GRAPPLE THEORY END OF YEAR AWARDS 2025

Another year has come and gone and it’s time for our annual awards - there were SO MANY we could’ve picked from, so much so that I asked some BritWres friends to help me and give out their own awards, check that out below and without further delay let’s get into the 2025 Grapple Theory Awards

Wrestler of the Year - Kanji

And now for the wrestler that gave me such a tough decision when splitting the award in two. Kanji’s year has been nothing short of phenomenal.

It started at the back end of 2024 when she beat Charli Evans for the Resurgence title - a title which she’s defended four times in 2025 in fantastic matches against Charles Crowley (twice), Bullit and that aforementioned all-timer with Jay Joshua.

She’s also had a shining year in RevPro, where she received a fantastic push which led to a brilliant match against AEW’s resident belt collector Mercedes Mone. That match shot her into world view and she’s taken the ball and run with it.

And in PROGRESS she ended her feud with Nina Samuels, making sure the star of the Nina Samuels Show would never show her face in the company again.

A trip to CMLL got even more eyes her before she ended the year facing James Ellis for the ATTACK! Pro Wrestling title…and WINNING! She then defended the belt the next night is the second classic with J.J. a remarkable way to end the year.

Honourable mentions; Rhio, Man Like Dereiss, Rayne Leverkusen

Young Wrestler of the Year - Nino Bryant

What a year it’s been for Nino Bryant! After winning the J-Cup his year has just gotten better and better! H

e’s had stand-out matches in RevPro, his bout with Leon Cage was particularly memorable, and even gotten to take on Ricochet at Uprising in Cardiff. Sandwiched in the middle was a really fun run with the RevPro Cruiserweight title as well.

He’s also been making his mark n promotions like ATTACK! and Riot Cabaret, alongside brothers Zander and Leyland, and who could forget the clear highlight of the year…the Lord of the Rings cosplay at ATTACK!

He’s a star in the making and I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store for him

Honourable mentions; Safire Reed, Leon Cage

Breakout Star - Jay Joshua

Jay has had an unreal year in the ring, a real career defining year. From his epic dream match with Tomohiro Ishii on night one at Crystal Palace or his tag spectacular with Connor Mills against Cowboy Way the very next night.

He also had two defining matches with Kanji (more on her in a bit), at Resurgence and ATTACK! which proved why the both of them are two of the absolute best on the scene at the moment.

The wrap it all up he then went and won the RevPro title in Cardiff, just 18 months after making his debut for the company. One of the fastest rises in recent memory.

Away from the ring Jay is also the absolute nicest guy in BritWres and he’s able to endear himself to everyone he meets! SAY LESS!

Honourable mentions; Scott Oberman, Tommy Vril, Will Kroos

Tag Team of the Year - Lallie

Hollie Barlow returned with a bang and decided the thing she needed most on her comeback was a best friend and she’s found one - depending on who you ask - in Lana Austin.

The pair have been inseparable, despite how hard Lana has tried, and have had huge success across the country.

Their antics at Atomic have been second to none, as have their costumes. While they also debuted in PROGRESS to huge fanfare.

And as much as Pretty Psycho want to challenge it, they ARE the EVE Tag Team Champions and that caps off an amazing year and a huge one for Hollie especially on her return year!

Honourable mentions; Jay Joshua & Connor Mills, Love at First Fight, Diamond Eyes

Promotion of the Year - Pro Wrestling: EVE

This was a really tough one to pick because, for differing reasons, each one of the promotions in my honourable mentions was worthy of winning this award.

But I’ve decided to give it to EVE purely because of how much they’ve grown this year. The move to the Big Penny had already helped them grow but this year they’ve blown up thanks to their combination of excellent homegrown talent and amazing imports.

Now, there will be those who say this is purely down to Will Ospreay’s involvement. And while it’s true that Ospreay has had a huge impact, and his contact list has certainly helped things, it’s that added with EVE’s excellent work at promoting the women of our scene that has taken them to the next level.

Talent like Safire Reed, Anita Vaughan, Lucy Sky, Lucia Lee, Rayne Leverkusen, Rhio and Nightshade have all been elevated by getting shots at huge AEW and names and the top stars from Japan

They’ve had some huge attendances this year and are doing so well that they’ve decided to pull the trigger on trying to pull off the biggest women’s wrestling show in Europe at the Indigo2 in March.

Honourable mentions; Resurgence, New Wave, Atomic

Match of the Year - Kanji vs Jay Joshua; Resurgence; Everything Resurgence All at Once

This match was SPECIAL!

Firstly, it highlighted two of the wrestlers who have become the backbone of British wrestling this year, but more than that it blended two very opposite styles and it WORKED.

I think you can always tell a match is special if you can watch it after the fact and still be drawn in by every beat and that’s exactly what this match did.

It was Jay trying to prove himself to the Resurgence crowd vs a champion in Kanji who was facing probably the biggest test of her championship reign to date. She had to work her way around the size difference to somehow gain leverage against Jay’s hard hitting and brutal style.

Not only that but the crowd was HOT for it! They were entranced, hooked on every single movement, and that only made the final throws of the contest all the more exhilarating.

I dare say it’s as close to perfect as a match could have been.

Honourable mentions; Nino Bryant vs Leon Cage; RevPro Live in London 101, Trent Seven vs Leon Cage; Ichiban, Michael Oku vs Leon Slater; RevPro High Stakes

International wrestler of the year - 1 Callled Manders

There’s been a lot of great wrestling around the world in the past 12 months and so many wrestlers have shone, but I think for me the stand out is 1 Called Manders. Manders breakout started in 2024 and has only continued this year, making Europe and the UK his second home and kicking ass all across the continent.

He’s had some epic matches with the likes of Ahura - in which he won the coveted wXw 16 Carat tournament, Leon Slater and loads more.

He won 16 Carat, then won the wXw title which he defended brilliantly until September when he was dethroned by Peter Tihanyi. But he soon replaced that belt with another in October when he returned to the US and beat Carter Blaq for the New Texas Pro Title.

What a year it’s been for Manders and that shows no sign of slowing.

Honourable mentions; Johnnie Robbie, The Tuckman, Charli Evans, Ahura

International promotion of the year - Deadlock Pro

Just like with the wrestlers, promotions across the world have really stepped up their game this year, providing excellent entertainment. It will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that my favourite international promotion is PWA and they won the award last year.

But this year I’ve gone for Deadlock Pro, with the promotion putting on huge shows and mega matches in a scene where standing out can prove extremely difficult.

Among some of their standout moments was Dani Luna’s epic feud with Hyan - which to be honest is what sold me on giving them this award. It was brutal and bloody and incredible, much like Dani’s title reign itself.

Honourable mentions; PWA, Hoodslam, wXw

Best Feud - Leon Cage vs Trent Seven; Ichiban

Trent Seven and Leon Cage went to war this year at Ichiban, with three brilliant matches that got gradually better and better until its culmination at Chandler Hall where the crowd were on fire for the rubber match that would decide whether the veteran star would triumph or the rising star would leave a statement out in the ring.

It proved to be the latter as Leon had one of the best matches of his career against the Moustache Mountain member. The crowd was so up for it and the action went fast and furious from the very start.

It’s a testament to Trent’s career that he’s still able to deliver matches of this calibre, and also to Leon and the knowledge that he’s so far above where he should be at his young age.

Honourable mentions; Refs vs Wrestlers; Ceasefire, Nico Angelo vs SubCulture; Riot Cabaret

Power Couple - Rayne Leverkusen and Harrison Bennett

I know a lot of people will say that Oku and Amira are the power couple, and they certainly are the biggest couple in BritWres, but I’ve given this award to Rayne and Harrison for what they’ve achieved not just as a couple but as individuals.

As a couple they’ve been a staple of the Welsh scene, particularly at ATTACK! Pro Wrestling, where they’ve been the devlish heel team that everyone wants to see get beaten.

Individually they’ve both had standout years as well; Rayne has won the PROGRESS title, defended the Hustle title incredibly and was the MVP of WWE’s SummerSlam tryouts.

Meanwhile Harrison has gotten to more promotions across the country, been a mainstay player at companies like Chaos and No Mercy - where he’s picked up gold along the way - and shown a new aggressive attitude that is more than welcome.

They’re absolutely brilliant

Honourable mentions; Amira and Michael Oku, Aluna and Jay Joshua

Best Merch - Hyperactive

There’s a lot of great merch out there, but whenever I hand out these awards I look for the merch that nobody else is doing. Jay has his American sport-inspired jerseys which are epic, but I’ve got for Hyperactive because I mean really, who does drawings as merch? Safire Reed and Anita Vaughan that’s who!

I love stuff like that because it gives fans a cheap piece of merch that’s affordable and something so different to what anyone else has done.

Honourable mentions; Nico Angelo, Jay Joshua, Rayne Leverkusen, Man Like Dereiss

GRAPPLE THEORY END OF YEAR AWARDS 2025

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