The best of wrestling in the year 2025

Last week, I did my Worst Of list for 2025, and as promised, I’m now going in a more positive direction with my Best Of list for the year. Once again, just like with my worst list, I’m only covering what I actually watch, which is mostly WWE-related content. Because of that, AEW will not be covered here either.

So with that said, let’s get started with the Best Of 2025.

1. Best Male Wrestler: John Cena

Let’s be honest here—I could have gone with several other names, but I had to go with the GOAT. This was John Cena’s retirement tour, and for most of the year, he delivered like a guy who was still in his prime 15 years ago. He had classics with Randy Orton, CM Punk, AJ Styles, Dominik Mysterio, and, like it or not, Gunther.

He deserves to be recognized not only as the greatest of all time, but also as the Best Male Wrestler of 2025.

2. Best Female Wrestler: Stephanie Vaquer

This was a very hard category to pick, as many women had great years in 2025. However, I went with Stephanie Vaquer because of the year she had overall. She started the year as a double champion in NXT, got called up to the main roster, continued to deliver strong performances against top women on RAW, and finished the year as Women’s Champion.

That shows how much faith WWE has in her and why she earns my pick for Best Female Wrestler of 2025.

3. Best Tag Team: The Hardy Boyz

This was an easy pick, as no tag team in WWE truly stood out this year. SmackDown’s tag division started strong, but after WrestleMania, the belts went to the Wyatts and the division completely crumbled. On RAW, tag team wrestling barely existed.

Because of that, I went outside WWE and chose TNA’s legends, The Hardy Boyz. Not only did they prove they can still go, but they had a strong run as tag champions with quality matches in both TNA and NXT.

They may not have many years left, but they showed they can still perform at a high level.

4. Best Commentator: Michael Cole

I never thought I would ever pick Michael Cole for this category, but here we are. Ever since Vince McMahon stopped being in Cole’s ear, he has become a completely different announcer. He’s clearly having fun now, and that makes the shows he calls far more enjoyable to watch.

Honorable mention goes to Tom Hannifan, who continues to do an excellent job in IMPACT and proves why it was a mistake for WWE to release him in the first place.

5. Best Weekly Show of the Year: IMPACT

While I could have gone with any WWE show here, I chose TNA IMPACT because it’s a show I genuinely look forward to watching every week. They’ve not only kept me interested in their weekly product, but they’ve also made me want to watch their PPVs and special events.

Considering the quality they’ve produced while airing on AXS TV, just imagine how strong the product could be once they move to AMC. This is just the beginning for a company many thought would be dead a decade ago.

6. Best Match of the Year: John Cena vs. AJ Styles

There were many great matches this year, but this one takes it for me. Both Cena and Styles went into this match wanting to top their previous encounters, and in my opinion, they succeeded.

They knew this was likely their final chapter together and used the match as a tribute to everyone they had ever faced. This was a masterclass in storytelling—proof that you can have a great match without relying on nonstop high-risk spots. If I were a young wrestler, this would be required viewing.

7. OMG Moment of the Year: AJ Lee’s Return

This was the moment nobody thought would ever happen. AJ Lee had been very open about being happy with her post-wrestling life and had no desire to return. Yet, with some persuasion from CM Punk, she made her return to a massive ovation and proved she could still go after all those years away.

8. Best PPV/PLE of the Year: WWE Evolution

This was a tough choice, as I loved both WrestleMania and SummerSlam, and TNA also had great shows like Slammiversary and Bound for Glory. However, I chose Evolution because it wasn’t supposed to be great.

This event felt like it was meant to be a throwaway show used for counter-programming. WWE barely promoted it, which supported that idea. Instead, the women delivered across the board and produced arguably the best show of the weekend. This proved Evolution should be a yearly event with real backing behind it.

9. Best Booker/Promoter: Shawn Michaels

I went with Shawn Michaels over Triple H mainly because NXT had a stronger and more consistent creative year. While WWE had some great moments, it also had some truly awful stretches on both RAW and SmackDown.

NXT, on the other hand, always felt fresh. The partnership with TNA has helped immensely, and for that reason, Shawn Michaels earns my pick as Best Booker of the year.

10. Best Promotion: TNA

Honorable mention goes to AAA, which I’ve started watching more of thanks to WWE putting their content on YouTube. However, TNA takes this spot.

They already had momentum early in 2025 and continued building it, culminating in the biggest crowd in company history at Bound for Glory. While they didn’t fully capitalize on that immediately, everything since their return from hiatus has been top-notch. This momentum should carry them into their AMC era.

TNA has been a hidden gem for years, and hopefully more fans discover them in 2026.

11. Biggest Wrestling Story of 2025: The Death of Hulk Hogan

I wanted to include this category as a way to honor one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Regardless of how anyone feels about his politics or actions outside the ring, Hulk Hogan was the reason many of us became wrestling fans.

His passing was a shock and a major loss to fans worldwide. Like him or not, Hogan helped shape professional wrestling as we know it today, and he will always be remembered by Hulkamaniacs everywhere.

That wraps up my recap of 2025. Let’s hope 2026 is just as strong—if not better. With TNA continuing its rise, next year has the potential to be a very interesting one for professional wrestling.