My Top 10 Matches Of The Year 2025
I've been toying around with the idea of doing a MOTY list on this blog for a long time. Why? Because it's a bit of a double-edged sword. One one hand, I absolutely love reading these lists from other people. On the other, I really don't enjoy making them myself. Even though I'm a frequent voter for the Voices Of Wrestling MOTY list, I've always disliked ranking things I simply enjoyed. Still, I figured it was finally time to give it a shot here, so I hope you have some fun with my MOTY list.
Honorable Mentions
- Shoji Ono vs. Yasushi Sato (Mutoha, February 16)
- Toru Sugiura vs. Rina Yamashita (FREEDOMS, March 19)
- Fuminori Abe & Takuya Nomura vs. Hikaru Sato & Manabu Hara (Kakuto Tanteidan, April 8)
- Katsuyori Shibata & KENTA vs. Minoru Suzuki & Naomichi Marufuji (TAKAYAMANIA, Sept' 3)
- Yasu Urano vs. Akito (Fujita Pro Wrestling School, November 16)
- Jun Kasai vs. Hideyoshi Kamitani (BJW, December 31)
Hayabusa is back! What initially sounded like a morbid idea became reality in April 2025. The new Hayabusa's debut against Masato Tanaka was solid, but just three and a half weeks later they met again in a Mask vs. Career match, and this time it was miles better than their first encounter.
Although the match started a bit slow considering the high stakes, it picked up once Tanaka dropped Hayabusa with a stiff elbow strike, only for Hayabusa to pop right back to his feet. A great visual and the spark that lit the fire. From there, the match had everything you would expect from Tanaka vs. Hayabusa: Sliding D's, top-rope dives, Falcon Arrows, and even a brutal splash through a table.
Sure, this felt a little nostalgic seeing these two square off (again), and maybe that's exactly why it cracked my top 10 matches of 2025.
Not a year without a Mutoha match in my Top 10, huh? This time it's the Unicorn Rules Match featuring Akira Jo, GENTARO and Taro Yamada against the reunited Mushuku trio of Kenichiro Arai, CHANGO and PSYCHO. For those unfamiliar: Unicorn Rules means three falls: first a singles match, then a tag bout and finally a six man tag team match.
This was some of the most intelligent pro-wrestling you'll see. From crisp technical work and gritty grappling to clever, underhanded tactics, it had everything. CHANGO and PSYCHO stood out early, catching GENTARO with a roll-up and immediately attacking the opposing trio as the second fall began. Don't underestimate them, though their technical wrestling is excellent.
However, the real stars of the show were Kenichiro Arai and GENTARO. GENTARO in particular is so underrated it almost feels criminal. Their work was incredibly smooth, slick, and a joy to watch. The match was long, but deeply rewarding if you stayed with it until the end. Excellent pro-wrestling with a clear three-layered story, and honestly, maybe even better than my #9.
Fuminori Abe had never beaten Hikaru Sato before. Now, as a co-promoter of his own show series, Kakuto Tanteidan, Abe was determined to prove a point, that he could finally defeat Hikaru Sato in a true mano-a-mano encounter.
Like I already mentioned, this was Abe's show, yet Hikaru Sato controlled most of the match. Sato's holds and attacks were so sharp that Abe spent nearly the entire bout fighting just to escape. Desperate to finally overcome Sato, Abe even went back to his brutal shoot headbutts, but still, it wasn't enough.
This went nearly thirty minutes, yet it flew by thanks to the quality of their work. Every time Abe fired up, Sato answered with even more intensity. Abe's legs in particular were shredded by Sato's devastating low kicks. In the end, a battered and exhausted Abe couldn't answer the ten count, Sato sealed a brutal and decisive finish.
Retirement shows are always something special. We recently witnessed the grand farewell of Hiroshi Tanahashi, and last year Kyushu said goodbye to its greatest hero, Mentai Kid. His retirement match against the grumpy Genkai was, hands down, the best retirement match of 2025.
The entire entrance was wild, even more over the top than the usual Mentai Kid legendary walkout. Draped in Umaibo on every bodypart, the atmosphere was pure joy, a perfect snapshot of why Kyushu Pro is so special. Genkai, a hardened veteran and Mentai's total opposite, provided the ideal contrast.
They went nearly thirty minutes without losing the crowd for a second. The match was simple, emotional and proudly old school. Mentai's fire still burned as he fought to give the fans one last great memory, but there was no fairytale ending. Genkai's cold determination made him the perfect final hurdle. Mentai showed incredible heart, kicking out again and again before finally being put down.
Jack versus Takeda is a historic pairing after all these years. They've been enemies, partners, and enemies again, and this time they were out to prove who the better man truly is. At Blood X'Mas, their first singles meeting on FREEDOMS' most improtant show of the year, history and rivalry collided head-on.
And what can you expect from these two madmen? Exactly violence. Jack and Takeda set out to maim each other, using every weapon imaginable. I absolutely hate the fork boards; those b*astards look horrifying. It was epic and deeply uncomfortable to watch at the same time, and that's something only FREEDOMS can deliver these days.
Notably, there was a missed spot where it looked like Takeda was legitimately hurt, which added a ton of drama to the match rather than hurting it, something not every match can say. The finishing stretch was awesome and pure FREEDOMS: Jack ended things with a Package Piledriver onto the aforementioned fork board. Ouch.
Hands down, this was a war. There are deathmatches on this list, yet this bout was almost just as brutal without a single weapon involved. It exploded right away when Tababa tried to catch Gajo off guard, only to be blasted and thrown aside. In just seven minutes, they delivered a complete battle: vicious strikes and kicks, shoot headbutts, blood everywhere, and two men trading absolute nuclear bombs until both were left shattered.
These were two genuine killers, working as if they truly wanted to destroy each other. Tababa's kicks were vicious, while Gajo's brutal strikes tore him apart, culminating in a spear that nearly cut Tababa in half for the win. Absolute carnage, this was a war ladies and gentlemen.
The beauty of the game, huh? After failing short so many times, watching from the ground floor as others bathed in a rain of confetti - Hirooki Goto finally climbed the mountain, defeating Zack Sabre Jr. in Osaka to become IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. What a time to be alive.
Althought I had a feeling this might finally be the time for the Goto Revolution, they still got me on several occasions, especially when Zack locked in those freakish submission holds. Watching Goto struggle, inch by inch, toward the ropes was simply awesome, one of those moments that hits you right in the emotions after being a pro-wrestling fan for decades.
These two gentleman delivered an absolutely masterful match, one that toyed with the emotions of everyone who has waited so long to see this man finally reach the top of the New Japan mountain. Maybe that's exactly why it worked so well. The Osaka crowd, always something special, was fully invested and completely lost it when Goto landed the Shoten Kai followed by two GTR's, igniting the Goto Revolution for the first time in history. This is what pro-wrestling is all about: witnessing a man finally triumph after a chase that lasted more than a decade.
I can't help it, but I just absolutely love both maniacs to death. The atmosphere these two create is incredible for me. Sure, they're no Kobashi and Misawa in terms of pure match quality, but their energy and aura come remarkably close to evoking that same feeling for me.
It was pure carnage and brutality, with several spots that made my blood run cold. This was a textbook one-on-one deathmatch: glass, barbed wire, and every weapon imaginable. It ticked all the boxes for me as a deathmatch fan. Compared to their 2022 singles match, this was far more brutal, while the 2022 bout carried more emotional weight on it.
On a sidenote, this match was for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and it would have been absolute bonkers if Kasai had won the title here. The finish ranked among the match's greatest moments, with Desperado almost unable to lift Kasai because of the sheer amount of blood he had lost.
This match was fifteen minutes of pure grappling joy, a technical feast for all the freaks who live for holds, counters, and subtle chaos. It started respectfully, with a handshake that Zack Sabre Jr. gladly accepted. What followed was a pleasant surprise: the usually smug Brit put aside his cocky attitude and focused entirely on precision, control and technical mastery. Yano, on the other hand brought his own flavor of mischief and shithousery into the bout.
I love watching Yano unleash his tremendously creative holds and counters and it doesn't matter if he's performing in front of sixteen fans at his own Wallabee shows or here, in front of nearly a thousand fans at the legendary orange seat arena, broadcast on Japan's biggest wrestling streaming service. Sabre Jr. was by no means outmatched; he met Yano hold for hold, counter for counter. When Yano started to tighten up and turn the tempo higher, the Lionmark representative followed suit, matching that intensity with the same precision and attitude.
The finishing stretch was awesome. After all the grappling, the two finally started throwing hands. Zack rocked Yano with some European Uppercuts right to the jaw, but Yano fired back with his own, matching him strike for strike after being on spaghetti legs for some time. He nearly caught Zack twice with flash pin attempts afterwards. As one famous old-school German wrestler once said, “You’ll get rolled up like a sausage” and that couldn't have been more fitting here, even if this idiom does not make the most sense. Both men tumbled across the mat in a giddy exchange of roll-ups and counters, each trying to outsmart the other. Then, out of nowhere, Zack trapped Yano in a Japanese Leg Roll Clutch and scored the three count.
Okay, here we are. I'm usually not much of a fan of three way matches (no pun intended), but with these three men, I was fully invested. You've got the two best deathmatch wrestlers of our generation and a genuinely great wrestler who also happens to bleed like a stuffed pig. Put them in the same ring and you're mixing the most dangerous cocktail imaginable.
This turned into a complete bloodfest. Takeda and Kasai clearly relished putting El Desperado through unimaginable pain, while Desperado proved once again what a master he is at suffering, even with his face barely protected by the remnants of his mask. It was relentlessly brutal, gruesome, yet captivating from start to finish.
Some spots weren't new to the deathmatch scene, but the execution made all the difference. Whether it was glass or light tubes, Kasai and Takeda made everything look like it came straight out of a horror film. Takeda dissected Kasai with his trademark scissors, Kasai shattered tubes over Takeda, and Desperado losing his mask early only added to the raw chaos of the match.
It ticked every box for me. This may not have been the most innovative deathmatch you'll ever see, but it was an emotional rollercoaster, with the sheer brutality and the will to win escalating minute by minute.
I especially loved the spot where all three stood in the middle of the ring, trading punches, each just trying to survive the carnage. Everyone was drenched in blood, full crimson masks everywhere, absolutely insane. This match pulled genuine emotion out of me, and that's exactly why it was my Match of the Year.
- Jun Kasai vs. Hideyoshi Kamitani (BJW, December 31)
#10 - Hayabusa vs. Masato Tanaka (ZERO1, August 3)
Hayabusa is back! What initially sounded like a morbid idea became reality in April 2025. The new Hayabusa's debut against Masato Tanaka was solid, but just three and a half weeks later they met again in a Mask vs. Career match, and this time it was miles better than their first encounter.
Although the match started a bit slow considering the high stakes, it picked up once Tanaka dropped Hayabusa with a stiff elbow strike, only for Hayabusa to pop right back to his feet. A great visual and the spark that lit the fire. From there, the match had everything you would expect from Tanaka vs. Hayabusa: Sliding D's, top-rope dives, Falcon Arrows, and even a brutal splash through a table.
Sure, this felt a little nostalgic seeing these two square off (again), and maybe that's exactly why it cracked my top 10 matches of 2025.
#09 - Unicorn Rules (Mutoha, February 16)
Not a year without a Mutoha match in my Top 10, huh? This time it's the Unicorn Rules Match featuring Akira Jo, GENTARO and Taro Yamada against the reunited Mushuku trio of Kenichiro Arai, CHANGO and PSYCHO. For those unfamiliar: Unicorn Rules means three falls: first a singles match, then a tag bout and finally a six man tag team match.
This was some of the most intelligent pro-wrestling you'll see. From crisp technical work and gritty grappling to clever, underhanded tactics, it had everything. CHANGO and PSYCHO stood out early, catching GENTARO with a roll-up and immediately attacking the opposing trio as the second fall began. Don't underestimate them, though their technical wrestling is excellent.
However, the real stars of the show were Kenichiro Arai and GENTARO. GENTARO in particular is so underrated it almost feels criminal. Their work was incredibly smooth, slick, and a joy to watch. The match was long, but deeply rewarding if you stayed with it until the end. Excellent pro-wrestling with a clear three-layered story, and honestly, maybe even better than my #9.
#08 - Hikaru Sato vs. Fuminori Abe (Kakuto Tanteidan, October 23)
Fuminori Abe had never beaten Hikaru Sato before. Now, as a co-promoter of his own show series, Kakuto Tanteidan, Abe was determined to prove a point, that he could finally defeat Hikaru Sato in a true mano-a-mano encounter.
Like I already mentioned, this was Abe's show, yet Hikaru Sato controlled most of the match. Sato's holds and attacks were so sharp that Abe spent nearly the entire bout fighting just to escape. Desperate to finally overcome Sato, Abe even went back to his brutal shoot headbutts, but still, it wasn't enough.
This went nearly thirty minutes, yet it flew by thanks to the quality of their work. Every time Abe fired up, Sato answered with even more intensity. Abe's legs in particular were shredded by Sato's devastating low kicks. In the end, a battered and exhausted Abe couldn't answer the ten count, Sato sealed a brutal and decisive finish.
#07 - Genkai vs. Mentai Kid (Kyushu Pro, May 11)
Retirement shows are always something special. We recently witnessed the grand farewell of Hiroshi Tanahashi, and last year Kyushu said goodbye to its greatest hero, Mentai Kid. His retirement match against the grumpy Genkai was, hands down, the best retirement match of 2025.
The entire entrance was wild, even more over the top than the usual Mentai Kid legendary walkout. Draped in Umaibo on every bodypart, the atmosphere was pure joy, a perfect snapshot of why Kyushu Pro is so special. Genkai, a hardened veteran and Mentai's total opposite, provided the ideal contrast.
They went nearly thirty minutes without losing the crowd for a second. The match was simple, emotional and proudly old school. Mentai's fire still burned as he fought to give the fans one last great memory, but there was no fairytale ending. Genkai's cold determination made him the perfect final hurdle. Mentai showed incredible heart, kicking out again and again before finally being put down.
#06 - Masashi Takeda vs. Violento Jack (FREEDOMS, December 25)
Jack versus Takeda is a historic pairing after all these years. They've been enemies, partners, and enemies again, and this time they were out to prove who the better man truly is. At Blood X'Mas, their first singles meeting on FREEDOMS' most improtant show of the year, history and rivalry collided head-on.
And what can you expect from these two madmen? Exactly violence. Jack and Takeda set out to maim each other, using every weapon imaginable. I absolutely hate the fork boards; those b*astards look horrifying. It was epic and deeply uncomfortable to watch at the same time, and that's something only FREEDOMS can deliver these days.
Notably, there was a missed spot where it looked like Takeda was legitimately hurt, which added a ton of drama to the match rather than hurting it, something not every match can say. The finishing stretch was awesome and pure FREEDOMS: Jack ended things with a Package Piledriver onto the aforementioned fork board. Ouch.
#05 - Gajo vs. Takahiro Tababa (Big Bear Produce, February 22)
Hands down, this was a war. There are deathmatches on this list, yet this bout was almost just as brutal without a single weapon involved. It exploded right away when Tababa tried to catch Gajo off guard, only to be blasted and thrown aside. In just seven minutes, they delivered a complete battle: vicious strikes and kicks, shoot headbutts, blood everywhere, and two men trading absolute nuclear bombs until both were left shattered.
These were two genuine killers, working as if they truly wanted to destroy each other. Tababa's kicks were vicious, while Gajo's brutal strikes tore him apart, culminating in a spear that nearly cut Tababa in half for the win. Absolute carnage, this was a war ladies and gentlemen.
#04 - Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW, February 11)
The beauty of the game, huh? After failing short so many times, watching from the ground floor as others bathed in a rain of confetti - Hirooki Goto finally climbed the mountain, defeating Zack Sabre Jr. in Osaka to become IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. What a time to be alive.
Althought I had a feeling this might finally be the time for the Goto Revolution, they still got me on several occasions, especially when Zack locked in those freakish submission holds. Watching Goto struggle, inch by inch, toward the ropes was simply awesome, one of those moments that hits you right in the emotions after being a pro-wrestling fan for decades.
These two gentleman delivered an absolutely masterful match, one that toyed with the emotions of everyone who has waited so long to see this man finally reach the top of the New Japan mountain. Maybe that's exactly why it worked so well. The Osaka crowd, always something special, was fully invested and completely lost it when Goto landed the Shoten Kai followed by two GTR's, igniting the Goto Revolution for the first time in history. This is what pro-wrestling is all about: witnessing a man finally triumph after a chase that lasted more than a decade.
#03 - El Desperado vs. Jun Kasai (NJPW, June 24)
I can't help it, but I just absolutely love both maniacs to death. The atmosphere these two create is incredible for me. Sure, they're no Kobashi and Misawa in terms of pure match quality, but their energy and aura come remarkably close to evoking that same feeling for me.
It was pure carnage and brutality, with several spots that made my blood run cold. This was a textbook one-on-one deathmatch: glass, barbed wire, and every weapon imaginable. It ticked all the boxes for me as a deathmatch fan. Compared to their 2022 singles match, this was far more brutal, while the 2022 bout carried more emotional weight on it.
On a sidenote, this match was for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, and it would have been absolute bonkers if Kasai had won the title here. The finish ranked among the match's greatest moments, with Desperado almost unable to lift Kasai because of the sheer amount of blood he had lost.
#02 - Keita Yano vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (Tenryu Project, November 4)
This match was fifteen minutes of pure grappling joy, a technical feast for all the freaks who live for holds, counters, and subtle chaos. It started respectfully, with a handshake that Zack Sabre Jr. gladly accepted. What followed was a pleasant surprise: the usually smug Brit put aside his cocky attitude and focused entirely on precision, control and technical mastery. Yano, on the other hand brought his own flavor of mischief and shithousery into the bout.
I love watching Yano unleash his tremendously creative holds and counters and it doesn't matter if he's performing in front of sixteen fans at his own Wallabee shows or here, in front of nearly a thousand fans at the legendary orange seat arena, broadcast on Japan's biggest wrestling streaming service. Sabre Jr. was by no means outmatched; he met Yano hold for hold, counter for counter. When Yano started to tighten up and turn the tempo higher, the Lionmark representative followed suit, matching that intensity with the same precision and attitude.
The finishing stretch was awesome. After all the grappling, the two finally started throwing hands. Zack rocked Yano with some European Uppercuts right to the jaw, but Yano fired back with his own, matching him strike for strike after being on spaghetti legs for some time. He nearly caught Zack twice with flash pin attempts afterwards. As one famous old-school German wrestler once said, “You’ll get rolled up like a sausage” and that couldn't have been more fitting here, even if this idiom does not make the most sense. Both men tumbled across the mat in a giddy exchange of roll-ups and counters, each trying to outsmart the other. Then, out of nowhere, Zack trapped Yano in a Japanese Leg Roll Clutch and scored the three count.
This was absolutely awesome and a pure joy watching Keita Yano share the ring with one of the most famous technical wrestlers of our generation. It felt special seeing Yano bring his unique style of wrestling weirdness to such a big stage. Now I've got the bug for it: Run it back! Or, at least, give Yano another high profile opponent under the bright lights.
#01 - El Desperado vs. Jun Kasai vs. Masashi Takeda (Crazy Festa, March 10)
Okay, here we are. I'm usually not much of a fan of three way matches (no pun intended), but with these three men, I was fully invested. You've got the two best deathmatch wrestlers of our generation and a genuinely great wrestler who also happens to bleed like a stuffed pig. Put them in the same ring and you're mixing the most dangerous cocktail imaginable.
This turned into a complete bloodfest. Takeda and Kasai clearly relished putting El Desperado through unimaginable pain, while Desperado proved once again what a master he is at suffering, even with his face barely protected by the remnants of his mask. It was relentlessly brutal, gruesome, yet captivating from start to finish.
Some spots weren't new to the deathmatch scene, but the execution made all the difference. Whether it was glass or light tubes, Kasai and Takeda made everything look like it came straight out of a horror film. Takeda dissected Kasai with his trademark scissors, Kasai shattered tubes over Takeda, and Desperado losing his mask early only added to the raw chaos of the match.
It ticked every box for me. This may not have been the most innovative deathmatch you'll ever see, but it was an emotional rollercoaster, with the sheer brutality and the will to win escalating minute by minute.
I especially loved the spot where all three stood in the middle of the ring, trading punches, each just trying to survive the carnage. Everyone was drenched in blood, full crimson masks everywhere, absolutely insane. This match pulled genuine emotion out of me, and that's exactly why it was my Match of the Year.
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