The Takedown On SI's 2025 Pro Wrestling Awards: Best Wrestlers, Storyline, Match, Rivalry & More

Professional wrestling in 2025 can be summed up in just two words: cowboy shit.

Hangman Adam Page, the main character in the never-ending story of All Elite Wrestling, saddled up his horse and led the charge in what was a resurgent year for the company.

It was a year that saw blockbuster deals get done, new eras begin, and the last hurrah of the 'Greatest of All-Time', but if you looked beyond the headlines, you witnessed the men and women of AEW produce some of the most captivating and compelling programming of 2025. And our end-of-year awards reflect that great work.

The Takedown on SI had 14 categories up for debate this year, with multiple new additions to our lineup from 2024.

Our panel of nine writers carefully considered all the best matches, stories, promos and performances from December 16, 2024, to December 13, 2025, and ranked their top five selections for each category. The winners were determined by the total number of points, with a maximum of 45 points available.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

Storyline of the Year: Hangman Adam Page's Redemption Arc

Heading into 2025, Hangman Adam Page found himself still in the midst of his own madness created by his obsession for vengeance on Swerve Strickland. This led to a rivalry with his former mentor, Christopher Daniels, that saw Page end his friend’s career in a Texas Death Match.

Entering a rivalry with MJF, Hangman was able to find a desire to be the best again, not only to prove himself to be better than his rival, but also to redeem himself to the fans. Page entered the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, looking to regain the AEW World Title that had been held hostage by Jon Moxley and The Death Riders since WrestleDream last year.

After an instant classic with Will Ospreay at Double Or Nothing, the stage was set for All In: Texas 2025 where Page challenged Moxley in a Texas Death Match for the AEW World Title.

In one of the most emotionally gripping battles in company history, Page defeated the leader of the Death Riders and gave fans one of the most satisfying payoffs of the year when he released the physical title belt from its imprisonment inside of Moxley's briefcase.

Through this one win, Hangman redeemed himself from the evil depths he went to in the rivalry with Swerve, Strickland got his own redemption by helping his rival in the closing moments, and AEW was rescued from Moxley’s reign of terror. It was a masterful stroke of storytelling that won out over the controversial booking of John Cena's retirement tour.

2025 Runners-up: John Cena's Retirement, Downfall of the Death Riders

2024 Winner: The Bloodline Saga continues in WWE

- Sid Pullar III

Rivalry of the Year: Hangman Adam Page & Jon Moxley

For 273 days, Jon Moxley had a stranglehold on All Elite Wrestling. He retired Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream 2024 and promptly locked away the company's top prize from the public eye. It wasn't until All In: Texas that the AEW Men's World Championship belt saw the light of day again, and Moxley's loss to Hangman Adam Page in a brutal and bloody Texas Death Match was the satisfying conclusion that his fourth reign with the title desperately needed.

Hangman earned the opportunity to face Moxley for the championship after he defeated Will Ospreay to win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament at Double or Nothing. That victory alone was not enough to prove to Moxley that Page was worthy of calling himself the champion of All Elite Wrestling.

The lead-up to their encounter showcased why Adam Page is considered the heart and soul of AEW, as nearly every top face talent of the promotion stood behind him in his efforts to finally take down The Death Riders. Even his arch-rival of 2024, Swerve Strickland.

The title match at All In: Texas was a war that saw everyone who was involved in this feud get physical, plus some surprise returns from Bryan Danielson and Darby Allin. The rivalry between Moxley and Page has gone on for six singles matches now, and each one has felt massive due to both men being seen as the faces of All Elite Wrestling. This is the kind of feud that could carry a company for years to come.

2025 Runners-up: Toni Storm & Mariah May, CM Punk & Seth Rollins

2024 Winner: CM Punk & Drew McIntyre

- Ethan Schlabaugh

Heel Turn of the Year: Naomi

To answer an obvious question first: Why didn't John Cena's heel turn at WWE Elimination Chamber work? Cena himself admitted in an interview with Chris Van Vliet that his turn wasn't the original plan and was done simply to create a shocking moment for Elimination Chamber.

WWE's follow-up, which included approximately zero appearances from The Rock and saw rapper Travis Scott help Cena win his record-setting 17th World title at WrestleMania 41, was met with a lot of criticism.

Naomi's heel turn was more than a shocking moment. It unfolded over months of compelling storylines, including the mystery attack on Jade Cargill, her memorable return at Elimination Chamber to seek revenge on Naomi, Bianca Belair being caught in the middle of it all, and more.

Naomi's memorable Money in the Bank cash-in at WWE Evolution took the turn to another level and completed her rise to being one of the top stars in the company.

The initial Naomi heel turn didn't have the same shock value as the Cena turn, but the two couldn't have been more different in long-term execution, and that has to count for something when picking the most effective of the two.

2025 Runners-up: John Cena, Becky Lynch

2024 Winner: The New Day

- Blake Lovell

Best on the Mic: Timeless Toni Storm

Whether it was the ring, backstage, on commentary, or during a post-show press conference, whenever Timeless Toni Storm spoke during AEW programming in 2025, it was appointment viewing. As she has so eloquently stated on numerous occasions, she is the whore we all adore and the slut we simply will not rebut as anything other than the best wrestler with a microphone in her hand.

Critics may argue that her schtick is nothing more than sexual innuendo piled on top of vulgar language in an effort to draw a cheap pop from the crowd, but much like a colonoscopy, the meaning behind her words goes far deeper than you can possibly imagine.

Storm routinely undressed her opponents — metaphorically speaking, you sicko — and put their inadequacies and insecurities on full display for the world to see. A method of psychological warfare that often gave her the leg up on her rivals before their hot and sweaty physical encounters, that time again saw Toni finish on top.

AEW President Tony Khan actually held his multi-time women's champion back from going all the way with her buxom barrage of titillating trash-talk this year, but his restraints never hindered her performance. Once the most timid member of the Outcasts, Toni Storm has blossomed into the most entertaining woman in all of professional wrestling, and the quality of her work will no doubt prove to be timeless.

2025 Runners-up: Hangman Adam Page, Becky Lynch

2024 Winner: Drew McIntyre

- Rick Ucchino

Best in the Ring: Will Ospreay

When AEW signed Ospreay to a full-time contract, it gave credence to the claim of being "where the best wrestle." There is no such thing as a "TV match" for the 32-year-old Ospreay, as every time he steps into the ring, he delivers pay-per-view quality storytelling and action.

How impressive was Ospreay's 2025? He wrestled 26 matches, yet hasn't performed since August due to a major neck injury. Even so, he delivered some of the best bouts of his career this year, including a wild cage match with protégé Kyle Fletcher, a 30-minute draw with Swerve Strickland, and one of AEW's greatest matches ever, teaming with Strickland against The Young Bucks at AEW All In: Texas.

Ospreay's most memorable match of 2025, however, will go down as the Owen Hart Cup final against "Hangman" Adam Page. The two delivered an unpredictable and thrilling masterclass in pace, storytelling, and physicality, with Ospreay using his equity to effectively elevate Page's character back into the main event.

The Aerial Assassin's presence on television is greatly missed, and he's a near-lock to be the comeback performer of 2026, should he get healthy.

2025 Runners-up: IYO SKY, Konosuke Takeshita

2024 Winner: N/A - New award for 2025

- Jon Alba

Breakout Wrestler of the Year: Kyle Fletcher

When Kyle Fletcher shaved his head and greatly altered his look in alignment with Don Callis, it was clear that he was trying to make 2025 a special year. He succeeded greatly, emerging as the true breakout in a crowded and impressive field.

Fletcher was one of AEW's workhorses in 2025, logging more than 40 television matches to his name. A brutal cage match against Will Ospreay set the tone for his year, as he bled quite a bit en route to becoming AEW TNT Champion against Dustin Rhodes in a Chicago Street Fight.

He would also headline AEW All Out against "Hangman" Adam Page for the AEW World Championship, albeit in a losing effort.

"The Protostar" is knocking on the door of a full-time spot in the main event scene in AEW, and it would not be surprising to see him win the company's top gold in 2026.

2025 Runners-up: Dominik Mysterio, Je'Von Evans

2024 Winner: Jacob Fatu

- Jon Alba

Comeback Performer of the Year: Ilja Dragunov

If Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Attitude Era peak taught us anything, it’s this: The Bigger The Knee Brace, The Bigger The Star.

This is a mantra that Ilja Dragunov has, admittedly unwillingly, taken on board. After 13 months on the shelf with a torn ACL, the Mad Dragon returned to WWE television, giant knee brace and all, and promptly defeated Sami Zayn to capture the Men's United States Title in his first match back.

He then proceeded to carry on the tradition of the open challenge with a series of certified bangers against Aleister Black, JD McDonagh, Nathan Frazer, Johnny Gargano, Axiom, and Carmelo Hayes.

Not many performers could have handled the pressure that comes with inheriting the open challenge as masterfully as the Mad Dragon. And doing so, after spending more than a year away from the squared circle, has only made what he's done in a short amount of time even more impressive.

Don’t be surprised if Unbesiegbar does for the Men's United States Championship what his long-time rival Gunther did for the Intercontinental Title. Long may he reign.

2025 Runners-up: Becky Lynch, Bandido

2024 Winner: N/A - New award for 2025

- Joe Baiamonte

Tag Team of the Year: FTR

Cash Wheeler, Big Stoke, Dax Harwood | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

This was a really tough category to figure out in 2025. In AEW, Brodido was a random but breakout tag team. Same thing with Jet Speed. In WWE, how about Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss? That pairing not only performed incredibly in the ring, but also saved Flair from fan pushback and malaise coming out of WrestleMania.

For as good as they were, they were teams tossed together. They worked, but the tag team of the year goes to true tag team specialists. FTR, come on down.

Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler have been tucked away on Collision more than we'd like to have seen in 2025, but the name of the game for them this year has been heat. They turned heel on Adam Copeland at AEW Dynasty and have run with that ball ever since.

Of all the talent in AEW, FTR come across as the most heelish, because they try to be hated. What a concept! Adding Big Stoke to their character dynamic has been a marriage made in heaven, while Dax and Cash continue to deliver in the ring, especially against a legendary returning team like Cope and Christian Cage.

The excellent work of The Young Bucks in 2025 cannot go unmentioned, but Matt and Nick Jackson were edged out by a single point when all the staff votes were counted. Giving the Top Guys, the top spot.

2025 Runners-up: The Young Bucks, Brodido

2024 Winner: Fraxiom

- Zack Heydorn

Match of the Year: IYO SKY vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 41

While the Four Horsewomen are often credited with leading the revolution that transformed women's wrestling into what it is today, Rhea Ripley, IYO SKY, and Bianca Belair headlined the next generation of breakout NXT stars who helped solidify the long-term viability of the main roster women's division.

At WrestleMania 41, in front of 60,000-plus members of the WWE Universe who packed into Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, those three insanely talented women met in a triple threat match for the Women's World Championship and delivered an absolute spectacle.

In the immediate aftermath, there were some who said it was among the best matches in WrestleMania history. It certainly was the best of that weekend and was voted our best match of the entire year.

There were no tricks, no smoke and mirrors, and zero reliance on the no disqualification element of a triple threat match to spice things up. Just fast-paced, hard-hitting, and well-executed action from the moment the opening bell rang until IYO SKY's arm was raised in triumph.

Even after Belair sustained significant damage to her hand, an injury that has kept her out of the ring ever since, the match never skipped a beat. All three ladies worked together seamlessly to pull off numerous intricate transitions, including SKY taking a big boot from Ripley off an Over the Moonsault attempt and bouncing right into a K-O-D from Belair that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

As great a performance as it was from everyone involved, the 'Match of the Year' category for 2025 was loaded with serious contenders. Hangman Adam Page deserves a shoutout in particular for his incredible bouts with Jon Moxley at AEW All In: Texas and Will Ospreay at AEW Double or Nothing. Both matches ended up splitting our panel vote, which opened the door for Rhea, IYO and Bianca to narrowly take the top spot.

2025 Runners-up: Hangman Adam Page vs. Jon Moxley at AEW All In: Texas, Hangman Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay at AEW Double or Nothing

2024 Winner: Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty

- Rick Ucchino

Show of the Year: AEW Double or Nothing

Marina Shafir & Willow Nightingale | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

All Elite Wrestling had quite the year when it came to pay-per-views. While AEW Revolution and Dynasty were both very good to great major shows overall, there were some complaints about the main events of those individual events centered around The Death Riders.

Taking a different approach, AEW announced that Double Or Nothing would be bookended by the conclusion of their annual Owen Hart Foundation Tournaments. These two matches did not disappoint, starting with an excellent bout between Mercedes Mone and Jamie Hayter to kick off the show.

Then, in the main event, Hangman Adam Page and Will Ospreay delivered an epic encounter that is among the best matches of the entire year. Going back and forth for 37 minutes, these two competitors showed just how much the opportunity to headline All In: Texas meant to them, creating magic to close this event.

Elsewhere, Anarchy In The Arena made its return with Swerve Strickland, Kenny Omega, Willow Nightingale and The Opps overcoming The Death Riders and The Young Bucks in an insane spectacle. From Ricochet and Mark Briscoe in a Stretcher Match to Kazuchika Okada vs. Speedball Mike Bailey, this PPV has it all and is more than worthy of the honor of being the best of 2025.

Other events of note, AEW All In: Texas was the perfect conclusion to a lot of the company’s major stories and STARDOM All Star Grand Queendom was that promotion’s biggest show ever, while WWE Evolution showcased women’s wrestling with a memorable night filled with noteworthy matches and moments.

2025 Runners-up: WWE Evolution, AEW All In: Texas

2024 Winner: WrestleMania XL

- Sid Pullar III

Female Wrestler of the Year: Mercedes Moné

Mercedes Mone — Mercedes Moné | Ricky Havlik - All Elite Wrestling

2025 was the year that Moné did, in fact, change everything. In her first full calendar year as a wrestler since 2021, with no injuries or hiatuses getting in her way, Mercedes Moné reminded the world why she is known as the greatest North American woman wrestler to ever step into the squared circle.

Her dream of leading women’s wrestling into a global revolution became a reality as rookies and veterans from America, Japan, Australia, England, Mexico, and other countries around the world lined up to face her.

This year, the artist known as Ultimo Moné held 12 separate championships and 14 belts across AEW, NJPW, CMLL, ROH, RevPro, and other independent promotions. She holds the record for both the AEW TBS and NJPW Strong Women’s Championships as the longest-reigning titleholder in history.

Moné also won the Owen Hart Women’s Tournament, secured the number one spot on the 2025 PWI Women’s 250, headlined the biggest all-women’s wrestling show in 7.5 years, and became the first woman to wrestle in the Tokyo Dome, Arena Mexico, Wembley Stadium, and Madison Square Garden.

Her matches with Athena, Persephone, and Jamie Hayter stand tall as some of the year’s best. But despite her laundry list of big wins, Mercedes Moné has managed to be even more compelling in her losses.

Her inability to win “the big one” a.k.a the AEW Women’s World Championship, on two separate occasions, has both her biggest critics and most devoted fans on the edges of their seats for her downfall (and her inevitable rise back to the top).

Love her or hate her, Moné in 2025 is still the conversation of professional wrestling, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

2025 Runners-up: Timeless Toni Storm, IYO SKY

2024 Winner: Timeless Toni Storm

- Lyric Swinton

Male Wrestler of the Year: Hangman Adam Page

Throughout the company's existence, Hangman Adam Page has often been referred to as AEW's main character. His journey to his first world title opposite Kenny Omega is synonymous with the company's identity, and his extremely flammable (no pun intended) rivalry with Swerve Strickland is arguably the best over its six-year history.

Beyond his feuds, his battles with insecurity, rage, and impostor syndrome are feelings that so many people can relate to, and in 2025, fans were witness to the best and most complete version of The Hangman.

After brutally ending the career of Christopher Daniels in January, Page began the difficult road to redemption. He had an electric match with fellow AEW original, MJF, at Revolution, and months later, would defeat Will Ospreay in a classic thriller at Double Or Nothing to win the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament and clinch his ticket to the main event of All In Texas.

On the road to Arlington, he stepped up as a leader of the AEW brand and famously opened the company's debut in Arena Mexico with a heartfelt promo fully in Spanish. It became clear that Page was the only hope of ending Jon Moxley and the Death Riders’ reign of terror, but to do so, he was forced to make new friends and make amends with old foes, establishing an all-star Dynasty-era alliance with Ospreay and Strickland that would defend AEW at all costs.

When the bloodied cowboy closed AEW’s largest North American stadium show after yet another Texas Death Match of a lifetime by capturing the AEW Men's World Championship for the second time in his career, longtime fans were vindicated by the knowledge that their homegrown hero had become exactly who he was meant to be and more.

Even after losing the title to Samoa Joe at Full Gear, he remains one of AEW’s most popular performers, with all eyes zeroed in on what’s next for the main character of All Elite Wrestling.

2025 Runners-up: John Cena, Jon Moxley

2024 Winner: Cody Rhodes

- Lyric Swinton

Promotion of the Year: All Elite Wrestling

Bottom line, All Elite Wrestling produced some of the best pro wrestling programming of the entire year.

The redemption arc of Hangman Adam Page colliding head-on with Death Riders' desperate attempts to cling to power was a money program for the company's first stadium show in the United States. Toss in a little Will Ospreay, a dash of Swerve Strickland, Mercedes Moné collecting belts around the world, and Okada vs. Omega going down on American soil, and how do you not give the company a standing ovation for the sheer volume of high-quality in-ring action alone?

AEW found its hierarchy in 2025. The company knows who the top stars are and successfully presented them as such throughout the year. They creative team also found ways to elevate other talents on the roster to new heights.

Mark Briscoe found his footing and voice as a singles wrestler and is thriving. As previously established, Kyle Fletcher was a breakout performer this year, and the same can be said for the inaugural AEW Women's Tag Team Champions, The Babes of Wrath.

Not only did Kris Statlander win her first AEW Women's Championship, but she did so by defeating Timeless Toni Storm at All Out, and then followed that up with a successful title defense against Mercedes at Full Gear.

Tony Khan rebuilt a strong foundation for All Elite Wrestling in 2025 and the sky is the limit for what he'll be able to accomplish in 2026 if he stays on this current trajectory.

2025 Runners-up: CMLL, WWE

2024 Winner: WWE

- Zack Heydorn

The 2025 Legacy Award: John Cena

What's left to say about John Cena that hasn't already been written this year? One of the most important and influential performers in the history of professional wrestling left his shoes and armbands in the center of the ring this month.

The 'Greatest of All-Time' will never wrestle again, and millions of his fans have had a difficult time coming to terms with that fact. The same can probably be said for many of his colleagues as well.

Cena's retirement tour began with an ill-fated heel turn and ended in a controversial tap-out loss to Gunther, but every twist and turn of his yearlong goodbye elicited an overwhelming emotional response from those who bore witness.

There will only ever be ONE @johncena 🐐 pic.twitter.com/G0g652BXNC
— WWE (@WWE) December 14, 2025

Perhaps no retirement will ever be analyzed and scrutinized to this same degree again, because the vast majority of fans and analysts desperately wanted WWE to get this one right. Or whatever their opinion of right happened to be.

There will never be another John Cena. His legacy, the good, the bad, and everything in between, will live on in a class of one. His remarkable longevity was vital to the success of a post-Attitude Era WWE, and his 17 World Championships were the ultimate reward for his decades of hustle, loyalty, respect, and dedication to his craft.

His catchphrase may say otherwise, but we all see what John Cena meant to this industry. We saw it in the tributes that transcended promotion barricades, and we saw it in the tears of his fans and fellow WWE Superstars the night he walked away. He made people care and he made people believe. One final time in 2025 — Thank you Cena.

- Rick Ucchino

The Latest On WWE, AEW & More

Published 1 hour ago | Modified 1 hour ago

RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

BLAKE LOVELL

Blake Lovell has worked in the sports media industry for nearly two decades, including covering WWE and professional wrestling for various digital outlets since 2019. He is a former editor/columnist for 411Mania and ClutchPoints. As a wrestling journalist, he has interviewed legends such as The Hardy Boyz, written numerous columns, and more. You can follow him on X at @wrestleblake for more discussion on wrestling's past, present, and future.

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ETHAN SCHLABAUGH

Ethan Schlabaugh is a news writer for The Takedown on SI. His journalism experience has seen him cover professional wrestling for outlets such as TheSportster, The Takedown and more. He has been a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, dating back to his first experience with the WCW Nintendo 64 games, and that passion for the sport has remained many years later. He also writes feature articles for ResuraMag, where he focuses on mainstream Japanese promotions like Stardom and Marigold.

JON ALBA

Jon Alba is an Emmy Award and SPJ Award-winning journalist who has broken some of pro wrestling's biggest stories. In addition to writing for The Takedown on SI, he is the host of "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast, and a host and contributor for Sportsnet New York. Additionally, he has been on beats for teams across MLB, the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS during more than a decade in the sports media sphere. Jon is a graduate of Quinnipiac University with a B.A. degree in Journalism.

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LYRIC SWINTON

Lyric Swinton is a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Sport & Entertainment Management. Her lifelong passion for wrestling has taken her around the world, primarily writing about alternative and international promotions for several major wrestling and media outlets, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine, Blavity, Fightful, and more. She has covered wrestling for seven major promotions in some of the most famous venues in the world, including Wembley Stadium and the Tokyo Dome.

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SID PULLAR III

Sid Pullar III is a lifelong pro wrestling fan who has been covering the business for the past eight years. Starting off as a podcaster and creator of the Tru Heel Heat Wrestling YouTube channel, he made the transition to news and feature writing with Sportskeeda and WrestleTalk in 2020. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as Fightful, WrestleTalk, The Takedown and more. Follow him on X @TruHeelSP3

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ZACK HEYDORN

Zack Heydorn has been covering the pro wrestling industry for a decade and writes news, features, and interviews for The Takedown On SI. He also hosts and cohosts a variety of WWE and AEW shows on YouTube. Heydorn is a former Assistant Editor of PWTorch and Managing Editor of SEScoops. Zack is also the author of the Hybrid Shoot book Stunning: The Wrestling Artistry of Steve Austin, which is available on Amazon. You can follow Zack on X and Bluesky.

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