List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

The first fourteen awards were created in 1980 as an informal poll between Meltzer and his friends and others he corresponded with on the subject of professional wrestling at the time.

For the "Category B" Shad Gaspard/Jon Huber Memorial Award, the recipients are chosen by a committee headed by Meltzer.

Still, some primarily professional wrestling-focused awards remained intact for MMA promotions/fighters to win, due to the similar business aspect between both sports (i.e. Best Box Office Draw and Promotion of the Year).

In the December 3, 2007 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it was announced that from that year onwards, mixed martial artists are no longer eligible for the Lou Thesz/Ric Flair Award, thus reserving it for professional wrestlers only.

Note: This award is given to participants in professional wrestling and mixed martial arts who make contributions outside the ring for the betterment of society.

Cody Rhodes is the most recent winner, winning for his 2024 work in WWE.
Ric Flair is an eight-time winner and co-namesake of the category.
Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan is a record five-time winner of the category.
Georges St-Pierre is a three-time winner of the category.
Jim Cornette is a record five-time winner of the category.
WWE is the most recent winner, having won the award in consecutive years (2023, 2024).
The Ultimate Fighter is the only non-wrestling TV show to win the category.
Robbie Lawler is a three-time winner of the category.
Cody Rhodes is a two-time and the most recent winner of the US/Canada MVP award, winning for his 2024 work in WWE.
Tetsuya Naito is one of seven New Japan Pro Wrestling wrestlers to be named Japan MVP.
L. A. Park was the inaugural Mexico MVP.
Walter , better known as Gunther, was the inaugural Europe MVP, and overall is a record three-time winner.
Danny Hodge was the namesake for the award, a multi-time amateur and professional champion.
Becky Lynch was the inaugural winner of the award, and is a record two-time winner.
Amanda Nunes is a record three-time winner.
Roman Reigns won the award in 2022 and 2023.
Jerry Lawler was the first wrestler to win the category three different times.
The Rock is an eight-time winner of the category.
Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan is a 12-time winner and namesake of this category.
Bruiser Brody is the inaugural recipient, seven-time winner and namesake of the category.
Mick Foley is 10-time winner of the category in a 10 year streak from 1991 to 2000.
Rey Mysterio (aka Rey Misterio Jr.) is a six-time winner of the category.
Hulk Hogan is a seven-time winner of the category.
Barry Windham was the inaugural winner of the award in 1980.
Paul Heyman is an eleven-time winner of the category.
Jim Ross is a 14-time winner of the category.
Gorilla Monsoon won the award in five straight years and is a record-tying six-time winner of the category.
WrestleMania X-Seven , the first of two editions of WrestleMania to win this award.
Jimmy Snuka was the first winner of the award, winning in 1981
Hulk Hogan won the award for a record three straight years.
Impact Wrestling, formerly and currently known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , is an 11-time winner of the category, having won every year from 2007 to 2017.
Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, is the most recent winner of the category and is a three-time winner overall.
The Undertaker is a five-time winner of the category.
Dustin Runnels is a three-time winner of the category under three different gimmicks (Goldust, The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust and Black Reign).
WWE has won the award a record 11 times.
Dynamite Kid is a three-time winner of the category.
Vince McMahon is a six-time winner of the category.
Harley Race has been named in two Biggest Shock of the Year.
Jesse Ventura is a four-time winner of the category.
André the Giant is a three-time winner of the category.
Mr. Fuji is an eleven-time winner of the category.
The Ultimate Warrior is a five-time winner of the category.
Stephanie McMahon is a three-time winner of the category.
Kurt Angle , best wrestler of the 2000s
Hiroshi Tanahashi , best wrestler of the 2010s