We've passed the halfway mark of 2025! Hard to believe, eh?
July wasn't really a hotbed of exciting matches for me, or at least for the stuff I was watching. I was honestly a bit worried for the first few days and weeks that I wouldn't find a lot worth ranking for my Matches of the Year tournament! But, thankfully, a few glimmering lights shone through.
But that's a topic for next week, read on today and find out which matches blew me away for the month of July.
Mike D Vecchio vs. Aigle Blanc - AJPW Champion Carnival 2025 - Day 1 - 04/09/2025
Featured in Weekly Watchlist 055
FTR vs. The Outrunners - AEW Collision 100 - 07/05/2025
It's my firm belief that FTR are the greatest tag team of the modern era. They've had more than their fair share of exceptional tag team matches in multiple companies, over several years, and they just keep going. The Outrunners quickly got over in AEW as a parody of 1980's action movie star wannabees. The "Youngest Men Alive" are always hot when they come out, but they never really back up the level of excitement they garner with their work in the ring, but this match proved they can go. Sure, they're in the ring with FTR, but they more than held up their end of the match, selling like death and clawing through FTR's advances to get a crazy hot tag. I really hope we get to see The Outrunners have more exciting matches, proving they are more than just a gimmick, they needed this match. Happy for them.
Swerve Strickland & Will Ospreay vs. The Young Bucks - AEW All In Texas - 07/12/2025
It should come as no surprise to anyone that these four men put on an incredible tag team match. Arguably the best tag team going today against two of AEW's very best. Being a great singles guy does not always mean you will excel in a tag team, but Swerve and Ospreay had chemistry that would fool you into thinking they've been tagging for years. Insane tandem offence, blistering sequences, all the action and drama you'd expect from these four men. My expectations were high and they were exceeded here. Great, great stuff.
Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada - AEW All In Texas - 07/12/2025
I spoke about this match in pretty good detail in my Weekly Watchlist 057 "Wrestling Roundup." Omega and Okada already proved that their chemistry in ring is other worldly, and their history together is one of the most well documented feuds in modern wrestling. It really shouldn't make a difference where this match took place, but there's a big difference between a Japanese match and an American match. Trust me, it's a thing. To the surprise of none, Okada and Omega were able to "Americanize" their previous match style and pulled it off beautifully. It wasn't a perfect match, but it more than lived up to the hype.
Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Mone - AEW All In Texas - 07/12/2025
Much like Okada and Omega, it should have come to no surprise that two of the very best in the Women's Division would have an exceptional match. The buildup has been amazing, with the unbeaten Mone challenging the dominant, unflappable Storm. It was a real nail biter of a match, waiting to see which of these two would give in first. They beat seven bells out of each other while repeatedly landing their most powerful moves on each other to no avail. The third act of this match kept building and building to unbelievable heights until Mone was put down for the first time in her AEW career. Amazing work from both ladies, I loved this.
Jon Moxley vs. Adam Page -Texas Death Match - AEW All In Texas - 07/12/2025
Well, we're nearly a month removed from this match and I still don't have the words to describe it. I'll put it in simple terms; violent, vicious, heinous, inhuman, cathartic, satisfying, concerning, beautiful, euphoric. That's as much as I can manage. The fork to the head, the powerbomb on the chairs, a bed of nails, glass, every bit of this match was both nail bitingly intense and soul movingly beautiful. I'm out here making up phrases just so I can describe this match to you. I'm losing the ability to formulate a normal sentence. Please just watch it and experience it for yourself.
Miracle Generation vs. Sinner And Saint - DPW No Pressure 2025 - 02/16/2025
S&S have been a relatively new name in DPW, with Miracle Generation already having a handfull of matches with the company. The tag division is feeling fresh and exciting with ViF winning the titles back, only for GYV to unseat one of DPW's very best teams. Everyone is vying for a chance at the gold and are putting more effort into their matches then ever before. All four men came to this show with the intent to out perform the rest of the card. S&S have this cool, unshakable charisma about them that I really love. Their styles contrasted each other really well with Miracle Generation working from beneath to try and get the advantage on S&S. A fast paced, indie-riffic tag match that exceeded my expectations.
Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak - Last Man Standing - NXT Battleground 2023 - 05/28/2023
Featured in Weekly Watchlist 057
Colby Corino vs. Trevor Lee vs. Adam Priest - DPW No Pressure 2025 - 02/16/2025
A match that missed being included in the Watchlist purely due to my wrists just feeling up to doing more typing, this three way dance told a really fun story. Priest and Lee spent a good chunk of the match beating the living hell out of Corino. The now ex-National Champion and man who spent time wrestling for a national company decided that Corino needed to be dealt with sooner than later. Perseverant since day one, Corino gutted through the double team offence, even taking it to both men with some hard hitting offence of his own. Fast paced, exciting, and a tight story told, I really enjoyed this one.
Bandido vs. Konosuke Takeshita - ROH Supercard of Honor 2025 - 07/11/2025
I'll be totally honest with you guys, I don't really get Bandido. I understand he's seen as a great wrestler, but there's always been something about his style and presentation that never clicked with me. The change in his music has helped greatly, and so did this match. I've talked about Takeshita so much I could be considered a Takeshita fan account. I knew he'd hold up his end of the deal in this match, and Bandido more than carried his weight. Bleeding like a pig, he spent the majority of the match fighting from beneath and doing whatever it took to get one over on Takeshita. When they started to shift into third gear, this match felt like a proper Ring of Honor match. Big kick outs, nutty reversals, edge of your seat type action. Not a soul sitting in the arena and I was close to jumping out of my chair a couple of times. Excellent stuff.
Moose vs. Leon Slater - TNA Slammiversary 2025 - 07/20/2025
A match given a lot of time and hype, the very idea of the X Division having "no limits" was really put to the test here. The monstrous Moose vs. the small and nimble Slater is as tantalizing on paper as it is in the ring. A perfect example of how good a David vs. Goliath matchup can be in the insane and always exciting X Division. Expectations exceeded, crowd brought along on a wave of excitement from bell to bell, and a crowning moment befitting the excitement of this match. Far and away the best show on the Slammiversary card that proves that, despite a lot of TNA's shortcomings and easy criticisms, it still has the capabilities to put on some of the greatest wrestling on American soil.
Well, that's it! A much lighter month of awesome matches, but that's partly due to your favourite blogger just struggling personally and not really feeling up to watching a boatload of wrestling. Just keeping my head above water, y'know?
Until next month, take it easy friends. Stay well.
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