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Last week's episode of IMPACT Wrestling was the final one of the year, as the next two would be "Best of 2020" clip shows, highlighting all the great moments from the company this year. However, this week's episode also included the fan-voted Best of the Year Awards.
Through one of the toughest years in recent memory, IMPACT Wrestling was able to give us some incredible television and wrestling matches. Many times throughout 2020, fans and critics alike ranted and raved about what the company produced.
Deonna Purrazzo, The North, and Ace Austin voted best for IMPACT Wrestling in 2020
First up was X-Division Star of the Year, going to The Inevitable, Ace Austin. The Ace of the X-Division was a consistent star in IMPACT Wrestling this year. He came into 2020 holding the IMPACT Wrestling X-Division Championship, after besting five other competitors at Bound for Glory 2019 in a ladder match for the title.
Austin had some epic rivalries with the likes of Rich Swann, Trey Miguel, Eddie Edwards, and more, and even won the IMPACT World Championship No. 1 Contender's Tournament. From October 20, 2019, to April 8, 2020, he held the X-Division Title for 171 days before dropping it to Willie Mack.
In his acceptance video, Austin stated that he'd only worked in the X-Division for four months this year, but his accomplishments and one of a kind ability made this decision by the fans "Inevitable."
Next up was IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team of the Year. In 2020, three separate tag teams held the IMPACT Wrestling World Tag Team Titles: The North, The Motor City Machine Guns, and The Good Brothers. The North was the only duo to hold them more than once, however, and this allowed them to pull ahead in the voting.
While The North seems to be fractured at the moment, no one can deny their incredible run throughout the year. PWI ranked them in the Top 5 best teams on the planet, but if you ask IMPACT fans, they should be No. 1. Will they get back on the same page and win the award again in 2021? If Ethan Page can get his head straight, it's certainly a possibility.
Following that was Knockout of the year, and considering IMPACT Wrestling holds what many consider the greatest women's division on the planet, the field was deep. Taya Valkyrie, Rosemary, Jordynne Grace, Su Yung, Havok, Tenille Dashwood, Kylie Rae and more stole the show week in and week out on Tuesdays.
It was the two-time IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo, though, who would walk away with the award tonight. The Virtuosa has taken on the best of the best, first knocking off Jordynne Grace for her championship at Slammiversary.
She'd eventually lose it to Su Yung at Bound For Glory, but would win it back at Turning Point, following that with a successful title defense against The Demon Assassin Rosemary at Final Resolution. Purrazzo's next challenger is the longest reigning Knockouts Champion in IMPACT Wrestling history, Taya Valkyrie. They'll face one another at Hard to Kill on January 16th.
That wasn't it for Purrazzo, though. At the end of the show, The Virtuosa was awarded IMPACT Wrestling's Wrestler of the Year for 2020. Clearly, IMPACT Wrestling is backing Purrazzo as the present and future of the company.
Next week, the Match of the Year will be revealed. What do you think of the results of the fan-voted Best of 2020 so far? Who was your wrestler of the year in IMPACT? Let us know in the comments below.
