Knockout Awards 2023: Part 1

 

KSW Knockout Awards: Part 1!

It's time for my favorite post of the year! I'll be taking a look back at my favorite matches and moments from 2023. As with my previous year-end wrap ups, my favorites may not match yours. I love getting recommendations and as always, your thoughts and opinions are welcome and encouraged! I'd love to hear your favorites from this past year. If I can get enough responses, I'd be more than happy to put together a readers choice post. Best way to reach me would be e-mail: kosubfed@gmail.com

Anyways, lets get into it! I really wanted to get more in-depth this year, so this is going to be quite lengthy and will be split into two separate posts. Also please note my selections in each category are in no particular order.

Plenty of fresh faces popped up in 2023. Unfortunately, some of them were one and dones, but thankfully we've seen plenty stick around for more action! I can't highlight all of my favorites, but here are 4 that really stuck out to me this year:

Although he was not stranger to the underground scene previously (Wrestling with Pandemic Pro Wrestling geared more towards a straight audience) Brody joined the roster at Weekend Wrestling in February of this year in one of the most anticipated debuts of 2023. He's since racked up and impressive jobbing streak (yes, jobbers can be impressive!) at WW with the exception of his gauntlet match...but even then, who was on the losing end of that battle is up for debate. I'm sure you are just as excited as I am to see what trouble he can get himself into in 2024. Maybe a couple of victories? We'll see.

 

Tedros joined the scene on December 31st of 2022 at Weekend Wrestling, the same day I shared last years annual underground roundup. Had he debuted a week earlier he would have made that list, so I'm counting Ted as a 2023 entrant. 

Currently undefeated, he's ran through all of the wrestlers that Cole over at Weekend has thrown at him. Just like Brody, I've watched all of his matches and really enjoyed each one. Can anyone topple this hunky heel in 2024? Maybe Brody? That'd be a match I'd love to see!

There were several reviews I just didn't have the time to get to this past month, and Smash's match with Loki was one of those. I will be getting that up sometime soon because it is definitely worth highlighting, and hot as hell! I also picked up his Halloween match against Phantom. This bulgy boxing boy debuted with Thunders against TNT this fall and has filmed 7 matches so far. I will be checking a few of those out in the future. How hot would it be to see Smash go up against Slias at some point! Speaking of Silas, I haven't seen anything new from him lately. Hopefully he pops back up in 2024.

Ok so I guess technically this makes 5 favorite debuts I'm featuring instead of 4, but I just couldn't single one of these two out. I also discovered they are a couple through their Twitter accounts, so even more the reason to have them featured together. Rich and Blake debuted against each other in a really hot match at UK Wrestling Hub. Since then, both had shots at T-World for the UKWH title. Blake gave Tim a real run for his money, but when it was Rich's turn, he toppled the now former champ in a way I have never seen Tim get dominated before. Lets get these 2 in a tag-team battle in 2024!

In a year where I often felt overwhelmed by the amount of new matches any given week, it got difficult at times to decide which matches to pick up, and in turn which of those to feature here on my blog with there being so many that deserve to be highlighted. I'm sure there are plenty that could have made this list that I just never got around to purchasing, but here are a few ring matches that stood out to me this year for one reason or another.

Match: Brendan vs Brody - Weekend Wrestling

My Review: Brendan vs Brody Match Review

Match: T-World vs Rich King - UK Wrestling Hub

My Review: Coming Soon

 

Match: Javier The Hunk vs Bam Bam Bossio - Wrestler4Hire

My Review: Coming Soon

Match: Bam Bam Bossio vs VanGore - Weekend Wrestling

My Review: Bam Bam vs Van Match Review

 

Last year I didn't separate my favorite in-ring and mat/other location matches, but I decided to this year for the simple fact it lets me highlight more of what I liked, and you get more hot gifs! 😛

Match: Ty Shadow vs Jack Dillon - Muscleboy Wrestling

My Review: Ty vs Jack Review

Match: Mat Rats 170: Scrappy vs Silas - Thunders Arena

My Review: Scrappy vs Silas Review

  

Match: Dark Revenge: Sir Dark vs Tim World - WatchFighters

My Review: Sir Dark vs Tim Review

 

 

Match: Gabe vs Josh (Silas) - WatchFighters

My Review: Gabe vs Josh Review

 

Maybe it's just me, but this past year the ratio of squash matches compared to competitive matches seemed a bit lopsided. I'm not necessarily complaining. Watching my favorite jobbers get demolished gets me bricked up just as much as anyone, and I know a lot of us fans just LOVE seeing a hot demolition. In 2024 I'd like to see more of an even mix. Jobbers can fight back too! I say let the boys really go at it a little more often.

Anyways, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite studs on both ends of the jobber/heel spectrum. 

 

Being a good jobber requires a lot both mentally and physically. You have to be able to take a beating, let your opponent contort you like a pretzel, have a high amount of stamina, sell all the holds, and manage to look hot while doing all of those things. Johnny, Tanner, and Forrest epitomize the role and seem to love every minute. Jobbing is an art, and all 3 love to paint the canvas with their pain and suffering for the fans.

 

Just like our jobbers, being a good heel requires a high amount skill and experience. A solid understanding of ring psychology along with a ruthless and brutal personality are necessary if you want to treat your jobber the correct way. Taking absolute pleasure in tormenting their opponents from the moment the bell sounds, Tedros, Dirty D, Derrick, and Tyson encompass everything it takes to be top heels in their game. Mad scientists of the ring, these 4 (hypothetically) dissect their opponents limb from limb, all for their own (and the fans) sadistic pleasure.

WHEW! That's it for part 1! I will be sharing part 2 of my 2023 wrap-up next week. It will include the matches and wrestlers that kept you coming back to my blog, along with some thoughts and opinions for the upcoming year. Thanks again for reading! You guys are the truly the greatest!!!! There are times I feel running this blog can be more effort than it's worth, but you all really keep me going!

As I mentioned above, I will have part 2 up on NYE. I hope you all have a great holiday! 😊😘