KEY POINTS

  • Jon Moxley's rise to fame continues after move to AEW
  • Drew McIntyre is proving his worth in WWE
  • Bayley's heel evolution is proving to be successful

Pro Wrestling Illustrated has come out with its list of 2020 Award winners and there are familiar names that headline the list.

Jon Moxley, formerly known as Dean Ambrose in WWE, continues to blossom in AEW, earning him the Wrestler of the Year award.

Meanwhile. Drew McIntyre was awarded the Most Improved Wrestler of the Year award.

Currently in quarantine but expected to be ready by the 2021 WWE Royal Rumble, the “Scottish Psychopath” has come into his following that big WrestleMania 36 win over Brock Lesnar.

McIntyre is currently in a storyline involving WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg with most speculating a loss forthcoming. Should that happen, the 35-year-old may likely end up in a rematch with the WWE icon, possibly at WrestleMania 37.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated released the full list of their 2020 Award Winners!! Wrestler of The Year: Jon Moxley Tag...

Posted by Dirt Sheet Radio on Thursday, January 14, 2021

Aside from Moxley and McIntyre, other wrestlers received recognition in the 2020 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Awards. That includes:

  • Tag Team of The Year: Bayley & Sasha Banks
  • Match of the Year: Kenny Omega & Hangman Page vs Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Titles at Revolution
  • Feud of the Year: Bayley vs Sasha Banks
  • Most Popular Wrestler of The Year: Orange Cassidy
  • Most Hated Wrestler of The Year: Seth Rollins
  • Inspirational Wrestler of the Year: Shad Gaspard
  • Independent Wrestler of the Year: Warhorse
  • Rookie of The Year: Dominik Mysterio
  • Comeback of The Year: MVP

Aside from McIntyre and Moxley, worth mentioning was the twist that WWE pulled on Bayley and Sasha Banks.

Given their character’s nature, it would have made more sense to see Banks turn heel over Bayley.

Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose celebrates victory over the Miz during the WWE show at Zenith Arena in Lille, France, May 9, 2017. PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images

However, the transformation from the usually happy and huggable persona turned out well for the 31-year-old former Women’s Champion. That all began when she lost Charlotte Flair at Hell in a Cell.

Bayley got a makeover which has so far worked. It was something that WWE fans probably did not envision, including the face character that Banks now carries.

Lastly, there was the unfortunate passing of Shad Gaspard. The 39-year-old died of drowning after he and others got caught in a rip current in May of last year.

Lifeguards had a chance to save Gaspard, but the former WWE star directed them to save his 10-year-old son before submerging. His body was discovered the following day and was positively identified.

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