Welcome to the DOI 4th Annual Year End Awards. This year, the DOI has seen more wrestlers and more promotions than ever before, and while our awards will be based on accomplishments in the northeast region, outside of the northeast accomplishments will be looked at.

Like last year, we will be announcing a winner in each category, with five runner-ups. As Johnny 5 originally stated, ROH/TNA were not included in these awards, to give more exposure to the heart of the wrestling business- indy wrestling.

With that said, enjoy these awards!!!!

Wrestler of the Year
WINNER: HOMICIDE
Homicide had a hell of a year 2005, which unfortunately ended on a sour note, due to his shoulder injury. In 2005, Homicide dominated every area of the country he worked in. In NY, Homicide won the UXW Heavyweight Title, and showed off his true NY pride. In JAPW, Homicide not only won the tag team titles twice, he won the JAPW Heavyweight Title as well. Over in PWU, Homicide reigned supreme, winning the PWU Heavyweight title and forming the Corpicide group. Homicide also travelled south, defending his FIP Heavyweight Title all year-long, bringing his FIP Heavyweight title reign to 15 months. Aside from those accomplishments, Homicide was a main player in ROH, and continued to be the center of attention. Not too many wrestlers can pull of a real serious feud like Homicide, and that's what he brought to the table in a replacement for ROH championship belts. While most indy wrestlers struggle to have any meaningful matches and feuds, Homicide had significant feuds with Teddy Hart, American Dragon, Trent Acid, Colt Cabana and Steve Corino. As the year approached its end, Homicide signed with TNA, and once he's healed up, national audiences will discover why Homicide is considered one of the best indy wrestlers today.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Samoa Joe- aside from dominating TNA & ROH, Joe had memorable matches for IWA-MS, PWG, JAPW & other high profile indy promotions.
2. AJ Styles- able to steal any show he's on, AJ continues to be one of the most immaculate performers in indy wrestling today.
3. Christopher Daniels- one of the few wrestlers on the indy scene, that can be a cunning heel or a likeable face. He's a wrestler that other indy wrestlers aspire to be.
4. Jay Lethal- last years winner of this award had another strong year, dominating JAPW. Spent alot of time on smaller level indy shows, and usually involved in the best match of the night.
5. Abyss- won the NWA Upstate and several Midwest indy championships. Capped his year off by winning the NWA Cyberspace Championship. Had an excellent feud with Mana. Formerly referred to as as "The Kane/Mankind guy", Abyss has broken that mold and has nicely developed into his own person.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Full Impact Pro Wrestling (FIP)- bringing back the glory days of wrestling, with strong matches, good angles, and laid back events. While it isn't the most profitable promotion, its entertainment and production value is sky high.
2. Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW)- Despite the recent news/drama coming out about CZW & their employees, CZW ran 12 shows, continued to give their fan base what they wanted and drew well for their gimmick shows. While CZW is a love it or hate it promotion, CZW ran 12 events and didn't cancel/postpone any, which can't be said for many indy promotions today.
3. Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (IWA-MS)- Continues to have good matches, but very tournament heavy, as they need gimmick shows to help this financially lacking promotion. It would be interesting to see how much further IWA-MS would be if they had serious bank roll.
4. National Wrestling Alliance Cyberspace Wrestling Federation (NWA Cyberspace)- had their best year to date, running over 10 events. While NWA CS is known for their big budgeted events, what they should be known for is running consistently with big name talent. They still need someone with a good mind to get things straight to get to the next level, but if they are satisfied with running big name talented shows that lose money, they are where they need to be.
5. USA Xtreme Wrestling (UXW)- The only reason UXW isn't ranked higher is because they only held 5 events. UXW has never really rebounded from losing their home building (Elks Lodge) at the beginning of 2004. UXW has started branching out to Long Island and while there are alot of top level matches, its not frequent enough. UXW looks to be looking to improve as we head to 2006, as there will be three shows in the first four months of 2006, but as far as 2005 goes, it was just a ho-hum year for UXW, although it would be a big year for others.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Homicide vs Trent Acid- these two battled all over the indies, as they have in the past few years. Things heated up in 2005, with Homicide/Acid feuding over the PWU title. They also feuded over the JAPW tag team titles. In addition, both have really stepped up their games, and this feud spilt over to UXW, where an angle turned into real life. For the sake of indy wrestling, once can only wish that these two can reconcile and be able to do business with each other.
2. Homicide vs Steve Corino- This is a feud that has been going on for nearly three years now and has no signs of stopping anytime soon. Like Hart/Homicide, Homicide/Corino is an instant draw. This feud, which won feud of the year two years ago, continues to produce solid matches and has a legit hatred between the two wrestlers like none other.
3. Mana vs Abyss- This surprising feud came out of nowhere, and really came to life in NWA Cyberspace. These two had some classic matches and one hell of a memorable brawl. The most impressing thing about this feud is that it was so strong, despite no promos about the other being cut. It was a pure kick ass physical feud.
4. Jay Lethal vs Steve Corino- this feud, which came out of nowhere, started in JAPW. Corino had an altercation with Lethal's parents, and Corino spent most of the summer chasing Lethal for the JAPW title. For Lethal, it was a feud that he needed to win, as it helped elevate his stock as JAPW champion.
5. Teddy Hart vs Trent Acid- these two had one hell of a singles match, which was a result of all of their battles over the JAPW tag team title matches. These two spent alot of the summer going back and forth over the JAPW tag titles, before kicking the crap out of each other in Rahway.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Backseat Boyz (Johnny Kashmere & Trent Acid)- the BSB might've won this award if they were more consistent. As a duo, the pair won the JAPW Tag Team titles twice in 2005. They also won the UXW tag team titles. Aside from that, the pair were all over the place, wrestling in NWA Upstate, Buffalo Wrestling, PWU, and in other promotions. As they approach 2006, they should be able to dominate the tag ranks, with a full year back under their belts.
2. Outcast Killahz (Oman Tortuga & Diablo Santiago)- The OCK really stepped up their game this year, become a top team in UXW, JAPW, AWA, NWA Upstate, and in other promotions. They are one of the few tag teams that have the look and ability to get to a higher level.
3. All Money Is Legal (K-Murda & K-Pusha)- After winning the most improved tag team of the year award in 2004, AMIL lit things up winning belts all over the place, from AWA, to CCW to NWA Cyberspace. While their size is lacking, their ability and spirit is not.
4. The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe)- a former Tag Team of the Year winner, the Briscoes, took time off in 2005, but returned with a bang, with high profile title matches in JAPW. They won the PWU Tag Team titles in their first match back, and showed, that when motivated, they are one of the best today.
5. Christopher Street Connection (Mace & Buff-E)- sometimes forgotten by indy fans, the CSC remain as one of the most entertaining tag teams today. The CSC started the year off as JAPW tag team champions, but after losing the belts in January they didn't return. However, the CSC had great matches with the New Age Outlaws, and won the NWA NJ Tag Team titles.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Krissy Vaine- dominated the Carolina scene, and had several WWE try-outs. A staple in the WXW womens title scene. Also competed for JAPW and NWS.
2. April Hunter- still doing her thing after all these years, but she spent more time internationally than on the indy scene.
3. Jazz- won the NWA Cyberspace womns title and dominated there. Also won a ton of matches all over the American indy scene.
4. Talia- held the WXW Womens title until the summer of 2005. Worked for for 3PW, UXW, CCW, IEW, JAPW, NWA CS, and even debuted in Mexico. Not the best all around wrestler out there, but she is marketable and able to get over anywhere.
5. Sumie Sakai- continued to make her prescence felt in the northeast area, and won the PWU Womens title. Also competed for WXW and other indy promotions.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. New Jack- another ex-ECW wrestler, New Jack always has the crowd in the palm of his hand.
2. Jay Lethal- was the ultimate babyface in JAPW, and the only person more popular than him, could be his own mother!
3. Rhino- got huge pops whereever he went and has the respect of all the fans.
4.Super Dragon- despite being a heel in some places, Super Dragon still gets monsterous pops.
5. Beef Wellington- his crazy style of wrestling and "gimmickery" has connected with fans from all over North America.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Trent Acid- continues to rile up fans all over JAPW, and most especially in UXW, with his big feud with Homicide.
2. Steve Corino- a classic old school heel, who always has the fans on their feet, whether it be in America or Japan.
3. Johnny Kashmere- a big part of the NY/Philly war, Kashmere always has fans booing him.
4. EC Negro- one of the main heels in JAPW right now, Negro has his fair share of haters.
5. Bison Bravado- part of the Philly/NY war, where he's getting boos. Also part of the Quadrangle of Quality, where he was a main heel of PWU.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Prince Nana- another wrestler turned manager, Nana's biggest skill was his promos. Now, he's accentuating his strong point in his new role.
2. Tammy "Sunny" Sytch- arguably one of the most popular managers in wrestling history, Sunny reinvented the role in 1995. Now, she continues to get huge pops and has stayed strong during a tragic moment in her life. When you get knocked off the horse, you get back on it, and Sunny has.
3. "The Sure Thing" John Shane- continues to wish he was 20 years older, as John is a throwback to the past. He definitely would be a manager casual fans would know if he was around during the territory days. However, John continues to be one of the best, but unfortunately, being one of the best indy managers won't put food on the table.
4. Dave Prazak- another old school heel type of manager, with some of his strongest work coming in FIP, Prazak has done a great job this year.
5. "The Dapper" Johnny Falco- the most carnivalesque manager of them all, The Dapper is always able to get a reaction from NWS crowds.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Simon Diamond- despite political bullshit, Simon has rose above it, and now has a TNA backstage job. The guy who could be called "The best Intercontinental Champion that never was" takes alot of young wrestlers under his wing and is a credit to the wrestling business.
2. Lex Luger- look at this guy. He's an inspiration not to do drugs.
3. Crowbar- went to college and in control of his own destiny. Proved you don't have to be a slave to the wrestling business.
4. The Sandman- came out of jail and become a hot commodity. Did his time and had the WWE begging for his services at One Night Stand.
5. Rhino- despite getting fired by the WWE, he kept his career going, even winning the NWA World Heavyweight Title.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Archadia- went from wrestling in parking lots in front of 20 people from becoming one of the top JAPW cruiserweights. Has elevated his game immensely.
2. Nick Berk- this perrenial indy wrestler beefed up his look and saw his bookings increase. Has had some memorable matches in 2005.
3. Bison Bravado- went from a laughing stock "chink" to a two-time WXW World Champion. Took wrestling serious and debuted in JAPW, IEW, NWS, PWU and become a focal point in the NY/Philly PWU/UXW war.
4. Mercedes Martinez- was always just there, but in 2005, she became one of the top womens wrestlers out there. Won a bunch of titles and tourneys and showed that there are serious women wrestlers out there.
5. The Dynamic Sensation (TDS)- this WXW student had a solid year, winning the WXW Tag Team titles with his partner Tonic. If he was ever to break out of WXW, he'd probably gain a shitload of bookings like other ex-WXW alum, like SLG and Mana.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Dead Presidents (Boog Washington & Lo Lincoln)-These real life brothers, teamed up once again, and started making waves, and even captured the NYWC tag team titles.
2. Notorious Inc. (Drew Blood & Devon Moore)- this team, which were toiling in small Pennsylvania promotions, finally got their chance, and lit up the ECW Arena for 3PW. A couple months later, both even had singles success, with Drew winning the WXW Cruiserweight title and Devon wowing PWU crowds.
3. Brian Myers & Brett Matthewz- with less than 2 years as pros under their belt, this team won the NYWC and PWF NJ Tag Team titles in 2005.
4. The Dynamic Sensation & Tonic- from out of nowhere, this team became the WXW tag team champions and are WXW's biggest baby face tag team.
5. The HeartBreak Express (Shawn & Phil Davis)- after a long losing streak in FIP, this team finally won the FIP Tag Team Championships and became one of the more entertaining teams to watch.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Sonjay Dutt- still doing his thing, and recently returned to CZW. Had some strong matches in the southeast area of the US, and even toured India.
2. Grim Reefer- last years winner cooled off a bit, mostly due to alot of the promotions he wrestled for closed down. Reefer earned a fulltime spot in JAPW in October of 2005, as he was in/out of the promotion. Reefer also wrestled for PWU, UXW, NWA CS, and NYWC during the year.
3. Archadia- had a monstrous break-out year, and chased for the JAPW Light Heavyweight title in most of 2005. Also was a regular for AWA, where he won their cruiserweight title.
4. Jack Evans- wasn't around as much as he was last year, due to nagging injuries. Held the JAPW tag team titles. Also won the PWU Jr. Heavyweight title, but was inactive. Competed for PWG.
5. The Amazing Red- Red isn't as amazing as he once was, but he's better than most of his cruiserweight peers. Still trying to adapt to a slower style, after killing himself for all these years.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Vordell Walker- stuck in mid-card spots, Vordell could be main eventing promotions.
2. Havok- a big man, who's a throwback to the oldschool, could be making a bigger impact on the scene.
3. Gavin Quest- silently becoming a solid hand, but just needs to show his stuff off in front of a bigger and more appreciative audience.
4. Dan Barry- virtually disappeared from the indy radar. Barry is willing to do crazy shit, entertain, and bust his ass, but isn't getting the opportunity to do so.
5. Monsta Mack- one of JAPW's biggest faces is doing commentary instead of wrestling. 'Nuff said.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. New Jack- still doing his thing after all these years.
2. Sandman- one of the craziest men in wrestling.
3. Balls Mahoney- while he's mostly known for his hardcore style, he's still a great in-ring wrestler as well.
4. Axl Rotten- one of the few who can use hardcore wrestling to tell a story.
5. Low Life Louie Ramos- still has never gotten the big win he deserves, and always wrestles with his heart on his sleeve.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Matt Striker- from making Billy Firehawk jokes and cutting class to being a featured performer on Monday Night Raw. Not too shabby.
2. Devon Moore- had a career moment in the ECW arena and became of the biggest faces in the Philly area.
3. Fred Sampson- this IWF product, who might as well collect a check as a WWE security guard, won the prestigious ECWA Heavyweight and Mid-Atlantic titles.
4. Kevin Matthews- 2005 was good for Kevin Matthews, as he had a strong year in the Mid-Atlantic region and had several WWE dark matches.
5. Kris Krude- a virtual unknown, Kris Krude took his biggest strength (His gross size) and amplified it up for the crowds. Before 3PW's demise, he was becoming one of their bigger heels. He is very entertaining and someone who will always get a pop at an indy show.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Teddy Hart- this mother canucker always has the fans wanting more when he's done speaking.
2. Trent Acid- knows how to get under every fans skin with his promos.
3. New Jack- every time he cuts a promo, it's like watching a shoot interview.
4. Simon Diamond- still one of the best mic men in the business.
5. Kevin Matthews- Kevin has really improved in this area, and enraged fans with his heel promos.

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Rebel's Army (Rockin' Rebel, Greg Matthews, Teddy Fine, Salvation & A Dozen Other Students)
2. Team NY (Homicide, Monsta Mack, Grim Reefer, & Havok)
3. Philly's Phinest (Trent Acid, Johnny Kashmere, Slugger, Bison Bravado, & Nick Berk)
4. La Familia (EC Negro & The Outcast Killahz)
5. Corpicide (Homicide, Corporal Robinson & Axl Rotten)

(For this category, I've included links to full write-ups of these events. The winner and runner-ups were based on crowd reaction, match quality and atmosphere.)

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Jersey All-Pro Wrestling (JAPW) 9/10 "Haas of Pain"
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/japw910.html

2. Jersey All-Pro Wrestling (JAPW) 3/26 "Caged Fury"
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/jap326.html

3. USA Xtreme Wrestling (UXW) 5/21 "Chris Candido Memorial Show"
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/uxw521.html

4. Hardcore Homecoming 11/5 November Reign
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/hh115.html

5. Jersey All-Pro Wrestling (JAPW) 7/16
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/reviews/mic_reviews/japw716.html

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Homicide vs Chris Candido for UXW on 4/15 from Jamaica, NY
2. Dan Maff vs Jay Lethal for JAPW on 1/29 from Rahway, NJ
3. Steve Corino vs Al Snow for UXW on 2/28 from Long Island, NY
4. Trent Acid vs Teddy Hart for JAPW on 11/12 from Rahway, NJ
5. Homicide vs Trent Acid for for PWU on 6/24 from Philadelphia, PA

Tag Team Match of the Year
WINNER: HOMICIDE/B-BOY VS TEDDY HART/JACK EVANS IN A STEEL CAGE MATCH FOR THE JAPW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
MARCH 26TH, FROM PHILADELPHIA, PA

RUNNER-UPS:
1. The Briscoe Brothers vs The SAT vs Homicide/Teddy Hart vs The Backseat Boyz for JAPW on 10/22 from Atlantic City, NJ
2. The Briscoe Brothers vs The SAT vs All Money Is Legal for PWU on 9/17 from Philadelphia, PA
3. The Backseat Boyz vs The Outcast Killahz vs All Money Is Legal for UXW on 9/24 from Long Island, NY
4. The Sandman/Corporal Robinson vs Johnny Kashmere/Bison Bravado for PWU on 7/30 from Philadelphia, PA
5. The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg/Billy Gunn) vs The Christopher Street Connection for UXW on 9/24 from Long Island, NY

RUNNER-UPS:
1. Dan Maff Leaves Pro Wrestling
2. 3PW Closes Shop
3. Matt Hardy Enters & Leaves The Indy Scene
4. Matt Striker's Troubles with the NYS School System Lands him a WWE Job
5. Slyck Wagner Brown's Domestic Violence Against April Hunter

While his product has been questioned by all critics, it is a true testament to his promoting ability to be around so long and actually make money in wrestling. Frank, who has employed hundreds upon hundreds of wrestlers, during his years as a promoter, has now given back as "The King of All Wrestling Media", with his famous hotline and message board. Frank, who is known as one of the most colorful men in indy wrestling, always says what's on his mind and is not afraid of going against popular opinion.

Frank Goodman's UXW, formerly known as USA Pro Wrestling, has made several key moves in its existence. It was the first indy promotion to host events in the Elks Lodge after the demise of ECW. With Frank's promoters license, he allowed Jac Sabboth's UCW and Ring of Honor to run events, for the fans of NY, even though it created competition for UXW. He's given wrestlers down on hard times second and third chances, like Chris Candido and Big Dick Dudley. He's also let up and comers have a shot to make their mark, such as Mike Kruel, Xavier and countless others.

While Frank has been accused of alot of things by his detractors, one thing is 100% sure- Frank Goodman has made an impact on indy wrestling, and it would be hard to envision a wrestling world without Frank Goodman in it.

Sean "The MiC" McCaffrey
BULLSMC@aol.com