The 2008 Vintage Collection Awards
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter

Greetings. It’s that time again. Following on from the success of the Velocity and Heat awards from previous years, I thought it was only fair that I carry on the tradition for the Vintage Collection. This is a real gem of a show, shown to UK and international fans, who are treated to a diverse mixture of classic footage from the WWE archives, each and every week. The format is simple. Vote on your favourite from each category. Below are a selection of categories that I have created based on the results of the show, from its creation in June, to December 2008. Basically to have been nominated, a character, match etc just needed to make an appearance on the Vintage Collection programme during 2008. This will explain the omission of some names in certain categories. Due to the vast amount of superstars, announcers, matches, etc, only the cream of the crop make the nominations. This is to ensure clear winners. The only major rule for match of the year is that I’m only including matches that aired in their entirety. This means that PPV matches or matches shown in clipped form don’t make the list. E-mail your votes to shaunmb1@hotmail.com. The deadline is next Sunday (11th January) with the results being posted the next day. The email address is repeated at the bottom. Enjoy!

*Only those who have appeared on the show are eligible for nomination. This is completely unofficial and exclusive to Rajah.com.

Vintage MVP
BRET HITMAN HART: MR PERFECT: HULK HOGAN: TITO SANTANA: MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE: SHAWN MICHAELS:
MILLION DOLLAR MAN TED DIBIASE: JAKE THE SNAKE ROBERTS

Best 80s Tag Team
DEMOLITION: ROCKERS: HART FOUNDATION: BRITISH BULLDOGS: ROUGEAU BROTHERS: BRAIN BUSTERS: POWERS OF PAIN

Best 90s Tag Team
LEGION OF DOOM: NATURAL DISASTERS: MONEY INC: STEINER BROTHERS: SMOKING GUNNS: MEN ON A MISSION: NASTY BOYS:

Best Vintage Jobber
BROOKLYN BRAWLER: JIM POWERS: KOKO B WARE: TIGER CHUNG LEE

Best Vintage Manager
MR FUJI: BOBBY HEENAN: JIMMY HART: SLICK: SENSATIONAL SHERRI: PAUL BEARER: VIRGIL: AFA: MISS ELIZABETH: JIM CORNETTE

Best Vintage Commentator
GORILLA MONSOON: BOBBY HEENAN: JESSE VENTURA: VINCE McMAHON: SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM: TONY SCHIAVONE: ROWDY RODDY PIPER:
MR PERFECT: JIM ROSS: MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE

Best Vintage Woman Wrestler
ALUNDRA BLAYZE: BULL NAKANO: WENDI RICHTER: ROCKIN’ ROBIN: SENSATIONAL SHERRI: FABULOUS MOOLAH

Best Vintage Funny Moment

1) Hulk Machine (September 1986)
Hulk Hogan pretends he’s Japanese and works under a mask as Hulk Machine.
(Aired on Vintage 29th June)

2) The Mountie goes to Jail (August 1991)
The Mountie loses a Jailhouse match to Big Boss Man at SummerSlam 1991.
(Aired on Vintage 10th August)

3) Everybody’s Kung Fu fighting (February 1986)
Ricky Steamboat and Don Muraco engage in a Martial Arts match.
(Aired on Vintage 14th September)

4) The San Juan washout (October 1985)
Hulk Hogan, Big John Studd, Macho Man and Tito Santana all slip and slide as the heavens open during an outside show.
(Aired on Vintage 28th September)

5) A Royal Hoooooooo! (June 1989)
Wrestlers pay homeage to Hacksaw Jim Duggan as he gets crowned the King of the WWF.
(Aired on Vintage 5th October)

6) Midget Mayhem (November 1982)
Pint sized fun, games and wrestling featuring Sky Low Low and Butch Cassidy against Little Beaver and Sonny Boy Blue.
(Aired on Vintage 12th October)

7) The Birth of Akeem (December 1988)
Slick burns the One Man Gang’s attire in a ghetto. From the ashes, arises Akeem, the African Dream.
(Aired on Vintage 26th October)

8) Cluck Off (November 1990)
The Gobbledy Gooker bursts out of an egg at Survivor Series 1990 then dances with Mean Gene Okerlund.
(Aired on Vintage 16th November)

9) Four Doinks (November 1993)
Men on a Mission and the Bushwhackers masquerade as Doink at Survivor Series 1993.
(Aired on Vintage 23rd November)

10) Caged Animal (Spring 1995)
The Roadie gets suspended above the ring as Jeff Jarrett and Razor Ramon fight it out for the Intercontinental title.
(Aired on Vintage 28th December)

Best Vintage Match

1) February 1984
Hulk Hogan vs “Mr Wonderful” Paul Orndorff
A WWF title match, held one month after the birth of Hulkamania and debut of Orndorff. Orndorff brings the best out of Hogan, who earns a countout victory.
(Aired on Vintage 8th June)

2) April 1988
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Bad News Brown
The start of Bret’s successful babyface run, following Brown’s double-cross at the WrestleMania IV Battle Royal. The two share a time-limit draw.
(Aired on Vintage 15th June)

3) October 1988
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs Ravishing Rick Rude
Jake wins a heated grudge match in front of wife Cheryl, who was the desire of Rude’s affections.
(Aired on Vintage 7th September)

4) February 1986
Tito Santana vs Macho Man Randy Savage
Classic heel tactics from Savage sees him end Santana’s second Intercontinental title reign.
(Aired on Vintage 14th September)

5) April 1989
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Mr Perfect
A classic draw from MSG between two of the greatest technical wrestlers.
(Aired on Vintage 21st September)

6) April 1986
Tito Santana vs “Cowboy” Bob Orton
A straight back-and-forth solid wrestling match from two great hands. Santana wins after rolling though on Orton’s pin attempt.
(Aired on Vintage 12th October)

7) November 1982
Bob Backlund vs “Playboy” Buddy Rose
A lumberjack match, containing WWF legends, for the WWF Title. Backlund out-wrestles the tenacious Rose to retain via the Chickenwing.
(Aired on Vintage 12th October)

8) April 1993
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow
One of Bret and Bam Bam’s finest bouts from Barcelona.
(Aired on Vintage 14th December)

E-mail your votes to: shaunmb1@hotmail.com. Once again, the deadline for voting is on Sunday 11th January 2009, with the results being posted the following day.

Thank you very much for your time. Shaun.

Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.