The top Japanese newspaper/website Tokyo Sports, which tends to take a more gossip-like approach to wrestling compared to other established sources like Weekly Pro, Nikkan Sports, Daily Sports and others, has announced its annual Year-End Awards. Here are the winners:
MVP (Best Wrestler)-Zack Sabre Jr. (New Japan)
Match Of The Year-Hirooki Goto vs. Yota Tsuji, New Japan Cup Finals
Newcomer (Rookie Of The Year)-Boltin Oleg, New Japan
Skill Award-Shinya Aoki (DDT)
Fighting Spirit Award-Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH)
Special Achievement-Award-Yuma Anzai (All-Japan)
Women’s Grand Prize-Sareee (Marigold)
Best Tag Team-Jun & Rei Saito (All-Japan)
Hot Topic Award-Dump Matsunoto (popularity & career revival thanks to new Netflix series about her life & early career), Bull Nakano (first Japanese woman inducted into WWE Hall Of Fame), Mayu Iwatani (approaching 2 years as IWGP Women’s Champion)
Special Award-Each of the 8 Japanese wrestlers who won gold medals at the 2024 Olympics
Also of note: The Saitos were a runner-up in the MVP category.
