2025 GWH Award Nominations: Who Got Screwed This Year?

From Larry Goodman : The headline was hyperbole to get people to read the column.   Thank you to the members of the nominating committee and...

From Larry Goodman:

The headline was hyperbole to get people to read the column.  

Thank you to the members of the nominating committee and all those that submitted nominations. There's no way around it. Every year, great candidates get left off the ballot. There were more than three or four deserving candidates in almost every category. The committee did their best to thread the needle. 

Below are some of the candidates that in my mind, could have been on the ballot. 

Most Improved - Grayson Pierce  A guy top tier wrestlers want to wrestle, a major player at ACTION, SHW, and DWA. Pierce expanded his horizons exponentially in 2025.  He's got the pepper.

Matt Griffin --  A category of his own. Griffin managed the infamous Gunner Miller at SHW (along with a cameo at Monday Night Riot managing Alex Kane). No spring chicken, Griffin did death match at Blood and Honey. His cage match blow off of his epic feud with Gary Lamb drew  a huge house for SHW. He had the audacity to do a twenty minute streetfight with Southern Fried owner David Manders to blow off that feud and involve his son in the angle. Who does this?

Rookie of the Year -- Justin McKenzie McKenzie qualified for the award in two states IMO. He wrestled at Premier with OXP and at Next Level where he did a deal with Rico Gonzalez (whatever happened to that guy?) and got over like gangbusters at both promotions.

Best Male Performer -- Cameron Keast. Part pro wrestler and part performance artist, 100% unrepeatable. Cam operates in a realm way outside the box, His highwire act transcends state lines and goes live on YouTube every Friday night. Take a guess where Carlie Bravo had his first livestreamed pro wrestling match?

Best Male Performer -- Najasism  How quickly they forget. In 2023, Naja won best technical wrester and was nominated for best male performer.  Last year, Naja walked away with the best overall wrestler and best technical wrestler awards. This year, not one nomination and it's not like he slacked off in the entertainment department. He was the straw that stirs the drink in multiple promotions,  

Best Male Performer -- Stunt Marshall  His Power Slap notoriety alone could have earned him a spot but Marshall was a unique character before that ever happend. He also was one half of the tag team champions at DSW and wrestled for promotions all over the state.

Wrestler of the Year -- Dominic Stuckey Dom  ended the year at or near the top of the card in four different promotions. He held championships. He was one half of arguably the best match presented by two or three different promotions in 2025. He had support from the email nominations and in the committee but not quite enough to make the ballot.

Best Promoter -- Sam Skaggs  After winning the award in 2024, Skaggs did anything but rest on his laurels and tirelessly build the Kraken brand during 2025 that is the wrestling miracle in Tifton.

Best Technical -- Darian Bengston and Terry Yaki -- The scope and depth of their careers extends well beyond Georgia this point.  I had the exquisite pleasure of watching two of my picks for best technical wrestler  crush it in the ring at RIPW Sunday night. 

Best Female - Kelsey Raegan Raegan wrestled for no less than four Georgia promotions in 2025. She's held the SHINE Championship for over 300 days and can hang any of the 1FW women.

Best Booker -- WrestleMerica (name withheld) Just look at where this company is now with talents and stories and where they were a couple of years ago. 

Best Feud -- John Johnson vs. Jonathan Feltner at  Apoxalypse They put asses in seats in Royston like nobody else.  The backstage brawl they did at Viral got eyes on the product that would have otherwise not paid attention.

Best Tag Team - The Good Hand (Suge D & Tyler Stevens & Kasey Owens) Good Hand was in the title picture at CEW, and held the tag titles at ACTION and their kissing cousin TWE Chatanooga. Extremely effective in any configuration, they've got one of most entertaining mic workers around in Suge D,  the best unsigned big man in Georgia in Stevens and the chronically underappreciated Kasey Owens.

Ring Announcer -- Jason Boyd  He is doing the best work of his career at Premier and deserved to be on the ballot.

Best Booker -- Ace Haven Not for his nightmarish Next Level run but for the magic he and Amy perform on a weekly basis at ProSouth Wrestling. Take a guess where Carlie Bravo had his first livestreamed pro wrestling match?There I go again, bleeding ProSouth blue.