Bryan Rose’s Wrestling Observer Awards picks, part 2 | Column
With just a few days left in 2025, it’s time to go over more Wrestling Observer Awards.
Last week, I took a look at the first batch of Category B awards, which featured a lot of the bad awards. Thankfully this time around, it’s nothing but smiles and rainbows celebrating the best in pro wrestling this year. Depending on how scheduling goes, I’ll have my Category A awards picks out next weekend.
Like I mentioned last week, I’m including awards I have thoughts on, so most of the MMA awards and some other categories are being left out as I just don’t have any thoughts on them. So without any further hesitation, let’s get going!
Best Non-Wrestler: Stokely Hathaway
I have been waiting for years for Stokely to find someone to click with, and finally it took place this year when he started his association with FTR. He’s always charismatic and fun, and most important of all he compliments FTR. The current AEW Tag Team Champions are good promos on their own, so they don’t need a manager per se, but Hathaway adds to the act, making them a formidable trio.
Rookie of the Year: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Dave Meltzer provided a list of wrestlers who qualify for this award in this week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, so there is a large selection to choose from. But no one on that list really resonates with me. Zaria from NXT stands out as the most notable name, and she’s fine, but I think she’s miscast right now as Sol Ruca’s friend, a stark departure from how she was initally introduced. Yutani from CMLL has also gotten some big opportunities in the last year, but I haven’t seen enough of him to make a final judgment.
In other words, I have no idea. I may just sit this one out.
Most Underrated: The Beast Mortos
It’s frustrating that someone so consistently good like Mortos the guy that does jobs for everyone, no matter what promotion he’s in. Mortos didn’t even get a spot in the Continental Classic this year! Yes, he’s one half of the ROH Tag Team Champions but, and I’m about to make a lot of people mad, does anyone even watch the weekly Ring of Honor television show? Mortos deserves to be in a better spot than he is and I wish he was featured more in AEW, CMLL…anywhere!
Most Overrated: EVIL
No one really sticks out in this category this year, but they put EVIL in the G1 Finals. That is going overboard with the House of Torture shtick, an act that was featured heavily up and down NJPW cards this year to get HEAT that they never got. Keep that in the midcard if you have to do it (they do not have to do it).
Best Flying Wrestler: Mascara Dorada
Dorada is simply amazing to watch at times and has had a tremendous year both in AEW and CMLL. Something Dave Meltzer said in a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio rings true, however. Komander as of now is probably the best high flyer, but between being injured for a lot of the year and being featured mainly on ROH, he hasn’t had the chance to stand out like Dorada did.
Bruiser Brody Memorial Award: Darby Allin
Absolutely no one takes the kind of damage Darby takes whenever he wrestles a match. It’s not just that he’s violent, he takes some of the sickest bumps I’ve ever seen, and usually that happens in not just one but every one of his matches. He’s a modern-day Cactus Jack that somehow takes even scarier bumps.
Best Technical Wrestler: Zack Sabre Jr.
With Bryan Danielson largely retiring, this is pretty much Sabre’s award until he retires or someone else pops up to take the mantle. No one does the kind of technical work Sabre does at his level.
Most Charismatic: Roman Reigns
Whenever he does appear, Reigns is by far the biggest star WWE has and commands the biggest reactions. Cody Rhodes is close, but Reigns has a presence and personality that only a few have in this industry right now.
Most Improved: Kendal Grey
I am amazed at how good Grey is and how much she’s improved over the last year. She is absolutely someone to watch out for because she is excellent at the level she is at. Every time she was in the ring this year she managed to stand out and get over, and now she’s challenging for the NXT Women’s Championship next week. If she is able to find her charisma and get promos down she absolutely can be a top star in WWE.
Feud of the Year: Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley
There wasn’t any other story this year that was as good as Hangman Page’s redemption arc and triumph at All In. Watching him pin Jon Moxley and reclaim the AEW Championship that Moxley had put away, lock and key, for the duration of his run felt incredible. Nothing else in pro wrestling this year touched it.
Women’s Wrestling MVP: Saya Kamitani
She won the Tokyo Sports MVP award, something no woman has done. I don’t even admit to watching a lot of Stardom this year but whenever I did see Kamitani I could see why she was a big deal. Mercedes Mone and IYO SKY might have had more mainstream popularity but Stardom’s success in what was an otherwise middling year for wrestling in Japan can be attributed to Kamitani.
Non-Heavyweight MVP: Mistico
The legendary CMLL star has had one of his best years ever, maybe even better than his inital burst of popularity 20 years ago. He and the new Sky Team have been doing record business for the promotion and it’s clear he’s the top star. Other non-heavyweights this year may have had better matches but Mistico’s success at the top of CMLL this year can’t be denied.
Mexico MVP: Mistico
See above. No one in Mexico this year even touches Mistico and I can’t imagine this category being close.
Japan MVP: Hirooki Goto
Not a great year for wrestling in Japan, but Hirooki Goto’s story did stand out, and he was champion for most of the year. I enjoyed seeing him on top after years of chasing the IWGP Heavyweight title, only to finally capture it this year. It took most of NJPW’s top talent to retire or move to other places, but Goto still was a terrific champion.
US/Canada MVP: Jon Moxley
I admit, there were many times in the last year where I got tired of the constant heat put on the Death Riders. And I think my points were valid, as a lot of AEW’s shows at the start of the year felt like mid-2010s WWE where the goal is to constantly book HEAT. But the story leading to All Out was the feud of the year, and Hangman Page’s victory was absolutely one of the great moments of 2025. That can be attributed to Moxley’s role as the heel. He also consistently had great matches once he dropped the title, including an excellent match between himself and Kyle Fletcher on Saturday.
And that finishes off the category B awards! I will be back soon for Category A, the big awards!
Bryan Rose is an editor from California that has been covering professional wrestling for well over a decade. He officially joined F4WOnline as an editor in 2017.