Diva Dirt presents its third annual Writers’ Choice Awards, the awards that celebrate the year in women’s wrestling, as decided by the editors and contributors of Diva Dirt. The Diva Dirt team has watched hundreds of episode of wrestling television this year, followed a countless number of wrestlers and reviewed tons of matches. Now, as we come to the end of 2013, we have picked the best of the best to be awarded our Writers’ Choice trophies.
Wrestler of the Year: Natalya
When the cast list of Total Divas was revealed, one name ensured that the reality show would have integrity in the wrestling world: Natalya.
Natalya, the third generation Diva, former Divas Champion and 13-year veteran of the wrestling industry, was the perfect Diva to introduce non-wrestling fans to the sport. She has the undeniable skill without any of the arrogance.
That combination is a big reason Natalya’s being crowned our 2013 Wrestler of the Year. She may have not won any championships, but if there was a belt for hardest worker, she’d be its proud owner.
There’s no Diva more reliable or more capable of building new stars. From her Total Divas cast mates to NXT Divas to heel Divas that need heat to the Divas Champion herself, Natalya has brought out the best in all of them this year.
That doesn’t mean she’s been jobbing out, though. She’s put on three Match of the Year candidates, looking stellar in each and every one while helping her opponents reach new heights. All the while, she’s been making everyone and their mother tap out to the Sharpshooter, remaining one of the division’s most dangerous Divas.
More than just “old reliable”, Natalya is a jack of all trades: she can be a star, a spokeswoman, a menacing heel, a sympathetic babyface and a one-woman wrestling clinic. This makes her one of the most valuable talents the WWE possesses and a shining example to the women who follow in her footsteps.
