The 2025 VOW 30 Under 30: #15-1

We here at Voices of Wrestling have brought together an all-star panel to create the most comprehensive 30 Under 30 list in wrestling for 2025.

Inspired by the critically acclaimed FSM 50, our aim is to deliver a list that is as informed and far-reaching as possible. Our diverse panel includes experts deeply embedded in a wide range of wrestling styles from around the world including American television wrestling, lucha libre, deathmatch, joshi, and much more.

Every wrestler under thirty was eligible for this year’s list.

We’ve separated our list into several parts. This is Part 3.

Part 1, featuring Honorable Mentions and all wrestlers who received votes, is here.

Part 2, revealing Nos. 30-16 is here.

Without further ado, here are the 15 best wrestlers under 30:

#15 – AZM

Age: 22
Years Active: 10
Promotion: STARDOM
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion, Artist of Stardom Champion, New Year Competition League Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 3
Last Year’s Ranking: 19

“A 22-year-old 12-year veteran, AZM could probably have a great match in her sleep at this point. There’s very few wrestlers who can do what she does when it comes to her high speed, incredibly athletic style. The only complaint you could really have with her is perhaps she’s stalled a little in her development in recent years; it’s tough to keep improving when you’re already this great, but if you wanted to say that AZM’s matches haven’t changed much from ~2022 I wouldn’t really argue against that too hard. She seems to have hit a little bit of a glass ceiling in STARDOM booking-wise as well, frequently being used as a big show title challenger who can’t actually win the big one (see two more such losses this year, to Mayu Iwatani at the Tokyo Dome and Starlight Kid at ASGQ). She does currently reign as one-third of the Artist champions and then won the NJPW STRONG Women’s Title off of Mercedes Mone (by pinning Mina Shirakawa….), so hey, that’s something I guess. She seems likely to appear in AEW in the US more often as a result and may end up wrestling Mone one-on-one on a major show, perhaps as soon as Forbidden Door this summer, which should up her standing in the States…..for better or worse.” – John Carroll

“At the incredibly young age of 22, AZM is already a ring general. She craps out 4 star matches like they’re nothing and carries herself with the level of confidence you would expect from a TEN YEAR veteran. If she’s still wrestling by the time she would age out of being on this list, she’ll be an 18 year veteran. For someone that’s as great as she is now, I can’t wait to see how she grows as a wrestler in the years to come.” – Kelly Harrass

“AZM started wrestling at approximately age 4, so she should be on this list until I’m dead. She’s a great worker, charismatic, and stands out whenever you see her.” – Fred Morlan

#14 – Neon

Age: 26
Years Active: 7
Promotion: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: CMLL World Trios Champion, RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, Reyes del Aire 2025 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 6
Last Year’s Ranking: NR

“Neon went from a guy that occasionally nailed a really cool spot to someone who regularly looks like the best wrestler in matches with world-class wrestlers. He’s a sneaky “most improved” candidate for 2025 because of just how much he’s improved since Sky Team formed. Neon went from someone who I didn’t think was well-rounded enough to rank last year to a Top 10 guy this year – incredible.” – Case Lowe

“Neon is already a spectacular worker who can steal the show with any of his various high flying antics. The biggest question here is how his charisma will develop, but if your floor is “CMLL’s version of Hijo del Vikingo,” you’re doing just fine.” – Fred Morlan

“Neon was the runner up for 2024’s Gran Alternativa, but if you look at what he’s been doing since you’d assume he was the winner. Over the last few years Neon has steadily worked himself up the card, wowing people on the undercard and now wowing people in the main events alongside Mistico and Mascara Dorada. Neon regularly goes viral for his incredible moonsault where he runs down the ramp and in one jump makes it to the top rope, he somehow maintains momentum and turns his body while hopping to the perpendicular rope and springboarding into a moonsault. It is one of the most impressive spots in professional wrestling and truly unique to him right now. Neon has already won gold abroad, taking the RevPro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship from Jirdon Beaks. In addition to this Neon is a 2 time CMLL World Trios Champion.” – Foos

#13 – Kosei Fujita

Age: 22
Years Active: 3
Promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, Best of the Super Junior 32 Winner, Super Junior Tag League 2024 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 3
Last Year’s Ranking: NR

“A terrific showing in BOSJ 32 has allowed Fujita to shine in ways he hadn’t quite been able to, yet. And it feels like we’re just scratching the surface.” – Warren Hayes

“Kosei Fujita is just as much of an immediate prodigy as Yuma Anzai over in AJPW, even getting the famously-slow-to-push-young-guys NJPW to give him one of the shortest excursions ever and elevate him to a real threat in the junior division almost immediately. If he was just a few inches taller we’d probably be talking about him as a potential next top star in Japanese wrestling, but unfortunately being a junior heavyweight he has a bit of an artificial ceiling. He should be one of the top juniors for years to come however, and the fact that he’s only 22 gives him plenty of time to maybe eventually make a jump up to the heavyweight division someday anyway.” – John Carroll

“Fujita has been good forever, and it looks like he’s finally ready to take his place as the new ace of NJPW’s junior division.” – Paul Wedding

“Of all of New Japan’s young talent that is supposed to lead it in the post-Okada era, Kosei Fujita has been its most consistent performer and also its biggest surprise. It looks like the Jr. Heavyweight division is already his, and frankly he should be eating more chanko to get ready for the future, because I think he could excel as a heavyweight as well.” – Gerard Di Trolio

#12 – Mascara Dorada

Age: 23
Years Active: 4
Promotion: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: World Historic Welterweight Champion, CMLL World Trios Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 2
Last Year’s Ranking: 11

“Mascara Dorada is only 4 years into his career and finds himself being set up for greatness with CMLL. In 4 years with CMLL Mascara Dorada has won the Mexican National Lightweight Championship, La Gran Alternativa tournament, La Leyenda De Plata tournament, the CMLL World Historic Welterweight Championship, and the CMLL World Trios Titles with the Sky Team. He will be the next big CMLL tecnico if he stays on this path. His work in the ring features a lot of legitimately incredible maneuvers, the kind of moves that makes you think what the human body is capable of. But in addition to this his matwork and chain wrestling is top notch because of his amateur wrestling background. Mascara Dorada is the best tecnico under 30.” – Foos

“Another year, another round of steady improvements from Mascara Dorada, but this time in the finer details. His athleticism remains unmatched and his in-ring work continues to dazzle, but it’s the small details that turn a great wrestler into a true star where Dorada has made the most progress. His growing confidence is now translating into a stronger connection with the crowd. The company clearly sees it too, and his inclusion in the reborn Sky Team speaks volumes about where they believe he’s headed.” – Warren Hayes

“A fantastic high flyer, Dorada looks like he’s destined to be a star in CMLL for years to come. He’s one of the best workers in the world when it comes to executing high spots.” – Fred Morlan

“The heir apparent to the CMLL faithful. He is another one of those guys who has seen potential turn into genuine stardom. Now attached to the hips of Mistico and fellow young gun Neon, Dorada is a mainstay in CMLL main events.” – Dalton

“The interesting thing with Mascara Dorada is that at the start of the year, he was put together with Mistico and Neon to form Sky Team in what seemed like an effort to elevate Dorada to new heights. Instead, Mistico has been Mistico (which is good) and Neon has blown by Dorada in the ring. I still remain slightly more bullish on Dorada’s ceiling, but for the first time ever, it feels like the pressure is on for the masked man.” – Case Lowe

“Probably the most impressive high-flyer in wrestling today.” – Paul Wedding

“Last year I wrote that Mascara Dorada is the best young wrestler in the world right now. While he’s still great and continues to impress as he ascends to the top of the card alongside Mistico, Dorada doesn’t stand out as much as guys like Neon and Zandokan Jr. have improved tenfold over the last year. That’s not a fault of Dorada’s but a testament on how good the young roster is in CMLL right now. Dorada is still a human highlight reel and so fluid in the ring. Whether it be in a singles, tag, or trios match, he has a high chance of stealing the show. The future is bright for Dorada and he still has seven years before he turns thirty!” – Griffin Peltier

#11 – Atlantis Jr.

Age: 27
Years Active: 7
Promotion: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion, ROH World Television Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 3
Last Year’s Ranking: 14

“People love to claim Atlantis Jr is only in the spot he is in because of nepotism, but if you watch his matches in 2025 you will see just how much work he has put in. There is already pressure being the son of a legend like Atklantis, no matter what he does Atlantis Jr will be criticized. However, he has handled this pressure incredibly well and recently revealed he has the ability to give incredible in ring promos in English. To me this raises his ceiling by a lot as it opens the door to be featured in more cross promotional storylines. Atlantis Jr already has some interpromotional success, defeating Kyle Fletcher for the ROH World TV Title and I would love to see a trilogy with Fletcher.” – Foos

“This may just be a me thing, but I’m starting to see Atlantis Jr. become the future star I was promised a couple of years ago. His confidence and charisma have arrived, and he’s stepped up his game in the ring.” – Fred Morlan

“Every year has exceeded the previous for Atlantis Jr. as he has developed into a reliable main event in Arena Mexico. Even with the overwhelming shadow of the Atlantis name to live up to, he has found a way to be his own person and showcase his increasing talent.” – Dalton

“Atlantis Jr. is the best second fall wrestler in the world right now. A very tiny niche, I know, but man no one is better than this guy at firing up and getting things back on track. Mr. Consistency. I can’t wait to see what he does when his brother debuts for CMLL proper.” – Griffin Peltier

“Will any wrestler in the world headline more shows with over 10,000 fans over the next 10 years? I think not. Atlantis Jr may have gotten his foot in the door because of his father’s name, but the second-generation CMLL star has firmly established himself as the brightest spot on a roster filled with young, bright spots. Watching Atlantis Jr. make heroic comebacks in the second fall of Friday night Arena Mexico main events has become my favorite thing in all of wrestling. When saddled alongside the likes of the biggest names like Mistico and the most exciting flyers like Neon, Atlantis Jr has carved out a niche as a lovable, fiery babyface that would’ve gotten over in 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015, or now.” – Case Lowe

“The future face of CMLL, always holds up his end of the bargain in every big match he has. He’ll be main eventing many Aniversarios to come.” – Paul Wedding

#10 – Zandokan Jr.

Age: 25
Years Active: 9
Promotion: Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: Occidente Middleweight Champion, Copa Jr. VIP 2025 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 2
Last Year’s Ranking: NR

“Zandokan Jr is around the age of 25 and has quickly positioned himself as the Top Rudo under 30 in CMLL. I first noticed Zandokan standing out when teaming with Villano III Jr and Hijo de Villano III as La Escuadra. The trio would impress myself and many others with their over the top antics and mannerisms. In late 2023 Zandokan Jr made his first trip to Japan to team with Yota Tsuji for the World Tag League. The start of 2024 saw Zandokan Jr start his rivalry with Star Jr. As 2024 progressed Zandokan jr started being booked less with Los Villanos and by 2025 he mainly hangs around with Difunto and Barboza as El Galeon Fantasma. 2025 also saw Zandokan getting more of a main event push. He took Star Jrs mask at the 2025 edition of Homenaje a Dos Leyendas and won the Copa Jr VCIP in a GREAT final with Mascara Dorada. CMLL seems to be firmly behind Zandokan jr and his popularity is bound to keep rising.” – Foos

“It’s the little things with Zandokan Jr. When waiting to catch a dive, he doesn’t stand there; he wobbles there. He doesn’t let himself be pinned; he fights out of it. There is never wasted movement. Now with a push that matches his ability, the future is bright for young Zandokan Jr.” – Dalton

“May God have mercy on our souls and keep Zandokan Jr in CMLL and away from whatever hell the WWE/AAA relationship is.” – Case Lowe

“What a breakthrough year it has been for Zandokan Jr. As he was more consistently featured, particularly on the big Friday shows, his combination of strength, size, agility, and those unteachable intangibles were finally given time to shine. His breakout culminated in a main event mask vs. mask match at the Anniversario show, where his star potential was impossible to ignore. That victory capped off a steady, confident rise, and he now stands as one of the key young guys that could be the future of CMLL.” – Warren Hayes

“Zandokan Jr. is a great worker with charisma to burn in CMLL and feels like a rudo star for years to come.” – Fred Morlan

“Zandokan Jr. is my favourite wrestler in the world right now. He brings a level of creativity, precision, and intensity that sets him apart in every match. There are no wasted moments when he’s in the ring. Everything he does has intent from explosive offense to subtle positioning. No matter what he’s doing, he is constantly moving the story of the match forward. He blends classic lucha libre with a modern approach by subverting expectations when it’s least expected whether it be clever reversals, unorthodox setups, and moments that flip tropes on their head like unbuckling a turnbuckle pad only for it to not matter at all. Add all of this with his undeniable charisma and physicality in the ring and you’ve got a complete package. And let’s not forget that he’s a fucking pirate. Everything about his look, his presence, and his style screams danger and swagger. Zandokan Jr. feels like a force of nature and the world is only beginning to feel the impact.” – Griffin Peltier

#9 – Kaito Kiyomiya

Age: 28
Years Active: 9
Promotion: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: GHC Heavyweight Champion, N-1 Victory 2024 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 4
Last Year’s Ranking: 1

“Kaito is such an interesting guy to rank in a project like this- he’s still only 28 years old despite the fact that he’s been on top of NOAH for seven freaking years now (yes, he somehow won the GHC Heavyweight Title in *2018* which just frankly sounds insane), but his run has never been a big success at the box office- in fact, NOAH’s business turned around pretty much the moment he lost the GHC to OZAWA. I simply cannot justify putting him in my top 20, let alone top 10 as I have in the past, given the crowd has seen him on top for years and decided they would rather cheer for the cheating heel instead. A lot of that is the booking, of course, and Kaito’s recent performance against OZAWA where he showed a little bit of newly unhinged fire was both promising and impressive. But I think he has to be a bottom-third guy for now until he proves to me he can work on top again, even though I do still generally enjoy his matches.” – John Carroll

“I don’t know why NOAH always hates Kiyomiya in their booking, and I don’t know what it’ll take for that to change. But the dude is still a great worker and should be a superstar wherever he is. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU NOAH, WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS” – Fred Morlan

“NOAH books him like shit, but he’s been incredible over the last few years. The second he gets a good booker, he can be a mega star.” – Tyler Forness

“Kaito Kiyomiya still has so much potential and has delivered some great matches over the past year. But at the same time, something is not working. He’s got a geek stench to him. The next year is going to determine if he makes this list one more time before he turns 30 and if he is going to be a viable long-term main eventer for NOAH.” – Gerard Di Trolio

#8 – Toni Storm

Age: 29
Years Active: 15
Promotion: All Elite Wrestling
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: AEW Women’s World Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 13

“The last year for Storm has been tremendous. She took on a new gimmick and the timeless character got off to a rough start. She ironed out the kinks, arguably had the Match of the Year with Mariah May, and has elevated the top of the Women’s division to the same playing field as the men. Her promos are improving each week, the charisma she has is tremendous, and her in-ring skills have always been there. If you had to pick one woman to build an American promotion around, Storm is that choice.” – Tyler Forness

“When I added Toni Storm to my list last year, I lamented that the Timeless gimmick was holding her back from delivering the great matches she was known for. Conversely, I also pointed out that the character had started to loosen its grip, leading to matches that felt less goofy and more good. This year, she has found the sweet spot between Timeless and Great Pro Wrestler Toni Storm. She returned to top form in the ring and wrapped up a long-running storyline that concluded with her back at the top of the women’s division. Moreso, it established her as a major star and transformed her into one of the faces of AEW. It truly feels like the best of both worlds. Toni can lean into her character work and showcase her entertainment skills without compromising on the essentials that made her stand out in the first place. While the Mariah May storyline did not completely connect with me, there is no question that it did with the audience and elevated Storm in a significant way. The payoff match was a career highlight and will likely end up on several Match of the Year lists as 2025 wraps up. In any event, Storm’s stock has never been this high, her crowd connection has never been this wide and solid, and she is in a spot where she can excel at being a great pro wrestler.” – Warren Hayes

“Toni Storm has been able to put the Timeless gimmick together perfectly. After a rough start in terms of match quality, she has figured out how to effectively portray the gimmick and put on great matches at the same time. A bonafide star for AEW.” – Dalton

“Emerged as one of the most popular acts on the AEW roster and refined her character into a digestible act even for cynical fans–she has combined a strong physical performance with endearing character work that has kept fans invested in whatever she is doing. A uniquely feminine character in an industry filled with people trying to desperately stand out within the male gaze.” – Jesse Collings

“Storm has reached the top of the pile with everything outside of the ring, and remains a very good in-ring worker at worst. There’s an argument that she is AEW’s top star and thus one of the top stars in the business today.” – Fred Morlan

#7 – Saya Kamitani

Age: 28
Years Active: 5
Promotion: STARDOM
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: World of Stardom Champion, Regina Di WAVE Champion, High Speed Champion, Catch The WAVE 2024 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: NR

“Nobody has turned their entire career around in the last year more than Saya has- going from an awkward if likable babyface to possibly the hottest star in the entire Japanese wrestling world as a heel, virtually overnight. Saya’s matches have improved almost infinitely as a result of her dropping her previously quite sloppy high flying, but it’s her charisma that has been absolutely off the charts. She’s been appearing on mainstream television shows in Japan, going legitimately viral in the process for breaking down in tears when talking about how badly she wants more people to watch wrestling; one of the reactions from someone on the show watching the clip was basically “How is she a bad guy?!”, which kind of sums up her entire appeal as a captivating, strangely adorable heel. The apparent gap between her new wrestling persona and her true personality just seems to be immensely fascinating to people, and all of this is having a major effect on STARDOM’s business as well, with the promotion currently on the best run of Korakuen attendance in its entire history since she won the World of STARDOM title- plus of course putting 7500+ into Yokohama Arena for her final match with Tam Nakano.

Simply put, Saya is the complete package right now: great in ring, amazing charisma, a true draw in a wrestling industry that barely ever seems to have them right now, and still seemingly with more room to grow further. Putting her number one on my list was possibly the easiest call I had to make.” – John Carroll

“Saya Kamitani did not make my list last year and now I’m ranking her at #2. Somehow the leader of my least favorite faction in wrestling is one of my favorite success stories of the past year. Saya’s evolution since turning heel and joining HATE has been something special to watch. She tightened up her work, leaving behind her awkward high flying. Her character work as a heel is on another level from anything she had done previously. Saya rebuilt herself from the ground up and that gamble paid off so well.” – Kelly Harrass

“Kamitani is the most revitalized worker via her heel turn in Stardom, and this has taken her up to the top of the list for me. She’s figured out the best way to approach her ring work, much better than her dependance on high flying as a babyface, and is reaping the benefits.” – Fred Morlan

“I’m convinced that if you showed Saya Kamitani’s All Star Dream Queendom entrance to someone who has never seen pro wrestling, their reaction would be: “Oh, she’s the biggest star in wrestling, isn’t she?” It’s fascinating how much this heel turn has transformed her. Not just the look or the gimmick, but her entire persona. She now radiates a confidence that jumps off the screen, projecting starpower that was unthinkable while in her vanilla phase. More importantly, it has elevated her in-ring work too, with a focus on being hard-hitting and violent, exhibiting a cruel and vicious side that suits her perfectly. All of this comes at a time when Stardom has lost two of its biggest stars. And yet, no one seems concerned. There is no hesitation about who will step up to fill the shoes of the departed Iwatani and Nakano. The promotion is already drawing some of its biggest gates ever with Kamitani as World of Stardom champion. Her main events are athletic, compelling, and dramatic. Between you and me, kind reader, I can’t think of a more striking rise in professional wrestling over the past 365 than Saya Kamitani’s ascension into an undeniable heavyweight in joshi. Check that: In all of puro.” – Warren Hayes

#6 – Sareee

Age: 29
Years Active: 14
Promotion: Sukeban
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: Sukeban World Champion, SEAdLINNNG Beyond The Sea Champion, Marigold World Champion, AAAW Tag Team Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 21

“I would argue that Sareee is a top five wrestler in the world of any age. Hell, I’d go top three actually. Her hard hitting style isn’t for everyone, but it’s absolutely incredible to me and seems to really bring out the best in her opponents. Put her in the ring with anyone and she’ll get a great match out of them. Like a parade of others, she ends up on the list of world class wrestlers that the WWE fails to understand. Aside from her in-ring, Sareee has another x factor that I don’t believe anyone on this list has. She’s a hell of a booker, putting together her regularly great produce shows and booking herself into a must see match every time. Best in the world? Best under 30? Yes, she’s both.” – Kelly Harrass

“There is so much to say about Saree and how she’s one of the greatest wrestlers in the world. And she’s been one of the most successful promoters of wrestler produce shows in Japan in the last couple of years, bringing them to new heights.” – Gerard Di Trolio

“Probably the best in-ring wrestler in the world in 2025. Nobody delivers as highly and consistently as Sareee in big spots.” – Paul Wedding

“Sareee continues to serve up some of the best, fiercest and high impact wrestling you’ll find, all the while putting on her own shows. Between tagging with Mayu Iwatani against Chihiro Hashimoto & VENY, being a stop on Meiko Satomura’s farewell tour, and having an outstandingly physical match against Syuri, she continues to prove without fail that she is one of the best pro wrestlers out there. It’s unfortunate that this is her last year on this list, but her profile continues to rise, and her future is nothing short of brilliant.” – Warren Hayes

“A massively successful freelancer, Sareee is one who forces you to go out of your way to track down every promotion she finds herself in. For Sareee matches, the floor is “very good,” and the ceiling is “match of the year.”” – Dalton

“Sareee is simply one of the best in-ring workers in the world today, and on top of that, is a great booker with her own promotion. If you aren’t watching Sareee, you’re missing out on one of the great runs for ringwork geeks like myself.” – Fred Morlan

“This year’s winner of the “Oh my god they are STILL under 30?” award, Sareee has been one of the best wrestlers in the world for a number of years now and done outstanding work on the Japanese indies, wrestling a wide variety of different opponents while shining in both singles matches and tag matches in her own promotion.” – Jesse Collings

“Purely from an in ring standpoint there’s probably no better wrestler in the world than Sareee right now, so she always had to rank highly on my list. Her charisma is a bit understated at times but she undoubtedly draws people in, and putting on a series of highly successful independent shows with no promotion backing her at all is nothing to sneeze at either. She’s one of the more shocking wrestlers to still be under 30 given that she feels like such a complete product at this point as well as a total throwback. There’s just no surer thing in wrestling than a Sareee match being great, and her ceiling is almost always a Match of the Year contender (as we already saw earlier this year in her outstanding 30 minute draw with Syuri). With an IWGP Women’s Title shot on the near horizon (a belt she’s been after for a while and that many expect her to finally win this time) and further collaboration with the biggest women’s promotion in the world likely to come as a result, Sareee will likely have many more excellent matches in her near future.” – John Carroll

#5 – Yuma Anzai

Age: 26
Years Active: 2
Promotion: All Japan Pro Wrestling
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: Triple Crown Champion, All Asia Tag Team Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 2
Last Year’s Ranking: 3

“Yuma Anzai has still only been wrestling for three-and-a-half years at this point, but was so good from day one that he may as well have been wrestling for decades. The voting period here covers the end of his first Triple Crown title reign, as he won the belt in March 2024 and made five successful defenses before dropping it to Yuma Aoyagi in August. He went a little quiet after that, though he did win the All Asia tag titles alongside popular junior Rising HAYATO, and the two of them have had some strong title defenses during their ongoing reign. Simply because AJPW is such a small promotion and Anzai already ran through a lot of prominent challengers it may be a little while before we see him back in the Triple Crown mix, but when it comes to sub-30 year old male heavyweights he’s far ahead of the pack in a Japanese scene that’s lacking there a little.” – John Carroll

“Anzai is a great worker and had a great rise to the top in AJPW, but I worry that he is going to get lost in the Saito shuffle (understandably so – you gotta go with the bigger draws at the top of the card). But he’s still really impressive and has a huge future in front of him.” – Fred Morlan

“One of the most naturally gifted wrestlers going today. Yuma Anzai has a connection to the crowd just three years into the business that most wrestlers never reach. Rest assured, the future of All Japan is in good hands.” – Dalton

“As Anzai approaches the third anniversary of his debut, he still remains a prodigy. His tag team with Rising HAYATO has breathed new life into the All Asia Tag Team Championship, and his performances in the Champion Carnival stood out in an otherwise lackluster tournament. His biggest issue is that All Japan should be pushing him even harder than they do.” – Gerard Di Trolio

#4 – OZAWA

Age: 28
Years Active: 2
Promotion: Pro Wrestling NOAH
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: GHC Heavyweight Champion, GHC National Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: NR

“Despite the fact that Team 2000X has already jumped the shark like every other interfering heel faction in Japan, OZAWA’s individual performances have been nothing short of incredible. There is no one else on this list that is as individually responsible for turning around the business fortunes of their promotion like OZAWA has.” – Gerard Di Trolio

“While his in-ring isn’t quite to the level of some of the names around him, there’s no denying that OZAWA has become one of the biggest stars in puro in an incredibly short time. In a promotion that’s been floundering, he’s a certified draw and comes off as a genuine star who, as a heel, manages to get the crowd behind him in every big match.” – Paul Wedding

“The biggest shock of this year’s 30 Under 30 list. OZAWA outshined all expectations upon his return from excursion, and has flipped NOAH on its head. He will be THE headliner for NOAH for the foreseeable future.” – Dalton

“OZAWA and Saya Kamitani are such similar stars who have had very similar rises, both greatly benefitting their home promotions in the process, that even Saya herself commented on and tried to take credit for it early in the year- essentially acting like she had started a new trend by turning heel, which is quite the funny thing to tell the press. But just like Saya, OZAWA’s seemingly out of nowhere heel turn- he was considered a decent but not top prospect for NOAH as a young boy, so no one really saw “turns on Kaito Kiyomiya and instantly becomes the top star in the company by a thousand miles” coming for him- has completely turned his entire promotion around. He doesn’t have anything like Saya’s mainstream appeal so far, nor do I think he’s quite put it all together in the ring the way she has, which is why I had Saya #1 on my list and OZAWA #3. But NOAH has seen great returns at the box office since OZAWA became the top star and GHC champion just like STARDOM has, going from a promotion that was sometimes putting triple digits into Korakuen to one that sells it out every time (plus doing their best number at Sumo Hall since 2019). The drawing is there, the charisma is definitely there, and I feel confident he will put it all together from an in ring standpoint at some point- not that his matches aren’t already pretty great, because they are, but I still think he has a next level in him as well. He’s a very strong combination of a guy already kind of on top of the world who I also think is just going to keep getting better, so that makes him an easy top 3 pick.” – John Carroll

“OZAWA has become NOAH’s undisputed ace and made that promotion more interesting than it’s been in a long time. He combines great in-ring wrestling with an abundance of charisma to create a unique connection with an audience that both loves him and loves to hate him.” – Adam Berger

“I have watched exactly one OZAWA match post-return to NOAH, and that’s all I needed. This guy is obviously an all-caps DUDE. He looks like a great worker and is obviously already the top star in his company.” – Fred Morlan

“I had heard a lot of hype about OZAWA before finally getting around to watching his work. The highest compliment I can pay him is that he truly lived up to the hype. The crowd connection he has is amazing. You can’t take your eyes off him. OZAWA gets it in a way that so few do.” – Kelly Harrass

“The wrestling industry in general, but Japan in particular, is starved for the kind of young breakout wrestler with the kind of generational charisma and natural ease that OZAWA possesses. OZAWA has the kind of charm and confident coolness you simply can’t teach, and NOAH strapped the rocket to him at the start of the year and he’s been blowing away expectations. On top of his charisma and confidence, he’s already an elite in-ring worker and quickly establishing himself as one of the reliable big match wrestlers in the country.” – Jesse Collings

“An absolutely career defining year for OZAWA, whose sudden emergence as a top guy in NOAH has not only reinvigorated the company creatively, but on the business side as well.” – Warren Hayes

#3 – Shun Skywalker

Age: 29
Years Active: 9
Promotion: Dragongate
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: Rey De Parejas 2025 Winner
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 4

“Not only is Shun Skywalker clearly the best wrestler in the world under 30s years of age, but we should start considering him one of the best wrestlers in the world, full-stop. With the exception of Toni Storm, I’d argue that no one has accomplished what he has in the ring as Shun has between his multiple Dream Gate wins to his mentorship of Homare leading to an immediate Rey de Parejas victory in 2025, and his sheer domination through booking. Unique to himself, I believe Shun Skywalker has already reached a point in his career where he’s already “above” his company’s world title, and his results over the ballot time frame further justify that laudatory statement.

Although I voted for him in first last year, seeing him in person for the first time this year further separated Skywalker from the field: He has a rare physical chemistry combined with an awareness of his immediate audience that ensures he plays up to any audience in the world and ends up being the person you talk about the most AFTER the shows he is on. I was stunned by his command in Las Vegas over Mania Weekend, I’d argue he’s actually better and more comfortable working an international audience that will immediately play into his act than his native Dragon System fanbase. The fact he is already at this point at age 29 with under a decade of ring experience underlines my point: We are witnessing something special with Shun Skywalker, and I’d argue that anyone who doesn’t have him high on their ballot are telling on themselves. No one in the world has his ability at his age, and the sooner that people stop ignoring Dragongate and Shun Skywalker, the sooner they’d get to see perhaps the best wrestler in the world at the height of their craft.” – Mike Spears

“For the third year in a row, Shun Skywalker has topped my ballot. No wrestler has a greater understanding of who they are, what makes them great, and how they can bring out greatness in their opponent. Rumors persist that Skywalker may be turning face sooner rather than later, and while it could be the shot in the arm that Dragongate needs at the box office, imaging the company without heel Skywalker at the top will be a hard thing to fathom. In the three-and-a-half years that he’s commanded the “1A Heel” spot, he’s established himself as the heartbeat of the promotion. He’s an iconic character who has pumped out some of the best matches in the history of the promotion. He’s simply magnificent at everything.” – Case Lowe

“Skywalker has watched as YAMATO went on a lengthy world title reign and Dragongate has pushed forward different younger wrestlers as stars, but it always feels like Skywalker is the most important figure in Dragongate. Certainly his stable, Z-Brats, has been the most consequential group in the company over the past few years, and it all swirls around the psychotic leader. A lack of major singles matches that you can point to over the last year probably keeps Skywalker from rising any higher.” – Jesse Collings

“” – Griffin Peltier

“There is nothing I can write that can accurately convey the essence of Shun Skywalker. His matches are an experience as much as they are an athletic contest. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the best wrestlers in the world. Just pull up the DG Network and hit play to bask in the glory of Shun Skywalker.” – Dalton

“The centerpiece of Dragongate, Shun’s a great heel. A very over worker who is also great in the ring, Skywalker is such an easy pick for the high end of this list.” – Fred Morlan

“Consistently intriguing and utterly unpredictable, Shun Skywalker is the complete package: A spectacular wrestler in full control of his gimmick who can deliver top notch performances any day of the week.” – Ricardo Gallegos

“He’s got the old school mentality with the new school workrate. Shun Skywalker is the best wrestler that most in America have never seen, and you should change that immediately.” – Tyler Forness

“I’m not sure there’s anyone whose promotion orbits almost entirely around him. The straw that stirs the drink in Dragongate. Whether it’s in-ring work, promos, crowd connection, Shun excels at it all. Even to the point they’ve given him his own produce show.” – Paul Wedding

“A lot of companies have a top guy, but no one in wrestling is as central to their promotion as Shun Skywalker. Shun is a chapter in the history of almost every member of the Dragongate roster, and he will continue to be the center of the promotion until he decides to hang it up.” – Brady Trappett

#2 – Kyle Fletcher

Age: 26
Years Active: 11
Promotion: All Elite Wrestling
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: ROH World Television Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 12

“This past year will be remembered as the year Kyle Fletcher finally put it all together and became the star so many had long seen the potential in. Sure, it helps when your first major singles feud is with Will Ospreay, a man who does whatever it takes to get you over. But Fletcher didn’t just bask in the spotlight, he grew in it. Those matches were high-level, MOTY caliber performances, and that doesn’t happen unless you have the tools to match the moment.

His bouts with Ospreay weren’t just career highlights, they were AEW highlights. And his commanding run in the 2024 Continental Classic was further proof. Even though he fell short of his kayfabe aspirations, he rose to every challenge and devoured every opportunity that was set before him. This is a wrestler who understood exactly what was in front of him and made sure not to let any of it slip away.” – Warren Hayes

“Fletcher has put together the kind of killer last year you expect all top prospects to eventually do, but rarely does it actually occur. It was obvious Fletcher always had the talent to have these kind of consistent performances, but he’s expertly stepped up in every facet of his game, from his in-ring work to his promos to his overall presentation. The future feels limitless for Fletcher.” – Jesse Collings

“In the span of three years, Kyle Fletcher went from “hey, I like that guy” to “that guy is going to be really great” to “wow, that guy is REALLY great”. Watching Kyle Fletcher not only work, but thrive against the likes of Will Ospreay, Mark Briscoe, and Adam Page over the last year has convinced me that Fletcher can be one of the biggest stars of the #2 wrestling promotion in the world. He will place 2nd for me this year behind Dragongate’s Shun Skywalker, but with Skywalker aging out of the ballot next year, I fully expect Fletcher to be my top pick.” – Case Lowe

“There’s not much more to say about Kyle Fletcher, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. The ability and the potential is there every week he is on TV. His potential ceiling is being the top star in the world.” – Gerard Di Trolio

“Kyle Fletcher is already one of the best wrestlers in the world at the age of 26. His breakout feud with Will Ospreay this past year launched him as both a main event level singles act and future world champion. Kyle has everything needed to eventually become the top star in the world: in-ring skill, size, athleticism, physique, charisma, and constantly improving promos. There’s no ceiling on what he could achieve.” – Adam Berger

“The last twelve months has seen Kyle Fletcher turn from potential star to proven star. He has developed into one of the best TV wrestlers of the modern era to accompany his impeccable PPV run.” – Dalton

“Fletcher is going to be the next big star. He may not be “homegrown” per se by AEW, but they identified him early and will be giving him his big push. The series with Will Ospreay put him on the map, but it will be the consistency he’s displayed which will launch him into superstardom.” – Tyler Forness

“Fletcher is a fantastic worker and feels like he’s on the verge of breaking into the main event scene of AEW. It just seems obvious that he’s going to be a superstar in a very short time period.” – Fred Morlan

#1 – Gabe Kidd

Age: 28
Years Active: 13
Promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling
Accomplishments Over The Last Year: NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion
Highest Panel Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 9

“Over the past year, Gabe Kidd has truly found himself. His in-ring persona took shape, led him to a solid G1 showing and opened him up for a key role at Wrestle Dynasty as Kenny Omega’s dance partner. In hindsight, the G1 run was the setup, a chance for Kidd to step up and take a swing at the fastball that was Omega’s high-profile return match. He did not fail and ended up opening a lot of eyes.

He fully embraced the Lion Mark of NJPW, becoming the young standard-bearer many fans had been waiting for. He has reignited a (please, bear with me as I use this word) feeling that New Japan fans feared might be gone. Not the anointed Reiwa Three, not Yuya, not Ryohei… none of the names we were told to expect. It’s Kidd who has set the bar, establishing himself in his home promotion as a candidate to run at the NJPW’s highest levels, while solidifying his place in the minds of fans as a guy whose ceiling has yet to be seen.” – Warren Hayes

“He’s a mad man.” – Gerard Di Trolio

“Kidd possess the kind of physicality that so many aspiring wrestlers seem to lack–t when he steps into the ring, fans are going to see a guy who comes across as legitimately tough and ornery. Kidd has the kind of poise and charisma of an old puro veteran, like a Takeshi Sugiura or Masato Tanaka, an old soul in a young British man’s body.” – Jesse Collings

“Kidd had a great 2024 in the ring and pops off the screen every single time he appears. A fantastic brawler, he hopefully will be the center of New Japan for several more years.” – Fred Morlan

“The madman continues to shine in every environment you put him in. His pure intensity is something that can’t be taught, and he has found a way to leverage this into a huge positive for him, instead of crossing the line into a gimmicky wild man. It won’t be long until we see Gabe at the top of every card he’s on, regardless of promotion.” – Dalton

“Gabe was originally as high as #2 on my list, but I dropped him to fifth as a result of his current underwhelming AEW run, where a guy who looked like the biggest wrestling star in the world a few months ago has been reduced to little more than Jon Moxley’s semi-anonymous lackey (in a way that both makes little sense with his current NJPW persona and makes me more than a little concerned for how he’ll come across as a weekly US TV character one he makes the inevitable full-time jump). Still, I can’t put him any lower than fifth given the incredible in ring work he’s produced just in 2025 alone, putting on two legitimate MOTYCs with Kenny Omega & Yota Tsuji, and he has all of the charisma and potential star power to go with it too. I think the jury is definitely out on whether his NJPW-to-AEW transition will ultimately be more like Will Ospreay’s or Jay White’s, though- it simply wasn’t a great start there.” – John Carroll

“If this poll had taken place in the middle of January, Gabe Kidd might have taken my top spot, but after a strong start to the year Gabe has taken a bit of a backseat. If he gets the focus he deserves over the next year, Kidd could easily take the top spot in his last year of eligibility in 2026.” – Brady Trappett

“It took a couple of years to figure out how to harness his chaotic energy, but it’s working incredibly well in New Japan right now. He’s got main eventer written all over him, no matter what company he works for.” – Tyler Forness

“If you weren’t on the Gabe Kidd bandwagon last year, there might not be any room left after his Tokyo Dome classic with Kenny Omega. Gabe’s performances have always been intense, but he’s gradually found the right balance between chaos and focus that gives his character a level of authenticity that jumps off the screen. He feels dangerous, and his physical in-ring performances back that up. Whether his long-term future lies in Japan or the US, Gabe is likely to become a main event act for years to come.” – Adam Berger