FSM 50 2025: The 50 Best Wrestlers in the World

The yearly “PS 50” produced by Power Slam Magazine was the trendsetter for what became Fighting Spirit Magazine’s FSM 50. For seven years now, Voices of Wrestling has kept that annual tradition alive with the same spirit and intention as its predecessors.

The goal of this list is to be as well-informed and wide-ranging as possible. One of the beauties of the list in previous years was being able to highlight names that a reader may not be aware of. For me, that was a gateway into Japanese wrestling over 20 years ago. The first time I saw the names KENTA, CIMA, and Naomichi Marufuji was in the PS 50, and I was encouraged by the list to seek them out. We hope to not only provide a credible ranking but also to expose readers to some new wrestling. Discovering new wrestling was always one of the most enjoyable parts of my fandom when I was younger, and too often nowadays, people are closed off to discovery like it’s some kind of bad thing.

While each panelist will have their own individual tastes and speciality areas (necessary for the variety we hope to achieve) the focus of the ranking is on bell to bell performance. That can be whatever appeals to individual tastes, but it’s important to note that things like promos and backstage angles are not considered here. Charisma, crowd connection, the ability to get your story across in a match – those things are of course all valued as they are things that occur in the context of bell to bell performance. A big reason for this distinction is to remove the things where certain performers don’t have a level playing field… i.e promos in foreign languages. Another aspect to note is that a huge worldwide star is viewed no differently to a kid plying their trade in Shin-Kiba 1st Ring. Everyone’s on a level playing field here.

To me, the story of 2025’s FSM 50 was how competitive it was. As the list co-ordinator, I’ve never had such a difficult time limiting this thing to 50 people. I think there were 20 or 30 wrestlers minimum, outside looking in, who can feel very hard done by. I don’t necessarily think that’s because we’re in a golden era of great wrestlers. I think it’s a case of when you get to a certain level, it’s very hard to split hairs, and there was a lot of depth to be had.

It was also the most competitive year ever for the #1 spot. I feel like there were five wrestlers who all had a strong claim for number one, and that played out in our voting. You can shuffle that top five in a few different ways and none would feel wrong to me. Will Ospreay has departed his throne, for now, and it will be very fun to see if he takes it back again in 2026.

We hope you enjoy this breakdown of all 50 wrestlers (and some honorable mentions) with some short blurbs about each of their years. I know it’s tempting to skip straight to the list, but there are some sneaky match recommendations and other pearls of wisdom you’ll miss out on, so do so at your peril!

Thanks for reading!

-Alan4L (Coordinator)

The FSM50 2025 Panel

• Alan4L. Host of ProWres Paradise at PWTorch VIP, and columnist for the PWTorch newsletter. Wrestling fan since 1991 and these days focusing mainly on AEW, CMLL and Japan.
• Case Lowe. Co-host of Open The Voice Gate, lucharesu historian with a wide-ranging wrestling knowledge that defies his years.
• Fred Morlan. Co-host of The Good, the Bad, and the Hungee. Statistically minded analyst who does his best to keep up on wrestling around the world.
• Gerard Di Trolio. Co-host of The Emerald Flowshow specializing in NOAH and All Japan. Knows the Japanese scene inside out.
• Ian Hamilton. Writer and podcaster for BackBodyDrop.com and an expert in European wrestling to complement a well-rounded knowledge of worldwide wrestling.
• Jesse Collings. A writer for VoicesofWrestling.com and host of the Gentlemen’s Wrestling Podcast. He has been writing about the global world of wrestling online since 2012.
• Joe Gagne. Wrestling podcast OG and trivia master! Joe keeps his tabs on everything and often provides a balanced voice to our rankings.
• Joe Lanza (SENIOR EXECUTIVE ADVISOR). The King Of Banter. The Most Compelling Voice In Wrestling Media. A Reasoned And Well Explained Man. The Leader Of The Hardcore Wrestling Intelligentsia. Internationally Acclaimed Broadcast Journalist As Heard On BBC Radio. Also heard and read on FlagshipPatreon.com.
• Joey Bay. Regular contributor to ProWres Paradise & Dr. Keith Presents. Big fan of Japanese wrestling from the major leagues to the smallest indies, and always keeps close tabs on the US indy scene too.
• Mo Chatra. Without Mo, there would be no FSM 50! He’s a veteran wrestling writer who was a long-time contributor to Power Slam Magazine’s PS50 – the precursor to the FSM 50, going back to the mid-90s. He was also the English voice of NOAH, NJPW and GAEA on the Wrestling Channel!
• Rich Kraetsch (ADVISOR). Co-host of the long-running Flagship Podcast on Voices of Wrestling, editor of VoicesofWrestling.com and one-half of FlagshipPatreon.com. Rich keeps an eye on the full world of wrestling with an emphasis on America and Japan.
• Scott Edwards. One of the most passionate wrestling writers around. Scott represents VOW, Fightful and Fightgamemedia where he hosts the Five Star Joshi Show.
• Travis McNeill. “T-Mack” is a husband, a father of two and has been a wrestling fan for 36 years. He grew up through tape trading, message boards and road trips with people he met online. Today, he doesn’t have Twitter or anything like that but sometimes people are nice and ask him to be on a podcast or contribute to something like this.

The FSM 50 2025
The 50 Best Wrestlers in the World

50 Claudio Castagnoli (AEW)

When Claudio’s motivated, he still works like one of the best in the world, and the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship helped light a fire under his ass towards the end of the year. In addition to another great performance in the C2, Claudio was also excellent in his tag and trios roles in the Death Riders. (FM)

49 Saori Anou (STARDOM)

One of STARDOM’s most dependable workers, Saori Anou sneaks into the top 50 following another stellar year. Relinquished Artist of Stardom trios’ titles (alongside Natsupoi and Tam Nakano) to AZM, Miyu Amasaki and Starlight Kid in one of STARDOM’s best matches of 2025 in February. Won solo gold in April after besting Ryo Mizunami for Oz Academy’s Openweight Title in April. Summer stunners opposite Starlight Kid and Suzu Suzuki were impressive, but perhaps her best singles outing came at STARDOM’s Dream Queendom event at the end of December when she lost to Saya Kamitani in an unsuccessful yet awe-inspiring challenge for the World of Stardom belt. (MC)

48 Ricochet (AEW)

Ricochet remains one of the most athletic workers in the world, well into his third decade in the business, but has freshened up his presentation by becoming one of the biggest on screen shitheads in wrestling. In addition to his role in the fantastic three way match against Mike Bailey and Kenny Omega at Dynasty, Ricochet stood out in a pair of matches against Swerve Strickland and Mark Briscoe, and an IWGP World Heavyweight challenge at Wrestle Dynasty. Hopefully, we’ll get even more screen time for Ricochet (with Gates of Agony) in 2025. (FM)

47 Shingo Takagi (NJPW)

Shingo’s booking momentum may have stagnated (seriously, how are you not pushing this guy at a meaningful level?), but his in-ring performances are as good as ever. Highlighted by a pair of fantastic matches against Konosuke Takeshita, the hard-hitting Shingo rounded out his 2025 resume with a collection of great matches against the likes of Shota Umino, Hirooki Goto, ZSJ, Gabe Kidd, and Drilla Moloney. (FM)

46 Difunto (CMLL)

If there’s one thing I love about CMLL, it’s how you can see a guy rise up the card through pure effort and talent. Difunto was a clear example of that in 2025, going from lower tier rudo to a guy who was main eventing with Mistico by the end of the year. He may not have the star potential of stable-mate Zandokan Jr, but he will be a featured reliable performer at the top of CMLL cards for years to come. (A4L)

45 Mad Dog Connelly (Independent)

Mad Dog Connelly, in a very short timeframe, has become something that the independent wrestling scene has been missing – an attraction. During the mid-aughts indie wrestling boom, there was an insanely deep pool of talented wrestlers. Every mainstream indie promotion had its fair share. But there were some wrestlers that went beyond just providing another good match in the middle of a 5-hour marathon event with a silly pop-culture reference title. These wrestlers, guys like Necro Butcher and Super Dragon, provided spectacle, and the feeling of unpredictability, tension and danger. Those added elements helped make independent wrestling emerge as the counter-culture alternative that fans were craving after the last movement was absorbed by the sterilized corporate machine. Mad Dog Connelly is the wrestler that comes into your local indie, chains up with your local hero, and gives them the fight of their life. Maybe he wins, maybe he loses, maybe he will bleed (and he will more than likely make his opponent bleed), but no matter what, he will give the paying audience a spectacle. For a highly credible testimonial on the value that Mad Dog Connelly brings to the independent scene, listen to Bryan Danielson express his excitement of getting to see him live and in-person during his promo at the ACTION/ROH DEAN~! 2 show. In a day and age where even the smallest of indie shows is immediately available through streaming, the scene often feels oversaturated and it’s hard for anything to feel special. Connelly matches feel like appointment viewing. “The King of the Dog Collar Match” is the wrestler you would have bought the tape for. He’s the wrestler you would have made the road trip for. He’s the wrestler that makes you think that maybe the monthly subscription fee you want to cut is still worth it. He is the attraction. (TM)

44 Ben-K (DG)

This year’s recipient of the “Sneaky Great Year” award, which is usually reserved for fellow Dragongate brethren Kzy or someone like TJP, goes to Ben-K. The heavyweight lynchpin of Dragongate’s workrate unit “Love & Peace” ended the year with 17 matches at 4 stars or higher, despite not ever receiving a focused push. It seemed like every member of the Dragongate roster had a great match with Ben this year. (CL)

43 Kevin Knight (AEW)

Someday, we’ll look back fondly at 2025 as the big breakout year for Kevin Knight as he ascends to stardom. The ridiculously athletic Knight used his physical tools to form the wonderful Jet Speed team with Mike Bailey. The duo had great matches against the likes of the Young Bucks, FTR, LFI, and the Don Callis Family. Knight also showed out in C2 matches against Kyle Fletcher and his Jet Speed partner Speedball. A forgotten gem that we’ll hopefully see run back someday was his April match against Will Ospreay at Dynasty. You need to go out of your way to see his heel work in an insane fireworks display when Jet Speed took on Mascara Dorada and Néon in CMLL. (FM / AC)

42 Ultimo Guerrero (CMLL)

September 19th, 1990. That is when José Hernández debuted, years before he had the Ultimo Guerrero moniker. It was four years before the first PS 50 in 1994. 31 years later and we have the opportunity to right many wrongs, as one of the greatest luchadors in history makes this list for the very first time. At 59 years of age, he had one of his best years ever, proving himself to still be capable of going at a remarkably high level and not just a guy that relies on his mountains of charisma to get by. Put a title on the line, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s the MLW title against Blue Panther or Bishop Dyer, or the CMLL Heavyweight title against Claudio Castagnoli, and our man will raise the roof and get up for it!! In the trios ranks, his matches alongside stablemates Stuka Jr and Gran Guerrero deliver every time, with a formula that is impossible to get sick of. He’s simply a joy to watch. (A4L)

41 Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW)

The Year is 2052. Extensive drought has led to large areas of the earth being turned into deserted wastelands. Grand Theft Auto 6 was just delayed until 2053. James Cameron, now a literal cyborg, is still working on releasing another Avatar film. Tomohiro Ishii just had another four star match.

Ishii feels indomitable–his persistence refusing him to be counted out no matter how old he gets or how creaky he appears while walking to the ring. The bell will ring, Ishii will throw his forearms, sell just enough, and know exactly when to fire up to lead to a thrilling finish. He’s rarely positioned on the card these days in a spot where he is permitted to reach the highest of highs, but he manages to squeeze everything out of what he is given.

With NJPW having little use for him in 2025, Ishii found himself once again working more and more in America, at 50 years old turning into one of the most dependable TV wrestlers in the world for AEW, where he battered Jon Moxley, Kyle Fletcher and the Young Bucks in memorable matches. When he did get a singles match in NJPW, he unsurprisingly made the most of it, with clashes against Drilla Moloney, Gabe Kidd and Konosuke Takeshita being particularly memorable. His chemistry with Taichi as unlikely tag partners (and opponents) was another highlight of his 2025. (JC)

40 Adam Priest (Independent)

It’s truly a joy to watch the man who goes by the name “Any Style” do his thing. Priest is one of the most clever wrestlers in the world, who thinks about what he does in between the ropes at a much deeper level than many of his peers. His short throwaway match with Dragon Kid (which was unplanned) in wXw should be on the curriculum for every trainee in the world. It was utter perfection. Priest grabbed his opportunities in AEW against FTR by the horns and delivered outside the bounds of his usual heel persona. (A4L)

39 Starlight Kid (STARDOM)

In her first year as a top champion in STARDOM, Starlight Kid didn’t disappoint. Entering 2025 as the Wonder of Stardom Champion, she had a chance to step into her biggest spotlight and lead as a champion. What she did in the early months with that title was fantastic, including a top-of-the-line match of the year contender with first-time challenger Rina. She showed quickly that she’d take the lead as the champion with other strong defenses against Konami, HANAKO, Saori Anou, and AZM. The only thing that limited her from being right there with Saya Kamitani as the best champion in STARDOM was that injuries piled up, limiting her defenses and her overall performance. Still, her championship reign was loaded with overall strong output, making her case to be on this list an easy one. (SE)

38 Kento Miyahara (AJPW)

Miyahara had been mostly kept away from the top of the card in 2025 until the final third of the year. That decision yielded mixed results for AJPW. Yuma Anzai was an unambiguous success, but Yuma Aoyagi and Jun Saito as Triple Crown runs either did not live up to expectations or went on for too long respectively. Leave it to Miyahara to right the ship as soon as he defeated Saito for the Triple Crown. He then went on to give Hokuto Omori the best match of his career, followed by a great match against a freshly jumped ex-NOAH Go Shiozaki, and ended the year with a Match of the Year Contender against Anzai. With some strong tag team showings and a trip to the finals of the Champion Carnival along with winning the Royal Road tournament, Miyahara had an uncharacteristic under-the-radar good year, while All Japan stagnated otherwise. (GDT)

37 Leon Slater (TNA / Rev Pro)

The latest beneficiary of the WWE/TNA agreement (and we know how that’s worked out in the past), Leon Slater made the most of his minutes as he continued to shine on the indies and in the mainstream. Whether it be tagging with or going against Je’von Evans in TNA and NXT, Leon’s making a name for himself in North America, while the indies got what may be their last full year of him – but he made those minutes count too with solid showings, particularly in showcase tournaments for wXw and PROGRESS. (IH)

36 Je’Von Evans (WWE)

Each decade has a wrestler who connects with the current generation and inspires the following generation of wrestlers that come after them. It’s a cycle we’ve seen time and time again and will probably continue to see as long as we have pro wrestling. Je’Von Evans is the latest example of this. It’s very easy to watch him and make comparisons to a young Will Ospreay. The hyper-athletic, continuously grinding, always re-setting the bar higher and higher, desire to be legendary flame that burns within Ospreay can be seen in Je’Von. But what can also be seen in Evans, that isn’t seen in a lot of those similar to him, is an anger, an intensity, a feeling of something to prove. Young people today face so much adversity with so many barriers placed in front of them. Je’Von Evans will give you the cool, viral moments, but he’ll also spit blood in the face of the arrogant guy bullying him, he’ll throw every single bit of his body when firing back at the colossal fast-tracked champion who has been throwing him around for 15 minutes. He’ll get up time and time again and continue to fight, because he feels like he doesn’t have another choice. Superheroes are changing. Steve Rogers hung up the Captain American shield in the Marvel movies and John Cena hung up the U Can’t C Me armband in the squared circle. Je’Von Evans is a superhero for the new generation of young people watching him. Some of those young people are going to become pro wrestlers. Whether Je’Von is the primary inspiration, time will tell, but as 2025 ends, it feels like he might be the most likely. (TM)

35 Néon (CMLL)

Not to pee in anyone else’s pot, but Néon is what many people say a certain higher-ranked wrestler on this list is! A jaw-dropping high flyer, who brings the reliability and fluidity that puts that style of wrestler on a different level. His ramp-running triple jump moonsault is the most spectacular move in wrestling, and one of my hopes for 2026 is to see that thing in person in Arena Mexico. Outside of the many great trios matches he had for CMLL, the young star had a shockingly good mini-feud with, of all people, Paul London as the MLW/CMLL relationship continued to bear surprising fruit. (A4L)

34 Kazuchika Okada (AEW)

Look, we’re not getting prime Okada on a night-in, night-out basis like we were in New Japan a few years ago. But anyone who posts a résumé of matches like the Kenny Omega match at All In, the Brodido tag at WrestleDream, the bout with Mike Bailey at Double or Nothing, the All Out three way match against Takeshita and Mascara Dorada, and the Swerve Strickland Forbidden Door match has to be ranked on this list. Don’t disregard the great out of missing the perfect. (FM)

33 IYO SKY (WWE)

2025 was the year Sky truly achieved superstar status, becoming one of the WWE’s top female stars. Her WWE Women’s Championship reign showcased her versatility, mixing crisp aerial offense with a newfound edge in her character work. Matches against Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka were highlights, with her Evolution match against Rhea Ripley (before the awful Naomi cash-in tarnished the moment) being a career-defining bout. Sky’s return to Japan to face Mayu Iwatani for Marigold in October resulted in Iyo producing one of her strongest performances of the year. Had the WWE not limited her opportunities to showcase her immense talent, her placing on the list would have been far higher. (MC)

32 Kenoh (NOAH)

The angriest man in wrestling has every right to be, as his company underappreciates just how great he is. Kenoh was chosen to have a 24-hour transitional GHC Heavyweight Title reign, beating OZAWA, then losing it to KENTA, with the latter of the two matches being especially great. A solid showing in the N-1 and an incredible iron man match against Kaito Kiyomiya clinched his spot on this list. Given NOAH’s dubious booking decisions less than two weeks into 2026, it would not shock me if they turn to Kenoh (again) to bail themselves out of more bad choices. (GDT)

31 Yuya Uemura (NJPW)

Uemura started 2025 on the shelf but wasted no time getting back into the swing of things with his return in the spring. By the time the G1 Climax came around in July, he was hitting his stride and ended up a contender for MVP of the tournament, with A Block matches against Hiroshi Tanahashi and Ryoya Oiwa being a joy to watch. Uemura’s positive vibes have even kick-started things for Shota Umino, as the two formed an excellent babyface tag team in the latter half of the year. Their Sumo Hall tag title match against the Knock Out Brothers was great, but it was the build-up singles match between Yuya and Yuto-Ice that was the real gem of the feud. That bout was as heated as anything we saw in NJPW last year, as we saw a new intense and hostile side of the normally joyful babyface emerge. Later, he got to show he was still a skillful technician and had the best bout of the World Tag League, as he and Umino put on a gripping back-and-forth contest against eventual winners ZSJ and Oiwa. If 2026 ends up being a year that New Japan gets back to the quality it’s known for, “Heat Storm” will be a big reason why. (A4L)

30 Mayu Iwatani (Marigold)

Another year, another special one for “The Icon.” 2025 was a year of change for Mayu Iwatani, as she left her longtime home of STARDOM to join Marigold in May, becoming the company’s new face. Before the jump, however, she made sure to put on one of the best matches of 2025 in her final STARDOM bout when she dropped the IWGP Women’s Title to Syuri at All Star Grand Queendom – concluding her sensational reign and the best an IWGP belt has seen in years. She’d then head over to Marigold, where she lifted up the entire company with her presence while having sensational matches with Nanae Takahashi, Utami Hayashishita, and Victoria Yuzuki. She was also able to win the Superfly Championship, beginning her run to the Marigold Grand Slam. And finally, she closed out her year in the main event of Marigold Grand Destiny, facing her long-time partner and rival, IYO SKY, delivering a true classic. No matter what company she belongs to, Iwatani remains among the best in all of wrestling. (SE)

29 Young Bucks (AEW)

Lifting Jack Perry to his first great match in God knows how long. Centerpieces of the great Anarchy in the Arena match. The All Out ladder match. The sensational bout against Swerve & Ospreay. The Bucks merely went out and had a basketful of four plus star matches again. Ho hum. (FM)

28 Mascara Dorada (CMLL)

Few individual performances left a bigger impression on me than what Mascara Dorada did at AEW’s All Out. Everything that has made this 24-year-old a world-renowned name was on display in that encounter against two of the best wrestlers in the world. 2025 exposed some of Dorada’s worst tendencies (which I fear might not go away given his unbridled success throughout the course of the year), but even when his work is dotted with blemishes, few wrestlers are able to match the peaks that Dorada does. (CL)

27 Kazusada Higuchi (DDT)

After a two-and-a-half year drought, Higuchi regained the KO-D Openweight Title. Though he only held it for 63 days, he still had great matches against Chris Brookes, HARASHIMA, Jun Akiyama, and Yuki Ueno. Plus, there was the fantastic King of DDT finals against KANON. His brutal and uncompromising style (If you don’t like seeing or are going to be a concern troll about nasty headbutts, Higuchi is not the wrestler for you) harkens back to an era of puroresu that unfortunately seems to be behind us. His biggest issue isn’t himself, but his company. DDT will book him in some great stuff for a few months at a time, but will never commit to making him the focal point of the promotion, probably because of how different he is from the traditional top guys of DDT. (GDT)

26 Mercedes Mone (AEW)

It’s easy to mistake ego for passion. This was the story of Mercedes Mone’s 2025. “Ultimo Mone” was polarizing. Another title to pad the accolades and feed the ego? To some, that might have been all it appeared to be. But have you ever heard of Bestya Pro Wrestling in Poland, or APAC in Malaysia? In a time where international conflict is so prevalent, Mercedes demonstrated the shared passion that wrestling fans have, no matter where we’re geographically located. She brought exposure to promotions and wrestlers that didn’t have the platform prior. In an independent wrestling landscape where it is harder than ever to develop from within, Mone gave countless women an invaluable opportunity to work with and learn from someone that has main evented WrestleMania. Her contribution should not be mistaken as self-serving. Mercedes used her platform and reach to help so many. In the ring, she did what some of the most acclaimed world champions of all-time, the Flairs and the Bockwinkels, were so great at. She plugged opponents into her tried, tested and true formula, found her opponent’s strengths, and then emphasized them by using her own, like her bumping and ability to generate heat. What did she do when not globetrotting? She maintained her position as the best big-match women’s wrestler in the history of the United States. No big deal for The CEO. (TM)

25 YAMATO (DG)

YAMATO’s spot on this list was entirely determined by his work from January-July in which he was far and away the best champion in wrestling during that time period. As Open the Dream Gate Champion (and briefly Open the Brave Gate Champion), YAMATO elevated every single opponent that he faced. After years of disappointing OTDG reigns as a babyface champion, YAMATO finally put his best foot forward with the ace-like reign that we’ve always wanted from him. His reign ended with one of the best matches of the year against Shun Skywalker, highlighted by one of YAMATO’s best performances ever. (CL)

24 David Finlay (NJPW)

Finlay opened the year with a terrific tussle on the opening night of Wrestle Kingdom 19 opposite Yota Tsuji, when he dropped the Global Heavyweight Title. He followed that up by winning the New Japan Cup in March, when he bested Shota Umino in a fantastic, hard-hitting final. That triumph earned him an IWGP World Heavyweight Title shot at Sakura Genesis in April, where he fell short of defeating champ Hirooki Goto. His G1 outings were strong, with his night 17 play-off defeat at the hands of Konosuke Takeshita being his standout match. A clash with Yota Tsuji at Destruction in Kobe in September was another strong effort. Finlay will be hoping that Tsuji becoming the IWGP heavyweight champion makes him an obvious choice to contend for the title against his rival at some point in 2026. (MC)

23 Yota Tsuji (NJPW)

Yota Tsuji’s 2025 was a breakout year that showcased his evolution into one of NJPW’s biggest native stars. He kicked things off in February with a fantastic clash against Gabe Kidd at The New Beginning in Osaka – a brutal, high-energy battle that set the tone for his year. Tsuji enjoyed a solid if unspectacular G1, reaching the semi-finals where he lost to EVIL in a typically underwhelming EVIL bout. Momentum picked up in the autumn when he captured the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title in October by forcing Gabe Kidd to submit in a hard-fought showdown at King of Pro-Wrestling. He then paired with Kidd and reached the finals of the World Tag League, losing to Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa. 2025 was the year Tsuji transformed from promising prospect into a genuine headline act. (MC)

22 FTR (AEW)

FTR once again finally got a meaningful direction beyond “Adam Copeland’s little buddies” and delivered in spades, becoming the centerpieces of Collision for months as the perfect throwback heel tag team, which included a tremendous pairing with Stokely Hathaway. Slapping together a list of highlight matches against Jet Speed, Brodido, Daniel Garcia & Nigel McGuinness, Adam Priest & Tommy Billington, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong, and even The Outrunners, FTR showed just how versatile they were all year long, in what was arguably the best run of their careers. (FM)

21 AZM (STARDOM)

Just 23 years old, AZM is nonetheless a veteran who moved closer and closer in 2025 to becoming a headline act for STARDOM. She won the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship in May in the main event of Resurgence, defeating Mercedes Mone and Mina Shirakawa in a three way match. It was in the second half of the year, however, that AZM really came to the fore, with exceptional outings against Bozilla, two against Saya Kamitani (dropping the Strong belt in their September outing), Rina, Momo Watanabe and Mei Suruga. Since the exodus of talent to Marigold, AZM’s star has risen and she has firmly established herself in the upper echelon of STARDOM’s roster. AZM is a strong bet to capture the Wonder of Stardom strap in 2026. (MC)

20 Will Ospreay (AEW)

The run is over.

After three-straight FSM 50 #1’s, Ospreay misses out on the 4-peat and drops to 20th. Considering he missed the last four months of the year, that’s still a tremendous achievement and speaks to the unprecedented output of excellence Ospreay has and is still putting up. While Ospreay is no longer #1, he made the Top 50 for the 12th straight year despite missing the Top 10 for the first time since 2015 (when he finished, ironically enough, 20th). 2025 was arguably Ospreay’s “worst” (very much relative!) year of recent vintage. Despite that, Ospreay still had perhaps the best AEW match of the year against Hangman Page at AEW Double or Nothing 2025, one of the best TV matches in wrestling history with Konosuke Takeshita in April, and maybe the damnest cage match in history against Kyle Fletcher at AEW Revolution. Ospreay’s greatness can be measured by a year that, despite the disappointment, featured four matches that received 9+ ratings on Cagematch and 15 with a 7+ score. For most wrestlers, their best years are what Ospreay experienced during his injury-shortened, “disappointing” 2025. (RK)

19 ISHIN (DG)

One of my favorite memories of 2025 was watching ISHIN and his Z-Brats cohorts work a Texas Wrestling Cartel show in Las Vegas. In a crowd primarily made up of people there to watch Izzy Moreno, ISHIN’s overwhelming and unrelenting charisma forced a lethargic crowd to come alive for a man that they were entirely unfamiliar with. In one year, ISHIN showcased his comedy chops, his ability to slug it out with heavyweights, his ability to do unironically good fat-man-lucha, and even thrive with plunder. I’m convinced there’s nothing that he can’t do at a high level. By this time next year, I pray he’s more respected on a global scale. He had a herculean performance on the final night of King Of Gate, tearing the house down with two completely different opponents in Yuki Yoshioka and Gianni Valletta. (CL)

18 Saya Kamitani (STARDOM)

The first woman to ever win the Tokyo Sports MVP award, officially concluding a year for Saya Kamitani that was simply historic. Kamitani reigned 2025 end-to-end as the World of Stardom Champion, becoming the full-fledged face of STARDOM and bringing them to new heights in terms of popularity and attendance. Her feud with Tam Nakano, which concluded with Nakano’s retirement at All Star Grand Queendom, is one of the most memorable in recent memory and was arguably the best rivalry of 2025. Beyond those notable moments are important title matches with rising star Sayaka Kurara in a sold-out Korakuen Hall, Cosmic Angels’ Natsupoi and Saori Anou, as well as the 5STAR GP winner Momo Watanabe. Everything Kamitani accomplished in 2025 was record-setting, and it left her as Japan’s biggest draw and most notable name following the retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi. She not only belongs on this list, but had as notable a year as anyone in pro wrestling. (SE)

17 Kosei Fujita (NJPW)

The quiet man of New Japan has quietly developed into one of the best in the game, and he’s still only 23 years old. Fujita doesn’t need to say much. His swagger and his wrestling skill does the talking for him. Obviously 2025’s big highlight was his Best Of The Super Junior final win over YOH – a bout that got rave reviews at a level matched by few bouts in Japan all year. Fujita had embarked on a journey of excellent matches throughout the BOSJ leading up to that bout though, and if you haven’t seen his shoot style throwdown with KUSHIDA, you need to. Fujita still has yet to take home the IWGP junior title, but he showed he was worthy of it in his challenges against Desperado in February and July. He’s getting close!

As part of the delightfully named “Ichiban Sweet Boys”, he and partner Robbie Eagles are the class of New Japan’s junior tag scene. While that’s not exactly the praise it would have been in 2000 or 2014, they still had a bunch of excellent bouts during the tournament in October, with their hard hitting clash against KUSHIDA & Yuki Yoshioka being a must-see. (A4L)

16 Hechicero (CMLL / AEW)

The new dual contract is really working for “The Alchemist Of The Ring”, as Hechicero lit up the rings of both AEW and CMLL in 2025. This veteran wrestler has to be commended for staying true to his style and ensuring that he is one of the most unique in-ring performers in the world. No matter the promotion or environment, Hech wrestlers like a man completely comfortable in his own skin and totally confident in what he does. Whether he’s in a Friday night main event at Arena Mexico, an ROH World Title match in the ECW Arena, or a fast paced Dynamite match in a random midwestern town on a Wednesday, Hechicero always thrives and makes it look so, so easy. Truly world class in every way. (A4L)

15 Chihiro Hashimoto (Sendai Girls)

Better known to some as “Big Hash,” Chihiro Hashimoto had another rockstar year — both as a singles competitor and in her tag team with Yuu. As a singles competitor, she managed to have some of the biggest and best matches of her career — including her sixth Sendai Girls World Championship win against legend Meiko Satomura, a fantastic defense against Mika Iwata, and one of the best matches of 2025 in her 10th anniversary showdown against Sareee. On the tag team side, she got to have her sixth Sendai Girls Tag Team Championship reign while having her final run with Team 200kg partner Yuu, who retired at the end of the year. She also had signature matches outside of Sendai Girls, including a bout with Maika at STARDOM All Star Grand Queendom and a bout with Seri Yamaoka at Marigold Grand Destiny. No matter the situation, Hashimoto showed up and showed out. Hashimoto has long been one of the best on the planet, and seeing her land 15th on this year’s list feels like getting the proper credit she’s deserved from the world. (SE)

14 Gabe Kidd (NJPW)

Gabe Kidd started 2025 on an incredibly high note, losing to Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty in the Tokyo Dome, which became the early favorite for Match of the Year in 2025, and still might finish in the top slot. The following month, his match against Yota Tsuji, which ended with a spectacular double knockout, is arguably the best NJPW match ever involving wrestlers of their generation.

Kidd looked poised to take over the wrestling world in 2025, but an ill-timed injury shortly before the G1 threw his year into a tailspin. Questions about where his future might lay (most likely AEW) sullied his name with some fans who fell in step with him when he banged the drum for NJPW during his feud with Omega. He spent the second half of his year mostly doing tag team work, although singles matches against Yota Tsuji at King of Pro Wrestling and against Darby Allin at World’s End showed that he was still capable of elite singles matches.

Kidd did not have the dominant 2025 that he looked destined to have, but he still managed an incredibly strong year and took part in a number of matches that should crack anyone’s MOTY shortlist. (JC)

13 Hirooki Goto (NJPW)

Goto spent most of his career as an afterthought in NJPW, a recognized talent but someone that was always destined to perform underneath more marketable, charismatic names. In 2025, something very curious happened, though – many of those names were gone or had faded away, opening the door for Goto to emerge. Coming across as a throwback of sorts, his no-nonsense, straight forward toughness and earnestness in the ring allowed him to stand out in an increasingly fractured puro scene that was filled with cheating heels and comedy acts rounding out too many main events.

A decade ago, it felt like Japan was filled with wrestlers like Goto – hard-headed heavyweights who slugged it out over 20+ minute main events. The scene is different now, and there are fewer and fewer top wrestlers built quite like Goto. It’s why Goto, who spent most of his career as a generic heavyweight challenger, felt like a breath of fresh air in 2025. His series of matches against Zack Sabre Jr. were the highlight of NJPW’s in-ring year, and Goto’s run as IWGP World Champion kept NJPW’s head above water for the first half of 2025. He had fun matches against veterans like Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi, and he also fought off younger challengers like Shota Umino and David Finlay.

Perhaps Goto’s best work came at Wrestling Dontaku in May. Would-be challenger Jeff Cobb shamefully left the company on short notice to hop to WWE, which led to NJPW pressing 22-year-old Callum Newman into the main event spot on the show. Goto worked seamlessly with the younger wrestler, getting a convincing, big show main event match out of the younger wrestler who every fan knew had no chance to win the match. Goto’s matches with Sabre peaked much higher, but it’s hard to argue he didn’t do his finest individual work in getting a match of that kind of quality out of Newman in such difficult circumstances. (JC)

12 Hangman Page (AEW)

I still don’t know what the hell that world title reign was, but Hangman’s Double or Nothing bout against Will Ospreay and All In title win against Jon Moxley have to go down as among the very best of the year. His overall direction and title reign may have been weird, but his hard hitting work led to his usual high bell-to-bell output. Page remains a fantastic brawler and produces some of the most physically intense matches you’ll ever see. Make sure you don’t miss his April Dynamite match against Kyle Fletcher, which was every bit as good as the All Out title defense, and the forgotten Collision Texas Death match against Christopher Daniels from January. (FM)

11 Mark Briscoe (AEW)

Mark Briscoe’s legacy might always be that he was part of what could possibly be considered the greatest tag team of his generation. It would be for good reason and he would likely be satisfied with that. The Briscoe Brothers will always be held in the highest regard. Mark Briscoe, the singles wrestler, is building another legacy before our eyes, a legacy of being one of the greatest babyface television wrestlers of his generation.

It’s rare to have a wrestler that’s so versatile that they can appeal to any subsection of a fanbase. Are you a fan that gets behind a tough, aggressive, intimidating wrestler that can make someone bleed while also being covered in blood himself? You probably love Mark Briscoe. Are you a kid that likes someone that can be silly and hold your attention with their words, facial expressions and infectious physical charisma? You probably love Mark Briscoe. Are you someone that wants to get behind an underdog and watch them scratch and claw from underneath to try and beat whoever is bigger or dirtier than them? You probably love Mark Briscoe. As an online wrestling fan, it’s easy to want what you think is “best for business”. A young, emerging, hyper-talented wrestler like Kyle Fletcher being someone that a company should strap a rocket to is a no-brainer. Our brains tell us that we want those wrestlers to win matches and titles and be successful. But when our hearts make us want otherwise, no matter how knowledgeable and/or jaded we might be, that is the magic that makes pro wrestling unlike anything else. Mark Briscoe makes us ignore our brains and listen to our hearts. He makes us feel like we’re in his corner and that he needs us. Whether we’re laughing, crying, cheering or gasping in horror, we’re feeling something. When all is said and done, singles wrestler, tag team wrestler, maybe none of that matters. His legacy either way is that he brings us in, he lets us escape and, simply put, he makes us feel. (TM)

10 Mistico (CMLL)

Is Mistico penalized for his consistency? We’ve gotten so used to him closing out Friday nights in Arena Mexico with stunning trios matches that I’m not sure he gets enough love for being the great singles wrestler that he is. While he starred in a dozen or so excellent multi-man matches this year, the undeniable highlight of his year was his pair of matches with MJF, notably the second match at CMLL’s Aniversario show that saw him bleed buckets en route to a heroic victory that reminded me of how great pro wrestling can be. (CL)

9 Mike Bailey (AEW)

In his first year as a full-time TV wrestler, Mike Bailey was a persistent presence on AEW shows, and every time he stepped through the curtain, he was a threat to have a MOTYC. He stole the C2 in his match against Kyle Fletcher, he was part of the Dynasty three-way match that stole the show, and he helped Kazuchika Okada display that he can still go at the highest level in their match at Double or Nothing. A very random favorite 2025 match of his is his tag with Komander against Dralistico & Rush on Collision back in May. Don’t forget all the fantastic matches as one half of Jet Speed too! They were naturally the perfect babyface counterparts for FTR, shined as part of the babyface squads six and eight man AEW part matches, and even flipped the switch and portrayed cocky heels in Arena Mexico when they showed up in CMLL.

Bailey has given so much of himself to pro wrestling for such a long time, and the rewards were never commensurate. That changed in 2025, and it’s about time. It’s great to see that his passion and desire to still be an absolute maniac in his matches is still as strong as ever regardless of the environment. (FM / AC).

8 Bandido (AEW)

The luchador that was introduced to me years ago as “Flamita’s friend” has surpassed the expectations that even his most ardent supporters had at the start of 2025. Once a lucha indie outcast, Bandido thrived against the biggest names in CMLL, racking up classics against Hechicero, Mistico, and Mascara Dorada. In AEW, he and Brody King became one of the promotion’s best original acts I’ve ever seen. In ROH, he and Konosuke Takeshita put together one of the best, most dramatic bouts of the year in a surefire MOTY. Bandido was put in so many different positions this year and he thrived in every one of them. (CL)

7 Shun Skywalker (DG)

This is Skywalker’s fifth consecutive year in the top 50 and his fourth year in the last five that he’s finished in the top 15. He’s on a brilliant run, with 2025 being one of his best yet. He split his time in 2025 between high-profile singles matches against the likes of YAMATO, Naruki Doi, and Kota Minoura while having stellar tag matches with his protege, Homare. The team of Skywalker and Homare and their subsequent multi-man matches as a part of PSYPATRA fell grossly under the radar for most pundits. Between understanding their character, making their offense look believable, and pumping out high-end bouts, very few wrestlers bring as much to the table as Skywalker does. (CL)

6 Jacky Kamei (DG)

It’s such a cliché, and I hate using it, but Jacky Kamei is truly poetry in motion. Not a single thing in pro wrestling impressed me in the way that a single springboard rana did during his November Twin Gate match with partner Riiita against D’Courage. It’s a move I’ve seen done thousands of times by everyone from Rey Mysterio Jr to Ricochet to Dragon Kid to El Blazer, and I’ve never seen it done better. That is the level of skill that Big Match Jack brings to the table. While we’ve seen him be great at various points since his career began at the turn of the decade, 2025 was the year he went pillar to post and put himself in the conversation for being one of the best in the world.

Jacky and Riiita may have been the best duo on earth, and their portfolio of bouts in the Rey De Parejas tournament and in Twin Gate matches was very impressive. It was Kamei’s singles work that separates him though – two highlights being his Korakuen Brave Gate clash with Ryoya Tanaka and his April tournament bout with super-rookie Homare. A personal favourite of mine was his “leg match” on a house show against DG’s head trainer Kagetora. That was a wrestling fan’s wrestling match right there. Oh and he’s a Dragongate wrestler so obviously he also had two million great multi-man tags.

Now we just need to do something about that hideous gear… (A4L)

5 Jon Moxley (AEW)

Jon Moxley might just be the most “for the love of the game” wrestler ever. In order to try and shed the “cool heel” persona, after the attempted murder of our beloved American Dragon didn’t completely work, he willingly sacrificed the quality of his matches. In working interference-heavy schmoozes, the antithesis of what AEW has prided themselves of representing, it encouraged an online narrative of being washed, cooked, or whatever the kids on the street are calling a has-been these days. Dropping the title to “Hangman” Adam Page felt like the “breath of fresh air” that AEW desperately needed, despite it coinciding with a period where many of the company’s biggest stars were about to disappear on leaves that could have otherwise made the company seem as though it was struggling. So how does someone that may or may not have intentionally tanked his inclusions in every nerdy fan’s match of the year spreadsheets still wind up ranking this high? He completely flipped the switch post title loss by having a year’s worth of outstanding matches concentrated to the back-half of the year. He used his rank in the company to elevate the stars of today like Darby Allin and Konosuke Takeshita. He used it to give long-time fans feel-good moments for guys like Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong. His 2025 culminated with a match-long journey against Kyle Fletcher, going from public enemy number one, atoning for his sins, and being reborn as the man of the people, purely through physical in-ring storytelling, was a work of art.

Jon Moxley will continuously sacrifice in an effort to make wrestling better. Whether it’s another MOTYC on a PPV, or having a nail board impale his back on a random Wednesday night, he loves this stuff just as much as the rest of us. (TM)

4 Zack Sabre Jr (NJPW)

Sabre Jr. started the year on a sour note, with his Wrestle Kingdom main event against Shota Umino failing to impress critics or spark the box office. Sabre had been a bedrock for New Japan during a tumultuous period filled with talents either declining in the ring or fleeing for greener pastures, but was 2025 going to be the year the consistent stalwart ZSJ also faltered?

Absolutely not. He immediately rebounded with two strong interpromotional matches against Ricochet and Hechicero respectively, and then had perhaps the best NJPW match in several years, dropping the IWGP World Championship to Hirooki Goto at The New Beginning in Osaka. Sabre and Goto would make magic again when ZSJ regained the title from Goto in June. He’d lose the title a second time in another classic, this time to Konosuke Takeshita – giving Sabre a pretty strong claim to being the best world title match wrestler in the world in 2025.

As he has throughout his career, Sabre did not restrict his brilliance to his primary employer. He had well-received matches in promotions across the world from AEW to Revolucian Lucha Libre in Chile, against a diverse array of opponents including Nigel McGuiness, Zozaya, Fuego del Sol and Kidd Bandit. (JC)

3 Sareee (Independent)

No wrestler delivers with the consistency of “The Sun God”, and she showed that again with another sensational year in 2025. One of the great gifts wrestling has received this decade was the return to Japan of Sareee. In 2025, she posted with amazing matches against the likes of Syuri (three times), Suzu Suzuki (twice), Chihiro Hashimoto, Meiko Satomura, VENY, Konami, and closing out the year with her best friend Natsupoi at STARDOM Dream Queendom. Entering the STARDOM ring consistently allowed her to do this, keeping things fresh after she had entered the Marigold ring a year earlier. Her top accolade was winning the IWGP Women’s Championship, and defending it as the year went on while also competing (and performing impressively) in the 5STAR Grand Prix for the first time in her career. But perhaps the most underrated part of her 2025 is the teaching she seems to have taken on, bringing young wrestlers Miku Kanae and Chi Chi alongside her for many of their battles – and even teaming with Kanae in an incredibly fun Goddesses of Stardom Tag League run. The reason this list exists is to highlight the very best wrestling has to offer, and Sareee has been and will continue to be the definition of just that. The Very Best. (SE)

2 Kyle Fletcher (AEW)

Fletcher rapidly accelerated from “one day, he’ll be a top star in AEW” to “he is gradually being moved into the top spot” over 2025. A list of his highlight matches from 2025 would fill at least a half page. The Ospreay cage match, the Adam Page matches, the Mark Briscoe series, the Dustin Rhodes Chicago Street Fight (which genuinely could be the best singles match of Dustin’s long career) – Fletcher had a wildly fantastic in-ring year. Fletcher’s a great heel and one of the most complete workers in the world, and he’s still just 27 years old. An utterly and disgustingly talented performer with a very bright future. (FM)

Last year on this list, we contemplated how long it would be before Kyle made the number one spot his own, and just a year later he came within a whisker. From this point forward, if you manage to have a better year than this man, then you’re probably the best wrestler in the world.  (A4L)

1 Konosuke Takeshita (AEW)

The FSM 50 has a new number one.  Although I didn’t cast my vote for the FSM 50 this year due to personal obligations, I wanted to maintain my annual tradition of writing about the top choice. Breaking Will Ospreay’s three-year reign in the number one spot is the 30-year-old Konosuke Takeshita. Regardless of personal opinions on Takeshita’s performances – there are times I find his performances to be a bit emotionless – there’s no denying that he deserves the title of the best wrestler in the world in 2025.

While other contenders exist (I would’ve voted Sareee in the top spot this year), anyone who argues with Takeshita as one of the best wrestlers in the world is either being stubborn or arguing for argument’s sake.  The guy is a GREAT pro wrestler, and his 2025 was one of the ages. Takeshita’s excellence was evident in the large swath of opponents and promotions he made magic with in 2025.  Whether it was Ring of Honor, NJPW, AEW, CMLL, DDT, or even unlikely places like HOG or TJPW, Takeshita brought his A-game. Along the way, Takeshita won the annual G1 Climax tournament, captured the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, and even slipped a NEVER Openweight Championship in the mix, too. Takeshita had great matches in 2025 against a wide range of opponents, including Bandido, Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr. , Shingo Takagi, Kenny Omega, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, David Finlay, Oleg Boltin, and more. My personal favorite performance of Takeshita in 2025 was Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final match in the United States, which I was fortunate enough to attend live.

Takeshita faced the challenging role of being Tanahashi’s last opponent on US soil. The match structure they chose was quite risky if handled by the wrong person, but it was in the capable hands of Takeshita. What most people thought was going to be a Tanahashi “Best Of” match for him to wave goodbye to his adoring United States audience ended up being the 30-year-old Takeshita harnessing ill-will from how he was treated by Tanahashi and NJPW in his younger days, with the result being Takeshita beating the ever-living shit out of Tanahashi and pinning him rather convincingly. The message was clear – out with the old, in with the new. More specifically, me, Konosuke Takeshita.

His post-G1 story in NJPW and semifinal ouster from the Continental Classic put a sour note on the end of Takeshita’s year, but it shouldn’t take away from just how special his 2025 was. Barring injury, Takeshita should be a frequent Top 5 finisher in this poll moving forward. He’s only just entered the prime of his career, and the sky is still the limit for the 30-year-old.

FSM 50 2025 Honorable Mentions

Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW)

We simply couldn’t not mention The Ace in his final year as a wrestler. And what a year it was. 148 matches. 41 of those singles. A G1 Climax that he not only survived, but thrived in. One last great year of memories. He could have coasted his way to Wrestle Kingdom, but that is not the Tanahashi way. He made this list every year from 2014 to 2021, all of which were years that were part of the “back nine” of his career, peaking at #4 in 2015. It’s a truly incredible feat that he has a genuine argument for making the top 50 one last time in his final year, but that’s why this list is what it is – even the great Hiroshi Tanahashi doesn’t get to have a special ceremonial spot reserved for him. (A4L)

Gunther (WWE)

Last year was one of dominance for the big Austrian, but given his immense in-ring talent, one that saw him have fewer great matches than you’d expect (not surprising given he wrestled only 31 times the entire year). He dropped the World Heavyweight Title on night one of WrestleMania 41 to Jey Uso in a match that had plenty of divided opinion. He regained the belt on Raw in June in a much more universally heralded match. His best bout came at SummerSlam, when he defeated CM Punk in an absolute war. The controversial finish in his victory over John Cena was one of the most talked-about moments in all of wrestling in 2025. On his best day, the former wXw stalwart is as good as anyone in the world, but WWE booking does not allow the big man to show off his ability to its maximum potential. (MC)

MJF (AEW)

MJF’s in-ring career is being defined by his insistence on telling stories in the ring. While it’s true that all wrestling is storytelling, not all matches come with the kind of…overbearing melodramal that MJF’s do. When those details are on point, such as in his match at Arena Mexico against Mistico, he is capable of high-end work that matches the peaks of any other wrestler in the world. However, when those details slip into over-the-top melodrama, MJF’s matches can descend into a boring mess, which is the main reason he failed to crack the FSM 50 this year, despite some incredible matches, such as the aforementioned Mistico classic and well-received bouts against Adam Page and Mark Briscoe. He enters 2026 as AEW World Champion, guaranteeing at least for the present his matches will continue to be heavily-story driven. Will his ambitious creative instincts be reigned in and coherent enough to land him on this list next year? (JC)

Blue Panther (CMLL)

At 65-years-old, Blue Panther churned out a shockingly fun year. Panther had legitimately great matches against Hechicero and Ultimo Guerrero and played a vital part in one of the best CMLL trios matches of the year on April 18th when he teamed with Mascara Dorada and Neon to take on Ultimo Guerrero, Gran Guerrero, and Stuka Jr. At his peak, even at the age of 65, Panther was not a sideshow attraction or a fun nostalgia character, but rather a superb wrestler regardless of age. (CL)

Homare (DG)

I’ve done countless podcasts talking about how Homare’s rookie year might be the best one ever, but I assume a lot of people reading this have never heard his name before. Shun Skywalker’s protege is 21-years-old and disgustingly good. He wrestled three matches on March 30 to close out Dragongate’s Tag League and he was uniquely great in all three matches. He will be in the top 50 for many years to come. (CL)

KENTA (NOAH)

I have so many issues with Pro Wrestling NOAH, but KENTA was a continued bright spot in what was otherwise a murky year for the promotion. His GHC Heavyweight Championship run was thoroughly enjoyable with his title victory against Kenoh, specifically, being one of the true highlights of the year in Japan. (CL)

1 Called Manders (Independent)

Every so often, a name from the US makes a real big splash in the European scene – one name that comes to mind is Tim Thatcher. Manders was this decade’s version of Timo, saving his best outings for Germany as he won 16 Carat Gold, then the wXw Unified World Wrestling title. Outings in Rev Pro weren’t quite as impressive, but Manders stuck his flag in the European scene in 2025 and hopefully there is more to come in 2026. (IH)

Dani Luna (Independent)

I’ll be honest, I’ve only watched Dani Luna work in Deadlock, but every time I see Dani Luna in that promotion I feel like I’m watching one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world. I’m so confident that if she was a regular in STARDOM or a pushed act in AEW, everyone would be talking her up as such. She moves around the ring with a quickness and a snap that few can match, and she hits like a truck. Her feud with Hyan was tremendous, and in her opportunities to get in there with some of the Joshi talent that Deadlock used, she showed she was every bit at that level or even better. This is a talent that the wrestling world is missing the boat on. (A4L)

So Daimonji (LAND’S END)

Easily the best wrestler you’ve never heard of. That’s not surprising since Daimonji is a Ryouji Sai trained LAND’S END wrestler that spends most of his time in Big Japan and GLEAT. But Daimonji is a wrestler that’s worth an excuse to check out companies you haven’t watched in a while. At 6’1″ and 242 lbs., Daimonji is one part Hirooki Goto, another part Shingo Takagi, and a dash of Masato Tanaka, with even a little shoot style thrown in for good measure. In 2025, he became BJW Strong Champion which is a perfect fit for his style blend. Daimonji is the kind of no-nonsense hard hitting wrestler that Japan desperately needs more of. (GDT)

Ahura (Independent)

About to hit a decade in wrestling, Ahura’s tumultuous career has certainly hit its high mark with his most consistent year yet. A lengthy rivalry with Elijah Blum saw Ahura edge ahead as he won wXw’s inaugural König der Catcher round robin tournament – defeating Blum in a wild final. While he’s come up short for kayfabe championships that help gather attention, Ahura has shed his tag team heavy past and cemented himself as the name in Germany to keep an eye on as we head into 2026. (IH)

Miu Watanabe (Tokyo Joshi)

Watanabe remains one of the best babyfaces in the business and one of the strongest workers on a pound-for-pound basis. Her Wrestle Princess VI win against Mizuki for the Princess of Princess Championship and her Live in Dallas and Tokyo Princess Cup matches against Shoko Nakajima all stole the show. (FM)

Seri Yamaoka (Marigold)

One of the great years in wrestling came from a rookie. And not just any rookie, but a “Super Rookie.” Seri Yamaoka debuted on January 3, 2025, and went on to have one of the great rookie years in pro wrestling as a member of Marigold. Her mixture of impressive amateur wrestling, sheer explosiveness, and pure athleticism made her one of the most exciting parts of Joshi last year — and it was just the beginning. For anyone who may not know about Yamaoka yet, you will. For now, watch her highlight matches with Takumi Iroha, Chihiro Hashimoto, and the rivalry with Senka Akatsuki to learn how special she already is and is going to be moving forward. She should have a place on this list for years to come. (SE)

Yuto-Ice (NJPW)

Returning to action in Japan in September with his partner Oskar, the former Yuto Nagashima has made his presence felt and given us all a taste of what is to come in 2026. Based on how he’s started the New Year, I think you can expect to see his name in a prominent position here in 12 months. (A4L)

The FSM 50 2025 Final Ranking

1. Konosuke Takeshita
2. Kyle Fletcher
3. Sareee
4. Zack Sabre Jr
5. Jon Moxley
6. Jacky Kamei
7. Shun Skywalker
8. Bandido
9. Mike Bailey
10. Mistico
11. Mark Briscoe
12. Hangman Page
13. Hirooki Goto
14. Gabe Kidd
15. Chihiro Hashimoto
16. Hechicero
17. Kosei Fujita
18. Saya Kamitani
19. ISHIN
20. Will Ospreay
21. AZM
22. FTR
23. Yota Tsuji
24. David Finlay
25. YAMATO
26. Mercedes Mone
27. Kazusada Higuchi
28. Mascara Dorada
29. Young Bucks
30. Mayu Iwatani
31. Yuya Uemura
32. Kenoh
33. IYO SKY
34. Kazuchika Okada
35. Neon
36. Je’Von Evans
37. Leon Slater
38. Kento Miyahara
39. Starlight Kid
40. Adam Priest
41. Tomohiro Ishii
42. Ultimo Guerrero
43. Kevin Knight
44. BenK
45. Mad Dog Connelly
46. Difunto
47. Shingo Takagi
48. Ricochet
49. Saori Anou
50. Claudio Castagnoli

Full list of names that received at least one vote in The FSM 50:

• 1 Called Manders
• Adam Priest
• Ahura
• Angel de Oro
• Arisu Endo
• Atlantis Jr
• Axel Tischer
• Axiom & Nathan Frazer
• AZM
• Bandido
• Bear Bronson
• BenK
• Blue Panther
• Brody King
• Callum Newman
• Chi Chi
• Chihiro Hashimoto
• Chris Brookes
• Claudio Castagnoli
• Connor Mills
• Daichi Hashimoto
• Daiki Odashima
• Dani Luna
• Daniel Garcia
• Darby Allin
• David Finlay
• Difunto
• Dragon Bane & Alpha Wolf
• Dragon Dia
• Drilla Moloney
• El Barbaro Cavernario
• El Desperado
• El Lindaman
• Elijah Blum
• EVIL
• Flamita
• FTR
• Fuminori Abe
• Gabe Kidd
• Gunther
• Hangman Page
• Hazuki
• Hechicero
• Hideki Suzuki
• Hiromu Takahashi
• Hirooki Goto
• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• Homare
• Hyo
• ISHIN
• IYO SKY
• Jacky Kamei
• Jason Lee
• Jay Joshua
• Je’Von Evans
• John Cena
• Jon Moxley
• Josh Alexander
• Kaito Kiyomiya
• Kanji
• KANON
• Katsuhiko Nakajima
• Kazuchika Okada
• Kazusada Higuchi
• Kenny Omega
• Kenoh
• KENTA
• Kento Miyahara
• Kevin Knight
• Komander
• Konosuke Takeshita
• Kosei Fujita
• Kosuke Sato
• Kota Minoura
• Kyle Fletcher
• Kyle O’Reilly
• Leon Slater
• Mad Dog Connelly
• Madoka Kikuta
• Mai Sakurai
• MAO
• Mark Briscoe
• Masaaki Mochizuki
• Masashi Takeda
• Mascara Dorada
• Matt Tremont
• Mayu Iwatani
• Mei Seira
• Mei Suruga
• Meiko Satomura
• Mercedes Mone
• Michael Oku
• Mike Bailey
• Miku Aono
• Mio Momono
• MIRAI
• Mistico
• Miu Watanabe
• Mizuki
• MJF
• Mochizuki Jr
• Nanae Takahashi
• Natsupoi
• Neon
• Orange Cassidy
• OZAWA
• PAC
• Rhio
• Ricochet
• Riiita
• Rina
• Rising HAYATO
• Robbie X
• Roderick Strong
• Ryohei Oiwa
• Ryoya Tanaka
• Ryuki Honda
• Ryuya Matsufusa
• Samoa Joe
• Saori Anou
• Sareee
• Saya Iida
• Saya Kamitani
• Seigo Tachibana
• Seiki Yoshioka
• Senka Akatsuki
• Seri Yamaoka
• Shingo Takagi
• Shinya Aoki
• Shoko Nakajima
• Shota Umino
• Shun Skywalker
• So Daimonji
• Starlight Kid
• Stephanie Vaquer
• Suzu Suzuki
• Swerve Strickland
• Syuri
• Taichi
• Takumi Iroha
• Tam Nakano
• Titan
• Tomohiro Ishii
• Toni Storm
• Ultimo Guerrero
• UT
• Utami Hayashishita
• VENY
• Victoria Yuzuki
• Wheeler Yuta
• Will Ospreay
• Willow Nightingale
• YAMATO
• YOHEY
• Yoshiki Inamura
• Yota Tsuji
• Young Bucks
• Yuki Ueno
• Yuma Anzai
• Yutani
• Yuya Uemura
• Zack Sabre Jr
• Zandokan Jr

The FSM 50 All-Time Rankings
(2025-2014)