Hi Folks!

It's June and it's the midway point the year. So, it's time for the Best Matches Watched thus far for 2025. I'm only including things that I've covered in the blog. I have been watching Mid-South Wrestling but haven't talked about any of that yet. That will be my 80's project for the year. 

HM stands for Honorable Mention and are matches that absolutely worth checking out along with the classics. I mention them because, you might watch them and be like, "No dude... that was badass. That is a classic too." And you know those ones that are on the fence for me too. I have to give them a nod here along with the classics. 

Also I tend to think of things in terms of promotional/regional style. You might love a TNA tag match but hate a GAEA tag. Or dig New Japan Juniors but not like death matches at all. You know your preferences best so, keep that in mind! If you need more info then, go and read my comments in the  corresponding original post 😋 

I have sorted things by promotion and by year below:

BJW

• Ryuji Yamakawa vs. Jun Kasai (Land Mine Board Russian Roulette Death Match)  (BJW 03/03/02) HM
• MEN's Teioh vs. Daisuke Sekimoto (BJW 03/30/03)
• Kintaro Kanemura vs. Ryuji Ito (Cage Death Match)(BJW 08/24/03)

GAEA

• Chigusa Nagayo & Aja Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Chikayo Nagashima (GAEA 02/08/02) HM
• Meiko Satomura vs. Chikayo Nagashima (GAEA 04/14/02) HM
• Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada vs LCO (GAEA 07/14/02) HM
• Manami Toyota & Aja Kong vs. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada (GAEA 08/30/02)
• Mayumi Ozaki & KAORU vs. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada (GAEA 10/20/02)

NJPW

• Takeshi Morishima & Takeshi Rikio vs. Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie (NOAH 04/07/02) Putting this with NJ since it's an inter promotional match
• Yoshihiro Takayama vs Kazuyuki Fujita (NJPW 08/29/02) HM
• Kenta Kobashi vs. Masahiro Chono (NJPW 05/02/03)
• Yuji Nagata vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (NJPW 05/02/03) HM
• Tiger Mask vs. Takehiro Murahama (NJPW 06/13/03) HM
• Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW 06/13/03)

ROH

• Jerry Lynn vs Nigel McGuinness (ROH Southern Hostility 2008) HM
• *Bryan Danielson vs Davey Richards (Final Countdown: Boston 09/25/09)*
• KENTA & El Generico vs Nigel McGuinness & Davey Richards (Steel City Clash 2009)
• Davey Richards vs KENTA (Supercard of Honor IV 2009)
• KENTA & Tyler Black vs Austin Aries & Katsuhiko Nakajima (Take No Prisoners 2009)
• American Wolves vs KENTA & Roderick Strong (Violent Tendencies 2009) 
• KENTA vs Tyler Black (End of an Age 06/27)
• American Wolves & Chris Hero vs Steenerico & KENTA (ROH on HDnet ep #17 aired 07/18/09) 
• Austin Aries vs Davey Richards (Aries vs Richards 11/13/09)

TNA

• Jerry Lynn vs AJ Styles (TNA PPV #20 11/06/02) HM
• Triple X (Elix Skipper & Christopher Daniels) vs Jerry Lynn & Amazing Red (TNA 09/04/03)
• Team Canada (Bobby Roode & Eric Young) (w/Scott D'Amore) vs. America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris & James Storm) (TNA Final Resolution 2005)
• Sabu & Raven vs Jeff Jarrett & Rhino (Sacrifice 2005) HM
• Sabu vs Rhino vs Abyss vs Jeff Hardy - Monster's Ball (Bound for Glory 2005) HM
• Sabu vs vs Abyss - No Ropes Barb Wire match (Turning Point 2005)

WCW

• Ricky Steamboat vs Ric Flair (WCW Spring Stampede '94)
• The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags) vs. Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan - Slamboree 05/22/94) HM
• Larry Zbyszko vs. Lord Steven Regal (05/28/94 WCW Saturday Night) HM
• Larry Zbyszko vs. Lord Steven Regal (w/Sir William) - Clash of Champions XXVII (27) (06/23/94) HM

Feud of the year so far is Larry Zbyszko vs Lord Steven Regal. I may have underrated those matches. I loved them. American Wolves vs Steenerico is probably second feud. Meiko Satomura & Ayako Hamada are the tag team of the year at this point. Although there's not as many matches of theirs, they feel most like a top tier tag team... they were putting on classic, big time matches. They feel like they belong in that mid to late 90's AJW level. Bryan Danielson is a perennial Best Match Watched contender and it's no different this year. And honestly, I don't know if I am a big fan of his anymore. I think I'm over-familiar. But that should be evidence for the quality of the nominated bouts. I'm not swayed by favoritism or nostalgia there. Those matches are that good. And the front runner is Bryan Danielson vs Davey Richards (Final Countdown: Boston 09/25/09). My wrestler of the year isn't listed above but comes from my Mid South viewing and that's Ted DiBiase. That's a teaser for those posts, I guess 🙂 Regal in '94, Davey in '09 & Satomura in 2002 would be runners up at the moment.

If you're bored with wrestling lately then, give these matches a shot. I'm sure you'll find something you like. Thanks for reading!