Pantoja’s Top 100 Matches Of 2025 (#10-1)

Click here for part nine of the Top 100 Matches Of 2025, looking at #20 through 11.

10. 5STAR Grand Prix Quarterfinals: AZM vs. Saya Kamitani – STARDOM 5STAR Grand Prix 8/20/25

Image Credit: STARDOM

Saya, frustrated from a rare loss last time out, attacked AZM before the bell and was throwing her into rows of steel chairs soon after. Saya was on fire and, outside of attempting to win via countout, didn’t let up on AZM. A lengthy kneebar put AZM in even more trouble. AZM fired up soon after, reeling off some impressive moves, including catching a Saya knee and turning it to a modified German suplex. The spot where she caught Saya’s spinning heel kick into an armbar was a thing of beauty. The torque she ended up with on that armbar was enough that I thought it was the finish. The Star Crusher into Azumi Sushi into Saya rolling though the Azumi Sushi was masterful. Then the Star Crusher getting countered into a Destroyer that led to the Azumi Sushi made for one of the best near falls all year. The very loud “AZM” chants and Star Crusher kickout really cemented that this was a big moment for AZM. AZM slipped out of a second Star Crusher and did two rolls through of the Azumi Sushi to score a massive win in 12:27. Holy fuck that was awesome. That felt special. A win over the top champion and qualifying for the final four of this tournament. An incredible atmosphere and a fantastic story told. In the conversation for the best STARDOM match of 2025. [****¾]

9. Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes [c] vs. Kevin Owens – WWE Royal Rumble

Image Credit: WWE

I really wish KO would’ve won the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event and dropped it back here. The Sid run. Crowd was red hot for this. Big brawl mostly out of the ring to start. They were brawling like a classic Attitude Era main event. I love that shit. KO was on his game, talking trash throughout and even yelling at Michael Cole while coming across as a dangerous villain. When they got back into the ring for the more traditional ladder match stuff, it was fantastic. This felt like a classic big fight main event people two people who dislike each other. This wasn’t about the high spots (though there were still some great ones), it was about a fight with ladders. From Cody using a rung to wail on KO to KO using taking a back bump, the ladder was used as a weapon in smart ways, not just for the sake of it. The fisherman buster onto the ladder was one of the best spots of the year. That led to officials coming to check on the competitors. Sami Zayn ran out and looked worried. KO got up and shoved the referees away, continuing the fight only to have his Stunner countered into the Cross Rhodes. That sparked an emotional Cody run that peaked when he did the Alabama Slam off the announce table and through a ladder. A sickening spot. As Sami and officials checked on KO, Cody climbed the ladder to retain in 25:04. An unbelievable match. In the conversation for my favorite ladder match ever. Just a brutal, absolute war that was everything I could want in this match type. [****¾]

8. IYO SKY vs. Mayu Iwatani – Marigold Grand Destiny

Image Credit: Marigold

One of my most anticipated matches of the year. The best currently in the world against the GOAT. The opening exchanges here were friendly, with the two playing into their history and the fans relishing in the nostalgia. IYO turned it up a notch with a tope suicida but spent time posing for the crowd, allowing Mayu to return the favor. That led to strikes and bigger offense as this stopped being so friendly. I popped for a body slam on the apron because that’s not something I’ve seen often. From that point on, the rest of this match really felt like two icons trying to prove who was better. It’s a simple story to tell, yet one that works so well with the right people and Mayu and IYO are indeed the right people. From German suplex to moonsaults, these two were trading big blows like only they can. The crowd hung one every spot, completely engrossed in the action. The closing stretch was something special and when Mayu did her signature Poison Rana, I really believed it was over, leading to one of the best near falls of the year. IYO’s straightjacket German suplex got the same reaction from me. IYO added a Tombstone and two moonsaults to win after an epic 26:28. As if that was gonna be anything less than spectacular. Two legendary wrestlers having a stellar main event that lived up to the hype. I can’t ask for much more. [****¾]

7. Women’s World Championship: IYO SKY [c] vs. Rhea Ripley – WWE Evolution

Image Credit: WWE

Crowd was super into this. IYO won the first exchange and did a slow version of her signature taunt, remaining one step ahead of Rhea. When Rhea got the upper hand, she mocked the IYO taunt and got booed for it. They did a spot where they told each other they respected one another but then started swinging and it didn’t really get a reaction. But they’re incredible so they quickly found ways to get the crowd into it with a big right hand from Rhea and a springboard moonsault from IYO. That set up a good run by IYO but Rhea turned things around and slowed the pace. Again, the momentum swung though because after Rhea dominated for a bit, IYO snapped off a sick tornado DDT. They just kept up with action like that, never really letting their feet off the gas. IYO hit a sick poison rana and then Rhea got two on a ridiculously stiff Razor’s Edge and sitout powerbomb. IYO went for her springboard dropkick but Rhea moved and the referee Jessika Carr took it instead. That set up a Rhea visual win with the Riptide and a very frustrated Rhea. The fight spilled into the crowd, which I was not expecting. Rhea tried a powerbomb out there as she was getting more aggressive but IYO got free and instead hit a cross body off several crates out there. Back at ringside, Rhea took a powerbomb bump on the floor that was gnarly. IYO hit the moonsault as the official came to but it was only good for a near fall. IYO went back up and tried to pull Rhea up with her but got leveled. Rhea then went up with her only to take a Spanish Fly. That brought out Naomi with her Money in the Bank briefcase. The bell rang to make this officially a triple threat match. She hit IYO with the briefcase and sent Rhea outside before beating IYO with the split-legged moonsault in 26:19. A very unexpected ending to a spectacular match. I could see some people not liking the finish but it worked for me like it did at WrestleMania 31. The cherry on top of a great match that prevents the expected Rhea win, did something totally unexpected, gave someone a great moment, Rhea still hasn’t beaten IYO, and the Raw side of things was shaken up. [****¾]

6. Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament Finals: Hangman Page vs. Will Ospreay – AEW Double or Nothing

Image Credit: AEW

A criticism often directed at AEW has been an overuse of tournaments. While there’s merit to that, at the very least, 2025 gave us some incredible tournaments. None were capped by a better match than the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament, which saw Will Ospreay and Hangman Page battle to earn a shot at the AEW World Title, which they planned to save from the Death Riders. This was kind of the definition of an epic. You could tell they were going long from the start but their feeling out process wasn’t just filler. It was two guys trying not to make the first mistake and gain the upper hand on one another. At no point was it boring or did it feel like it dragged. That’s hard to do over 36:59. They built to bigger and bigger spots with a level of quality that only two of the best on the planet could manage. I liked that Will was more emotional and hype coming in while Hangman was more stoic. I liked that Will got more aggressive and violent as this went on. I loved how into every little detail the crowd was. When they started battling over Buckshot Lariat vs. Hidden Blade and then busted out the signature moves of Kenny Omega, Christopher Daniels, and Swerve Strickland, it was spectacular. The final exchange of countering finishers until Hangman hit the Buckshot Lariat to win was a thing of beauty. A special match and I can’t wait for the day these two do it again. [****¾]

5. World of Stardom Championship Career vs. Career Match: Saya Kamitani [c] vs. Tam Nakano – STARDOM All-Star Grand Queendom

Image Credit: STARDOM

After Saya beat Tam to end her STARDOM career, Tam got one more shot, putting her entire career up against Saya’s. I thought there would be a slow start as they try for an epic main but things were hot from the word go. Tam took a nasty bump off the top and onto the apron, setting the tone for a match where she gave her all. Saya kept the pressure on, choking Tam with a chain on the outside. Tam took a beating here but she’s the top babyface for a reason. She garnered a ton of sympathy here, especially with the added career caveat. A long running knee outside turned the tide only for Saya to snap off a sick rana that sent Tam off the apron and to the floor. Interestingly, Saya still couldn’t pull the trigger on the Phoenix Splash and commentary even noted that was the old Saya shining through. Down the stretch, you felt the emotion as both were fighting for their wrestling lives. Each strike and move meant more and more. Both women had massive kickouts at 1 and you could feel the desperation in a lot of what they did. I thought the finish was when Saya picked Tam up after a Star Crusher and hit a pump knee but that kickout really surprised me. Saya then hit a Twilight Dream of her own to win in 29:00. The hesitation on that three count by the referee was a nice added touch. A highly emotional match that lived up to the hype and felt like a truly special outing. When you add in the post-match, the whole experience is special. [****¾]

4. AEW World Championship Texas Death Match: Jon Moxley [c] vs. Hangman Page – AEW All In

Image Credit: AEW

Hangman’s entrance was a thing of beauty as he ultimately came out to his old babyface theme. It was less than three minutes in before Hangman bloodied Mox with a fork. And we could see ALL OF IT. Then a couple of minutes later, Hangman was bleeding from barbed wire. Then we got Hangman being dragged across broken glass. Then Moxley took a powerbomb on the tops of two open chairs. This was gnarly in the wildest sense. They were plenty of run-ins but given the story, it made sense and was perfectly done. Mox threw everything at Hangman who refused to give up. Mox got the plastic bag to choke out Hangman before a video played on the tron of Darby Allin from the top of Mt. Everest, saying he was coming down to take everything from him. Then, a masked Bryan Danielson hit a Busaiku Knee and as that happened, Darby was rappelled down to the ring, making his official return. The Young Bucks also showed up to set up a bed of nails spot. Moxley hit a stomp and Paradigm Shift onto the nails, yet Page again got up. Moxley asked Marina for the key that she always has on. She went to get the briefcase but got handcuffed to the table by a sneaky Prince Nana. And there was Swerve with the chain from the other day to take out the Bucks. He slid to Hangman who used it to lay into Moxley and then hang him with it over the ropes, though that didn’t last long. Moxley got inside and took a Buckshot Lariat where he fell onto the nails. He did the hanging choke which Mox sold like it was the end of the world. He panicked and tapped at 35:53. Incredible. Overbooked in the best possible way with the right outcome in the end. Wrestling is beautiful in that something like this could come from something that was so bad in the Death Riders angle. [****¾]

3. Gabe Kidd vs. Kenny Omega – AEW/CMLL/NJPW/ Wrestle Dynasty

Image Credit: NJPW

Most of the time, I write these reviews as I watch the matches. Not in this case. I wanted to fully take in the return of Kenny Omega. A guy who I wasn’t too high on when everyone else jumped on the bandwagon but someone who won me over by being a stellar wrestler. AEW and wrestling in general has missed him. This had a big match feel and commentary did well to hype the AEW vs. New Japan thing here. Gabe Kidd hates that Omega used NJPW and left. This was intense from the start and only got taken up a notch when Kenny powerbombed Gabe through a table outside. The crowd was rather split but leaned toward Gabe as he might be a bastard but he’s defending the honor of New Japan. Kenny played into that, doing things like yelling at the Young Lions. Gabe responding with a Brainbuster through a table and then doing the Shibata pose is wild. Chairs were brought into play for some vicious spots but the true highlights were the strikes and kicks. The strikes, V-Trigger, and lariat section, complete with Gabe shouting “FUCK YOU” was special. Then, they made me pop for a goddamn abdominal stretch. Gabe countered the One Winged Angel into it and given Kenny’s diverticulitis and that the move is an Inoki staple, it was absolutely perfect here. Gabe had another few great chances and remained defiant to the end as he ate a V-Trigger and fell to the One Winged Angel after 31:55. That was special. Nuts that Kenny’s two best Tokyo Dome matches came in 2023 and 2025. New Japan needs to make Gabe Kidd a top guy. Him and Yota should be the two to carry this thing for years to come. This is only the third time I’ve given this score out in the Tokyo Dome after Ibushi/Nakamura and Ospreay/Omega. [*****]

2. AEW Women’s World Championship Hollywood Ending Match: Toni Storm [c] vs. Mariah May – AEW Revolution

Image Credit: AEW

Not having this main event the show was a MISTAKE. Mariah came out with a wedding veil and she jumped Toni during her entrance. Hollywood Ending is basically anything goes. Mariah tried to use a taser ad Luther stopped her so she dropkicked him over a table. She did take a vicious back bump on the stage because of it though. Toni hit her with a choke bomb off the stage and through a table for a huge early spot. Mariah responded with a piledriver on the stairs and we had a very bloody Toni from that point on. Like, she was GUSHING blood. Toni brought broken glass into play too, adding to the violence level here. The glass was used to cut Mariah and Toni had a champagne bottle broken between her legs. The visuals of Toni drenched in blood was sick. Toni got the famous shoe from their rivalry, causing Mariah to bail up the ramp. That allowed a bloody Mariah to hit Mayday for two on the stage. Toni wailed on her with the heel and then hit Storm Zero to retain in 12:54. That was probably not for everyone but I absolutely loved it. A spectacular match that was every bit the war it needed to be with the right callbacks and the ending with Toni basically hugging Mariah as she pinned her was perfect. [*****]

1. Women’s World Championship: IYO SKY [c] vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley – WWE WrestleMania 41

Image Credit: WWE

The build for this wasn’t good but it’s the three best in the company so I was all in. The challengers tried to push IYO aside again but she stopped them and got off to a hot start. Everyone got their moment to shine, like a Rhea somersault to the outside, IYO getting a huge pop on an Asai moonsault, and a ridiculous suplex sequence by Bianca. Just tremendous action with the momentum swinging in dramatic fashion often. They did a big Tower of Doom style back suplex spot where IYO took a massive bump. IYO also got another huge pop after a great spot and her “point to herself” taunt only for Bianca to run her over with a Pounce. IYO’s selling throughout should be praised because it was some of the best I’ve seen. The avalanche Riptide counter into the moonsault block to the KOD was one of the greatest sequences I’ve ever seen. In a sick finish, Rhea blocked a poison rana up top and dropped IYO’s head on the ring post, then Rhea and Bianca had a sick exchange that saw Bianca do a hair whip and KOD, only for IYO to break it up with a moonsault and get the three count. 14:27 of absolute perfection. That was one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen. [*****]