2008 Year in Review...a bridge to somewhere...

• Wrestler of the Year: Awesome Kong (Winner!) Sub-Categories Winners: • TNA Wrestler of the Year: Awesome Kong • RAW Wrestler of the Year: Beth Phoenix • Smackdown! Wrestler of the Year: Michelle McCool • Shimmer Wrestler of the Year: Sara Del Rey (View Full 2008 Ranking) When on the subject of the female wrestler of 2008, various names come into play. Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim, Mickie James, Melina Perez, MsChiff, Michelle McCool, Sara del Rey and Taylor Wilde are among a list of worthy competitors. This is the case if they were vying for runner-up spots, because the undisputed wrestler of the year award goes to none other than Awesome Kong. In a male-biased wrestling industry where women's matches are often looked down upon, Awesome Kong's presence in 2008 drastically changed that tone, opening the doors for the Top 2 companies to showcase their female talent's wrestling abilities. Awesome Kong's matches with Gail Kim were simply put, Epic! From Final Resolution, to main eventing iMPACT!, to Gail Kim's very last match in TNA, the wrestling world had not seen that caliber of women's wrestling performance on that large of a scale, in numerous years. Among the wrestlers that stepped up to the plate against Kong in 2008 were ODB, Roxxi, Taylor Wilde, Josie (Sojourner Bolt), “The Portuguese Princess” Ariel, “The Croatian Panther” Wesna Busic, Danyah and more. A monster heel was exactly what Women's Wrestling needed. While Kong had been terrorizing the women of Shimmer and Japan years prior, it was in 2008 where the world indulged in the wrath of Kong. Top Awesome Kong Matches in 2008: -- January 6, 2008 - TNA Final Resolution: Gail Kim (c) defeated Kong (No-DQ Match) -- January 10, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Awesome Kong defeated Gail Kim(c) -- March 9, 2008 - TNA Destination-X: Awesome Kong(c) defeated Gail Kim and ODB -- May 15, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Awesome Kong(c) defeated Gail Kim -- June 19, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Awesome Kong(c) defeated Taylor -- July 10, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Taylor Wilde defeated Awesome Kong -- August 21, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Awesome Kong defeated Gail Kim (Street Fight) --October 23, 2008 - TNA iMPACT: Awesome Kong defeated Taylor Wilde(c) -- Wesna vs Kong (SHIMMER 18) Top 25 Ranking of 2008 "...Yea Baby!" 1) Awesome Kong 2) Beth Phoenix 3) Gail Kim 4) Mickie James 5) Sarah Del Ray 6) MsChif 7) Cheerleader Melissa 8) Taylor Wilde 9) Michelle McCool 10) Mercedes Martinez 11) Serena Deeb 12) Melina Perez 13) Roxxi 14) Portia Perez 15) Angelina Love 16) Sarah Stock 17) LuFisto 18) Daizee Haze 19) Angel Orsini 20) Maryse 21) Wesna Busic 22) ODB 23) Natalya 24) Sumie Sakai 25) Alison Danger 26) through 50) includes: Rain, Nicole Matthews, Amy Lee, Cat Power, Nicole Bella, Jennifer Blake, Ariel, Daffney, Brie Bella, Malia Hosaka, Jillian Hall, Cindy Rogers, Lexie Fyfe, Amber O'Neal, Katie Lea, Nevaeh, Velvet Sky, Ashley Lane, Josie, Traci Brooks, Victoria, Jacqueline, Kelly Kelly, Jetta (Vicky Hughes) and Danyah. Ten Close Calls: Melody Medeiros, Christy Hemme, Annie Social, Kelly Couture, Jamie D, Mickie Knuckles/Moose, Candice Michelle, Milena Roucka, Christie Ricci and Kacee Carlisle. Disclaimer: Lethalwow.com's Power 25 of 2008 is based on various criteria in 2008--This rank is not based solely in wrestling abilities. Criteria include, championship reigns, in-ring performance, significance in 2008, critical acclaim, internet consensus, standings in respective promotions, win/loss records, and winners of various sub-category awards (e.g. Heel of the Year, Shimmer Wrester of the Year etc.). Perhaps the top Independent Wrestler on WWE and TNA fans' wish list to get signed by one of the Big 2 is MsChif. On April 26, 2008 at the SHIMMER Volume 18 tapings, she defeated Sara Del Rey to win the Shimmer Championship and on April 27, 2008 she defeated Awesome Kong to regain the NWA World Women's title. Will we get to see MsChif in another epic match against Awesome Kong in 2009? or top notch matches against Sara Del Rey? Beth Phoenix, Official 2008 WWE Diva of the Year/Slammy Award Winner.

Ashley Lane Pick: Gail Kim

Web-Site Voters Pick: Awesome Kong

"Wrestler of the year award, I'm going to say Gail Kim. She took the title of first ever TNA knockout champion and defended it with every ounce of power and determination that her little body could hold! She gave Kong a run for her money, and she never once backed down!" - Ashley Lane Runner Up: Beth Phoenix - "She has more or less dominated the women's division in the WWE for several months now. She's made the girls there realize what wrestling is all about and has had two successful runs as women's champion." - Ashley Lane

1. Awesome Kong -- 29% of Votes 2. Mickie James -- 26% 3. Beth Phoenix -- 13% 4. Gail Kim -- 9% 5. Michelle McCool -- 8% 6. Melina Perez -- 7% 7. Roxxi/Nikki Roxx -- 5% 8. Taylor Wilde -- 3% 9. MsChiff -- 1% 10. Sara del Rey -- 1%

• Face of the Year: Mickie James (Winner!) Sub-Categories Winners: • TNA Face of the Year: Gail Kim • RAW Face of the Year: Mickie James • Smackdown! Face of the Year: Michelle McCool • SHIMMER! Face of the Year: Serena Deeb In 2008, each company/brand, had their flagship babyface. TNA had Gail Kim, Smackdown had Michelle McCool, and Raw had Mickie James. Arguably, in TNA, other faces were surpassing Gail Kim in popularity, putting a damper on the baton given to her by TNA management. Women like Taylor Wilde, Roxxi and ODB undeniably were in the running. In Smackdown's case, Michelle McCool wasn't as "over," as the WWE booked her to be however by all technicalities is the Smackdown babyface in 2008. Among the Shimmer babyfaces in the running were Daizee Haze, Sarah Stock, LuFisto and Cheerleader Melissa. Above the fray is Mickie James, who was not only was given the spot as top face for numerous months, but had the adoration of fans and the Women's title to back it up. Guest Columnist: Team Blondage Amber O'Neal & Krissy Vaine Mickie James is by far the biggest babyface of the 2008 in our opinion! She is always so bubbly and adorable, yet she knows how to take care of business in the ring...she is a doll both inside and out of the squared circle. Mickie James definitely has the "it" factor! she connects with the fans in a way that few girls today do. Team Blondage gives the honor of babyface of the year to the ever beautiful always smiling Mickie James!