The panel of John Pollock, Wai Ting, Davie Portman, and Braden Herrington shares their picks for the best and worst of 2025 across twenty-one categories, plus a game of “Likely or Unlikely” for the new year.
BEST WRESTLER (Female)
John Pollock: Saya Kamitani
Last Year: Sareee
Wai Ting: Mercedes Moné
Last Year: Timeless Toni Storm
Davie Portman: Mercedes Moné
Last Year: Roxanne Perez
Braden Herrington: Timeless Toni Storm
Last Year: Willow Nightingale
BEST WRESTLER (Male)
John Pollock: Místico
Last Year: Will Ospreay
Wai Ting: Konosuke Takeshita
Last Year: Will Ospreay
Davie Portman: Jon Moxley
Last Year: Will Ospreay
Braden Herrington: Konosuke Takeshita
Last Year: Will Ospreay
BEST TAG TEAM
John Pollock: El Sky Team (Místico, Máscara Dorada & Neón)
Last Year: Nathan Frazer & Axiom
Wai Ting: Brodido
Last Year: Sting & Darby Allin
Davie Portman: Young Bucks
Last Year: Nathan Frazer & Axiom
Braden Herrington: Young Bucks
Last Year: Nathan Frazer & Axiom
MOST IMPROVED
John Pollock: Mike Santana
Last Year: Kyle Fletcher
Wai Ting: Ricochet
Last Year: Kyle Fletcher
Davie Portman: Harley Cameron
Last Year: Jey Uso
Braden Herrington: Harley Cameron
Last Year: Swerve Strickland
BIGGEST SETBACK
John Pollock: Kota Ibushi
Last Year: Adam Cole
Wai Ting: New Day
Last Year: Adam Cole
Davie Portman: Wardlow
Last Year: Ricky Starks
Braden Herrington: John Cena
Last Year: Jack Perry
BEST CHARACTER
John Pollock: Jon Moxley
Last Year: Gunther
Wai Ting: Jon Moxley
Last Year: The Final Boss
Davie Portman: Timeless Toni Storm
Last Year: The Final Boss
Braden Herrington: Jon Moxley
Last Year: The Final Boss
WORST CHARACTER
John Pollock: New Day
Last Year: Christopher Daniels
Wai Ting: Kit Wilson
Last Year: Young Bucks as EVPs
Davie Portman: Alex Abrahantes
Last Year: Carlito
Braden Herrington: Shiloh Hill
Last Year: Wendy Choo
BEST ON THE MIC
John Pollock: Hangman Page
Last Year: Drew McIntyre
Wai Ting: Jon Moxley
Last Year: Drew McIntyre
Davie Portman: Hangman Page
Last Year: Drew McIntyre
Braden Herrington: Timeless Toni Storm
Last Year: Drew McIntyre
WORST ON THE MIC
John Pollock: Ava
Last Year: Shota Umino
Wai Ting: SmackDown tag division
Last Year: Niax Jax
Davie Portman: OTM
Last Year: Mercedes Moné
Braden Herrington: Ava
Last Year: Ava
BEST STORYLINE
John Pollock: Tam Nakano’s retirement
Last Year: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Wai Ting: Hangman Page’s redemption
Last Year: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Davie Portman: Hangman Page’s redemption
Last Year: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Braden Herrington: Hangman Page’s redemption
Last Year: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
WORST STORYLINE
John Pollock: John Cena’s heel turn
Last Year: The Elite vs. Tony Khan
Wai Ting: John Cena sending CM Punk to Saudi Arabia for a title shot
Last Year: The Elite vs. AEW
Davie Portman: Seth Rollins’ fake injury
Last Year: Adam Cole vs. MJF
Braden Herrington: John Cena’s heel turn
Last Year: Adam Cole vs. MJF
BEST WRESTLING TIE-IN (Media/Merch/Etc.)
John Pollock: “Two In One: The Briscoe Story”
Last Year: The Queen of Villains
Wai Ting: “I hate politics. That’s why I’m going to love WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia” & “From defiance to dignity: CM Punk’s redemptive turn toward nihilism” by Brandon Thurston
Last Year: Mr. McMahon
Davie Portman: John Cena’s uniforms
Last Year: Mr. McMahon
Braden Herrington: “Alone” by Konosuke Takeshita
Last Year: Mr. McMahon
BEST ENTRANCE
John Pollock: Místico at Grand Slam Mexico
Last Year: Bryan Danielson at All In at Wembley
Wai Ting: Místico at Grand Slam Mexico
Last Year: Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair & Naomi at WrestleMania 40
Davie Portman: Místico at Grand Slam Mexico
Last Year: Sting at AEW Revolution
Braden Herrington: Místico at Grand Slam México
Last Year: Sting at AEW Revolution
BEST TV EPISODE
John Pollock: AEW Dynamite: Spring BreakThru (April 16)
Wai Ting: AEW Dynamite: Blood & Guts (Sept. 30)
Davie Portman: AEW Dynamite: Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 26)
Braden Herrington: AEW Dynamite: Spring BreakThru (April 16)
BEST WEEKLY TV SHOW
John Pollock: AEW Dynamite
Last Year: CMLL at Arena Mexico
Wai Ting: AEW Dynamite
Last Year: WWE Raw
Davie Portman: AEW Dynamite
Last Year: WWE Raw
Braden Herrington: AEW Dynamite
Last Year: AEW Dynamite
BEST PAY-PER-VIEW/PLE
John Pollock: AEW Double or Nothing
Last Year: AEW Revolution
Wai Ting: AEW Double or Nothing
Last Year: WrestleMania 40
Davie Portman: AEW All In Texas
Last Year: WrestleMania 40 – Night 2
Braden Herrington: AEW All In Texas
Last Year: AEW Revolution
WORST PAY-PER-VIEW/PLE
John Pollock: The People vs. GCW
Last Year: NJPW New Beginning in Nagoya
Wai Ting: WWE Wrestlepalooza
Last Year: WWE Crown Jewel
Davie Portman: WWE Survivor Series
Last Year: WWE Elimination Chamber
Braden Herrington: WWE Wrestlepalooza
Last Year: WWE Crown Jewel
BEST PROMOTION
John Pollock: CMLL
Last Year: WWE
Wai Ting: AEW
Last Year: WWE
Davie Portman: AEW
Last Year: WWE
Braden Herrington: AEW
Last Year: WWE
WORST MATCH OF THE YEAR
John Pollock: Minoru Suzuki vs. Butterbean (Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow)
Last Year: Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso (WrestleMania 40 – Night 1)
Wai Ting: Minoru Suzuki vs. Butterbean (Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow)
Last Year: Kota Ibushi vs. Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH The New Year)
Davie Portman: Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena (WrestleMania 41 – Night 2)
Last Year: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet (AEW Full Gear)
Braden Herrington: Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena (WrestleMania 41 – Night 2)
Last Year: Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso (WrestleMania 40 – Night 1)
MATCH OF THE YEAR
John Pollock: Ricochet vs. Konosuke Takeshita (ROH Supercard of Honor)
Last Year: Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW Dynasty)
Wai Ting: Timeless Toni Storm vs. Mariah May – Hollywood Ending (AEW Revolution)
Last Year: Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher (AEW Full Gear)
Davie Portman: Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page (AEW All In Texas)
Last Year: Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson (All In: London)
Braden Herrington: Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page (AEW All In Texas)
Last Year: Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita (AEW Revolution)
WHAT YOU’LL REMEMBER MOST FROM 2025
John Pollock: The death of Hulk Hogan
Last Year: Sting’s retirement
Wai Ting: Growing dissatisfaction with WWE under TKO
Last Year: Hangman Page burns Swerve’s childhood home
Davie Portman: John Cena’s retirement
Last Year: Hangman Page burns Swerve’s childhood home
Braden Herrington: John Cena’s retirement
Last Year: Cody Rhodes finishes the story