Award Description:

To be given to the wrestler with, on average, the best workrate. In 1994,
this award was split into three: North American, Non-North American, and
overall.  In 1998, it was recombined into one.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Ric Flair / Randy Savage (tie)
  1991: Jushin Liger
  1992: Jushin Liger
  1993: Bret Hart
  1994: (overall/NA) Sabu
  1994: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1995: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1995: (non-NA)     Chris Benoit
  1996: (overall/NA) Rey Mysterio, Jr.
  1996: (non-NA)     Jushin Liger
  1997: (overall/NA) Shawn Michaels
  1997: (non-NA)     Taka Michinoku
  1998: Mankind (Cactus Jack / Dude Love / Mick Foley)
  1999: Chris Benoit
  2000: Chris Benoit

**2001**: Chris Benoit

302 first place votes
300 second place votes
296 third place votes

110 71 37  837   Chris Benoit
 73 65 41  642   Kurt Angle
 39 36 42  387   Steve Austin
 18 27 41  253   Triple H
  6 10 12   84   Rob van Dam
  6  6 15   78   Tajiri
  1 13 17   78   Lance Storm
  3 13 11   76   Chris Jericho
  5  5  7   54   Keiji Muto
  3  5  7   44   Yuji Nagata
  5  2  6   43   Booker T
  4  5  3   41   Toshiaki Kawada
  2  4  3   28   Kanyon
  2  2  4   24   Minoru Tanaka
  3  1  2   22   Jushin Liger
  0  4  5   22   Rock
  3  1  1   20   Jeff Hardy
  1  2  4   19   Eddie Guerrero
  3  0  1   17   Momoe Nakanishi
  3  0  0   15   Hunter Hearst Helmsley
  2  1  0   13   Super Dragon
  2  1  0   13   Lexie Fyfe
  1  2  1   13   Blue Panther
  0  3  2   13   Dean Malenko
  0  2  2   10   Low Ki
  1  0  2    9   Rhyno
  1  1  0    8   Hayabusa
  0  2  1    8   CIMA
  1  0  1    7   Michael Modest
  1  0  1    7   Chris Daniels
  1  0  1    7   Beckie the Farmer's Daughter
  0  1  2    7   William Regal
  0  1  2    7   Christian
  0  1  2    7   American Dragon
  0  2  0    6   Little Jeannie
  1  0  0    5   Tazz
  1  0  0    5   Hijo del Santo
  0  1  1    5   Matt Hardy
  0  1  1    5   El Hijo del Santo
  0  0  2    4   Test
  0  0  2    4   Takehiro Murahama
  0  0  2    4   Billy Kidman
  0  1  0    3   Tetsuhiro Kuroda
  0  1  0    3   Tariri
  0  1  0    3   Mike Sullivan
  0  1  0    3   Kid Kash
  0  1  0    3   Kaoru Ito
  0  1  0    3   Hiroshi Hase
  0  1  0    3   Dr. Wagner Jr.
  0  1  0    3   Albert
  0  0  1    2   Yoshiko Tamura
  0  0  1    2   Undertaker
  0  0  1    2   Silver King
  0  0  1    2   Mr. Gannosuke
  0  0  1    2   Mikey Whipwreck
  0  0  1    2   Mighty Molly
  0  0  1    2   Meiko Satomura
  0  0  1    2   Kaz Hayashi
  0  0  1    2   Hurricane
  0  0  1    2   Edge
  0  0  1    2   C-Blockk
  0  0  1    2   Black Dragon

REJECTED - duplicate votes

  0  1  0        Chris Benoit

EDDIE BURKETT: Steve Austin has been phenomenal.  After commenting about
how detiorated he was last year, he has come back in spades, and then
some.  Kurt Angle has also been amazing, having great matches with just
about anyone.  Chris Benoit was amazing before he got injured.

HIRO: Again, the loss of Triple H and Chris Benoit somewhat hurts this
category, but thankfully there were some others who stepped up their game.

NATE GURNETT: Angle over Benoit solely because of missed time from Benoit.  
Rhyno showed everyone his huge moveset, plus, what was that?, Psychology.

VIKRAM BIRRING: Tajiri is the best worker this side of the Pacific Ocean.
His super-stiff kicks just stun the audience, no matter how many times
they see him do it.  I, for one, will miss Dean Malenko.

KEN DREILING: I look at workrate as basically a seller's art.  These three
Angle Austin & Benoit all put on serious shows when on the defensive.

STEPHEN TISZENKEL: I bet not a lot of wrestlers would put the sloppy RVD
up top in workrate, but who cares? His "unorthodox style," as JR says,
makes him a lot of fun to watch, so as a fan, I gotta go with him.

DEAN RASMUSSEN: Minoru Tanaka edges out Low-Ki and Yuji Nagata by sheer
magnificence of execution. Low-Ki and Nagata had better matches than
Tanaka this year, but Tanaka was a laser of execution in the ring.

CHIP BOOTS: When you see Austin bumping his ass off, remember that the guy
has a broken neck.

MARKUS: Duh.

GREG NECASTRO: Lance Storm does whatever it takes to put on a great
performance.

SCOTT WORDEN: Angle was the best worker this year.  No doubt..  Benoit's
injury basically clinched that, but internet whores have to vote for their
Messiah I bet..  I voted for him, but for the number 3.. I gave #2 to
Austin..  Very nice year for Austin in the ring.

CANZ: Hijo del Santo never has a bad match and always gives 100%.  He has
more great matches than anyone and with a variety of opponents. In trios
matches he's the best because he gets the match moving much faster and is
so smooth with every single motion. Blue Panther and Silver King both had
stellar years as well and are equally as nigh-flawless in the ring.

SHOCKER 2K: Exactly how many bad matches has Angle had? Like, none? :)

DONNY L: Austin bumped like a mad man and did everything to make other
look great, after such an injury that he was out with,an amazing comeback,
Benoit&Angle 2&3.

PETER HAZLETT: Kurt is always out there giving it his all.  As for RVD,
please be careful, you have a great future ahead of you

JOHN C.: This was a very tough category to pick just three. Four guys
really stood out this year for me. The guy that I left out was Triple H
because he missed the most time among those four. Benoit missed time with
a neck injury as well but he's so consistently awesome that he deserves
the nod again. Angle is great as well although I think his work suffered
as a babyface. He's a much better worker when he's a heel. Austin really
stepped up his performances after WrestleMania so he's my third choice.

SCOTT CHRIST: I went with Austin because I like to define "workrate" as
consistently putting on good matches, which he did more than anyone else
this year, perhaps. Runner-up goes to Kurt Angle, third place to Triple H.
If there was ever an honorable mention, it goes to Chris Benoit in this
category, who could probably outperform all these guys but just didn't
this year.

JOE GENTILE: Rob Van Damn used every bit of effort he had to make it in
the WWF, and should be commended for doing so.  The fact that Austin is
even capable of doing what he does in the ring is miraculous, never mind
that he does it night after night. Say what you want about HHH's "pull" he
busts his ass in the ring.

BLAZEJ SZPAKOWICZ: Chris Benoit still the best worker in wrestling, even
if he was out the last third of the year. He is, after all, Chris Benoit.
Kurt Angle seems to have taken over in Benoit's absence as "Ric Flair
2001", carrying many a broomstick to a fine match indeed, on a
more-or-less weekly basis. Anyone who can get a good match out of the
likes of Kane and Rhyno can win this award any day. (And he probably will,
but not from, as he's still not Benoit). Third could go to any number of
people, but Steve Austin gets it just to screw around with people's heads.
Honourable mentions go to Tajiri, Jericho and RVD.

CHRIS LENING: Austin, Benoit, and Nagata all share a common link, the
ability to take their matches alone, completely disregarding what they say
in interviews or promos, and be able to see their character, a sort of
charisma in move choices and technique. I get excited to see them wrestle,
to see what story they tell. That's all I need.

MATTY TONKIN: Nobody takes more chances & puts their safety at risk on a
weekly basis than Jeff Hardy. He deserves all the credit in the world for
the performance he gives every show. Tajiri at three has a limited number
of moves, but all are unique & they always get a reaction from the crowd.

YNAE316:  All had consistently great matches (big money ones too!!!)
throughout the year.  Therefore, they are the best workers

SHANE SPEAR: Anytime you want to prove that Angle isn't the real deal
he'll show you up every time.  Look at King of the Ring.  Look at his epic
(Yes, EPIC) trilogy of matchups with Chris Benoit.  Speaking of the
crippler, you have to give credit for his beat feud since the Booker T
series in WCW.  When it came down to deciding between one and two, it
actually went to the best of the three.  Angle took Wrestlemania, Benoit
took Backlash, and Angle took Judgment Day.  Angle's my number one, and
Benoit is a very even number two.  Steve Austin is number three after
having what could be the best wrestling year of his career with stellar
matches with Angle, Benoit, Chris Jericho, The Rock, and Rob Van Dam.

RYAN FAULCONER: Yuji Nagata is the best worker of 2001. I could watch him
wrestle a broom trained at the Powerplant and be entertained.

WILL SCHLICKENMAIER: The rule on being a great worker is making your
opponent look better...  done.

SHAWN MULLIN: Steve Austin is the best worker because he had the most
great matches.  He had good matches with everyone, and he always turned it
up when it mattered.  Kurt Angle guaranteed a great match every show he
was on... whether he was against Chris Benoit or Shane McMahon.  Chris
Benoit makes it all look so easy, and he always delievers.  Too bad he was
injured half the voting period.