10 Best Wrestling Matches Of 2025
3. MJF Vs. Mistico (CMLL 92 Aniversario)
The temptation is to frame MJF Vs. Mistico II as a refreshing match.
It certainly was that; a pure babyface versus heel tale wrestled against the rare backdrop of an earnest, vocal crowd that was actually involved in the rhythm and the emotion of the story. Every match you see or hear, with Boney M crowd chants and a never-ending refrain of “This is awesome!”: this was its antithesis. It felt like MJF, Mistico, and all of Arena Mexico had travelled back in time to a hazily remembered, mythical past.
It was more than just refreshing: even if you don’t compare it to something more synthetic and grabby, it was an astonishing bit of business in and of itself. It was a perfect match, in many ways. The idealised match. It’s the sort of match you’d use as an example to explain and endorse the very form to the unbeliever. What is wrestling?
It’s this, and it’s life-affirming: heat, stakes, emotion, a simple to follow story executed to the highest level. Honestly, there’s a count-out tease deep down the stretch, after MJF has assaulted Mistico by bending every rule and smiling about it, where it feels like the hero might bleed to death before he can save his mask, his identity, his dignity.
The match started with Mistico immediately losing pints of blood, and ended after he used the last drops to conquer the evil antagonist. The pacing and selling was out of this world. MJF grew up dreaming of becoming a real heel, the way you remember it, but it felt impossible. That’s not how it works anymore.
He actually realised his dream here: the sense of desire and belief orchestrated in that building was immense.