Year's Day every year. The initial awards given were Wrestler of the Year, Tag Team of the Year, Manager of the Year, Match of the Year, Feud of the Year, Most Popular, and Most Hated. In 1965, the Newcomer of the Year award was added. The awards are voted on by the GCW Board of Directors, the fans, and the performers themselves.

1 Wrestler of the Year

This award is given to the top wrestler in GCW.

Year Wrestler
1963 Lou Thesz
1964 Lou Thesz
1965 Lou Thesz
1966 Bruno Sammartino
1967 Bobo Brazil
1968 Bobo Brazil
1969 Luke Graham
1970 Bruno Sammartino
1971 Bruno Sammartino
1972 Bruno Sammartino
1973 Ivan Koloff
1974 Harley Race
1975 Harley Race
1976 Harley Race
1977 Jumbo Tsuruta
1978 Bob Backlund
1979 Bob Backlund
1980 Bob Backlund
1981 Dusty Rhodes
1982 Stan Hansen
1983 Ric Flair
1984 Dusty Rhodes
1985 King Kong Bundy

2 Tag Team of the Year

This award is given to the top duo in GCW.

Year Tag Team
1963 Antonino Rocca & Miguel Perez
1964 Gorilla Monsoon & Killer Kowalski
1965 Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine
1966 Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher
1967 Pedro Morales & Dominic DeNucci
1968 The Minnesota Wrecking Crew
1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Chief Jay Strongbow
1970 Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher
1971 The Cripplers
1972 Mr. Fuji & Toru Tanaka
1973 The Cripplers
1974 The Texas Outlaws
1975 Luke Graham & Billy Graham
1976 The Blackjacks
1977 The Brisco Brothers
1978 The Funk Brothers
1979 Gorilla Monsoon & Pedro Morales
1980 Paul Jones & The Masked Superstar
1981 Antonio Inoki & Jumbo Tsuruta
1982 The Can-Am Strongmen
1983 Bobby Duncum & Dick Murdoch
1984 The Rock 'N Roll Express
1985 The Rock 'N Roll Express

3 Manager of the Year

This award is given to the top manager in GCW.

Year Manager
1963 Abdullah Farouk
1964 Abdullah Farouk
1965 Abdullah Farouk
1966 Abdullah Farouk
1967 James Dudley
1968 Lou Albano
1969 Lou Albano
1970 Lou Albano
1971 Arnold Skaaland
1972 Bobby Heenan
1973 Lou Albano
1974 Bobby Heenan
1975 Bobby Heenan
1976 Bobby Heenan
1977 Bobby Heenan
1978 Lou Albano
1979 Freddie Blassie
1980 Arnold Skaaland
1981 Freddie Blassie
1982 Freddie Blassie
1983 Bobby Heenan
1984 Freddie Blassie
1985 Bobby Heenan

4 Match of the Year

This award is given to the best match of the year.

Year Match Venue Information
1963 Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Lou Thesz, World Title Match Toronto, ON, CA - July 20
1964 Lou Thesz & Bruno Sammartino vs. Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine New York, NY - September 12
1965 Lou Thesz (c) vs. The Sheik, World Title Cage Match New York, NY - April 24
1966 Bruno Sammartino & Dory Funk Jr. vs. Bill Watts & Johnny Valentine Washington, DC - February 26
1967 Antonio Inoki (c) vs. Hiro Matsuda, United States Title Match Chicago, IL - June 28
1968 The Blond Bombers vs. Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher Charlotte, NC - November 30
1969 Luke Graham (c) vs. Antonio Inoki, World Title Match New York, NY - December 27
1970 Bruno Sammartino & Antonio Inoki vs. Luke Graham & Giant Baba Pittsburgh, PA - February 21
1971 Bruno Sammartino (c) vs. Pedro Morales, World Title Match New York, NY - December 29
1972 Billy Robinson (c) vs. Wahoo McDaniel, United States Title Match Baltimore, MD - October 2
1973 Pedro Morales (c) vs. Ivan Koloff, World Title Match New York, NY - December 25
1974 Mr. Wrestling I/Mr. Wrestling II (c) vs. Mr. Fuji/Toru Tanaka, World Tag Team Title Match New York, NY - June 9
1975 16-man Battle Royal for the United States Title Baltimore, MD - January 13
1976 Larry Zbyszko/Dino Bravo (c) vs. Luke Graham/Billy Graham, World Tag Team Title Match Chicago, IL - January 29
1977 Billy Graham (c) vs. Dory Funk Jr., World Title Match Boston, MA - December 8
1978 Larry Zbyszko vs. Bobby Duncum New York, NY - June 2
1979 Bob Backlund (c) vs. Paul Orndorff, World Title Match Boston, MA - September 12
1980 Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka (c), World Title Match New York, NY - December 30
1981 Dusty Rhodes (c) vs. Bob Backlund, World Title Match Toronto, ON, CA - August 28
1982 Dusty Rhodes (c) vs. Nick Bockwinkel, World Title Match Baltimore, MD - August 31
1983 Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes (c), World Title Match New York, NY - September 16
1984 Bob Backlund & Jimmy Snuka vs. Dusty Rhodes & Ricky Steamboat Boston, MA - November 29
1985 Bob Backlund (c) vs. Ricky Steamboat, World Title Match Pittsburgh, PA - February 23

5 Feud of the Year

This award is given to the most intense feud of the year.

Year Feud
1963 Lou Thesz vs. Bruno Sammartino
1964 Bruno Sammartino vs. Bill Watts
1965 Bruno Sammartino vs. Bill Watts
1966 Bobo Brazil vs. Abdullah Farouk
1967 Bobo Brazil vs. Ernie Ladd
1968 The Blond Bombers vs. Dick the Bruiser & The Crusher
1969 Bobo Brazil vs. Luke Graham
1970 Bruno Sammartino vs. Luke Graham
1971 Bruno Sammartino vs. Pedro Morales
1972 Bruno Sammartino vs. Billy Graham
1973 Baron Von Raschke vs. Lou Albano
1974 Ivan Koloff vs. Pedro Morales
1975 Gorilla Monsoon vs. Muhammed Ali
1976 Dusty Rhodes vs. Ivan Koloff
1977 Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Billy Graham vs. Dory Funk Jr.
1978 Dusty Rhodes vs. Ivan Koloff
1979 Jimmy Snuka vs. Luke Graham
1980 Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka
1981 The Texas Outlaws vs. Bob Backlund/Jimmy Snuka/Ric Flair
1982 Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka
1983 Ricky Steamboat vs. Bob Backlund
1984 Larry Zbyszko vs. Bob Backlund
1985 Dusty Rhodes vs. Sgt. Slaughter/Stan Hansen

6 Most Popular

This award is given to the most popular performer.

Year Winner
1963 Bruno Sammartino
1964 Bruno Sammartino
1965 Bruno Sammartino
1966 Bobo Brazil
1967 Bobo Brazil
1968 Bobo Brazil
1969 Bobo Brazil
1970 Bruno Sammartino
1971 Bruno Sammartino
1972 Bruno Sammartino
1973 Billy Robinson
1974 Baron Von Raschke
1975 Jack Brisco
1976 Jimmy Snuka
1977 Dusty Rhodes
1978 Bob Backlund
1979 Jimmy Snuka
1980 Bob Backlund
1981 Bob Backlund
1982 Jimmy Snuka
1983 Ricky Steamboat
1984 Dusty Rhodes
1985 Rick Martel

7 Most Hated

This award is given to the most hated performer.

Year Winner
1963 Gene Kiniski
1964 Abdullah Farouk
1965 Luke Graham
1966 Abdullah Farouk
1967 Ernie Ladd
1968 Luke Graham
1969 Luke Graham
1970 Lou Albano
1971 Pedro Morales
1972 Billy Graham
1973 Pedro Morales
1974 Harley Race
1975 Harley Race
1976 Harley Race
1977 Billy Graham
1978 Harley Race
1979 Stan Hansen
1980 Jimmy Snuka
1981 Dusty Rhodes
1982 Larry Zbyszko
1983 Freddie Blassie
1984 Bob Backlund
1985 King Kong Bundy

8 Most Improved

This award is given to the wrestler who shows the most improvement in the ring.

1980 Austin Idol
1981 B. Brian Blair
1982 Tito Santana
1983 Rick Martel
1984 Tully Blanchard
1985 Arn Anderson

9 Newcomer of the Year

This award is given to the best performer that debuted in the calendar year.

Year Winner
1965 Luke Graham
1966 Dory Funk Jr.
1967 Antonio Inoki
1968 The Minnesota Wrecking Crew
1969 Thunderbolt Patterson
1970 Karl Gotch
1971 Baron Von Raschke
1972 Billy Robinson
1973 Ivan Koloff
1974 Harley Race
1975 Larry Zbyszko
1976 Jumbo Tsuruta
1977 Bob Backlund
1978 The Wild Samoans
1979 Ken Patera
1980 B. Brian Blair
1981 Ricky Steamboat
1982 King Kong Bundy
1983 Tully Blanchard
1984 Kamala
1985 Big John Studd
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