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Most Improved
Previous Winners:
2016: Matt Hardy
2015: Roman Reigns
2014: Bobby Lashley
2013: Jack Swagger
2012: Bobby Roode

Third Place: Samoa Joe
Second Place: Juice Robinson
Winner: Braun Strowman

Honorable Mentions: The Usos, Laurel Van Ness, Jinder Mahal, Hiromu Takahashi, Roppongi 3K

This category was extremely close together - all of the Honorable Mentions were tied, actually. Joe and Juice only had one point more than the placement before. But Braun was clearly the favorite here. It's clear why - before the end of last year, Braun was easily one of the dullest acts in WWE. A large guy who mostly stood behind Bray Wyatt, most people had written off Braun as another failed Vince experiment.

What came next, however, was quite intriguing. The normal Vince Monster formula was given the right victim: Roman Reigns. Instead of getting Roman over as a babyface in peril, Braun become a champion for smarks, a giant bashing the irritant that constantly garnered all of the attention and praise. From that point on, the writing team saw a special place for Braun: the man who gave no fucks. Braun destroys like Edge plays kazoo. And specialty matches became the perfect showcase for the character. The wrestler himself? Mediocre, as evidenced in the lackluster Brock Lesnar one-on-one. The character? Phenomenally well-executed.

For his part, Juice Robinson defied all NXT expectations, turning into a fantastic babyface in NJPW. The future seems quite bright for both him and for Samoa Joe, a heel that started the year cold and has ended it as a fan-favorite.

Of course, the honorable mentions are a mixed bag of revitalized careers (Usos) and small-time wrestlers hitting their stride (Laurel van Ness).
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