Just to prove to me that last year wasn’t the complete shitstorm that I remember, BG East has released their year-in-review 2020 Fan Poll! I was honored to be on the nominations committee again this year. I was pouring over the possibilities so long, in fact, I almost didn’t get my slate in before the deadline passed. I don’t see the deadline for the official fan ballot that’s available now on the website, so vote soon. In the meantime, I’ll obsessively reflect on the nominees that made it through committee. For your consideration….

Sexiest Match

We’ve only come to the first category, and already the match I ranked first on my nominations form didn’t make the cut. Technically. I put in for Kayden and Nino’s matroom match as sexiest, but close enough, the sequel to that match on BG East Grudge Match 6 did get nominated. And it’s hard to argue against the value added of including Mason Brooks alongside of Kayden and Nino, and putting them all in the ring, and the tasty addition of double teaming. If I could, I’d still vote for the smolderingly sexy 1-on-1, but of my options, I think my choice is pretty clear. A close second place for my vote would be the Wrestleshack 26 match, the military erotic fantasy I had no idea I needed. Here are all the nominees:

Best Mat Battle

As you could probably guess from my deliberation about the Sexiest Match category, I picked Kayden and Nino’s Grudge Match as my top nominee for Best Mat Battle. Hands down, that’s my vote. So. Fucking. Great. My 2nd and 3rd place nominations didn’t make it out of committee. But if I was pressed to pass over Kayden and Nino, I’d probably give a nod to Brendan and Ethan’s Sexy Showdown. But this one isn’t close for my vote. Here’s the full slate:

Best Ring Match

I’m just going sit here and stir the pot when it comes to the nominations for Best Ring Match, because how in the living fuckity-fuck did Tag Team Torture 22 (Starr/Sparks vs. Keller/DeLeon) not get nominated in this category?! That match did get on the slate for Best Overall Match, so I just don’t get how it didn’t even make the cut for Best Ring Match. I’ll just sit here and fume about it, but I should acknowledge that my vote most definitely goes to the match I listed #2 on my nominations form, Hunkbash 22, starring Alexi Adamov and Devil Devitt. They set that fucking ring on fire, and I got completely hypnotized by Devil’s delicious derriere. My third pick on my nominations form was the part 2 to Grudge Match 6, the aforementioned sweat fest with Mason, Kayden, and Nino, but they didn’t squeeze out a nod for Best Ring Match, despite getting it for Sexiest Match. If I was pressed to dig into the bench for another pick, I’d give it to Ace and Chase. Here are all your options:

Best Squash

Squashes have never really been my favorite in general, but oddly, I’m getting off on a lot more squashes during the pandemic. I’m not sure what that means. But my vote will go to the match I listed first on my nominations form, Braden Charon and Jake Jenkins in Backbusters 2. Fuck. What a squash, and JJ broken in half is a revelation. My other 2 nominations didn’t make it out of committee, and I have to scratch my head that the product entitled Training Day: Squashes, didn’t feature at all. But if I had to vote elsewhere, I’d tap Richie Douglas’ ass… I mean, I’d pick Richie and Toney’s match.

Knowing me, I’m apt to keep writing up this voter’s guide until after the polls have already closed. So I’ll post these first few categories now, in the hopes that it inspires a few more of you to vote.