Top Ten Matches from 8/25/2025-8/31/2025

Hi, This is my list of the top matches not from WWE/AEW of the week. I do allow myself to have ROH matches on this list just do to how little recognition it does get despite being a quite good product if a hair lacking. (Not listed here but do highly recommended the Adam Priest Workhorsemen vs Sky team match from the honorclub episode this week.) There are spoilers ahead, a ton of spoilers if that bothers you I do recommend just scrolling to see the match-ups and going to watch them then coming back. This will be a weekly article that I will be doing every week. Last week was truly a busy week with a ton of awesome wrestling.

 10. Dream Star GP Day 7: Chika Goto vs Mayu Iwatani

This match was in Chika's hometown meaning the crowd was red hot. Whilst Mayu is the icon and will be cheered a majority of the time this match was not one of them. In response Mayu worked this one leaning heel. I really enjoyed a more dominating Mayu when the audience wants nothing more then for Chika to win. Any spot Gochika hit was immediately met with raucous cheers. The crowd absolutely loved the Giant Swing from Gochika. Mayu was beyond fantastic, which allowed Gochika to shine even more brightly when her time came. Mayu attempted a giant swing at one point but does not work much to the crowds amusement. I really enjoyed this match, sometimes a crowd can really elevate a match and this is certainly one of them. The action itself was not anything you haven't seen before but the crowd truly elevated it to a wonderful match.

9. Sendai Girls 8-30-2025: Manami Ryo Mizunami vs DASH Chisako Hiroyo Matsumoto

Mizunami slapped Matsumoto hard on the back during the hand shake and Matsumoto's reaction was quite funny. Manami and DASH started, DASH was in firm control here at this point before tagging in Matsumoto who used her power to her advantage. DASH and Matsumoto worked over the youngest competitor in this match in Manami and taunted Ryo constantly whilst doing so. They ground Manami into dust especially Dash with submission holds. This was a bullying masterclass from DASH and Matsumoto. When Manami finally found an exit to Mizunami, she was able to find an advantage using her power. Ryo uses Manami as a weapon and it is quite effective. Matsumoto and Mizunami traded really fun strikes. The power on display from both was truly magnificent to see. Manami is such a ball of energy that you always want to root for her this match was absolutely not different. Made the bullying from the other two just that much better. It also made every hope spot just that much better. When Manami got a roll up and almost wins the crowd loses it. Even more so when she did win the match.

8 .Dream Star GP Day 8: Mai Sakurai vs MIRAI

The stand up grappling ended in a stalemate, as the former tag partners know each other unbelievably well. MIRAI was the first to find an advantage with an ankle lock. The forearms in this match had a ton of oomph on them, Mai was attempting to kick MIRAI's head into the second rope repeatedly. I really enjoyed the work, based around vicious strikes and submissions. MIRAI started wailing down elbows on the knee of Sakurai to make the submissions look even worse. The submissions were unbelievably locked in they looked like murder. MIRAI took an avalanche glorious driver that looked like attempted murder. They were trying to kill each other and it was a sight to behold. Mai was finally locked in the crossface and the ref had no choice in the matter but to call it. An excellent tournament match between former tag partners.

7. Basara 285 ~ Masho Sakushin: Ayumu Honda Kengo Mashimo vs FUMA Ryuichi Sekine

Sekine started the festivities by launching FUMA at the other team before they worked over Mashimo. They begin brawling through the audience Honda with FUMA and Sekine with Mashimo. FUMA won on the outside however Sekine was absolutely not winning his fight. Before he caught a kick and hit an Alabama slam on the floor. That bump is gnarly and Mashimo lifted up the mats to hit a really cool knee assisted slam onto the floor. I enjoyed this tag team match especially the intensity. The team of Honda and Mashimo continued to work over Sekine's arm. The arm work from Honda was positively vicious. Sekine's comeback was pretty brilliant as he crawls to make the tag but was cut off momentarily. FUMA's hot tag is all Karate based and it ruled before he went for Judo throws. Mashimo and FUMA traded heavy handed strikes. Sekine hit several beautiful kicks to make up for the damage his arm had taken. Strikes started going insane. Honda found an armbar on Sekine and the match is over. Match built around arm work ending in an arm submission is truly glorious.

6.CMLL Grand Prix: Robbie X TJP Michael Oku Taiji Ishimori Beast Mortos Donovan Dijak Action Andretti Lio Rush Rocky Romero Speedball Bailey vs Difunto Titan Neon Mistico Volador Jr. Zandokan Jr. Angel De Oro Atlantis Jr Templario Mascara Dorada

Team Mexico got an incredibly official entrance with the national guard playing the national anthem. Team Mexico was immediately grandstanding to the audience. Templario and Ishimori started out with fast paced action before stalling to the audience. This match goes exceptionally long I can not do full play by play for a match that goes almost 90 minutes. Difunto getting cheered was an odd sight but it does make sense here. Volador and TJP worked very well. The rudo's being surprised to get cheers is great character work. The world team has embraced the power of stooging and I do quite enjoy it. Zandokan worked real well with Dijak here before they both spill to the outside leading Robbie X and Neon came in next with Robbie doing a worse version of Neon's showy entrance. Mistico gets jumped on the outside by the World team which led to a massive brawl between both teams. I do not like Robbie X not even Zandokan can make me enjoy him. Dijak was enjoyable here which is cool. Rough spot between Oku and Atlantis but match still rules so far. Double dive from Speedball and Oku led to a massive brawl between the teams. Templario gets a close two count on Rocky that caused the crowd to erupt. Mortos eliminates Difunto. Which is the first elimination almost 40 minutes in Speedball and Neon now in and Speedball's evil in Arena Mexico now. Dijak hit an absolute insane twisting dive to take out multiple members of the Mexico team. Andretti truly has come a long way as a heel taunting constantly. This was a really chaotic but grounded match but it was hard to focus for a match this long. Next elimination was Michael Oku by Zandokan Jr. The eliminations were happening pretty quickly now with Ishimori eliminating Templario. Robbie X was the next to fall at the hands of Neon. Lio Rush was next to fall for the world team at the hands of Volador Jr and a destroyer. Dijak was surprising in this one pulling off gorgeous top rope moves to eliminate Zandokan. Whilst Atlantis quickly finished off Dijak leaving the teams equal I do believe. Azucar was working fantastically with Dorada getting an impossibly close two count before Dorada manages to gain momentum and win with a shooting star press eliminating Rocky. A theme of the night was destroyers as Speedball hits one to eliminate Neon. Beast Mortos is unbelievably good just in general one of the best going right now. Mortos had eliminated Atlantis at one point but now Dorada eliminated him. TJP managed to submit Dorada to leave team Mexico down to Volador Mistico and Titan. Volador taps out by Ishimori. Mistico eliminated Ishimori! Titan working with Speedball now awesome fast paced work. Titan is eliminated which left Mistico the hero of CMLL to go in alone against Speedball and TJP. This final stretch of Mistico fighting valiantly alone was terrific. Every time he kicked out the crowd roars. Mistico managed to hit the Spanish fly on TJP to eliminate him it was now one on one! Speedball offered a handshake which Mistico accepts and Speedball used to hit a kick and a destroyer which he used earlier to pin Neon but not enough here to pin Mistico. The way Mistico continued to fight even as he's exhausted 80 minutes into this match was fantastic. These two were both going nuts to end the grand prix. Mistico finds a destroyer to set up La Mistica and Speedball had to tap and Mistico had done it!!!!!! This was fantastic truly.

5. DDT Peter Pan Night 2: Kazusada Higuchi vs Yuki Ueno

Higuchi began with working over the arm before being caught in a pinning combination. Higuchi had the power but Ueno had the speed. He also had the smarts to continue to target the hand Higuchi Akiyama targeted the previous night. Pretty vicious offense from Ueno focused on the arm of Higuchi. However Higuchi was able to give as good as he gets. His one or two hits was worth multiple of Ueno's own. Higuchi ate a massive running elbow to his chest knocking down Ueno in the process before he chopped him out of his boots. I enjoyed the power of Higuchi a ton with great strikes and throwing of Ueno around. Higuchi went off the top rope but Ueno had his knees up before he hit a frog splash. Higuchi barely survived a submission attempt. Even barely survived a massive spinning powerbomb. I love Ueno's refusal to back down in the face of the wall of a human being that was Higuchi. Higuchi barely didn't win after a massive lariat. Ueno caught the follow up lariat into his finisher to win. A truly great match. I quite enjoyed the dynamic between both men leading to a compelling match. I am cheating a little bit and counting the follow up match as part of this one.

Yuki Ueno vs Kazuki Hirata

Hirata came in immediately after the previous match to challenge Ueno for the title with his contract. Hirata is a long time vet and beloved member of DDT's roster. The match happened right here and now as the crowd erupted for Hirata, who was immediately lariated for a one count. He fired back with awesome elbows and Ueno still had some fight left in him dispute going twenty minutes with Higuchi. Hirata was almost submitted by the crab before he found a rope break. Hirata continued to kick out unsure, how many more bombs Ueno had left. He just had to survive till he can find an opening and he did!!! a roll up to win. This was utter perfection the forever underdog in Hirata is now the top champion and the whole roster is out to celebrate him. A match that is barely two and a half minutes but a what a perfect two and a half minutes.

4. Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor: Hechicero vs Bandido

Hechicero had the power advantage early on here. The feeling out process was really interesting here with two very fascinating mat workers. There was multiple awesome headstand escapes from Bandido which was part of Hechicero's strategy in making Bandido expand as much of his reserves to escape as possible. The brawling on the outside was quite good between the two here before they moved back into the ring with but a moment of control from Bandido. Was a bit of a drag in the middle with Don Callis interference. The upper body strength from Bandido is genuinely insane, just in general. The match was a bit off for me in that it felt like they have been doing multiple opening sequences instead of building on the initial sequence. Wasn't truly built even if the work was quite good. The comeback from Bandido was fantastic. After the weirdly built middle stretch the back half was phenomenal. Hechicero continued to work the leg of Bandido with incredibly creative offense. The major moment on the outside was one of the more insane spots of the night with a barricade brainbuster. The knee work from Hechicero is positively vicious on Bandido, I would like them not to reset so often. This had several absolutely absurd bumps in this one from both men. Bandido had several truly great counters to the fantastical offense from Hechicero. I really liked the finishing sequence between these two overall very good work with a few nitpicks stopping it from reaching MOTYC status for me. Bandido's finishing suplexes were things of beauty as he successfully retained his title.

3.Mohamed Yone's 30th Anniversary Show: Mohamed Yone Naomichi Marufuji Daisuke Ikeda vs Go Shiozaki Shuji Ishikawa Atsushi Kotoge

This was a match to celebrate the legend that is Mohamed Yone, with a ton of legendary wrestlers who defined the career of Yone. This was 6 men who do not know the meaning of holding back and that was very evident in the opening exchanges between Shiozaki and Yone. Featured a more serious Yone then we see these days but he was not messing around in this one with stiff forearms and kicks. Ikeda is a crotchety old bastard and he showed that in his work with Kotoge, age has not mellowed Ikeda one bit. Maru tagged in and beckons in Ishikawa and he met Ishikawa with those famed chops of Maru but Ishikawa was not phased by him. Maru tagged in Yone who seemed quite hesitant. Was right to be as he took a beating from both Ishikawa and Ishikawa but he continued to fight back. Kotoge tags in and took out Ikeda before continuing to work over Yone showing the fire of the new gen. This is a battle of the older generation showing they still got something left to give and showing the younger generation what it means to them to be tough. Following this we had Ishikawa and Ikeda headbutting the shit out of each other like they are not 50 years old and leading to Ikeda bleeding but refusing to back down, backing down has never been a thing Ikeda has done. Ikeda has been the star of this match to me truly showing age is but a number when you have the spirit to keep fighting. Maru also still has something to give in tags such as this. Kotoge was slightly out of his depth dealing with the Battlearts trained by Fujiwara stalwarts when it comes to the striking exchanges. This has been an excellent celebratory 6 man tag, Kotoge got leveled by an Ikeda lariat here. Yone hit a lariat of his own but Kotoge had enough left to kick out but cannot kick out Kinniku Buster. This was an excellent tag truly all the men played their parts excellently.

2. Ring of Honor Death Before Dishonor: Lee Moriarty vs Xelhua

This match was contested under pure rules for Moriarty's pure title. Both tried to force a rope break out of the lock up and it was quite excellent work. Moriarty was the first to have to use a rope break much to his shock. Xelhua is unlike anyone Moriarty has faced and it showed early here and when Xelhua survived the proving grounds match. Xelhua kept an advantage early on here. Lee baited the open fist to force Xelhua to be reprimanded before using it as a way to cheap shot. Xelhua just floated through holds in a way that is beyond words. Lee focused on the hands of Xelhua to remove his griping power. More then the holds Xelhua has very heavy handed chops. The limb work was vicious from Moriarty as he continuously battered the arm of Xelhua. Taigastyle got cocky and leads to Xelhua finding an advantage. However is short lived as Xelhua was locked in the Border City Stretch forced to use his final rope break. Open handed chops from Xelhua were deafening, I love that he made sure to use the hand that has not been worked on. Moriarty is forced to use his second rope break as Xelhua just ties him in knots. This is wrestling heaven to me to be honest, the limb work tied with the beautiful character work. A fantastic submission in the ropes wins it for Moriarty. This was beyond fantastic genuinely most other weeks would have been my easy number 1.

1. Marigold Dream Star GP Day 8: Utami Hayashishita vs Mayu Iwatani

The lockup was incredibly tense and ended amicably. Utami was able to muscle Mayu about in this one, Mayu being thrown around is always a good formula. Mayu's selling was truly fantastic, selling the beating Utami was delivering. Whilst finding the offense where she could including a rough sol but; Mayu is so unbelievably quick but Utami can level her so easily. Mayu found quick bursts that can take down Utami before finding a vicious kick to Utami. Mayu took a vicious bump on the floor with a nasty thud. This was two of the very best in the world having an amazing match. The elbows from Mayu were so vicious but Utami continues to target the back. The way everything thuds in this match was genuinely insane. Mayu hit the dragon suplex but couldn't bridge. Fuck, you just need to see these strikes, they echo through the building. Both their faces are beginning to swell this match is awesome. The crucifix driver is truly a fantastic move. Utami was barely able to survive the moonsault. The time began to click towards the draw. The bumps in this one from Mayu were absurd genuinely, a nasty buckle bomb especially. A time limit draw but what a fucking match this was. Genuinely one of the best matches of the year.

That's the list, tons of really good wrestling from this week was quite difficult to pick exactly I wanted to highlight. Basara Pro in particular was a massive shock that was genuinely awesome both shows worth a watch. Death Before Dishonor was also a great show mostly from top to bottom, with several matches that just missed this list. I hope you enjoyed the matches here and the write ups. Bye for now.

Signing off, Peace

E.K