Before we get into the top 10 of this year’s 2025 I want to thank some people. Thank you Orchid for volunteering to do the graphics on this year’s list, which is my least-favorite part of everything and something I straight up forget about most years. Thank you to everyone who submitted blurbs to help flesh these posts out. Thank you to my VPR cohosts Pat, Dan and Orchid (again) for having things to talk about on the show while I was too busy and/or burnt out making this list to consume wrestling. Thank you to Dan (again), Sam and Tanner for co-founding this stupid-ass site so I can post list. And thanks most of all to you, the person reading this, whether you voted in the poll or not. There’s no point in doing this unless there’s an audience to share, react, and argue with on Twitter/Discord. It’s a lot of work, but I have a lot of fun doing it thanks to you. Anyway, let’s get on with it.

10. Chihiro Hashimoto (45 ballots, 3129 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 8
High Vote: Orchid, Andrew (1)

Recommended Matches

• w/ Koji Iwamoto vs. DASH Chisako & Jun Masaoka (Tenryu Project, 2/2)
• w/ Manami vs. Maika & Natsupoi (Sendai Girls, 3/1)
• vs. Meiko Satomura (Sendai Girls, 3/19)
• w/ Miku Kanae & Sareee vs. DASH Chisako, Sayaka Toyota & VENY (T-Hearts, 3/30)
• w/ Rina Yamashita & Ryo Mizunami vs. MIRAI, Nanae Takahashi & Yuu (Marigold, 4/14)
• w/ Manabu Soya vs. HIroyo Matsumoto & Minoru Suzuki (Kenoh Produce, 4/15)
• w/ Yuu vs. Meiko Satomura & Sareee (Fortune Dream, 4/16)
• vs. Maika (Stardom, 4/27)
• w/ Aja Kong vs. Manami & Meiko Satomura (Sendai Girls, 4/29)
• w/ Mika Iwata vs. Natsupoi & Saori Anou (Natsupoi & Saori Anou Produce, 5/31)
• W Yuu vs. Mika Iwata & Miyuki Takase (Sendai Girls, 7/19)
• w/ Yuu vs. Lena Kross & VENY (Sendai Girls, 8/24)
• vs. Mika Iwata (Sendai Girls, 9/23)
• vs. Seri Yamaoka (Marigold,, 10/26)
• w/ Natsupoi vs. Sareee & Suzu Suzuki (Sareee-ism, 11/10)
• vs. Sareee (Sendai Girls, 11/16)
• w/ Yuu vs. Hazuki & Koguma (Sendai Girls, 11/22)
• w/ Yuu vs. Natsupoi & Saori Anou (Natsupoi & Saori Anou Produce, 12/18)
• w/ Sareee & Takumi Iroha vs. Mio Momono, Rin & Yuu (Marvelous, 12/21)
• vs. Yuu (Yuu Retirement, 12/28)

“Still the best wrestler working in Japan, which she has been for the last I don’t know how many years. Still great for all the reasons you think. Sendai Girls is not a promotion that lacks talent but somehow Hashimoto is still carrying it on her back. In their last year together team 200kg are still one of the best tag teams in the world. But singles work is where Hashimoto shines; she’s still got the best suplex in the business.” ~ Padraig

“For someone who seemingly fits into a very specific archetype, I remain fascinated by both the quality of Hashimoto’s pacing and execution and the range of emotions I feel during one of her matches. She has a unique ability to bring out the absolute best in her opponents, highlighting their strengths without ever diminishing her own, which is incredibly rare on the modern joshi scene. She played a huge role in two separate retirement runs, setting herself up as the true heir to Meiko Satomura on the Japanese independent scene and beautifully closing the book on her tag team partner (and best friend) Yuu’s in-ring career, which each had entirely different emotional tones. While she only wrestled in nine singles matches this year, her Sendai Girls World Championship defenses against Miku Iwata and Sareee solidified her as the true final boss on the independent Japanese wrestling scene, and her match against Seri Yamaoka highlighted what the super rookie might be capable of against the right opponent. Toss in the incredible quality of her tag team work (especially with Natsupoi at Saree-ism Chapter IX), and it’s hard for me to consider anyone else for this: even during a down year, Hashimoto still has a legitimate claim as the best wrestler in the world.” ~ Orchid

“With her long-time friend and tag team buddy Yuu retiring in 2025 big Hash made it her mission to kill it in as many tag matches as possible before the year ended. Her and Yuu had a really strong year elevating the Sendai tag division alongside taking a wild assortment of opponents to probably some of their best matches in quite a couple of years frankly speaking. Between that and her (as always) VERY good singles work with big-time matches against Meiko, Iwata and Sarree it was a no brainer for her to be on the list.” ~ Stump H. Puller

“Same old shit for C-Hash, the most rock solid joshi performer in our great sport today. Maybe a little less to chew on with her best opponent, Mio Momono, out for an extended period due to injury, but all the work they did do together is tremendous, the 200kg work with Yuu was very good as it always is, and the work in singles and tags against Sareee and Meiko Satomura are completely stellar. “ ~ FUJIWARASMIRK

“C-Hash rules! Another great year from one of the best. Consistently great whether in a tag or singles.

She had a really eventful year wrestling for STARDOM and Marigold. Holding the Sendai Girls singles and tag team champions. Wrestled her trainer (Meiko Satomura) and tag team partner’s (Yuu) last matches. Had her 10th Anniversary too in a great match against Sareee.” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

“The most complete professional wrestler on the face of the planet, now given the keys to her home promotion. The heights of the tag work may not have been as prevalent in ‘25, but there may not be a higher floor wrestler than Hash, anywhere.” ~ Stevan S.

9. Mad Dog Connelly (39 ballots, 3165 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 10
High Vote: Sam D. (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Casanova Valentine (Unsanctioned Pro, 3/15)
• vs. Alpha Zo (WCPW, 3/22)
• vs. Amira (Dusk Pro, 4/17)
• vs. Hunter Drake (New South, 5/3)
• w/ Beastman vs. Bam Sullivan & Matt Tremont (JCW, 5/11)
• vs. Thomas Shire (DPW, 5/18)
• vs. Adam Priest (ACTION, 5/24)
• w/ Adam Priest vs. Jake Something & Matt Tremont (WCPW, 6/1)
• vs. Matt Tremont (DPW, 6/15)
• vs. Tank (TWE, 6/28)
• vs. Matt Tremont (JCW, 7/6)
• vs. Mortar (SCI, 7/18)
• vs. Dmitri Alexandrov (New Texas, 7/27)
• vs. Dominic Garrini (DPW, 8/10)
• vs. Demus (ACTION, 9/6)
• vs. 1 Called Manders (GCW, 9/21)
• w/ Beastman vs. 1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire (GCW, 10/26)
• vs. AJ Gray (11/1)
• vs. Judas Icarus (DEFY, 11/21)
• vs. Erick Stevens (DPW, 12/12)

“A step down for Mad Dog compared to last year, when he was the number 1 wrestler of the year instead of number 2. Still the best wrestler on the US indies. No one brings the intensity to wrestling the way Mad Dog does. And he can pull off bald, not all wrestlers can do it. “ ~ Padraig

“A true throwback and the best brawler in the world, Mad Dog has more in common with Bruiser Brody and The Pitbulls than he does Necro Butcher or Abdullah Kobayashi. Though capable of working a good death match, he is someone who elevates a contest beyond its stipulation: he pushes his opponents to drive deeper into their bags and work spots they typically wouldn’t, like when forcing Erick Stevens to drive a screwdriver between his toes on DPW 4th Anniversary Show in December or when Gabrial Skye hit him in the head with an actual cinderblock (or something that appeared to be an actual cinderblock) at Beyond Wrestling’s Boston Hardcore show in August. Mad Dog’s work is lauded not because of its grotesque violence, but because he wrestles an immersive style that transcends the typical crawl-and-brawls that work more as segments in American maximalism, extending them throughout the entire match to ground the audience in the depravity and hyper-violence of a forgotten era. He is hands-down the most compelling indie wrestler in the world, and one who has a ceiling that seems inexplicitly high: I still don’t think we’ve seen his best match yet.” ~ Orchid

“When he turns it on, no one has matches as viscerally intense as Mad Dog. I will not allow the Tremont series to fall by the wayside of history as it really was a special series, even if brief. There were some rocky moments going from the niche brawler to a more touring act, but making that still work with guys like Jake Parnell is a feat in its own right, beyond the truly great bloody fights he had that top my MOTY list. The scary thing is I think he might only be getting better from here.” ~ Sam D.

“The momentum generated in ‘24 resulted in higher profile bookings, and Mad Dog was able to retain what makes him feel special in those environments. Bringing his energy to a place like DPW was a match made in heaven. Live your truth. “ ~ Stevan S.

8. Mercedes Mone (51 ballots, 3293 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 33
High Vote: Sol (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Momo Watanabe (AEW, 3/9)
• vs. Billie Starkz (AEW, 3/19)
• w/ Harley Cameron vs. Athena & Julia Hart (AEW, 4/2)
• vs. Athena (AEW, 4/16)
• vs. AZM vs. Mina Shirakawa (NJPW 5/9)
• vs. Jamie Hayter (AEW, 5/25)
• vs. La Catalina (CMLL, 6/20)
• vs. Mina Shirakawa (AEW, 7/2)
• vs. Toni Storm (AEW, 7/12)
• vs. Alex Windsor vs. Bozilla vs. Persephone (AEW, 8/24)
• vs. Alex Windsor (AEW, 9/3)
• vs. Riho (AEW, 9/20)
• vs. Persephone (CMLL, 10/17)
• vs. Mina Shirakawa (AEW, 10/18)
• w/ Athena vs. Harley Cameron & Willow Nightingale (AEW, 11/5)
• w/ Julia Hart, Marina Shafir, Megan Bayne, Skye Blue & Thekla vs. Harley Cameron, Jamie Hayter, Kris Statlander, Mina Shirakawa, Toni Storm & Willow NIghtingale (AEW, 11/12)
• vs. Red Velvet (AEW, 11/19)
• vs. Kris Statlander (AEW, 11/22)
• vs. Red Velvet (ROH, 12/5)
• vs. Willow Nightingale (AEW, 12/31)

“Mercedes Mone held 13 belts at the same time. To hold these belts she must have won a lot of matches. Winning a lot of matches and holding a lot of belts means you are an objectively good wrestler. This blurb was written by the PWI 500.” ~ Padraig

“Moné’s been a high profile worker for over a decade now, but this feels like the best year of her career which is impressive. It’s the same case as always with her, the big matches, but I really dug all of her big matches this year, especially the Toni match at All In and the Riho PPV match that I think didn’t get nearly enough love at the time. The creative offense, the character work, the bump freak tendencies, it all stood out in a big way even in a company defined by bombastic and characteristic workers.” ~ FUJIWARASMIRK

“ During her match with Persephone, Mercedes locks in a camel clutch on the ramp. Persephone reaches for help from the Arena México crowd, a child grabs her hand… and Mercedes immediately stomps her in front of the kid. The CEO knows wrestling is at its best when someone—preferably a child in the front row—leaves with a lifelong emotional scar ” ~ Nick Yeoman

“She really might be the GOAT. While the haters and the losers were busy arguing about how her belt collector gimmick was a stunt, they were ignoring everything before their eyes. It doesn’t matter if you saw her win an obscure indie’s women’s championship match. Mercedes was on national television or PPV every week having highlight match after highlight match.

Mercedes helped make Harley Cameron one of the most-improved wrestlers of the year. She gave Billie Starkz everything she had in a TV match. She worked great in CMLL against the likes of Persephone and La Catalina. She went to ROH and helped showcase just how good Red Velvet has gotten in the year since she feuded with Jade Cargill. That’s in addition to having great matches with the best of the best AEW had to offer – Willow, Statlander, Athena, Mina Shirakawa, Jamie Hayter.

And then there’s the Toni Storm match. In a promotion built on “dream matches,” Mercedes and Toni lived up to the billing. The two biggest female stars in AEW were kept apart for so long, but when they finally met in the ring it was magical. Any trepidation about the build melted away in seconds. Despite being separated for so long, they wrestled like it was the final match of a feud built for years. A true American epic that matched, and probably even surpassed, Omega and Okada running it back and Hangman besting Moxley to end the Death Riders’ reign.

Mercedes is certainly guilty of politicking to some extent, though it’s definitely overblown. She’s also “sloppy” in a way many will never forgive. But what is undeniable is her connection with crowds. Mercedes matches that may begin with tame reaction end with the crowd in the palm of her hand. She does this by putting every ounce of her body on the line when it matters most. Sometimes it comes across as “sloppy,” but I see it as true dedication to the craft. Not just one of the best wrestlers of the year, but a true generational worker.” ~ chris

7. Adam Priest (45 ballots, 3420 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 15
High Vote: HD, Cake, FUJIWARASMIRK, Corwo, Charles F. (2)

Recommended Matches

• vs. 1 Called Manders (DPW, 1/17)
• vs. Minoru Suzuki (Prestige, 4/17)
• vs. Fuminori Abe (DPW, 4/25)
• w/ Trevor Lee vs. Colby Corino & LaBron Kozone (DPW, 5/18)
• vs. Mad Dog Connelly (ACTION, 5/24)
• w/ Mad Dog Connelly vs. Jake Something & Matt Tremont (WCPW/DPW/Prestige, 6/1)
• vs. Calvin Tankman (DPW, 6/15)
• w/ Darian Bengston vs. Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean (TWE, 6/30)
• vs. Bandido (ROH, 7/26)
• vs. Anthony Henry (DPW, 8/8)
• vs. Jake Something (DPW, 8/10)
• w/ Tommy Billington vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (AEW, 9/6)
• w/ Tommy Billington vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (AEW, 9/11)
• vs. Matt Tremont (JCW, 9/21)
• vs. Dragon Kid (wXw, 9/28)
• vs. Tim Bosby (ACTION, 10/17)
• vs. Jake Something (DPW, 10/19)
• w/ Darian Bengston & Lee Moriarty vs. Alec Price, Jordan Oliver & Marcus Mathers (GCW, 10/26)
• vs. Anthony Henry (DPW, 11/7)
• w/ Trevor Lee vs. Andrew Everett & BK Westbrook (DPW, 12/12)

“ IT SAYS HEAVYWEIGHT THAT DON’T MEAN SHIT I’M 180 WITH 30 LBS OF DICK. ROLE TIDEEEEEE. BLITZ BAMA BLITZ. I DONT GIVE A PISS BOUT NOTHIN BUT THE TIDEEEE. TIDE GON GET EM 21 TO 17. ROLLLL TIDEEEEE. Yeah pretty good year from Priest” ~ Padraig

“Priest got to put together a nice hodgepodge of a year. First you have the stuff against Bosby,  which to be fair feels like Bosby not doing his best work, but Priest really helping get this big young grappler over. You have the Mad Dog dog collar match – comes off as a little bit as a sample to a bigger more spectacular match that never comes. Hard to put that as a mark against him since it was a free show in a public space during a PPV weekend for a much much bigger show. Then you have the Tankman match, one of the best Adam Priest Formula matches. Haven’t gotten that feeling much since Sami Callihan where an indie wrestler fully understands how to plug someone else into HIS match and he does just that.” ~ Sam D.

“King of the Indies. Priest doesn’t peak as high as a 2004 Samoa Joe or a 2007 Bryan Danielson, you could even make an argument that he doesn’t peak as high as a contemporary like Mad Dog Connelly, but any time you see him on a card you know you’re guaranteed something worthwhile. The bulk of his case comes from his heel work in DPW, where he had a great reign as champion as well as occasionally tagging with Trevor Lee, but even the AEW/ROH work really jumps off the screen as really good TV work, standing out even amongst the best of the company’s workhorses with his stuff against the Workhorsemen. Hopefully he breaks through the glass ceiling and really makes a name for himself in AEW, but regardless he’ll always be a lock for these lists barring injury.” ~ FUJIWARASMIRK

“Often the most disliked wrestler in the room but can also be the best. Great range.” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

“The man who calls himself “Any Style” showed even more versatility than ever in 2025.

Sure, his cowardly heel act is still the best version going anywhere in wrestling (and teaming with fellow shit-bag, weasel Trevor Lee probably only made it sharper), but he also added a respected Indy stalwart vibe in his outings with Tim Bosby and his matches with FTR proved he’s a pretty great plucky underdog tag wrestler too. ” ~ Nick Yeoman

6. Mark Briscoe (54 ballots, 3770 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 5
High Vote: Andrew Lacelle (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW, ¼)
• vs. Kyle Fletcher (AEW, 2/8)
• w/ Orange Cassidy, Powerhouse Hobbs & Will Ospreay vs. Brian Cage, Bryan Keith, Lance Archer & Mark Davis (AEW, 3/5)
• w/ Big Boom AJ & Orange Cassidy vs. Johnny TV, Mansoor & Mason Madden (AEW, 3/9)
• vs. Konosuke Takeshita (AEW, 3/26)
• vs. Kyle Fletcher (AEW, 4/6)
• w/ Kevin Knight, Mike Bailey & Will Ospreay vs. Action Andretti, The Beast Mortos Lio Rush & Ricochet (AEW, 4/9)
• vs. Ricochet (AEW, 4/23)
• w/ Kenny Omega, Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey vs. Kazuchika Okada, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson & Ricochet (AEW, 4/30)
• w/ Mike Bailey & Swerve Strickland vs. Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson & Ricochet (Aew, 5/7)
• vs. Ricochet (AEW, 5/25)
• w/ Mike Bailey & Willow Nightingale vs. Gabe Kidd, Jon Moxley & Marina Shafir (AEW, 5/28)
• vs. Jon Moxley (AEW, 6/4)
• vs. Kazuchika Okada (AEW, 6/18)
• vs. Konosuke Takeshita (AEW, 9/6)
• vs. MJF (AEW, 9/20)
• w/ Darby Allin, Kyle O’Reilly, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Jon Moxley, PAC & Wheeler Yuta (AEW, 11/12)
• vs. Kyle Fletcher (AEW, 11/22)
• vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW, 12/13)
• w/ Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Toni Storm vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Marina Shafir & Wheeler Yuta (AEW, 12/27)

“Just the easiest guy to root for. Mark Briscoe continues to be one of AEW most valuable assets. Perfect guy to just slot into the upper midcard. A lot of Briscoe’s year will be defended by his rivalry with Fletcher, a well that maybe they went to one it many times. But hey, they’re all good matches. Briscoe’s TNT title win and him beating MJF were two of the most euphoric moments in 2025. Reach for the sky boy”

“In 2025 Mark was both a miracle worker(the only man to get a good match out of MJF outside of Arena Mexico) and a model of consistency as one of the best tv workers in AEW. Also, I told one of my friends I would vote him top 10 if the MJF match was good and I’m a man of my word” ~ dokomoy

“It’s not his fault that Tony decides to book him against Kyle Fletcher or Ricochet every other month. Mark’s an integral part of both workers’ heel reinventions by being the ultimate babyface. Though each of those matches may come with diminishing returns, they still don’t miss. A versatile worker who makes the best of any placement on the card.” ~ chris

5. Zack Sabre Jr. (53 ballots, 3854 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 4
High Vote: Jacob S., Henry/HeadCheese, MC (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Ricochet (AEW, 1/5)
• vs. Hechicero (NJPW, 1/11)
• vs. Hirooki Goto (NJPW, 2/11)
• vs. Fuego Del Sol (GCW, 3/1)
• vs. Ryohei Oiwa (NJPW, 3/11)
• vs. David Finlay (NJPW, 3/16)
• vs. Timothy Thatcher (DEFY, 4/13)
• w/ Jun Akiyama vs. Taichi & Tomohiro Ishii (TakaTaichiMania, 5/7)
• vs. Hirooki Goto (NJPW, 6/29)
• vs. El Phantasmo (NJPW, 7/26)
• vs. Great-O-Khan (NJPW, 8/2)
• vs. Konosuke Takeshita (NJPW, 8/16)
• vs. Nigel McGuinness (AEW, 8/24)
• vs. Konosuke Takeshita (NJPW, 10/13)
• vs. Chris Brookes (DDT, 11/3)
• vs. Keita Yano (Tenryu Project, 11/4)
• w/ Ryohei Oiwa vs. Shota Umino & Yuya Uemura (NJPW, 11/25)
• w/ Ryohei Oiwa vs. OSKAR & Yuto-Ice (NJPW, 12/3)
• w/ Ryoei Oiwa vs. Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI (NJPW, 12/10)
• w/ Ryohei Oiwa vs. Gabe Kidd & Yota Tsuji (NJPW, 12/14)

“Wouldn’t call myself a fan of Zack Sabre Jr. I think he’s pretty good but something about his particular style of technical wrestling sometimes rubs me the wrong way. But this year like many years before, he just has too many great matches that I can’t justify not ranking him very highly on my end of year lists. No one is better than Zack at having great matches provided his opponent is a better wrestler than him.”

“At times he was my 1B with Mei Suruga, I wasn’t 100% confident with ZSJ as number 1. But, after thinking about it, watching and rewatching some of his matches from the last year, it became clear.

Zack Sabre Jr seems like the kind of wrestler that seems to find enjoyment from pro wrestling, being a world traveler and building up others. Lending his credibility to wrestlers/promotions all over the world.

Zack Sabre Jr feels like someone who didn’t just have the biggest variety of opponents and maybe most countries/regions matches too (from what I have seen). He feels like someone who wrestles to his opponent/setting and usually delivers for me.

Whether main eventing at the Tokyo Dome, to wrestling at a no ring show, having a great Artemis Spencer match to being the the antagonist helping Hirooki Goto’s win even better, having emotional matches with a friend/former tag team partner without it going to deep into melodrama, having emotional without it getting too silly, or have great matches in more obscure scenes, Zack Sabre Jr is my 2025 wrestler of the year!” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

“I’ve loved ZSJ for about a decade, but I’m forever grateful to his 2025 run helping others see the light that is Keita Yano. Real recognize real.” ~ chris

4. Kyle Fletcher (54 ballots, 3915 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 49
High Vote: Jonas G. (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 2/8)
• w/ Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay (AEW, 2/15)
• vs. Will Ospreay (AEW, 3/9)
• w/ Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs & Tomohiro Ishii (AEW, 4/2)
• vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 4/6)
• vs. Adam Page (AEW, 4/30)
• vs. AR Fox (AEW, 5/14)
• vs. Kyle O’Reilly (AEW, 6/25)
• vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW, 7/2)
• w/ Konosuke Takeshita vs. Bandido & BRody King (AEW, 7/9)
• vs. Mascara Dorada (AEW, 7/16)
• vs. Dustin Rhodes (AEW, 7/31)
• vs. Tomohiro Ishii (AEW, 8/9)
• vs. Komander (AEW, 9/27)
• vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 10/18)
• vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 11/22)
• vs. Kazuchika Okada (AEW, 11/26)
• vs. Kevin Knight (AEW, 12/3)
• vs. Mike Bailey (AEW, 12/10)
• vs. Jon Moxley (AEW, 12/27)

“I would like to be the first to congratulate Kyle Fletcher on winning the official Violent People most improved wrestler award. Its worth remembering that Kyle Fletcher used to suck so bad. Some shitty little Osperay wannabe. But somehow he has transformed into one of the best wrestlers of 2025. He’s concocted this beautiful character who is a vicious psychopath when in control but a snivelling yellowbelly coward when things aren’t going his way. A message to all the shitty wrestlers out there: let Fletcher be an inspiration, you can just become good. “ ~ Padraig

“Feels like he really found himself this year. He sometimes goes a little too much in his matches but is still growing. Had maybe the best match I have ever seen live and maybe the one of best cage matches ever vs. Will Ospreay.” ~ Henry/HeadCheese

“Most improved, by a longshot. Jury was still out until he was finished with the Ospreay feud, though Fletcher showed his range in nearly every opportunity given since. Not his fault he was stuck in a 45 minute main event in September. “ ~ Stevan S.

3. Hechicero (59 ballots, 4130 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 3
High Vote: Tanner, jon (1)

Recommended Matches

• vs. Blue Panther (CMLL, 1/10)
• vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, 1/11)
• w/ Barbaro Cavernario & Soberano Jr. vs. Atlantis Jr., Mistico & Titan (CMLL, 2/7)
• vs. Ultimo Guerrero (CMLL, 2/14)
• vs. Barbaro Cavernario (NJPW, 2/28)
• w/ Dr. Polux Jr. & Virus vs. Blue Panther, Kaoma Jr. & Xelhua (Indy, 3/27)
• vs. Solar (Lucha Memes, 4/12)
• vs. Mascara Dorada (AEW, 5/28)
• w/ Bandido vs. Mascara Dorada & Mistico (Radioactiva, 7/3)
• w/ Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs. Mascara Dorada, Mistico & Neon (CMLL, 7/8)
• w/ Josh Alexander, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Bandido, Brody King, Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey (AEW, 7/16)
• vs. Mistico (AEW, 7/25)
• w/ Angel de Oro & Difunto vs. Atlantis Jr., Mascara Dorada & Mistico (CMLL, 8/8)
• vs. Bandido (ROH, 8/29)
• w/ Angel de Oro vs. Bandido & Mistico (CMLL, 9/5)
• w/ Barbaro Cavernario vs. Mascara Dorada & Mistico (CMLL, 9/13)
• vs. Bandido (CMLL, 10/3)
• w/ Averno & Barbaro Cavernario vs. Mascara Dorada, Mistico & Neon (CMLL 10/14)
• vs. Chris Ridgeway (RevPro, 10/18)
• vs. Satanico (CMLL, 12/2)

“Now splitting his time between CMLL and AEW, Hechicero continues to be one of, if not the best technical wrestler on earth. So fluid in his action but with buckets of charisma that make you care about everything he does. Hechicero has adapted his style well to AEW TV wrestling but still does what he’s always done when in CMLL. A versatile year from Hechicero” ~ Padraig

“Hechicero in 2025 feels like my favorite indie artist deciding to go mainstream, more pop. Maybe not their best stuff but you see the flourishes that made you fan for at least just a moment in everything they do.” ~ Sam D.

“Very obviously a step down from 2025 when he was the wrestler of the year, but a step down for Hechicero is still being easily one of the top ten best wrestlers of the year. “ ~ FUJIWARASMIRK

“We used to beg CMLL to do literally anything with Hechicero. He was a talented super-worker with a real knack for strong fundamental wrestling without sacrificing personality in the process. Now he’s so good in any setting on any show, we can take Hechicero’s skills for granted. The guy who was killing it in Chilangamask and Cara Lucha while working Puebla matches is now having a ‘down year’ when he has something as special as the December Satanico match on his resume. Let’s appreciate the man while he’s doing this. He’s on an all-time run.” ~ chris

2. Mistico (54 ballots, 4466 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 13
High Vote: Owen R., Dan Rice, Chris W. (1)

Recommended Matches

• w/ Atlantis Jr. & Titan vs. Barbaro Cavernario, Hechicero & Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 2/7)
• vs. Averno (NJPW, 2/28)
• w/ Mascara Dorada vs. Hologram & Komander (CMLL, 3/21)
• vs. KUSHIDA (CMLL, 5/2)
• vs. Averno (CMLL, 5/27)
• vs. Bandido (CMLL, 6/27)
• w/ Mascara Dorada vs. Bandido & Hechicero (Radioactiva, 7/3)
• vs. Hechicero (CMLL, 7/25)
• w/ Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos & Difunto (CMLL, 8/15)
• w/ Bandido vs. Angel de Oro & Hechicero (CMLL, 9/5)
• w/ Angel de Oro, Atlantis Jr., Difunto, Mascara Dorada, Neon, Templario, Titan, Volador Jr. & Zandokan Jr. vs. Action Andretti, The Beast Mortos, Donovan Dijak, Lio Rush, Michael Oku, Mike Bailey, Robbie X, Rocky Romero, Taiji Ishimori & TJP, CMLL, 8/29)
• vs. MJF (CMLL, 9/19)
• vs. Bandido (Radioactiva, 10/2)
• vs. Ultimo Guerrero (MLW, 10/4)
• vs. Austin Aries (MLW, 10/4)
• w/ Mascara Dorada & Neon vs. Angel de Oro, Barbaro Cavernario & Niebla Roja (CMLL, 10/10)
• w/ Mistico & Neon vs. Averno, Barbaro Cavernario & Hechicero (CMLL, 10/14)
• w/ Mascara Dorada vs. Difunto & Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 12/5)
• vs. Soberano Jr. (CMLL, 12/12)
• vs. Difunto (CMLL, 12/23)

“Mistico accomplished something no other wrestler ever has. He went back to back winning the prestigious MLW Opera Cup for the second year in a row. This is unprecedented, folks. We now look forward to 2026 hoping or dare I say praying that Mistcio does the impossible and pulls off the 3-peat.” ~ Padraig

“Mistico is so far ahead of every other (major promotion)wrestler when it comes to crowd connection that I’m not even sure who was second best in that regard during 2025. In addition to being a model of consistency throughout the year Mistico pulled off the greatest miracle in all of pro wrestling last year by managing to have a genuinely great match with one of the worst wrestlers in the world.” ~ dokomoy

“With Mistico, the standard is the standard, and it’s one I never got tired of. El Sky Team was teflon for me, and the MJF miracle was an extraordinary feat. Best not to take these years for granted while we have them.” ~ Stevan S.

“Too often, great matches get credited almost entirely to the wrestler with the better reputation going in. Not Místico vs MJF, though. It’s basically impossible to over-credit Místico for that one. That was Místico’s masterclass: timing, crowd connection, and a willingness to bleed, all perfectly deployed on the biggest stage. You might question using that much talent to make MJF look good—but you can’t question the talent.” ~ Nick Yeoman

““I have never experienced the type of euphoria for a wrestler in real time that I get whenever Místico wrestles in Arena México. It is the closest modern wrestling has to having a territorial star who constantly gets a hero welcome every time they come out. Similar to those aces of yesteryear, Místico wrestles and carries himself like the biggest star in the room, elevating the importance of whatever he’s doing in the process. Be it in Arena México or a special appearance at an ROH taping, Místico always remains Místico.

It also helps that he’s one of the best in the world too. Throughout 2025, Místico became the essential volume pick in terms of WOTY discussion for me. Obviously being in the volume promotion helps him in this regard, but it’s in the peaks of Místico’s year that he truly demonstrates why he’s one of the best in the world. Specifically, getting an outstanding Anniversario apuesta out of MJF of all people.” ~ PEN

“The easiest case to make for Mistico as the best wrestler of 2025 is that he brought the absolute best out of MJF on two different occasions, in a program that I’ve dubbed “The Montelenovela”.

Speaking broadly on his career, though, this is the first year I’ve started to click with the idea of Mistico as an all-time great luchador. It’s largely due to rewatching his greatest work from the past. His match with Dr. Wagner Jr. from July 2007 became one of my all-time favorites during this period of reappraisal. Part of what always put a ceiling on my enjoyment of Mistico in the past was my inability to buy into his comebacks, a sense that he constantly superman-ed his way to success, no matter how vicious his opponent’s onslaught was. Funnily enough, it wasn’t till I started to look through a more theological lens that Mistico resonated with me.

There’s a limit to how much you can truly dig into Mistico without speaking on faith, at least in some capacity. In part because it’s all over Mistico’s iconography and visual motifs; in his mask, his gear, his entrance. It’s the undercurrent that maximizes his presence in the ring and holds his matches together. When you start to view his comebacks as something holy flowing through him to provide the strength to mount some form of resurgence, any logical pitfalls become inconsequential, allowing you to be swept up in his spirit.

A particular match with Templario from 2023 illustrated this. Templario, a luchador with a similarly Catholic bend to his character, got swept in Mistico’s wave of divine momentum and had the fear of God put in him via La Mistica, selling the shock of nearly being caught in the submission by huddling along the ringpost in a borderline fetal position, one that made his attitude throughout the match resemble a completely different man. 

2025 Mistico is no different: the same transcendental flow-state he enters brought out his best in a year when he arguably had his biggest international platform since his failed WWE run. The rudos Mistico faced knew how to draw the most pathos from him, making his peaks feel that much grander.

This isn’t a rejection of analyzing wrestling through more secular terms, but an acknowledgment that sometimes spirituality can breed a flavor of romanticism, one that turns “good” into gold.” ~ Sol

1. Jon Moxley (56 ballots, 5086 points)
Last Year’s Rank: 12
High Vote: xiomax, HD, Padraig, Nick Yeoman, PEN, Stevan S., BQ, FUJIWARASMIRK, Corwo, Simon, dokomoy, Flae, Justice, Brennan, Charles F., Marilyn, Andy/ShrimpBizkit, MM, Kelly S., Bucky! (1)

Recommended Matches

• w/ Wheeler Yuta vs. Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood (AEW, 1/29)
• vs. Cope (AEW, 3/19)
• w/ Marina Shafir vs. Swerve Strickland & Willow Nightingale (AEW, 4/2)
• w/ Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta vs. Katsuyori Shibata, Powerhouse Hobbs & Samoa Joe (AEW, 4/16)
• w/ Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Powerhouse Hobbs, Samoa Joe & Swerve Strickland (AEW, 5/21)
• w/ Claudio Castagnoli, Marina Shafir, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson & Wheeler Yuta vs. Katsuyori Shibata, Kenny Omega, Powerhouse Hobbs, Samoa Joe, Swerve Strickland & Willow Nightingale (AEW, 5/25)
• w/ Gabe Kidd & Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey & Willow Nightingale (AEW, 5/28)
• vs. Mark Briscoe (AEW, 6/4)
• vs. Adam Page (AEW, 7/12)
• vs. Adam Page (AEW, 7/30)
• vs. Mike Bailey (AEW, 8/6)
• w/ Wheeler Yuta vs. Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey (AEW, 8/14)
• w/ Claudio Castagnoli, Gabe Kidd, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs. Darby Allin, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi & Will Ospreay (AEW, 8/24)
• vs. Daniel Garcia (AEW, 9/6)
• vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 9/20)
• vs. Tomohiro Ishii (AEW, 10/7)
• vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 10/18)
• vs. Kyle O’Reilly (AEW, 10/22)
• vs. Royce Isaacs (DEFY 10/24)
• vs. Roderick Strong (AEW, 11/8)
• w/ Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, PAC & Wheeler Yuta vs. Darby Allin, Kyle O’Reilly, Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong (AEW, 11/12)
• vs. Kyle O’Reilly (AEW, 11/22)
• vs. Claudio Castagnoli (AEW, 12/3)
• vs. Konosuke Takeshita (AEW, 12/6)
• vs. Kyle Fletcher (AEW, 12/27)

“‘We outrun who we were yesterday.’ That’s how I’ll remember 2025 Mox, someone who started the year just legitimately disliked by a lot of the AEW audience. I was and am a huge Mox fan and while I argue he’s putting in good performances, a lot of those early matches were bad. But he used this and transformed it into the right type of heat building into a perfect crescendo where Hangman wins the title. And when he started to fall, oh how he fell. He was a coward, a hypocrite, he was wrong, he was a loser and it was so so satisfying to watch. But then, he built himself back up. Through the C2 he built himself back up and getting fans back on his side resulting in match against Fletacher where are ace of mother fucking universe returnted to us. Wrestler of decade man. Mox FC” ~ Padraig

“Even if the feud with Copeland was a genuinely abysmal start to the year, Moxley had worked AEW fans into such a shoot that a small portion of the audience was genuinely rooting for him to drop the Men’s World Title to Powerhouse Hobbs on a televised episode of Dynamite. He turned the best heel work of the decade into signature moments that rehabilitated Adam Page as a top babyface, established Darby Alin as the rogue moral center of the company, and briefly made Kyle O’Reilly look like someone who could vie for a midcard title. And that’s to say nothing of a truly awe-inspiring performance in the Continental Classic that turned him back into a babyface by sheer force of will. After a middling 2024, it’s incredible to see the range of the worker who is well on his way to establishing himself as the wrestler of the decade. I love you, Mr. Husband: you are the only good man left in this world.” ~ Orchid

“Early in the year I felt like at times Moxley’s matches were too reliant at times on outside interference for heat but that’s the only real nitpick I have with Mox’s in ring work all year. Probably the most consistent wrestler of 2025(even if his first few PPV matches weren’t good he was very good in them) who also managed to peak about as high as anyone(vs Darby and Hangman). For much of the year I had other guys in consideration for the number one spot but Moxley’s fantastic run and face turn during the C2 really put him over the top.” ~ dokomoy

“I’m sure a lot of people are going to have a lot of words about the guy, so I just want to point and laugh at all the morons that got worked for like eight months into thinking JON MOXLEY of all wrestlers isn’t good. Get some fucking taste, people.” ~ FUJIWARASMIRK

“From the Death Riders litmus test, to a unanimous WOTY shout in a matter of months. Those who were paying attention know that the work was always there, and the combination of volume and peaks is simply too staggering to ignore. Long live the king.” ~ Stevan S.

“I’m not sure how familiar Mox is with hostile modernist or post-modernist art, but at the start of 2025 he was basically creating it. Ahead of his fourth title reign he said he wasn’t interested in “great” matches—he wanted his bouts to make the crowd uneasy. Mission accomplished. Anything  athletic,  fun, even the catharsis were stripped away. The reign worked on every level: fans hated it and were desperate for him to lose, even as ratings ticked up the longer he held the gold. When the title finally changed hands it was one of the biggest feel-good moments in company history.

And just to underline the point, once the job was done he immediately switched back to the kind of matches that earn universal praise. Wrestling would be a lot healthier if it celebrated swings like that—actually attempting something ambitious—rather than just rewarding the safe versions of what companies already produce and audiences already expect.” ~ Nick Yeoman

““I don’t know when it was exactly. Despite me never buying into the bullshit premise that the shortcomings that befell the Death Riders angle at the start of year was somehow Mox’s fault, he wasn’t my top pick for most of the year. Despite the title match with Hobbs and the plunder brawl with FTR being some very lovely TV matches that I got a lot of enjoyment out of, he never screamed out as a top pick for me. Somewhere along the way though, things started to change.

The mini-feud with The Opps was some great TV, including the awesome title switch and cage match with Samoa Joe. I wasn’t a fan of the Anarchy in the Arena match but Mox was a delight when the spotlight was on him. 

When Hangman/Mox was confirmed for All In: Texas, I was admittedly a little skeptical. Despite loving their 2023 feud, them running it back, in a Texas Deathmatch no less, had me doubtful they could recreate that magic here. Needless to say, they lived up to my expectations. Despite producing a louder version of their Revolution 2023, there is something about these two together that makes me believe that they are easily one of the best pairings in the 2020’s and Mox is a big reason as to why that is. More importantly though, this is where the tide shifts.

The Darby matches, the KOR carryjobs, the mini TV feud with JetSpeed and of course, the Continental Classic run that concluded in the incredible Kyle Fletcher match to end the year. The ace of the universe came back and reclaimed his throne, shutting all doubters up in the doubters up in the process. Never doubt your heroes.” ~ PEN

“Whatever your thoughts on Jon Moxley were at the beginning of 2025, he drastically overperformed your expectations.

There were so many takes on Jon Moxley’s 2024. On the low end, he was a guy phoning it in as part of a stale stable eating up too much TV time. On the high end, he was a still-world-class level worker hampered by bad opponents and booking. Most fell somewhere between those poles. The NJPW title run was pretty flat. The AEW stuff was solid, but felt like a step down from what he was doing in 2022-23. In 2025, Mox became undeniable again.

The start was iffy. The first Cope match with the Christian cash-in flat-out stunk. The Swerve match suffered from a seeming lack of chemistry even if you looked at Moxley’s individual performance and thought he was great. After that, concern lessened.

Moxley played his role perfectly as Hangman Page rose to the top again and finally slayed the dragon. He elevated guys like Mark Briscoe, Mike Bailey, Daniel Garcia, Roderick Strong. He reignited his lightning-hot feud with Darby Allin for the soul of AEW. There was plenty of solid work in tags, trios, and big gimmick matches in between. A month-long feud with Kyle O’Reilly in 2024 would have had even his biggest defenders in 2024 grumbling for something better. 2025 Moxley made it year-defining work. He capped it off with a C2 run where he got the crowd back on his side not just as a great worker, but as their hero.

In a year Mercedes, Toni, Hangman, Fletcher, Joe, Mark, Ospreay, and many others brought their best, Jon Moxley was still the ace of AEW at the end of the day. He proved himself not just as the best wrestler in the promotion, but truly the most important figure in the company’s success. A well-deserving top pick for this list.” ~ chris