2024 Year-End Awards & Lists
Sareee, Mayu Iwatani, and a bit of everything else.
I don’t use this newsletter nearly enough, but I’m happy to when it comes to my wrestling awards for the culmination year. This time, let’s dive into the year 2024 when it comes to my favorites in wrestling.
It was a long year to be a professional wrestling fan in 2024 — but with that came plenty of greatness, specifically inside the squared circle. Overall, I found this year’s in-ring from around the world a bit weaker in some aspects and stronger in others. I think the highest level was full of legitimate classics — I gave out my most ***** ratings since I started rating every match I watch dating back to 2021. But in terms of the quality behind the best of the best, I found it lacking at times unless you were a fan of a few specific wrestlers and promotions.
Saying that, I do feel spoiled as a fan. My two favorite wrestlers in the world had the best years in all of wrestling — so I can’t complain too much. Shoutout to both Sareee and Mayu Iwatani, this year would have been tough without them for me.
With that, here are my awards for 2024 — including Tag Team of the Year, Men’s Wrestler of the Year, Women’s Wrestler of the Year, Overall Wrestler of the Year, Match of the Year, and the Top 25 Matches of the Year.
Tag Team of the Year
1. wing*gori (Hanan & Saya Iida)
2. Team 200kg (Chihiro Hashimoto & Yuu)
3. FWC (Hazuki & Koguma)
4. Bob Bob Momo Banana (Mio Momono & Yurika Oka)
5. MiraiSaku (MIRAI & Mai Sakurai)
I don’t think tag team wrestling was great this year… unless you’re a Joshi fan. If you’re a Joshi fan, you were in for a treat! One year ago, I had just one singular team on my list from the world of Joshi — so I’m grateful that this year completely changed that. And perhaps the best part is that we got a little bit of representation from around the scene.
Selecting my top five wasn’t the problem, it was more deciding who finished as the best of the best — and that ultimately was wing*gori who got the top spot and I’m happy to call my tag team of the year.
Hanan and Saya Iida embodied tag team wrestling every time they stepped in the ring side-by-side. They were STARDOM’s most consistent act in 2024, being counted on to shine against teams from the top of the card to ones that felt put together. Their name was put on the map as a potential tag team of the year dating back to February 17th, when they had one of my favorite tags of the whole year against Chanyota and Mai Sakurai. I remember on paper I thought it’d be fun, but these two teams thrived in the middle of Korakuen Hall.
They’d go on to have great matches with DEVILxPRINCESS (Rina and Azusa Inaba), FWC, Young Kouzen, and many others. It takes one hell of an effort to beat out a tag team like Team 200kg — and that’s what they had with their consistency from start to finish this year.
I’d also just like to quickly give love to the fourth and fifth-place teams on here. Bob Bob Momo Banana formed earlier in the year and really gave the scene outside of Team 200kg another great duo to put on shows and know they’d deliver. The fact they’re closing out 2024 with both the AAAW Tag Titles and Sendai Girls Tag Titles is truly remarkable.
And the fifth team, MiraiSaku, didn’t come together as a duo until the second half of 2024 but made a major splash by setting the standard for the TwinStar Titles in Marigold. MIRAI and Mai Sakurai had some outstanding matches — including the TwinStar tournament final against Natsumi Showzuki and Miku Aono as well as their match against Utami Hayashishita and Kouki Amarei.
Overall in a weaker year for tag team wrestling, Joshi carried from start to finish. Shoutout to all five teams that made the list and others like CRAZY STAR, Best Friends, and 02Line who just missed the cut for me.
Men’s Wrestler of the Year
1. Bryan Danielson
2. Will Ospreay
3. Konosuke Takeshita
4. Mistico
5. Swerve Strickland
For the second year in a row, Bryan Danielson ends the year as my men’s wrestler of the year. While he wasn’t around for all 365 days of 2024, he was around long enough to leave an impact that I felt was unmatched until his final match.
He finishes with two matches in my top 10 — including my second-favorite match of the year when he defeated Swerve Strickland in the main event of All In. If this was truly his final “full-time” year, I’m grateful to have witnessed it.
As for the rest of the list, Ospreay finishes by the sheer volume of top-tier matches he had in AEW alone. Konosuke Takeshita was well on his way to being potentially No. 1 for the men’s side of things after an incredible G1 Climax. Even still, he finishes third and has a real shot to be No. 1 next year based on what the start of his 2025 already looks like.
To close out the men’s side of things — Mistico and Swerve Strickland speak for themselves. Not only did Mistico have what I found to be an excellent in-ring year (ignoring the CMLL Anniversary match), but continuing to be the biggest CMLL draw certainly didn’t hurt his case.
Strickland deserves a spot after the work he did for AEW this year as their world champion alone. Add in some incredible matches against Danielson, Ospreay, Hangman Page, and others to just fully appreciate what I’d call a complete year for him as a wrestler.
As someone with the majority of my top 10 overall being from the world of Joshi, I’m still happy to highlight the five men’s wrestlers who stood out to me the most.
Danielson was just too great to top.
Women’s Wrestler of the Year
1. Sareee
2. Mayu Iwatani
3. Utami Hayashishita
4. Hazuki
5. Arisa Nakajima
Overall Wrestler of the Year
Sareee
And now for the least surprising reveal of the year. There was no one on Sareee’s level in 2024. I write “Best in the World” every match I watch of hers because it’s simply the truth. Doesn’t matter the gender. No one was Sareee in 2024.
It was, at times, not even really a competition for Wrestler of the Year in my eyes. That’s not to discredit the rest of the field — she was simply that good from start to finish.
My belief in Sareee and her pro wrestling is one that I’ve only had once prior with the runner-up for Wrestler of the Year in my book, Mayu Iwatani. Sareee announced her mission last year when she returned to Japan after her WWE stint — stating that she wanted to carry on the Zenjo spirit that originated in AJW. She hasn’t only done that, but she has established that the Zenjo spirit and style remain the end all, be all in pro wrestling through her matches.
To look ahead to my Top 25 Matches of the Year, Sareee is listed six times. It was that kind of year for her. She delivered whether it was a tag match or singles. The matches against Chihiro Hashimoto, Mayu Iwatani, Bozilla, and Nanae Takahashi alone would be all-time great for a wrestler’s career — Sareee happened to have those three singles matches in one year while also producing the match of the year in a completely different bout altogether. Sareee-ISM has been a true blessing.
In a year that I felt was difficult to handle as a fan at times, it was Sareee and her matches that continuously left me looking forward and reminded me of what pro wrestling is at its best. She viewed every match as a new challenge, a chance to improve on the previous, and tell her own story no matter the ring she stepped in. It’s why, despite my love for Mayu Iwatani and all that she did this year, there was no one else who could be my Women’s Wrestler of the Year or Wrestler of the Year. “The Sun God” shined brightest in 2024 and by the time November came around, it wasn’t really close. Thank you Sareee.
But to give Mayu her flowers — it’s worth appreciating what she accomplished in the ring in a year that was not at all easy for her professionally. The STARDOM-Rossy situation speaks for itself with Iwatani, so let’s talk about the (many) positives that left her as the clear runner-up for WOTY in my book.
With her movie “Runaway Wrestler” releasing, the pressure was there to continuously deliver with all eyes on her. And she did that while elevating the IWGP Women’s Championship from forgotten belt to what I’d argue was the top championship in all of STARDOM this year. Her matches with Syuri, Sareee, and Momo Watanabe all made my top 10 on the year — and they were just three of four that made it from her overall in my top 10. I’m unoriginal, what can I say?
Nonetheless, when I watch Iwatani in the ring — I truly see her as the greatest of all time. And as 2025 approaches, I can confidently say that she’s at the very top of her game. Impressive considering 2024 was another “career” year for her. I can’t wait to see what she does in the new year.
I said to myself when I put together last year’s list for women’s wrestler of the year that 2024 would look dramatically different. The only returning name is Sareee — who jumped from No. 2 to No. 1. It’s fitting that after a year of change in Joshi, my top five changed too.
What an amazing year it was when it came to my favorites. Thank you to Sareee and Mayu Iwatani for making a year that felt difficult at times so special.
Match of the Year
Sareee & Mayu Iwatani vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & VENY (Sareee-ISM Chapter V, 9/2/24)
Not a surprise at all but a match that I’m so happy to celebrate once again this year.
When Sareee made essentially my dream team (and surely many others) a reality for Sareee-ISM Chapter V by pairing herself with Mayu Iwatani — everyone knew the match would be special. But it wasn’t just about how they’d work as a duo, but who would be the correct opponents to elevate this dream duo teaming up to a legitimate dream match. Step in Chihiro Hashimoto and VENY.
I can remember the sheer excitement I had by just staring at the match card.
Sareee & Mayu Iwatani vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & VENY
I mean… it’s still surreal to me reading it. The expectations were as high as could be. The mindset going into this as a viewer is “one of the best matches of the year” at the very least. And the ceiling heading into this is Match of the Year. Well, they accomplished that in a big way — but it’s the fact that they also fought to make this an all-time classic that truly makes this match so special.
The last time I felt this way about a match was when Utami Hayashishita and Syuri went to their famous 43-minute draw. You witness a match and have that full-on realization, “That was something special.” And for 23 minutes, that’s exactly what you’re left thinking with this match. It’s art. It’s perfection. It’s why I watch professional wrestling. For something like this.
More than anything — this match would belong with the best of the best Joshi tags from 30 years ago. You’re left in awe at how they pieced this together. The action was legitimately as Joshi as it gets — nonstop, hard-hitting, and jaw-droppingly impressive. You got to see Mayu share the ring with Hashimoto and VENY — something that once felt impossible. The connection between these four was magical, emotional, and just freaking fantastic.
There’s one moment in this match that I won’t forget — and it’s the lone comedic moment, mostly because there was no way it was on purpose. As Mayu tried to break up VENY’s submission, she kicked Sareee instead and Shinjuku FACE erupted in laughter at the moment.
But to the violence that came in this match — headbutts, dropkicks, suplexes, backdrops, and anything else you can imagine. These four delivered a Joshi classic that embodied that Zenjo spirit that Sareee fights each day to keep alive and pass forward.
Oh, and there were those extra Sareee and “Big Hash” minutes that we’ve seen a number of times this year — but this might’ve been their best yet. Unbelievable, really.
But to say that a match where my two favorite wrestlers in the world team up wasn’t the main story of it is crazy to me. The main story was that VENY was the star of the show. The performance she had is the type that reminds you that she is as talented as any wrestler on the planet — and when she’s pushed to the highest level, she is going to shine brightest. She may have been the one pinned in the match, but she was rightfully the talk of the match when it was all over.
Sareee-ISM’s existence is the reason we got a match like this. Sareee’s return to Japan has not only aided the scene but in some cases opened the scene beyond STARDOM up to way more fans than just the Joshi bubble. She is the best in the world for that alone. And when you put three wrestlers that are in that very discussion in one match with her — you get a classic.
The one match from this year that has joined my short list of favorite matches of all time. All time, I said.
Watch this match. And if you have watched this match — watch it again.
It’s available for free on Sareee’s YouTube channel and should make as many top lists as humanly possible. The No. 1 Match of the Year.
Top 25 Matches of the Year
1. Sareee & Mayu Iwatani vs. Chihiro Hashimoto & VENY (Sareee-ISM Chapter V, 9/2/24)
2. Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW All In 2024 (8/25/24)
3. Mayu Iwatani vs. Syuri (STARDOM Ittenyon Stardom Gate 2024, 1/4/24)
4. Mayu Iwatani vs. Sareee (STARDOM All Star Grand Queendom 2024, 4/27/24)
5. Sting & Darby Allin vs. Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) (AEW Revolution, 3/3/24)
6. Utami Hayashishita vs. IYO SKY (Marigold Summer Destiny 2024, 7/13/24)
7. Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW Dynasty, 4/21/24)
8. CRAZY STAR (Suzu Suzuki & Mei Seira) vs. FWC (Hazuki & Koguma) (STARDOM Fukuoka, 5/5/24)
9. Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita (AEW Revolution, 3/3/24)
10. Mayu Iwatani vs. Momo Watanabe (NJPW x STARDOM Historic X-Over II, 11/17/24)
11. Ben-K vs. YAMATO (DRAGONGATE Kobe Pro-Wrestling Festival 2024, 7/21/24)
12. Hechicero vs. Esfinge vs. Valiente vs. Euforia (CMLL 91 Aniversario, 9/13/24)
13. Mercedes Moné vs. Hazuki (NJPW Strong Style Evolved 2024, 12/15/24)
14. Mistico, Ultimo Guerrero, Blue Panther & Volador Jr. vs. Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Matt Sydal (CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas, 3/29/24)
15. Sareee vs. Chihiro Hashimoto (Sareee-ISM Chapter III, 1/16/24)
16. Best Friends (Arisa Nakajima & Tsukasa Fujimoto) vs. Hiroyo Matsumoto & Hanako Nakamori (SEAdLINNNG 9th Anniversary - Violence Queen FINAL, 8/23/24)
17.Sareee vs. Nanae Takahashi (Marigold Shinjuku FACE, 12/13/24)
18. wing*gori (Hanan & Saya Iida) vs. Mai Sakurai & Chanyota (STARDOM Korakuen, 2/17/24)
19. Beauty Bear (Chihiro Hashimoto & Mika Iwata) vs. Mio Momono & Sareee (Sendai Girls Shinjuku FACE, 1/7/24)
20. Miyu Yamashita vs. Miu Watanabe (TJPW Grand Princess ‘24, 3/31/24)
21. Arisa Nakajima, VENY, Maya Yukihi, Makoto, Nagisa Nozaki & Mima Shimoda vs. Syuri, Tsukasa Fujimoto, Rina Yamashita, Ayame Sasamura, DASH Chisako & Yuuki Mashiro (SEAdLINNNG 〜SHINJUKU Lighting Up！！〜, 6/12/24)
22. Mei Seira vs. Hazuki (STARDOM Supreme Fight 2024, 2/4/24)
23. Sareee vs. Bozilla (Marigold Korakuen, 10/24/24)
24. Yuma Anzai vs. Kento Miyahara (AJPW Super Power Series, 5/29/24)
25. Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk (WWE Bad Blood, 10/5/24)
For those looking to keep up with my wrestling viewing in 2025, here’s a link to my official matchguide: Scott E. Wrestling Matchguide 2025