5 Count: July 16-31,2025
1) Kazumasa Yoshida, Okami & Yasufumi Nakanoue vs. Astronauts, Leyton Buzzard & Yuya Aoki ( BIG JAPAN 7.27.25) Winner: Astronauts, Buzzard, Aoki. In my early wrestling fandom, it could be said that I practiced promotional monogamy. I was Fed Head at first, but then dedicated myself entirely to AEW. After the first All In London, my faith in AEW began to wane; it is not the AEW was bad, but the vibes were off. I decided that if I wanted to have a relationship to wrestling in general, I needed a spark so I turned my pineapple upside down and went afield to search for squared circle strange. I found respite in the trinity of CMLL, Kento Miyahara, and the Astronauts.
The Astronauts were a revelation when I first saw them--fast and physical with Fuminori Abe pinballing around the ring and Takuya Nomura twisting arms and smacking faces. Simply slappin' and grapplin' with high pace and precision. For the end of 2023, they were my oasis; a vision of what wrestling could and should be.
So I was saddened to read recently that Nomura is suffering from kidney failure and will be taking a hiatus from wrestling. A condition that makes a return to the ring the least of concerns. I wish him well and hope for the best for him personally. If this year is his last professionally in the ring, he can take pride that it was a good one. After a solid but quiet 2024, the first half of 2025 saw the 'Nauts really stepping up their profile. They stepped out from the confines of BJW and the Japanese indies; having matches in AJPW, a title reign in DDT, a small tour with the German WXW, and wrestled stateside for DPW. They had re-established themselves as one of the top tag teams in world.
If this match be their final one, I can't say it was a memorable one. In fact, it featured Buzzard and Aoki than the Astronauts. Still its moments of combatants throwing bombs on each other in succession; working strong and quick with the occasional comic aside–a good glimpse of what the Astronauts were, and hopefully will be again someday. Thank you Nomura Rating: Rocks
2) Katsuyori Shibata vs. Rush (AEW Collision 7.17.25) Winner: Rush. Hot Blooded vs Cold Blooded. The bull vs the shark. A battle of the beasts. In the Big Picture, this match had low stakes--essentially a set up match for a non-title match between Rush's current version of Los Ingobernables and Shibata's Opps, the current Trio Champs. However, this was a "sickos" delight--two artists painting on a canvas of violence. It may not have reached my highest hopes, it did not disappoint. The two locked horns and went at it--first trading chops, then corner dropkicks, then suplexes, and finally Germans. Chest were bright red, necks were planted, everything was snug and physical. It was fight.
As one may infer from my previous entry, I did not watch Shibata in his prime. I have enjoyed his AEW run without pining for his glory days. Still, I have gone back and watched enough to wish the old Shibata was here when Rush kicked out at 1. God bless him. Rush may never completely "do the job", but damn, he never phones it in either. The same things that keep Rush from getting a bigger push is also the same things that make him so special--making these rare face offs with a equal such a damn treat. Rating: Rocks
3) Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla (AEW Collison 7.31.25) Winner: Thekla. Strong win for Thekla. There was some minor interference from her Sisters of Sin cohorts, but the win was clean enough to help her cred in the Women's division. When Thekla first debuted on AEW TV, I wasn't sold with the whole Bray Wyatt spider crawl gimmick and she looked a little undersized. However, she has really grown on me--she works rough and snug, really lays in her offense. She was driving those forearm shots in on Willow. She's got that cool "Yelena from Thunderbolts" vibe. Aloof and violent. Looking forward to more from her this year.
While I appreciate Willow taking the loss to help establish a new talent, I'm hoping TK is putting her on a pin-free diet starting now. I worry that Khan sees Willow as a babyface, not THE babyface. Willow is a true "four quadrant" talent. -She is a natural beauty and got all the personality to appeal to families and casuals. She's got the in ring skills to more than satisfy sickos. She has the rare ability to exude both strength and vulnerability. All the respect to Toni Storm and Mercedes Mone, those two have elevated the division over the last year, but Willow can be the female Hangman. A homegrown star with big Main Character Energy. Hell, she already has a "Swerve" in Statlander-now she just needs a MOX/MJF level heel? (Turning Jayme Hayter might giver her some direction). I have little doubt that Willow will continue to succeed, the question is whether the promotion will give her the right opportunities. Rating: Rocks
4) Amazing Red vs. Marcus Mathers (GCW BASH AT THE BALLPARK 7.19.25) Winner: Red. Solid match and interesting contrast in opponents. Two guys on opposite sides of their career. One in his early 40's, 25+ year veteran, an indie legend and trailblazer. The other just barely old enough to drink but putting in the work, building a resume, and getting a look from wrestling's bigger promotion.
The young Mathers seems to be on the fast track. Undersized, but a good build. A strong worker. Modern offensive move set-the usual hybrid of high flyer and sound technical wrestling. He works smooth and clean. If Dolph Ziggler came up thru Takeover-era NXT, it would look a lot like Mathers. His biggest issue is just a lack of identity. His work is currently a little sterile; a very good version of US TV house style, but nothing comes off as HIS style. He's young so there is time to develop a wrestling personality, but it worries me with WWE already having their hooks in him thru their ID program.
Now when it comes to having their own style, Red has it in spades. Everything he does has just got something Extra attached. An early dive thru the ropes had so much zest, he nearly bounced off Mathers and into the crowd. Every strike and kick had urgency and intensity. Almost twice Mather's age, he was still a step faster. There is an authenticity and intentionality in Red's work– even at this stage in his career. Old diamonds still shine. Rating: Rocks
5) LaBron Kozone (c) vs. Travis Williams (DPW/West Coast Pro/Prestige Cruel Summer 7.26.25) DPW National Title Match. Winner: Kozone. Lets continue this series of solid, if not spectacular matches. A couple of the best wrestlers on the indie scene today, this one had a high floor so a slight disappointment that it didn't hit the ceiling. Still worth breaking down.
The smaller Williams worked a strategy of attacking limbs and attempting to wear down Kozone with some mat wrestling. This gave Williams the advantage early until he hit pump kick to Kozone's face. This woke the beast, and Kozone said fuck this and started tossing Williams around the ring. Williams survived for a time by trying to out maneuver the champ including nice counter of a Kozone back drop senton into arm breaker submission. Kozone, however, continued to be too big and too strong, hitting a couple power bombs, and then finishing Williams off with couple stiff short arm lariats.
Kozone continues his very good year in the ring, and its nice to see him wrestle more outside of the confines of Deadlock Pro. It's surprising a place like TNA hasn't tried to pick him up. He is built big and wrestles bigger, but can keep pace with smaller and faster opponents. At 33, he is on the older side, but doesn't look it. It's surprising a place like TNA hasn't tried to pick him up. Maybe it's for the best--DPW has secured their spot as a top indie in the country and Kozone has his own wrestling school. Meanwhile Williams is signed with TNA along with his tag partner Judas Icarus, and despite being one of the best tag teams in the world right now, the promotion doesn't seem to know what to do with them. Rating: Rocks.