We started this little year-end series by sharing some of the staff’s favorite matches of the year. When we did, we said we wouldn’t be telling you there was one, objective “Best”. As we move into performers, we’re still not going to do that. But “best” becomes a little less subjective for wrestlers because there are some measurable metrics to look at like titles, shows main event-ed, and the like. So some of us may present a stronger case for a wrestler than they would for a match or moment.
The
goal here is still to talk about wrestlers whose work we loved, and maybe even personally believe are the best — and encourage you to do the same.
Let’s get to it.
Dominik Mysterio
by Geno Mrosko
I really wanted to go with GUNTHER, and also considered John Cena here for the obvious reasons, but this is my choice and I get to have my bias. Mysterio has not so quietly come into his own as a guy who is going to give you fun matches while also getting a reaction everywhere he goes. When he won the Intercontinental championship at WrestleMania, it blew the roof off the joint. This was the year he proved he’s the future, and if he isn’t a world champion at some point in 2026 something went horribly wrong.
John Cena
by Sean Rueter
Feels like this shouldn’t be that controversial a pick, but is anything not controversial when it comes to Cena?
An all-time great goes on a year-long retirement tour that includes setting the new company-recognized record for most World title runs and captures the only WWE belt that had eluded him in his career? He’s the wrestler of the year.
Sure, it was a booking mess. It featured a long-awaited heel turn explained away as essentially, “eh, thought we’d try it”, in the midst of a WrestleMania main event storyline that will probably never be wrapped up. Cena’s final year seemed to indicate that he and head booker Triple H weren’t always on the same page, but the Never Seen 17 ultimately played the hand WWE dealt him. That included a controversial tapout loss that some fans may never forgive.
Cena’s unprecedented, undeniably impressive career was filled with unpopular booking decisions as he often worked with talent fans weren’t interested in seeing him face, while the audience en masse couldn’t decide whether to cheer or boo him.
Why should his unprecedented, undeniably impressive final year go out any other way?
Konosuke Takeshita
by Cain A. Knight
When I first saw Takeshita compete in AEW circa 2022, it was evident that he had potential to be one of the very best wrestlers in the world. His push this year was finally on par with his talent level, as he went on to win the G1 tournament and the IWGP world heavyweight championship.
His in-ring work was undeniably excellent this year, and he probably executes the best suplexes in the business. I think Takeshita had the most impressive list of elite performances in the ring in 2025, including match-of-the-year type outings against stars like Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada & Mascara Dorada, Zack Sabre Jr., and Bandido.
One might argue that Will Ospreay slightly outshined him in that regard, but Takeshita was a top level workhorse across multiple promotions; his output of 92 total matches this year blows Ospreay’s mere 26 out of the water. Takeshita has wrestled more matches in 2025 than Cody Rhodes (34), Seth Rollins (20), and CM Punk (36) combined.
Takeshita brought the quality and quantity at a level that no other wrestler in the world could match in 2025, so he’s my choice for best male wrestler.
Je’Von Evans
by Claire Elizabeth
I’ve been saying it literally all year— Je’Von is The Guy. It’s no secret that NXT is my least favorite of the weekly wrestling shows I cover, with its aggressively heterosexual storylines, lack of week-to-week continuity, and tendency to throw new people at me without a chyron, sending me to the “List of WWE Personnel” page on Wikipedia scanning and trying to guess who I just saw so I can adequately write down what they just did before we move onto the next segment, but Je’Von is so gosh-darn good that he makes up for most of that all by himself.
He is physically athletically incredible, a high-flyer par excellance, but beyond that he has a natural charisma and uniquely naturalistic promo style and a smile that just WILL NOT quit (even when Ethan Page breaks his jaw!) and if he is not on some level the face of a wrestling promotion within a few years something will have gone horribly tragically wrong.
‘Hangman’ Adam Page
by Marcus Benjamin
This was the year AEW found its main character. The angsty cowboy is the guy of the moment. Nothing about Hangman feels phony or contrived, and the fans feel that. His connection with them made every match a thrilling contest, but none more so than when he defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW Men’s World Heavyweight Championship.
Hangman showed all facets of what he can do this year. Heel, face, tweener, whatever you want he did it. He’s a three dimensional person who admitted his wrongs, questioned why the audience accepted him when he did nothing to deserve it, and even made amends with a man he truly hates. No matter the scenario, he made it all compelling and notable. No matter what happened on Dynamite or Collision, anything with Page was must-see television.
Mike Santana
by Manolo Has Pizzazz
Mike Santana had a heck of a year in TNA. His résumé includes beating Josh Alexander in I Quit, Mustafa Ali in Falls Count Anywhere, AJ Francis in a Street Fight, Joe Hendry straight up, and Trick Williams to win the TNA World Championship. Santana’s impact goes beyond what can be seen on paper. He became the heart of TNA by consistently having great matches. Santana’s passion could be felt from the live crowd as well as through the screen viewing at home. He was also relatable as a man that fans can respect. TNA used his sobriety and winning the world title for his daughter to create compelling storylines. The biggest reason to root for Santana was that he bet on himself to develop into a star. Santana could have been cozy and comfortable remaining in the tag team scene of AEW. He believed that he could achieve something greater, and he went out to prove it. Santana reached the top of TNA, and now his stock is rumored to be high on WWE’s radar. It has been an amazing year of growth for Santana.
Drew McIntyre
by Kyle Decker
This is an unconventional pick. But I didn’t think there was some men’s wrestler that dominated the year. Marcus’s pick of Hangman was definitely on my list but I felt he shined bright for 3 months but his title run itself was underwhelming. Cody didn’t blow me out of the water. I debated John Cena because he gave it his all, but that heel turn really tarnished that run (he was great after he turned back though). CM Punk was an option as he has very consistent.
But I’m going to go off the beaten path and go with a guy who on paper did not have a great year in Drew McIntyre.
Drew is featured but you know he’s not getting over the hump. How many times does he have to lose a title feud to Cody Rhodes? He lost the final match of the Damian Priest feud. His biggest win had Jelly Roll on the other side of the ring and he didn’t even pin him.
What impresses me about Drew is they keep using him this way and he’s still frickin’ incredible at what he does. Every time he’s trotted back out for a world title match he’s going to lose, he is still at the top of his game. His promo work is still fantastic and he makes you believe he can do it. He’s still good in the ring. The conviction he brings is still that of man who should be on top.
It’s easy to give it your best when you’re winning titles or you’re on a retirement tour. It’s gotta be harder when you’ve hit a ceiling that shouldn’t be there. Drew does and it’s time to reward him in 2026.
Seth Rollins
by M. G0MEZ
Before a shoulder injury cut his year short, Seth Rollins stood at the center of the WWE Universe. His feud with CM Punk headlined Raw’s Netflix debut, he won the main event of WrestleMania Night One, and he helped elevate rising stars Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
A memorable encounter with LA Knight highlighted Rollins’ ability to maintain kayfabe, as he later defeated Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. As the star of WWE’s flagship show, Rollins gave Cody Rhodes a run for his claim as the face of WWE.
For more than a decade, Rollins has been the company’s workhorse. Were it not for injuries at critical junctures, he might have a strong case for being a top-five all-time WWE Superstar. Even at his lowest, he would rank among the top ten — still putting him in rarefied air with names like Hogan, Hart, and Taker, solidified by his performance in the past 12 months.
As the calendar read 2025, the picture was unmistakably clear. With 20/20 vision, the past year belonged to “The Visionary.”
Those are just the picks of a handful of internet blowhards, though. There are A LOT of male wrestlers out there. Tell us about the one or ones you thought were the best during 2025 in the comments below, or start a conversation about your choice in The Feed!
