Top Five Wrestling Matches Seen Live: 2025 Edition

2025 was a year that wrestling happened. Yeah, that’s an introduction when you’ve done this now for three years are ran out of intros at two. You could say that writing that introduction hook isn’t my forte but what has been is the live attending of wresting shows.

As ever the live experience have been fun and with a whole host of matches to choose from ranking a top 5 will be a difficult one. Thankfully this year I actually planned ahead to have everything ranked ahead of time it’s just the writing now. For your consideration, the following events shall be considered and of course spoilers. 

22nd August: Revolution Pro Wrestling Global Wars UK
23rd August: Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
24th August: AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door
5th October: Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in London 100
2nd November: Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in London 101
7th December: Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in London 102

Yes a record number of shows for the lazy, antisocial man that I am which means more to choose from. Title fights, grudge settle and international dream matches we will break down the top 5. But in a break from tradition I want to cover a few honourable mentions. Now these might not be number 6 and below on the list but are ones I think would be a fun watch that I would recommend if you have the time instead of being those top top ones.

Honourable Mentions

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibata, Michael Oku, Mike Bailey & Zozaya vs. Cowboy Way (1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire), Hechicero, Kyle Fletcher & Robbie X - Revolution Pro Wrestling Global Wars
This is one pretty much for the entrances but still a fun match. The final traditional match in the UK for Tanahashi and it is one of multi man madness. Match takes a while to get going because there's a lot of chanting but it is a fun affair. It is worth watching even for the small moments where Tanahashi and Shibata team up. 

Undisputed British Cruiserweight Match: Nino Bryant (c) vs. Robbie X - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
I've never been the biggest Robbie X fan but I think his match is some of his best work. This was the work of a skilled veteran guiding his younger opponent through their biggest match. This match is all about Robbie controlling the pace and action to build to Nino winning. It's just great work it really is. Also credit to Nino who plays his role as underdog really well and maximises his time to get over. Both men come out better for this match and really helped set up the cruiserweight division for the rest of the year. I really do think this match is a hidden gem for the year and more people should go and watch it. 

Gates Of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona) & Ricochet vs. JetSpeed (Kevin Knight & Mike Bailey) & Michael Oku - AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door
Weird to have a pre-show match on this but it's such a fun match that it's worth checking out and best of all it's free. Michael Oku came into this match to work and prove a point that he belongs in AEW and it is hard to argue that he doesn't have a place where the best wrestle. This match is worth it just for Toa Liona's pounce to Oku out of the ring. From where I was sitting you couldn't see how Oku landed so until the replay went up on the screen we all just had to assume he died. It's a fun match nothing too special but a good time.

Jay Joshua vs. Alan Angels - Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in London 101
Man I could recommend this whole show. Live in London 101 worked a large continuous story throughout the show (or really two one for the men and one for the women) that not only makes the show real fun on rewatch but was great in real time. Two matches (Ricky Knight Jr vs. JJ Gale and Nino Bryant vs. Leon Cage for the Cruiserweight title) don't add to the story so match I'm listing here is the opener for 101. Not only does it kick off the show but it is a really good match. Jay Joshua remains one of those hidden gems of the wrestling world with most not caring about the UK scene and Alan Angels has been a solid worker since his AEW days. It's an interesting match where the big man vs. small man dynamic is that the big man is the face and small man is the heel and they work it really well. Fun match and I'd reccomend watching everything else that follows. 

Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship: Ricky Knight Jr. (c) vs. Sha Samuels - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
Match number 6 on the ranking this year and if it wasn't for a late, late entry for spot number 4 we'd be talking about this match a bit more. A match that overdelivered and was simple in what it wanted. I went into this main event not looking forward to it and instead of trying to do the prototypical indy match they did a crowd brawl, some blood and RKJ getting in the face of Sha's family. It was a match based on emotions and not great wrestling or moves but basic emotions, people wanted to see RKJ lose and they worked a match to a level people cared for Sha winning. The pop on the night didn't last and Sha is a heel as of time of writing but for that one moment that sweet spot was hit and this match remains a favourite for 2025. I also suppose the match is in my mind a lot of Sha Samuels was pouring blood right in front of me at one point, that's something that's difficult to get out of the mind. 

And now for the negative. Without the good we cannot have the bad. Without the worst we cannot have the best and as such I feel obligated to say what was the worst match of the year and well I do have things to say about it. 

Worst Match of the Year: The Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) vs. CRU (Action Andretti & Lio Rush) - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
This wasn't on the announced card and honestly wasn't needed. The Machine, formally known as Sunshine Machine were a fine mid card team act. Their story of win or bust was fine if the matches weren't great and their tag title win is the great work of GYV leading the match and even then those titles were off of them and onto to much better Mills & Joshua so quickly it didn't even feel like Sunshine Machine did anything notable with the belts. However, as a heel group having to lead the match they suck. Maybe they need a good team to feud with that isn't Trent Seven but man this just isn't working. It's boring the fun bits of their gimmick aren't there and to top it all off this was a count out finish. This is on your biggest show of the year you have a count out finish? Come on now. Check the cagematch comparing this match to everything else on this card it sucks. I swear you are only a fan of The Machine if they interact with you on social media, got that parasocial relationship that most should know better than, grown ass people obsessed with these below average ass talents these shows have so many better talents. Nothing against CRU they do some fast paced stuff try to give this a bit of life but get dragged down. If I have to see them once a year on the Anniversary show so be it but my God keep The Machine up in Sheffield & Coventry and down in Southampton please and thank you. 

Now that is out of the way. On to our top 5 for 2025 starting with number 5.  

Number 5: Zack Sabre Jr vs. Zozaya - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
Zozaya’s final Indy match before he went to joint the MAGA cult in Florida (I just hope he’s smart enough to not be in the majority who go QAnnon) and he got his dream match the night before Forbidden Door. This is a great match a slow technical encounter that builds and builds until the final tap out. Zack Sabre Jr was IWGP Champion going into this and presented as the mountain for Zozaya to climb in the style he wrestles in. Zozaya fights from underneath as a plucky babyface with the crowd behind him until ZSJ’s versatility became too much eventually getting the tap and a standing ovation. A great match and a great end to the Indy run of Zozaya who I miss seeing on these shows. I still randomly chant sí, se puede forever burned into my mind.

Number 4: Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship Match: Nino Bryant (c) vs. Joe Lando - Revolution Pro Wrestling Live in London 102
The only match here not from that weekend in August and just 48 hours removed as of the time of writing (don’t worry I’ve watched it back) and man this is one hell of a match. While many will proclaim (wrongly) that Nino vs. Leon Cage in November was better I remain that this match is better. This flows more and isn’t rush rush rush, spot spot spot, down and breathe, this match has an ebb and flow to it that builds and builds. It starts off slow and then ends in this huge crescendo of moves and roll up pin. The crowd are into this and after their great match earlier in the year this rematch goes beyond that. I think this is a career best for Nino he plays the role of defending valiant champion with a hint of smugness under it it’s so good he’s champ he believes in himself after everyone he’s beat and Joe has the crowd on his side and fights as a never say die challenger. It’s so good these two have a great chemistry and seeing a title change live always helps. Superb stuff will rewatch again when the HD cleaner version is uploaded by RevPro.

Number 3: IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Nigel McGuinness - AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2025
Do vibes put this over ZSJ's match 24 hours beforehand well yeah of course. Let's rewind to a year ago at All In 2024 the moment and the stand off between these two add the fans salivating and wating more but it felt like it was a pipe dream. That was until Nigel got the title match and we got a clash of generations the real technical spectacle in front of a sell out crowd. Nigel was rolling back the years for a match long since hoped for and ZSJ is as good as ever. I do wish this had more of a definitive ending over a roll up but it is still a great match. There's a real special atmosphere for this match in what feels like as best as you can get for a match in tribute to British wrestling in its history from even before World of Sport onwards, that technical wizardry that only a few can do. It's very rare you get to see dream matches live and this is one I hoped I'd see for a year and boy did we get it. 

Number 2: Michael Oku vs. Leon Slater - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
The most 'indyrific' match on the show as two of the best in Britain went at it for just over half an hour to a crowd hanging off of every move. I do wonder if RevPro regret having Leon go over now as the TKO owned promotion is pulling him from dates despite him not being a contacted performer for them and having dates already agreed. Anyway this is a great match a big fight feel that could've been the title match of the show as these are two of the best in ring and man that flip bump Oku too from the top rope onto the ring apron was mad especially when you also factor in the Toa Liona pounce less than 24 hours after. An injury to Oku a few months after really stopped what looked like the start of a heel turn at the end of the match but a great showing. The very venue Oku finally tapped out Will Ospreay he falls to who was seen as the next in line. It's the high level action you expect from these two and highlights why they have so many eyeballs looking their way in the wrestling world. 

Number 1: Great British Tag League Final:  Connor Mills & Jay Joshua vs. Cowboy Way (1 Called Manders & Thomas Shire) - Revolution Pro Wrestling 13th Anniversary Show
So why is this my match of the year? Well first we need some background. The great British tag league skipped 2024 after the 2023 final. Well, I was at the 2023 final between Ricky Knight Jr & Anthony Ogogo vs. The Greedy Souls and man it stunk. Nothing on Greedy Souls but the match layout with Ricky being taken out by medical crew and Ogogo being ill combined with Ricky getting lost in the match and yelling and eyeballing one fan the entire match because he said he was shit was a recipe for disaster. Just the phrase ‘Great British Tag League’ made me shudder.

Going into this match I felt Mills & Joshua are one of the most underrated teams in the world and had only knowledge of Cowboy Way (as a team) was the 10 man match the day before.  And in this match these 4 men just batter the shit out of each other. The chops and slaps echo across the venue in a war of attrition above anything else. My only negative is I don’t like the finish being a double submission you know that isn’t right count 5 and get a man out of the ring but a minor nitpick. This match gets a standing ovation and my words don’t do it justice. Go and watch the match and just listen to the sounds, 4 men left it all in the ring and revived a tournament final that was so bad there wasn’t a rush to have one the year before.

So that is it the top five seen live for 2025. I’ve got a real taste for live events this year and have been having a fun time so will look to attend more next year. We’re breaking the record of 5 show so help me (I’ve already got 4 booked) and an idea to hit 300 matches live next year (I’m on 232 now) so I will see you around this time next year with 2026 top matches seen live.