Welcome, one and all, to the finals of the 2025 Match of the Year tournament!
What a year 2025 was. Packed to the gills with exciting matches, if you were willing to look for them, that is. Not one of the best years, when you really get into the weeds, but plenty of quality wrestling out there for you to enjoy if you keep your nose to the ground, find a promotion you enjoy, and remember, you don't need to watch something if you don't enjoy it. Pretty crazy concept, eh? Who'd have thought?
Let's see what stood out this year, shall we?
Some keen-eyed readers will remember that the Match of the Year tournament was something I started near the middle of 2025 at the request of a dear friend of mine. I loved the idea and dived into it full on once I got the kinks worked out, but I obviously couldn't make retroactive posts about the matches of the month. So, instead, I just added some of my favourite matches from the year to my spreadsheet so I could better keep track of the year that was for me. Next year, obviously, I'll be able to keep track of stuff right from day one, but I feel I've got a pretty good grasp on what I enjoyed this year so going back and deciding what was best for the first half of the year wasn't all too difficult for me to do.
As far as the year that was, 2025 was quite the quality year for wrestling.
The Pre-Quarterfinalists of 2025
January | Jake Something & Mike Bailey vs. Alec Price & Kevin Blackwood - 01/21/2024 | Jordynne Grace vs. Tessa Blanchard - 01/19/2025
| Roderick Strong vs. Fuminori Abe - 05/19/2024
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February | Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Nobuhiko Takada - 02/14/1993 | FTR vs. Aussie Open - 10/01/2022
| Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd - 02/11/2025
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March | Toni Storm vs. Mariah May - 03/09/2025 | Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kenny Omega - 03/09/2025 | Jeff Cobb vs. Shingo Takagi - 01/15/2021
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April | Josh Alexander vs. Adam Page - 04/16/2025 | IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair - 04/20/2025 | Calvin Tankman vs. Jake Something - 10/13/2024 |
May | Adam Page vs. Kyle Fletcher - 04/30/2025 | Anarchy in the Arena - 05/25/2025 | Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay - 05/25/2025 |
June | Holy Demon Army vs. Super Generation Army - 06/09/1995 | Akira Hokuto vs. Rumi Kazama - 08/25/1993
| Zack Sabre Jr. vs. David Finlay - 04/11/2025 |
July | Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada - 07/12/2025 | Jon Moxley vs. Adam Page -Texas Death Match - 07/12/2025 | Bandido vs. Konosuke Takeshita - 07/11/2025
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August | Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher - Chicago Street Fight - 07/31/2025 | AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe - 09/11/2005 | Kenta Kobashi vs. Vader - 01/15/1995
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September | Claudio Castagnoli vs. Darby Allin - Falls Count Anywhere Match - 08/27/2025 | Bandido vs. Hechicero - 08/29/2025
| Adam Page vs. Kyle Fletcher - 09/20/2025
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October | Konosuke Takeshita vs. Mike Bailey - 10/19/2024 | Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin - I Quit Match - 10/18/2025 | Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Konosuke Takeshita - 10/13/2025 |
November | Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori - 04/02/1993 | Women's Blood And Guts Match - 11/12/2025
| Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe - No DQ - 11/22/2025
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December | Claudio Castagnoli vs. Jon Moxley - 12/03/2025 | Mike Bailey vs. Kyle Fletcher - 12/10/2025 | Jon Moxley vs. Kyle Fletcher - 12/27/2025 |
Picking 3 quality matches from each month was sometimes a lot harder than you'd anticipate, with some of the picks not showing up until the very end of the month and others happening in the first few days. It was a real mixed bag this year but I always managed to find something. I've got a knack for it, I think.
Let's see what advanced, yeah?
The Quarterfinalists of 2025
Better known as "Match of the Month."
January | Jake Something & Mike Bailey vs. Alec Price & Kevin Blackwood - 01/21/2024 |
February | Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd - 02/11/2025 |
March | Toni Storm vs. Mariah May - 03/09/2025 |
April | IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair - 04/20/2025 |
May | Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay 05/25/2025 |
June | Holy Demon Army vs. Super Generation Army - 06/09/1995 |
July | Jon Moxley vs. Adam Page -Texas Death Match - 07/12/2025 |
August | Dustin Rhodes vs. Kyle Fletcher - Chicago Street Fight - 07/31/2025 |
September | Bandido vs. Hechicero - 08/29/2025 |
October | Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Konosuke Takeshita - 10/13/2025 |
November | Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori - 04/02/1993 |
December | Mike Bailey vs. Kyle Fletcher - 12/10/2025 |
Given the distinct title of "Match of the Month," these matches proved to stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of the competition and wow me in ways that the other matches simply couldn't. But, not all of them could advance in the tournament. Half of them were destined to fall behind.
So, which ones made it through? Let's see!
The Semifinalists of 2025
A Block | Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd - 02/11/2025 |
B Block | Toni Storm vs. Mariah May - 03/09/2025 |
C Block | Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay 05/25/2025 |
D Block | Jon Moxley vs. Adam Page -Texas Death Match - 07/12/2025 |
E Block | Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Konosuke Takeshita - 10/13/2025 |
F Block | Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori - 04/02/1993 |
A close race to the finals, these 6 matches were some of the very best from this year and, if the year were to end 2, 3, or even 6 months earlier, would be legitimate contenders for Match of the Year.
But which ones advanced?
The Finalists of 2025
| Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay 05/25/2025 | Jon Moxley vs. Adam Page -Texas Death Match - 07/12/2025 |
This was a bit of a tough pick, honestly. Less so for the back half of the year, but picking between Storm/May and Ospreay/Hangman was a lot harder than you'd expect, given that I'm on record as a Hangman lover. But, something had to give, and these were my picks.
But what advanced? It was a tough pick, but something had to win!
The 2025 Match of the Year!
| Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay 05/25/2025 |
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| AEW |
It was a bit of a toss up leading into my final viewing for the year, but as this match got further and further along, there was no denying it,
this is the best match of 2025. Bar none. Far and away. It's simply perfection. Now, I will say this, Hangman beating Moxley at All In is a better
moment, but this match, from bell to bell, blows All In out of the water by a country mile. The story of "redemption vs. ascension," the stakes leading up to this one, the final piece in the Hangman babyface turn, my lord. This match.
This fucking match is incredible. I can't say it enough.
Keen eyed readers will see that I didn't re-watch their All In match for my final verdict for the simple reason that that match, after watching it a few short weeks ago, is far fresher in my mind than this match. I could certainly watch is for a third time, but I already know what I feel in my heart. Sorry Mox, you didn't get the big one this year.
What a year it was. Thank you 2025 for giving me some quality wrestling to enjoy. Sure, you weren't always great, but I choose to look at the positives and accentuate those when I have the chance.
Here's to 2026 being even better!
Until next month, take it easy friends!
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