Padraig's End of Year Wrestling Awards- By Padraig.A.Gavin

Padraig's End of Year Wrestling Awards- By Padraig.A.Gavin

2025 what a year, no one can ever deny that it's a year that happened. While some may be downers I've rather enjoyed this year of wrestling. On a personal level I got far more involved in wrestling, I wrote more, started my own podcast ‘Late Night with the 2012 Royal Rumble’ which has been described. I also guested on other podcasts such as Violent People Radio and Desert Island Comp all of which you should listen to. Unfortunately no wrestling match had Sam getting attacked like last year, so 2025 will go down as a failure. But let's go through the awards anyway.

Thank you to the 1 million people im ripping off with this format 

Promotion of the year- DDT

honorable mentions Zona 23, Luch memes, CMLL, DPW, AEW and MLW (love you Dan)

A close call but in the end DDT takes it.  A promotion with the high end talent of Higuchi, Aoki and Ueno who all had a great 2025 but what really makes DDT the promotions of the year is just how watchable it is. I get that their style of comedy isn't for anyone but it really hits me. It results in some of the best moments of the year like Hirata's title win and Tanahashi's best 2025 match vs Dino. I can throw on any DDT show and know ill get something enjoyable. The promotion of the year 

Tag team of the year- Mexa Boys

honorable mentions el sky team, Galeon Fantasma, Sinner and Saint, Cowboy way and the Young Bucks 

2025 was a year where I watched a lot more indie lucha and the Mexa boys, Spider Fly and Noisy Boy, have been one of the highlights. One of the most consistent acts of the year where many IWRG can drag the Mexa boys match would be the highlight. 

It's not been a great year for tag teams

Recommend matches:

• 27.03.2025 IWRG Noisy Boy & Spider Fly vs. Ovett Jr. & Super Boy

• 04.05.2025 IWRG Alas de Acero & Iron Kid vs. Noisy Boy & Spider Fly

• 19.06.2025 IWRG Latigo & Toxin vs. Noisy Boy & Spider Fly

Show of the year - Zona 23 12. Aniversario

honorable mentions DPW 4th Anniversary, Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura Produce Kakuto Tanteidan III ~ One Life To Live, Double Or Nothing 2025 and DDT King Of DDT 2025 First Round

More indie lucha! There was a long wait for this show to be uploaded to IWTV but it was worth the wait. Zona is a special promotion and this show is their masterpiece. A Fun 6 man opener, Fishman vs. Gallego and especially Mr. Condor vs. Macuarro. Everything you can want from an indie lucha show and more!

Top 20 Matches

20. 30.03.2025 Lucha EXTREMA Estrella Divina vs. Carrillo

Estrella Divina vs Carrillo was one of the best feuds of the year. But this match is their best. Its all kick starts with the grossest dump of the year, an overshot flip from Carrillo leading to him landing hard face first. What follows is a hatefulled affair full of hard hits, light tubes and a sick back blade job from Carrillo. I'd recommend seeking out all of there matches but if you only watch one make it this

19. 17.04.2025 Marvelous Aja Kong vs. Senka Akatsuki

I watched a lot less joshi than i have in previous years especially after Meiko Satomura retired. Everything I've seen from Stardom I haven't liked, I'm still not sure Marigold is a real promotion and ill die before I watch TJPW. What I was left with was Marvelous and Sendai Girls. Still I wouldn't say I was too in depth with either promotion but from what I have watched this is what takes the biscuit. The living legend Aja Kong taking on one of the most promising upstarts the injury has Senka Akatsuki. Aja Kong is the greatest wrestler ever and I've been really impressed by Senka and not just because of the always in gear gimmick. What we get is a short (just barely over 5 minutes) but thoroughly engaging match. Aja uses her weight advantage to punish the rookie but Seka just wont stay down constantly fighting from underneath. A lesson that all wrestlers should learn, you don't need to go long to make something great. 

18. 25.08.2025 NOAH Daisuke Ikeda, Mohammed Yone & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Atsushi Kotoge, Go Shiozaki & Shuji Ishikawa

I'm a sentimental fool. A match that is a tribute to Mohammed Yone career honouring his time both in Battlarts and Noah. What can I say, it warms my heart. That's not to say the action in this isn't good, the interactions between Ikeda and Ishikawa are delightful. But this is a match that hits me in the feelings. Pro Wrestling is beautiful

17. 08.03.2025 WXW Takuya Nomura vs. Fuminori Abe

I sometimes grow frustrated with the astronauts but then they always have a match that wins me back over. Something something Godfather part 3 quote. Now what exactly is a superfight? We may never know but I do know this was great. Full of all the hard strikes you'd expect from these two, doesn't come close to their fight from the first fighting deactivate shows but way better than what they did at Bloodsports. 

In the words of the great Al Pacino… hooo ah

16. 17.05.2025 NJPW KUSHIDA vs. Kosei Fujita

Variety is the spice of life and this is the variety I wished we got more often from New Japan. A true honest to God Grapple fuck there not even wearing shoes! Fujita could very well be the future of New Japan's Junior division and it's neat to see KUSHIDA still got it. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but this really hits me.

15. 27.04.2025 IWRG Bombero Infernal vs. Cerebro Negro

Do you like the bit of chain match where one of the wrestlers refuses to put the chain on? Then boy do I have the match for you! Others may prefer their Apuesta from later in the year but this is my pick. The hard hits, the blade job and the use of the chain all work together to make for something incredibly enjoyable.

14. 18.04.2025 GCW Sabu vs. Joey Janela

Did I feel a bit ghoulish on a rewatch given Sabu pacing soon after this match. Maybe!. To be clear i dont think this match, GCW or Joey Janela killed Sabu but I also don't think it helped. Putting all that aside, God what a match. That terrifying bump sabu takes really sets the tone for the match. A man whose body is betraying him forcing himself to do it all one last time. Wrestling is at its best when it feels the closest to reality. And this in its own way feels real.

RIP Sabu

13. 29.06.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Sometimes wrestling breaks our heart and that's good. To enjoy the highs you need to experience the lows. This match is when the Goto revolution, like many revolutions before it died. Its crushing to see Goto lose the belt so soon after we waited so long for him to win it. But you got to respect the craft, Zack gives a fantastic performance beating down our hero and Goto is valiant in defeat. Probably the saddest I was watching wrestling, loved it.

12. 25.05.2025 AEW Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet

MARK BRISCOE SHINES RICOCHETS BALD HEAD!! Just a sick match, Mark Briscoe is the easiest to root for man on the planet and Ricochet is such a dickhead. The use of the stretcher, the ambulance and Ricochet scissors all make for wonderful action highlighted by Briscoes with the blade job of the year. My most rewatched match of the year.

11. 13.07.2025 DDT Kazusada Higuchi vs. HARASHIMA

This is just some gooooooooood wrestling. Two masters of the craft having the great match you'd expect them to have. Higuchi having to defend his Openweight title against ‘Mr DDT. simple in its formula mat work that gradually escalates to big moves. But the excellence in the execution. Just two pros having a classic. 

10. 06.05.2025 DDT Kazusada Higuchi vs. Shinya Aoki

And now for something a bit different, but the same! Aoki felt really unique in 2025, someone who gets a lot out of the little things. The things lessors wrestlers don't take the time to focus on. Pair that with a wrestler the calibre of Higuchi and you get something special. Aoki brings his unique talents but Higuchi takes him a bit out of his comfort zone. Resulting in the best match from the best promotion this year.

9. 06.07.2025 Zona 23 Macuarro vs Mr. Condor

Two old men beating each other up, bleeding on each other throwing each other into glass in a junk yard. What's not to love? I could say more but what's the point? Watch this match it rules. 

8. 18.05.2025 DPW Thomas Shire vs. Mad Dog Connelly

Again we must ask what is a relaxed rules match? How does it differ from a no DQ match? These are questions we're just not prepared to find the answers to. Mad dog getting to work some of the bigger indies like DPW has been a treat. This was the match that confirmed Shire was the superior member of Cowboy way. Hard hitting and wild bumps. A fantastic brawl. Feels dangerous in the way only Mad Dog can bring. 

7. 11.05.2025 Kyushu Pro Genkai vs. Mentai Kid

Why can't every match be a retirement match? Retirement matches when done well and the best thing in wrestling. Mentai Kid is not even a wrestler that means much to me. But it's clear from the entrance how much he means to this crowd and this all leads into an emotionally charged match. If I'm being honest, Mentai Kid's entrance is better than the match itself. But all combined its absolutely brilliant.

6. 15.06.2025 DPW Matt Tremont vs. Mad Dog Connelly

Matt Tremont is one of the strangest looking men alive and I think that's swell. Mad Dog vs Tremont was the best feud that America had, a return to indie feuds that travel from promotion to promotion. DPW was the home to their best match. Bloody and buckwild. Love your truth. I pray we see this paring again in 2026

5. 11.02.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Sometimes wrestling reminds you why you love it. The day the Goto revolution finally came to be. When the G in NJPW finally stood for Goto. Did Goto only win the title because all of New Japan's top stats left? Shut up. It's not just that Goto finally won the big ones, it's the match he did it in. Goto thought so damn hard. And hey it wasn't half an hour. There learning

4. 08.10.2025 DPW Dominic Garrini vs. Mad Dog Connelly

The finale of the Mad Dog in DPW trilogy on this list. I wont lie I thought Garrini was washed i thought he didn't have it but when asked to live his truth did he deliver. Im at risk of repeating myself, this match is great for the reason all mad dog matches are great, just more so. Wild, danground and crazy. Live your truth!

3. 08.04.2025 KTDAN Shuji Ishikawa vs. Satsuki Nagao

The best match from any KTDAN show. I watched a lot of Shuji Ishikawa this year but this is his best. It's a rather simple story. Ishikawa hits like a motherfucker but Nagao is full of fight and just wont stay down. The ways Ishikawa tries to put Nagao down are delightful, sticking elbows, suplexes that drop him straight on his neck and ramming his head into the corner pad. Nagao is great in his dedication, going  for headbutts and dropkids, never going down after one hit, and makes Ishikawa work for it. The only way Ishikawa can put it down is repeated headbutts knocking him out. Glorious stuff 

2. 09.03 2025 AEW Mariah May vs. Toni Storm

It's so sick Mariah May had her first ever good match and used it to get a job in WWE. well you cant take this away from the feds strongest soldier. A match about love, hate, jealousy, desperation but most importantly blood. Emotional violence. With an ending almost to the nose but they make it work. Neither really seen something like it before. It's when Toni storm showed herself to truly be a special talent.

1. 09.03.2025 Zona 23 Hijo de Fishman vs Demus

I don't know what was in the air on the 9th of march but whatever it was led to the two best matches of the year. Unlike the previous entry this match doesn't have romantic undertones…..unless? But the quotes they do share are blood and glass. Sometimes wrestling is complicated and sometimes it's Fishman stabbing Demus in the head with a broken beer glass on the hood of a scrapped car. Two violent men doing violent things to each other in a scrap yard. Nothing in wrestling felt as visceral as wrestling this year than this match. Demus goes back to back for MOTY.

Top 20 Wrestler

20. Trevor Lee

Recommend matches:

• 16.02.2025 DPW Adam Priest vs Colby Corino vs Trevor Lee

• 25.05.2025 DPW Colby Corino & LaBron Kozone vs. Adam Priest & Trevor Lee

• 15.06.2025 DPW LaBron Kozone vs. Trevor Lee

Trevor Lee formed a very fun partnership with Adem priest in DPW making a delightful hateable duo. This led to him having a National title rain and a great feud with LaBron Kozone. One of the few guys who left WWE who gets he can use that to get heat. Love to see he's still got it

19. Nicole Matthews

Recommend matches:

• 01.06.2025 West Coast Pro Dani Luna vs. Nicole Matthews

• 15.06.2025 DPW Nicole Matthews Vs. Dani Luna

• 05.10.2025 Prestige Amira vs. Nicole Matthews

Nicole keeps up her like 10+ (maybe) year streak of being the best women on the indies. This time reinventing herself as an object wine aunt who will use the wine, the bottle, or her novelty oversized glass to win. Nicole is as good as she always is but this year she was given a lot more opportunities especially in DPW as there champ. 

18. Zack Sabre Jr.

Recommend matches:

• 11.02.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

• 13.04.2025 DEFY Timothy Thatcher vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

• 29.06.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Theres something about Zack I just don't like, whether its particular take on ‘technical wrestling’ or the fact that I always think he's the worst wrestler in his great matches. Just saying I wouldn't call myself a Zack Sabre Jr guy. And yet at some point the output is so good it becomes hard to deny him. The best gaijn going Zack has cemented himself as one of New Japan's top guys having the company's two best matches and putting in good performances in bad matches against Takeshita. Zack can also be relied upon to produce good work when stepping outside of New Japan.

17. Macuarro 

Recommend matches:

• 09.02.2025 Zona 23 Cyber Black & El Macuarro vs Mr. Condor & El Gallego

• 13.04.2025 Zona 23 El Gallego & Mr. Condor vs. Macuarro & Osiris

• 07.06.2025 Zona 23 Macuarro vs Mr. Condor

An old man having death matches in a dusty scrap yard wearing jeans and a football top. I don't need to explain why he rules you get it. Go Ace

16. Hijo de Fishman

Recommend matches:

• 09.02.2025 Zona 23 Hijo de Fishman vs Demus

• 07.07.2025 Zona 23 Gallego vs Hijo de Fishman

• 31.07.2025 MaxProad Mascara Sagrada & Rokambole Jr. vs. Brazo Celestial & El Hijo del Fxishman

[Insert Danny Devito i get it now gif] I've struggled with Fishman in the past but this was the year it all clicked. He is just kinda a dick. You can always rely on his matches against Mascara Sagrada. His work in Zona is really solid. But it's his performances in the Lucha vs MMA shows that really interested me, those are all bad matches but how he and by extension this whole scummy lucha indie world interacts with MMA guys is fascinating. Also that match he had with all the exploding gifs is so funny. 

15. Spider fly

Recommend matches:

• 27.03.2025 IWRG Noisy Boy & Spider Fly vs. Ovett Jr. & Super Boy

• 04.05.2025 IWRG Alas de Acero & Iron Kid vs. Noisy Boy & Spider Fly

• 19.06.2025 IWRG Latigo & Toxin vs. Noisy Boy & Spider Fly

The best wrestler in the best tag team. Read what i said about the Mexa Boys its the same for spider fly as the individual. I like him more than Noise boy because he just does it all a wee bit smoother. 

14. Cerebro Negro

Recommend matches:

• 16.02.2025 IWRG Caballero de Plata vs Cerebro Negro

• 27.04.2025 IWRG Bombero Infernal vs. Cerebro Negro

• 18.05.2025 IWRG Bombero Infernal vs. Cerebro Negro

I didn't mean to put all the indie lucha guys in a row. Just how it shaped out. IWRG to put it lightly is a mixed bag of a promtion but Cerebro Negro is the highlight. The best wrestler over 50.

13. Mercedes Mone

Recommend matches:

• 16.04.2025 AEW Athena vs. Mercedes Mone

• 12.07.2025 AEW Mercedes Mone vs Toni storm

• 05.12.2025 ROH Mercedes Mone vs. Red Velvet

Give her all the belts, make up new belts just for her to hold. I want to see the entire indie scene getting paid just from being her belt holders. Mone travelled from promotion to promotion have great matches with opponents nowhere near as good as her. When mone is given someone on her level such as an Athen or a Toni storm (sort of) she's capable of making true magic. Just a talent you can build a promotion around. 

12. Timothy Thatcher 

Recommend matches:

• 28.02.2025 DUSK PRO Travis Williams vs Timothy Thatcher 

• 13.04.2025 DEFY Timothy Thatcher vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

• 17.04.2025 DDT Timothy Thatcher vs. Shinya Aoki

Timothy Thatcher seems desperate to kill indie wrestling with his heavy involvement in WWEID and WWE EVOLVE, currently airing on a tubi near you. But if you put that all aside Thatcher had a great year, the last of a dying breed Thatcher countries to do what ehs always been doing. I will say that Thatcher felt a lot meaner when working this year, maybe it's the Terry Funk tribute gear. The most british american alive continues to be one of the best in the world.

11. Kyle Fletcher

Recommend matches:

• 06.04.2025 AEW Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe

• 31.07.2025 AEW Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher

• 20.09.2025 AEW Hangman Adam Page vs. Kyle Fletcher

I can't believe it, it's incredible. How did a wrestler who was so bad become so good? By far the most improved wrestler of the year. From a shitty little Ospreay clone to this psychotic coward. Fletcher now is mean and punishing in control but also a pathetic loser as soon as his opponent gets the upper hand. Shown best through is Mark Briscoe, an opponent perfect for him. Fletcher also showed he's capable of main event stuff with somehow making a 40+ minute match against Adam Page. incredible things will happen to you when you go bald.

10. Hirooki Goto

Recommend matches:

• 11.02.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

• 15.03.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Yuji Nagata

• 29.06.2025 NJPW Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

The best wrestler in Gew Gapan Gro Grestling. Goto's success may be an indictment on the promotion but him winning and defending that title felt so god dam good, every match felt special, he also gave Takeshita his best non DDT match. Yota Tsuji is a bitch Goto should win that belt back immediately. Long live the revolution.

9. Mistico 

Recommend matches:

• 21.03.2025 CMLL Hologram & Komander vs. Mascara Dorada & Mistico

• 19.09.2025.CMLL MJF vs. Mistico

• 14.10.2025 CMLL Averno, Barbaro Cavernario & Hechicero vs. Mascara Dorada , Mistico & Neon 

multiple times a week this year the cathedral of wrestling Arena Mexico is blessed by having Mistico perform. A living legend, the undisputed king of cmll and your BACK TO BACK OPERA CUP WINNER. MLW SWEPPPPP

8. Shinya Aoki

Recommend matches:

• 14.02.2025 DDT Keigo Nakamura vs. Shinya Aoki

• 06.04.2025 DDT Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura vs. Keigo Nakamura & Shinya Aoki

• 06.05.2025 DDT Kazusada Higuchi vs. Shinya Aoki

Everything's going to be A-oki. Shinya Aoki, after years of doing interesting work, finally had the output ive been hoping for. Everything is a struggle for Aoki, nothing is just given up and within these small moments of struggle Aoki creates some of the most engaging matches of the year. And when asked he plays the straight man to DDT shenanigans very well.

7. Claudio Castagnoli

Recommend matches:

• 16.04.2025 AEW Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley & Wheeler Yuta vs. The Opps Katsuyori Shibata, Powerhouse Hobbs & Samoa Joe

• 27.08.2025 AEW Claudio Castagnoli vs. Darby Allin

• 03.12.2025 AEW Claudio Castagnoli vs. Jon Moxley

Behind every evil bald man is an eviler balder man. Captain consistency, when was the last time you saw a bad claudio performance? Certainly not this year I'll tell you that. When I was putting this list together I wasn't expecting Claudio to rank so high but when I sat down and looked at his input,  I couldn't justify putting him any lower.

6. Mark Briscoe

Recommend matches:

• 16.04.2025 AEW Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe

• 25.05.2025 AEW Mark Briscoe vs. Ricochet

• 20.09.2025 AEW Mark Briscoe vs. MJF

Just the best. Mark Briscoe is the easiest wrestler in the world to love.  Briscoe has become the most fun act on TV. Whether through tag work with the conglomeration or his big singles feuds against Fletcher and Ricochet. Briscoe gives you a guy to root for. His win over MJF and the capturing of the TNT title felt euphoric. Reach for the sky boys

5. Shuji Ishikawa

Recommend matches:

• 21.03.2025 Evolution Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura vs. Shuji Ishikawa & Suwama

• 08.04.2025 KTDAN Shuji Ishikawa vs. Satsuki Nagao

• 25.08.2025 NOAH Daisuke Ikeda, Mohammed Yone & Naomichi Marufuji vs. Atsushi Kotoge, Go Shiozaki & Shuji Ishikawa

A New discovery for me this year. Of course I've been aware of Ishikawa for some time but this was the year I really tried to go out of my way to watch his match. I even watched world tag league matches so dont say im not commited! The best of Ishikawa's work can be found in Evolution, every show he'd put on something I'd enjoy. Big guy who hits hard and doesn't go down easily. What's not to love 

4. Adam Priest

Recommend matches:

• 17.01.2025 DPW 1 Called Manders vs. Adam Priest

• 27.05.2025 DEAN~!!! Adam Priest vs. Mad Dog Connelly

• 01.06.2025 DPW Jake Something & Matt Tremont vs. Adam Priest & Mad Dog Connelly

“You see what this says? It says ‘Heavyweight’. Weight don’t mean shit. I’m 180 with 30 pounds of dick, so, fuck ya’ll”

I watch a lot of wrestling with my girlfriend and she refers to Adam Priest as ‘the bitch’. So the bitch had a really good year especially the time he spent as DPW world champ. The bitch gets how to be as irritating as possible while still knowing when to eat shit. The bitches partnership with Trevor Lee was also a highlight.

3. Kazusada Higuchi

Recommend matches:

• 06.05.2025 DDT Kazusada Higuchi vs. Shinya Aoki

• 13.07.2025 DDT Kazusada Higuchi vs. HARASHIMA

• 30.08.2025 DDT Jun Akiyama vs. Kazusada Higuchi

The Guch!! DDT really got behind Higuchi this year, having him win the king of DDT and the Openweight title. When the Guch gets given the ball he knows how to score being the promotion of the year's most consistent performer. He's run through the tournament and his four title defenses were all highlights of the year. Your Japanese MVP

2. Mad Dog Connelly 

Recommend matches:

• 25.05.2025  DPW Thomas Shire vs. Mad Dog Connelly

• 15.06.2025  DPW Matt Tremont vs. Mad Dog Connelly

• 08.10.2025  DPW Dominic Garrini vs. Mad Dog Connelly

LIVE YOUR TRUTH. My WOTY for 2024 falls just shy of going back to back. Mad Dog is still the best act going on the indies which despite reports is not dead! If Mad Dog wrestled for your promotion then there's a high chance he had your promotion's best match. Whether it's in a dog collar match or not Mad Dog feels Dangerous, wild, alive and most importantly real. He also pulls off the bald look which not everyone can hack. 

1. Jon Moxley