[9.0] "What a amazing match, I don't know why I waited so long to watch it! No doubts a Match of the Year Candidate, and another reason why Bandido might be the wrestler of 2025. (****1/2)."
[7.0] "Quite a lengthy match and it didn't feel like it, I was surprised the moment it ended. That still doesn't mean that there wasn't a lot of unecessary stuff in its duration. Some insane spots and unbelievable counters, but they could still cut some stuff down."
[9.0] "[4.25*] Hell yeah, this was fucking fantastic. The only MOTYC of the night and obviously the best one from the show. This was a total blast and even made me rethink about Bandido vs Takeshita, because I gave the other one a higher rating but this one aged better. I think the other match was more explosive with hot nearfalls and fireworks, so the dopamine levels were higher while watching. But this one was more sophisticated, Hechicero made sure that the pacing was never going to be that higher and it only made the match better. Yes, the match could've been shorter, there was no need for 36 minutes and sometimes they were a little bit over the top with the reversal dances and technical exchanges, even having some inevitable minor botches because it was impossible to not have them lol, so it wasn't perfect for me but it was a hell of a match. A crazy mix of different styles, a proper lucha libre tribute with also a fucking Bryan vs Nigel-style headbutt battle, this had it all. They literally blew my mind with all the quality and both guys were used at their best. Bandido when it came to create more explosive moments and Hechicero with the smart-wrestling, limb-work and control segments. A fantastic bout."
[10.0] "Bandido continues to prove that he's the MVP of the summer with this amazing match. I love the aspect of him being so frustrated with Hechicero and Don Callis that he stoops to there level and attacks Hechiceros mask, the fans immediately called him out on it and through his amazing performance he earned their cheers again by the end of the match, absolute cinema. Bandido could surprisingly keep up with Hechiceros technical wrestling, the challenger could surprisingly keep up with the champions high-flying and they were both unsurprisingly very willing to beat the absolute crap out of each other. My 6th favourite match of the year 9.5/10."
"A great match with some amazing moments, but let down by the final 5 minutes. It didnt "ruin" the match for me but without the final 5 it would be very close to if not level with Bandito x Takeshita [4.5*]"
[8.0] "Great work, continuing Bandido's purple patch of fantastic ROH world title defences. These guys have good chemistry, and when the match was firing on all cylinders, it was some of the most peak wrestling of the year. However, they well and truly missed the peak on this match, which dampened my feelings on it. To be truthful, they missed the peak several times, and each returning 'peak' when they brought the crowd back was slightly less effective than the last. Add in some as-expected clunkiness that always seems to pop up in Bandido's matches that run long, and it all comes together for something that, in my mind, was 'great' when it should have been 'amazing'."
[10.0] "[4.75*] WTF! ? OH MY. BANDIDO IS THE BEST WRESTLER I'VE SEEN IN MY GODDAMN LIFE IN 2025. he pairs so well with the talented hechicero form cmll, from zack sabre jr matches to here, he and bandido has been on a great run in this wrestling ring."
[9.0] "I felt it dragged on a bit and i don't know if this is a hot take but the finish felt really flat especially after all the good action before it"
[5.0] "I really like both of these guys but this one felt way too long and a little sloppy. I also don't love the booking, with Bandido's win feeling neither decisive nor like a sneaky surprise pin that demands a rematch. Bandido tearing Hechicero's mask also felt out of character, and like it undercuts what Bandido is supposed to stand for. With that said, an entertaining title match with some impressive moves and chain wrestling."
[5.0] "First of all I really don't dislike both of these guys, the problem isn't necessarily about them. It's the booker/s of this match's problem, my god man it's didn't needed to go for almost 40 minutes, both did really fine and some spots were impressive, it just The match felt padded just to reach 36 minutes a half. These type of matches doesn't need to be long to all, and if they needs to be long there should be reasons whether it's a story/the circumstances, but here it wasn't the cast at all. I still think it's alright tho. **1/2"
[10.0] "Bandido truly is one of the best spotfest wrestlers today. Hechicero tried to attack every limb possible to overcome Bandido and in result, he lost focus and couldn't stick to any of them which could've won him the title. Bandido's sheer resilience and intensity made him panic strategically. It's an amazing story that is told in a very subtle yet blatant manner. And there's so many spots in this match that tear the fucking house down. That Helicopter Slam off the apron was horrifying. I'm unsure if I'd put this over Bandido's match with Dorada or Takeshita but I'll figure it out by the end of the year. INCREDIBLE match."
[10.0] "My pick for Match of The Year. This match had absolutely everything and I can't stop watching it over and over. The best Bandido match, best Hechicero match, what an absolute masterpiece. The pacing, the sequences, the chemistry, everything was at the highest level. People will talk about this match for many, many generations, and I say that because I see actual innovation in this match that I haven't seen in a long time. The perfect mix of technical wrestling and lucha libre that these two bring is so satisfying and fun to watch. I rarely ever give matches more than a 10, I've done so only a couple times, but this is one that I'd give a 12/10 if I could. These two displayed true art, and true magic in the ring."
[7.0] "Sometimes a brilliant contest can overstay its welcome and lessen its impact as a result. This was absolutely brilliant for 25 or so minutes with two of the best around today showcasing some creative counter-wrestling, extraordinary mat exchanges and some wildly impactful and surprising moves on and to the outside. It was all set up to be a worthy addition to the pantheon of great ROH title matches but it did feel like they carried on past the peak for just a little too long and by the time they got to the home stretch things seemed to have flattened considerably."
[8.0] "Für mich ein besserer World Titelkampf als noch gegen Konosuke Takeshita letzten Monat bei Supercard Of Honor, ****1/4 um den Dreh. Mit dem Match hat Bandido sich endlich selbst übertreffen können, nachdem's in der Vergangenheit nicht so lief - bei mir persönlich. Hechicero diesbezüglich ein guter Gegenpart, der Bandido ordentlich zusammengefaltet hat und ihn sichtlich beschränken konnte. Bandido ist an sich ist gut, nur ist sein Stil meist nicht meins. Schon im Videopaket ist das recht deutlich geworden; ist belustigend gewesen, hat ansonsten aber zu keinem Zusammenhang gefunden. Im Match selbst ist das nicht der Fall gewesen, griff durchgehend ineinander und besaß einen anschaulichen Matchverlauf, der vom dreiköpfigen Kommentar nochmal umgarnt wurde. Don Callis' Charakter ist sicherlich nervtötend, half vor allem aber diesem Match ungemein. Ian Riccaboni dazu ein netter Gegensatz, der Callis' Scheinheiligkeit umringt. So muss Pro-Wrestling."
[7.0] "I think Bandido should go on a tear against The Don Callis Family. He should be the only one to have the factions number. It's fitting as he is the Most Wanted. Next up Okada. Maybe it's just me who don't understand the complexity of Hechicero. Dude is like the Zack Sabre Jr, of Lucha Libre. And this match was that too. I was expecting a classic lucha libre style of contest but what I got was a technical and offensive contest, which obvious I don't object. Even though I rated it a 7/10, it does not mean it was not a good match. Bandido's avalanche fallaway slam is a thing of beauty."
[9.0] "Near flawless match throughout with a ton of great grappling and creative offense, but if I'm being honest, the last few minutes left a sour taste in my mouth. It was all perfectly building to an insane final stretch, and then there was a series of miscommunications that took the heat out of it completely. Otherwise, I had an incredibly fun time watching this. Bandido's having a hell of a year. ****1/2"
[8.0] "Here are two guys who are I think are a little over rated. Don't get me wrong, the can both go and did so in this match. It just seems like I am usually more than a point lower than my peers when either of these two are in the ring with someone."
[9.0] "Not as good as Bandido vs Takeshita for me, but still excellent. Not a new opinion, but Bandido has had a hell of a year, really good to see him have such a strong time after a lot of injuries. This match had a lot of struggle/strength moments which helped it feel REAL. Opening five minutes or so was just mat stuff and after that is when it comes alive."
[7.0] "A good match, but far from as good as the rating says as far as I believe. They told a fine story, had some good spots, had some few mistakes. Don Callis played a surprisinly small role compared to what I would have expected. Bandido looked really good"
[10.0] "I'm tired of saying that Bandido's matches have no right to be that good like how on Earth is it possible ? 2025's MVP is undoubtedly Bandido who puts classic performances on classic performances, what a year for him. I knew I only could love this match because I love both guys, they are clearly my favourite luchadores in the whole world right now. I can't describe this match with words, you need to watch it."
[10.0] "This is easily my favourite match of the year so far; near-perfect, just missing five stars. Bandido, decked out in silver armour reminiscent of The Predator, defended the ROH World Title against Hechicero in a semi-main event that more than lived up to its billing. The match started slower but gradually built in intensity, with Bandido hitting a huge floor dive into a rana signalling the action picking up. Hechicero and Bandido exchanged incredible spots, including mask ripping, rolling Mexican Surfboards, and jaw-dropping counters. The second half was spectacular, featuring suplexes onto the barricade, insane crossbodies off the top rope to the floor, and a spinning F5 off the apron that looked absolutely brutal. Bandido closed the match with a Moonsault Fallaway Slam followed by a partial Chaos Theory. My only critique is that the bout ran a few minutes longer than necessary, which kept it from a perfect rating. Even so, this was one of the best matches of Hechicero's career and another outstanding performance for Bandido, cementing him as a contender for Most Outstanding Wrestler in 2025. Compared to his title defence against Konosuke Takeshita, this one connected more emotionally and showcased incredible work from both wrestlers. A must-watch match for anyone who appreciates high-level storytelling and athleticism in the ring. ****3/4"
[8.0] "This was a very good match between two great performers, but I think it had a few things that, for me, keep it from the very highest heights that others seemed to rate it. First, the build was lacking in a way that hurt the high stakes feeling od the best matches. Second, it was too long, and as thrilling as it was overall, I found my attention wavering as we approached 30 minutes. This leads into my third issue - they did a ton of amazing spots, and all but a small fraction hit. With the length of the match, though, the botches added up to a noticeable minority. Finally, Hechicero is a very talented wrestler, but there's just something awkward in his presentation. I don't know if he needs to abandon the slight nods to the alchemical mysticism, or just go all in on the gimmick like Mortos, but his half hearted hand gestures were distracting."
[10.0] "Bandido to me is wrestler of the year, him & Hechicero easily put on a MOTYC tonight. Just an incredible match that didn't even feel like it went over 36 minutes, technically wrestling at its best & there were a few times I ended up thinking there was going to be a title change. Towards the end I'm not sure if there was a miscommunication but it added to the match that they were completely gassed & just loved it feeling like a struggle. What a match"
[9.0] "This match made me fall in love with technical wrestling. An incredible match between two very good competitors. The end result was sadly obvious, but they did everything they could to make the actual wrestling feel spectacular."
[9.0] "An incredible match that built gradually, effortlessly going through the gears. The setting is pivotal in that sense, with the show being truly dependent on this match. As a result, these two have the space to take their time early, patiently putting building blocks in place after a pretty casual undercard to that point. The obvious styles clash certainly helps too, giving this a core dynamic that's able to sustain the runtime, taking a few different shapes along the way. In their own lane, both grapplers are extraordinary offensive wrestlers though, making for a matchup that's incredibly easy on the eyes. Their shared physicality provides just enough overlap to live in otherwise too, sharing some crunchy exchanges along the way. This likely goes a minute or two beyond its absolute peak, but it's an outstanding match nonetheless, strengthening Bandido's impressive 2025 campaign. ****1/2"
[10.0] "Bandido vs. Hechicero war fantastisch und mindestens ein Kandidat für das beste Match des Monats, vielleicht sogar mehr. Hätte in dieser Form der Main Event sein sollen. Die Highspots sind so gut dosiert und eingebaut, dass sie allesamt eine gute Wirkung haben."
[10.0] "Wonderful match between Bandido and Hechicero in Ring of Honor, they ruled so mutch, a high quality match, one of my favorite of the year. It's so great to see mexicans wrestlers in this spot, lucha is really amazing."
[10.0] "oh my god this match was incredible! i think i was watching when i came home from a night out and my god this was exactly what i needed at that moment. truly phenomenal work between the two probably my favorite hechicero performance, might be my second or third bandido singles performance. the way bandido is wrestling i totally see him being crowned mens wrestler of the year."
[9.0] "Although not quite as good as Bandido's classic with Takeshita earlier on this year this was still flipping brilliant and thrilling and I can't wait to see further Bandido title defenses in future."
[8.0] "This match was either exciting or was starting to drag for me at points. An interesting moment was when Bandido tried to take Hechicero's mask off and the crowd for a second turned on him. I thought Bandido reacted perfectly to that. There were great spots. I don't see this as a classic but it certainly was fun to watch."
[9.0] "While not exactly a trillion star match it was a very good ROH World Championship match from Bandido and challlenger Hechicero. The unfortunate part is Hechicero had zero chance of winning here and Bandido seems more likely to lose on a AEW show. The Takeshita match is the best one all year since that felt like it could end either way."
[10.0] "Hechicero has been one of the best wrestlers in the world for years but I think this is the match that really shows that to a wider US audience. Bandido is having an excellent year in his own right since becoming ROH Champion again, but Hechicero is absolutely the star here. Callis calls Hechicero a Swiss Army Knife of a wrestler on commentary and that is 100% true in this match; he does everything from submissions to strikes to dives to power moves to character work/heeling to selling at a level such that you'd consider him one of the best going today at every single one since Bandido forces him to go into his bag of tricks over and over due to his own wide range of talents. That helicopter move off the apron had me gasping in awe, genuinely. Every aspect of this match that can feel played out by modern main event standards felt way more natural and earned here; every nearfall and counter and submission is given 100% and fought for, the comebacks of Bandido are gorgeous stuff, and even the headbutt exchange on the mat felt way more magnanimous due to where they placed it and how they got there. The finish too was fantastic, with Hechicero still to the very end scouting Bandido and the champ needing to improvise on the fly with the Straightjacket Deadlift German off the 21plex setup to get the win. I do think maybe something Hechicero targeted with submissions could've come into play more in the second half of the match, but that's really the only issue I can mention here. With all of that said, the biggest compliment I can give this match is that despite going over 35 minutes, I don't think this dragged or felt overlong at all. A true MOTYC by any metric, the best men's match under the AEW/ROH banner for sure (beating FTR/Outrunners 1 & Ricochet/Briscoe Stretcher but being short of the Hollywood Ending). ****3/4+"
[10.0] "Great showing from both competitors. Hechizero was top notch, bandido was top notch. I'm still new to ROH but this is one of my favorite matches so far."
[9.0] "Lucha Magic. They worked soooo good together. The match was intesnse with some insane bumps. I liked how they ripped the masks off (partial) to show the fans this was some personal stuff. Bandido countering the final spot like crazy was brilliant"
[10.0] "Extremely special match. The match of the year in my opinion. Wildly entertaining, creative, exciting, and inventive in a way that left me dumbfounded. Every so often I will see a match that leaves me thinking something like "Wow I'm not sure if I've ever seen anything else like this before" which is how I felt with this one here. Just two extremely special wrestlers combining their talents in a way that felt wholly unique and perhaps even completely unprecedented."
[10.0] "Maybe the most impressive pro wrestling match I've ever seen, and also not one I'm sure I actually want to give a 10 to. I'm not bothered by the sloppiness; I can't be, really, when any botch was sped past in under a second at the pace they were going. I think they lost me somewhat when Bandido took a devastating-looking lunging knee to the face in the corner, and then without pausing to breathe Hechicero ran back across the ring, Bandido following straight behind him to turn the tables. That's not even fighting spirit, that's just a genuine no-sell on a move that looked like it should have hospitalized him. By the end of this thing, the crowd was too tired to really react to anything they were doing. It's not quite the same as having lost the crowd, they were interested. Just these two guys have more stamina performing the match than most people can muster watching it. I dunno, I've never seen a match so creative and physically impressive, I just wish they slowed down occasionally. Shoutouts to Peter Griffin in the audience, making every spot he reacted to ten times more impactful. Lock for Crowd Member of the Year. Maybe he's enough to elevate this from a 9 to a 10."
[10.0] "Insanely impressive. Bandido is an easy wrestler of the year pick. Somehow I kept doubting he'd be able to pick up Hechicero for those bigger moves but he impressed me every time. A couple beautiful spots I've been rewatching and some perfect technical sequences. All-in-all a stellar match."
[8.0] "(Grade:B+/****2/3) I definitely see why fans are considering this MOTY, I would definitely put it in my top 15 of 2025 for sure. Bandido continues to showcase ROH ability to continuously put on bangers especially on their PPV and Hechicero was the perfect opponent for him. The pacing was solid slowly building up to more elaborate and mind-blowing spots like Hechicero hitting a bang-a-rang off the apron on Bandido, Bandido launching Hechicero off the apron with a sort of reversed monkey-flip. The final moments of the match were a bit clunky but that doesn't detour from how incredible this match was and has me genuinely curious who's gonna dethrone Bandido as ROH Champion so excited to see where he's reign concludes."
[5.0] "This has many sloppy moments, moments of obvious cooperation, and some pretty bad looking punches in it as well. The submission stuff in it throughout is pretty good, but is a little herky jerky at times. Don Callis is just annoying on commentary as usual and he adds nothing to the match. Hechicero in my opinion is overrated and imprecise. I found his heat on Bandido to be less than compelling. Bandido on the other hand seems to have pretty good fire and is a talented aerialist. His dance partner in this one just leaves a lot to be desired. I can't believe people are calling this a moty candidate. It pales heavily in comparison to Bandido's match with Takeshita from a few weeks ago. Even that match was overrated. This is just too sloppy and disjointed to be very good. Plus there's several exchanges of no selling deep into the match. And people were on their feet for this in the arena! I'd say watch something else."
[10.0] "ROH weekly TV may be basically nonexistent, but their PPVs always tend to have something crazy, and this was no exception. There were a lot of things that might have derailed this for me. Don Callis was there, scraping across my eardrums like a rusty fork. 37 minutes is very, very long even for great wrestlers to fill. It even had a few dodgy headbutt spots, something that gives me the willies. And, while I think Bandido has a lot of talent, I am not as high on him as some are. But I was impressed by the high rating and I LOVE Hechicero, for years I wanted him to have a chance to make good in the US, so there's no way I was going to skip this one. I'll just say first that this was really tremendous work by both guys pretty much for start to finish, they came to show out and they really did that. The biggest spots and bumps in this match were huge, from that thunderous suplex on the barricade all the way to the completely wild helicopter throw off the apron, and tons of stuff in between. This match didn't just pay lip service to big moves, it was filled with IMPACT, every big attack seemed to be genuinely damaging and contributed to both wrestlers getting more beaten up as the match went on, instead of just shrugging stuff off quickly to get the next hit in. Even though it followed some modern big match tropes, they never lost site of the sense of struggle, and even better a sense of exhaustion as the match went long and it became a game of grit and endurance. And yet, even with such a long run time, I never really felt like they were milking it too much with the nearfalls, they never lost my suspension of disbelief that they were working towards winning the match (as opposed to putting on a "show"). Hechicero looked absolutely amazing, not just his impeccable technical game but showing off great strikes (those punches! ), impressive power, and a nice connection with the crowd that surpassed just Don Callis being annoying. The energy in the room was very good and Bandido put on one of his best performances I have seen, mostly moving away from the more contrived moves he sometimes likes (still gotta have the 21-Plex I guess but what can you do). Overall it was just damn great to watch, exciting, sustained itself well, told a simple but effective story, and allowed two lucha guys to show once again they can go as well as anyone in the world when given a shot. My #15 match of the year to date."
[9.0] "a deliriously exciting match in which counter after counter are deployed to mess with your very perception of wrestling pacing. momentum swings never happen where you think, and the tides turn on a dime. only two wrestlers of such fluidity could disrupt the playbook so well and look so good doing it."
[8.0] "***** a gem of a match, Bandido are among the best wrestlers in the world right now and he achieved something very difficult along with Hechicero which was to overcome his match vs Takeshita, excellent chemistry, they knew how to adapt to each other in a wonderful way, Bandido got into Hechicero's keychain style, and Hechicero used riskier moves outside the ring than he usually does with excellent fluidity between sequences and spots, the only thing where they failed was in an exchange of submissions towards the end when there was a somewhat noticeable lack of coordination, excellent intensity, they had a noticeable rivalry throughout almost the entire match that went beyond the ROH title, excellent sequences and spots, which were magnificently distributed with their reaction time but without stopping the match, excellent pace, for almost 40 minutes they gave a master class in wrestling, technical style, high flying and with some good spotfest, a very great ending, after an avalanche fallaway moonsault slam from Bandido to Hechicero, Bandido would look for the 21-plex to close the match, Hechicero would try to resist using the ropes but Bandido would manage to hook him completely and apply the 21-plex to win the match and retain, it was undoubtedly a MOTY Contender (easy top 15 this year in my opinion) they surpassed (in my opinion) the Bandido vs Takeshita, and Bandido is positioned as a serious candidate for wrestler of the year, I hope I have another match vs Hechicero in Final Battle and there Hechicero wins so that Bandido goes on to AEW star matches"
[8.0] "Technically brilliant, and I can absolutely see what others love about this one, but for me, I just never fully got into it. I really don't know why either. Both guys put in a great performance. The crowd was hot. I figured this would be right up my alley. One takeaway I have is that Bandido is the guy. I don't know how or when, but he will be a huge star down the line, just a tremendous performer with a special connection to the crowd. This isn't a flash in the pan, he feels different and should be a main eventer in AEW sooner rather than later. Will need to rewatch the match at some point. 4 stars."
[10.0] "This is easily one of the MOTY. The in-ring storytelling was fantastic, the pacing was great, the technical moves were great, and the suspense was fantastic. It was a "37 minute" match but it didn't feel like a slog, it felt like a war. This was the best match on the card and one of the best matches I've watched in a while. Thank you Bandido and Hechicero for a masterpiece. Fight forever"
[8.0] "While a very fun match and a good one, an all time classic it was not. There was some incredibly awkward and damn near botchy spots when it came to the submission transitions. Not sure where the crowd was the last 10 minutes either. The run-time hurt the atmosphere of the match."
[8.0] "[4, 5 Stars] I liked the detail that the referee spoke in Spanish and the match was superb but as the 1v1 between Bandido and Takeshita are crazy overrated matches they have nothing to do in the MOTY discussion. (****, 5)."
[7.0] "I don't know how to put it into words. Let's just say that for me this match started as a 7/10, then went up to an 8/10, then peaked at a 9/10 somewhere around the middle, then dropped back to an 8/10, and by the end it settled back at a 7/10. I really liked parts of it and wanted to love it. I already knew the length going in, so I expected a long match. The pacing was mostly good, but by the third act it lost me. I just got tired. The execution wasn't perfect either, showing the same flaws common in modern high-risk matches. It comes down to body language, intention, and overall execution. I still liked it better than the Konosuke match, though it wore me down. These guys have great ideas, but not everything clicks. It doesn't have that crisp precision that makes a you an all-timer. They always give me hope that this might be the one, but I can't keep giving them the benefit of the doubt. I know this is as good as we're going to get right now, and that's the sad part. Not because it's bad. It isn't. But because they're so close to greatness, yet keep missing by the smallest margin."
[10.0] "That is the point where I start to make my shoulder hurt more than it is already. Man, WHAT A MATCH. I am gonna even need to watch it back again in the future, but in one sight, it looked AMAZING, the entire match, the experience. I was no hyped for it at all but Hechicero, man, maybe Don Callis is right about him lmao. I ended that match thinking he is better than Mil Mascaras, El Santo, and all this motherfuckers I bately had the chance to watch them wrestle yet because what Hechicero produced here felt so organic and great, it felt indeed as a world title of match mostly because of him. But, of course, I need to give for Bandido his flowers, the great spots and the entire and complete athleticism that match brought to us was mostly because of him. Another MOTYC produced by Bandido on a ROH PPV and also, another five stars for me. That guy is AMAZING."
[8.0] "Great match, intense, original, with well-crafted spots and fluid combos. While they're technical wrestlers, they're also quite powerful, and the chemistry between the two really made for a great match. In-ring quality: 2.75/4. Stakes: 2/2. Justification: 1/1. Place on the card: 1/1. Suspense: 0.75/1. Bonuses/penalties: none. Total: 8.5/10. Match seen on the ROH YouTube channel."
[8.0] "Bandido is more of a cartoon character than a wrestler - a Cenador, if you will. I mean, none of the extreme technicality inflicted on him by Hechicero over the course of nearly 40 minutes had any discernible deleterious effect. The bout boasted some incredible grappling exchanges and several genuine holy shit moments, but it also lacked focus and they definitely lost the crowd right before the finish ***3/4"
[10.0] "Eine Lucha Libre Schlacht um den ROH World Title und nichts anderes als ein Lucha-Diamant ist aus dieser Schlacht geboren. Holly Shit haben die beiden Moves abgefeuert und eingesteckt. Für Menschen die Lucha Libre eher mit Highflying verbinden, sollte dieses Match ein absoluter Augenöffner dafür sein, dass das Lucha Libre auch technisches Mat-Wrestling und Grabbling einschließt und dieses Match ist dass beste dieser Machart seit langen. Ganz klar ein Kandidat für das Match of the Year und dass nicht nur bei ROH."
[9.0] "This match is another MOTY candidate, that's it. At this point I already consider Bandido the "Wrestler of the Year" and this match only helped to solidify it. Hechicero did a great job and these 2 made magic on the show. It was kind of toooo long, but I really don't mind it that much. I think that Josh Alexander should be the next Don Callis Family member to challenge Bandido."
[9.0] "Another spectacular lengthy title defense for Bandido, where each act gradually escalates. The first act of this match comes in two halves, with the first spent on technical work, where the more technically proficient wrestler, Hechicero, for the most part outclassed Bandido, while Bandido still had moments where he bested Hechicero, but if you look back at those moments, they were successful through his utilization of his strength. I really enjoyed how Hechicero showed overt respect when he was bested. I also highly liked how Bandido smartly started the match by not getting baited to engage on the mat with Hechicero, which establishes him as an intelligent wrestler while simultaneously showing he respects his opponent's strengths. In the second half of this act, they transitioned by upping the pace as they engaged in reversal and counter-wrestling. The second act was mainly used to create drama and heat as it gradually built anticipation for Bandido's comeback. Hechicero took control of most of this second act while Bandido played the role of being in peril and then made his heroic comeback, where he successfully assumed control. The third act is an extended act where it is mainly constructed of big, bombastic spots, with the exhilarating sequences and action taking place within it. The biggest blemish of the match, I'd say, was Bandido making the wrong call where he ripped Hechicero's mask, which was very obviously set up as a comeuppance spot after Hechicero had ripped his, but it garnered boos. I, being a big fan of Bandido, was dejected to see that spot because I just think he's an incredible babyface, so I hate to see that his character was a bit hurt by that, but he's such a great worker he's easily able to pull us back in. The second most obvious mistake in the match, I'd say, was how they momentarily lost a bit of momentum in the closing minutes where they tried to work in some llave, but tonally you felt its effect as it seemed like exhaustion played a factor in its not-so-fluid execution, but thankfully they did end on a good note, and by that time they'd already wrestled a spectacular bout, so it doesn't detract much. ****1/2"
[7.0] "Too much back and forth bomb throwing on the final act really drags this bout for me. The opening stretch was the type of mat work that has some purpose: show that Bandido can handle Hechicero in an honourable llaveo contra llaveo exchange. Hechicero going to the outside, showing frustration and trying to reset is a logical way to get stalling heel heat. The quickened pace once inside only favour more Bandido, but he overindulges. He flips off Callis after and amazing dive into a tijeras and he's brutally cut off not much latter. Hechicero slowing things down, mixing in the brawling with the holds makes for a very engaging but heelish heat segment. I also love that what triggers Bandido's comeback is Hechicero showing the disrespect of going after the mask. Bandido also displays great resilience and honest to God babyface strength in his comeback, but after it they just go so long with the back and forth for no particular reason. Still good, but with a bit of tightness it could have been great. There's also a bit of an untied end. Bandido loses control when he flips off Callis, he loses the crowd for a moment when he rips at Hechicero's mask in retaliation, so you would think he learns to be more cold headed to be able to win. But no, he still flips off Hechicero in a striking exchange much latter in the bout. The kind of inconsistent and inconsequential character work you come across when it has to be epic and grandiose."
[10.0] "Das war ein absoluter banger und gehört auf die Top-Liste des Jahres! Es war lang, sehr lang sogar aber voller abwechslungsreicher Action mit einer unerwarteten Intensität. Es kamen zwischendurch Moves aus dem Nichts, die man ebenfalls so nicht erwarten konnte. Die Tempowechsel, die es immer wieder in die technischen Phasen gab, passten perfekt. Es war wahnsinnig glaubwürdig, wie fertig beide Worker in der Schlussphase einfach waren. Genialer Kampf!"
[10.0] "HOLY CRAP Bandido is the wrestler of the year 2025. Stop the voting. It's not even September yet and he's clinched it between his work with Brody as Brodido, the match vs Takeshita, and now this insane one with Hechicero. Bandido is so goddamn good that (like the very best wrestlers) when a spot or transition doesn't go cleanly he has the ability to immediately and smoothly continue the action. He makes it look like every miss and slip was either a natural part of the sequence or not a miss at all. In recent months, I've seen Mercedes do it and I've seen Athena do it. Bandido does it too and his name belongs in their company. This match is a 10 because of 1) this aforementioned ability of Bandido to make everything work, 2) the incredible wrestling and lucha libre ability of the two competitors, and 3) the absolutely BATSHIT high spots that they do in this match. On point number 3, there is what seems like a crazy disregard for their own safety. They're phenomenal performers and know what they're doing, but man do they go for it and leave it all in the ring (or on the floor and barricade). There are three spots in this that made me exclaim in my living room. One was because I was impressed and hadn't seen someone pull it off before (involved a huracanrana), one was because it looked so dangerous and hurt them both (suplex involving the barricade), and one was because I was surprised Bandido got Hechicero up (and over from the top rope). This was 36.5 minutes long and the first half was some really really good "wrestling". The second half was some really really incredible PPV-level lucha libre by two great wrestlers. This match is eminently rewatchable. It's also something you could show a lapsed or non-fan to demonstrate the full extent of how impressive modern wrestling can be. All hail Bandido!"
[10.0] "On one hand, Hechicero being a master of the mat, with his classic llaveo style. On the other hand, Bandido with his fast pace style, in which he has incorporated moves to his moveset such as El Santo's head scissors, Mil Mascaras style plancha, Canek's military press drop and the famously acclaimed frog splash by Eddie Guerrero. This match was an ode to classic Lucha Libre, a very good example for showing that Lucha Libre is way more than just a "flippy" style as it has mistakenly been labeled nowadays. Personal rating: ****3/4."
[10.0] "Possible match of the year contender. Bandido is on an outstanding run this year, he's getting his flowers and fully deserves it. Add in an incredible technical wrestler in Hechicero and you have an incredible match. This match was so good. 36 minutes of pure wrestling goodness. How does Bandido keep doing it? I'd be shocked if he doesn't end up with the MOTY considering how many incredible ones he puts on. He's so good."
[10.0] "This is the shit right here. Hechicero can have a great match with just about anyone and Bandido has basically had the MOTY conversation on lockdown since winning the ROH title. Put those two together and you get absolute magic. I'm not sure if anyone will be able to top this one, but I assume Bandido can find a way."
[9.0] "This was the match I was most excited for on this card and my god did this deliver. This is a beefy match at over 36 minutes in length, but this never felt like it was going long for the sake of it and there never felt like there was any stalling here. Bandido and Hechicero spend time building towards their big spots making then feel like even more of a payoff and every minute is integral to the progression of the match. Hechicero's early heel work is phenomenal as he viciously works over Bandido, tearing at his mask and tying him up in all manner of submissions. Bandido is truly one of the greatest pure babyfaces on the planet today and he's so good at working from underneath, getting the crowd behind him and building towards a fiery comeback. All of this work done in the first half is great but the match truly explodes in the second, with both guys building towards awesome bombs and sequences and going back and forth with neither guy having the clear advantage. Towards the end, they do lose the crowd slightly with a bit of an awkward sequence which I do think could've been cut out of the match entirely, but both guys do a great job at getting back on track and building towards an excellent finish. Outside of that one awkward sequence, I thought this was absolutely stellar. This was excellently paced and never once felt dull over the course of its lengthy runtime. I'd put this quite high on my MOTY list and would even go as far as to say this is the best non gimmick world title match of the year. ****1/2"
[9.0] "Starting with a feeling out period, this is their first singles match? The starting period already had some great moves Iike Hechicero offering a high collar and elbow and then shooting for a double leg takedown. great catching after. Great story of Hechicero trying to ground Bandido and slow him down, absolutely impressive. The leg target is wonderful at the beginning. Bandido moves so fluid it is incredible. Hechicero is doing incredible! Don Callis on commentary is a pure gift. Jesus that cattle mutilation spot. Bandido returning the mask favor and realizing the crowd isn't in it was great! That barricade spot was scary. match lost me a little after that. Prefer the beginning of this one but the structure and middle part of the Takeshita match. little exhauting but wonderful."
[10.0] "Absolutely bloody excellent. This to me should be shown to EVERY wrestler, along with Uemura/Oiwa, to show that you do not need the early stages of a match to be slow and grinding in order to build heat and excitement. Everything these two do from minute one is aggressive, tactical and engaging. Keeps the energy up high through a long battle, and ultimately ended up in an amazing, chaotic end"
[9.0] "Wow, this was great. These two just went all out with this. The outside spots by the barricade were insane. Bandido has become my favorite masked wrestler of all time and Hechicero had his best match since I've known about him."
[10.0] "hot diggity dog now this is good shit. stellar mat work some crazy spots and just brilliant chemistry. Bandido cements his place as wrestler of the year with a third MotYC contender in this title reign. and Hechicero continues to be one of the best breakout mexican stars in recent history. the fucking macho man elbow drop from the apron on to bandido on the barricade was fucking brutal."
[9.0] "Many often dream of what can be the greatest match of all time, and I firmly believe that say the next few decades down the line, many will be remembering this match as on of the absolute greatest Ring of Honor World Championship match-ups to have taken place. This match not only in my opinion outshined what Bandido put on the month prior with TAKESHITA, but proved to me that EVRY SINGLE ONE OF YOU PUT SOME RESPECT ON THE NAME OF EL ALQUIMISTA DEL RING! This match reminded me of just how awesome Hechicero can be outside of a tag setting and proved to all the bad faith fans who called him a "mid-carder" not even that long ago why he is a Top 20 Wrestler walking the planet to this day. Now I must say some of the bumps these two took were absolutely disgusting beyond belief but it added so much to the match because of it, just what a stellar showing for both men here. * Rating (****.75) El mejor estilo de la Lucha Libre viene de México perros."
[9.0] "This was on track to be something utterly astonishing but I felt it got lost a little bit in the final few minutes when they also lost the crowd, they got it back on track to a degree but it made me walk away from something I thought was utterly great with a small sense of disappointment. I don't long matches for the sake of going long but this never felt as long as it which is an achievement in itself. Beyond that weird minute or two I thought they escalated this very well. A match I went 4 1/2 on and still think what could have been."
[10.0] "And just like that, another MOTY candidate for Bandido. Hechicero at full speed is a truly awesome sight, his technique, strikes and pacing as a heel were on full display here and it was outstanding. Bandido has been operating at a high level all year and nothing changed here. Worked as a babyface exactly as he should do. Every sequence was delivered to the highest standard, the pacing of this match was perfect. I can't rave about this enough. Anyone who hasn't seen this match needs to immediately."
[10.0] "[9.6] Utterly fantastic match. There's genuinely no excuse to not just go watch it right now, one of Hechicero's best and Bandido continues to be fantastic. I think Bandido's cemented himself as having a run that's either at or near that 2017 Okada quality, and any WOTY list that doesn't have him in the top 3 will be deeply, deeply unserious."
[10.0] "This has become my match of the year, surpassing Mox Vs Hangman and Bandido Vs Takeshita. The match was out of the world fantastic and showed just how good of a storyteller both Bandido and Hechicero are. Both are on another level right now and they showed that in this match. The story of Hechicero's weight being the big factor throughout the match for both men was incredible and they used that to try out new moves that both fed into the match and built to the finish. Extremely great match that cemented Bandido as my wrestler of the year while also showing me that Hechicero is sprinting ahead of every other technical wrestler in the world. (*****.5)"
[10.0] "This match was fucking other worldly oh my good god it was so fucking good with these two showing why they are some of the best in the world. The match built methodically at the start with some amazing mat work from both men with the first stretch of it being both men feeling each other out. Then the pace picked up as the mat work got faster as the men came up with some crazy holds to try and outfox each other and gain the advantage on the mat. Then the pace of the match picked up as both men went to other worldly levels of ability pulling out some of the crazy shit i have ever seen. The helicopter spin slam of the apron had my jaw on the fucking floor as did Bandido sitting up out of the surfboard that Hechi had him in and a load of other moments that i would be here all day writing them out. Then we got to the absolute other worldly finishing stretch as everything post poisonrana with pure fucking poetry in motion leading to the finish were Bandido hit the moonsault slam followed by the 21 plex with Hechi fighting for his life to stop it. Oh my word what a match both of these men are fucking amazing. Bandido the man you are, the summer of Bandido has been a generational run one of my all time favourite runs up there with the summer of Ospreay in 2023 he might be the best in the world right now every time he gets in the ring it is magic. I love Hechicero he does every style so bloody well and can give anyone a good match and when you pair him with people like Bandido and ZSJ you get something unreal like this match. My biggest complimnet is this did not feel like it was 36 minutes and if they went an hour i would of been glad. this should of been the main event. My lord what a match. Viva la lucha libre. (*****1/2)"
[9.0] "Wow this was a banger, best Hechicero match I've seen, this was fantastic the suplex on the barricade spot was brutal, Bandido stays having these fire matches in ROH, this wasn't better than the classic with Konosuke Takeshita but holy hell this was awesome ****1/2"
[9.0] "This match was incredible. It was gritty, it was innovative and it was thoroughly entertaining. This was a great showcase for both guys but Bandido came off like a huge star and the crowd certainly seemed to think so, too."
[7.0] "Pace is a problem here, don't think is a bad match at all there are a lot of incredible moments and bandido keeps proving that he is one of the best babyfaces on the industry rn but most of the match was isolated sequences or very empty offense, usually don't have a problem with that but the match just never built into the next level imo"
[10.0] "I adored this match. Two of Mexico's best exports going at it in a match with as much of modern US pro wrestling in it as Arena Mexico. Hechicero has been a revelation internationally this year, and Bandido has been so good for so long it kind of beggars belief. I also totally bought Hechicero as a viable champion, meaning there was genuine jeapordy in the finish. The match was a steady escalation I expected to end several times, but never quite did as they found new ways to top their previous sequences. It's up there with Kidd/Omega for best singles match of the year for me, and with relatively little gimmickry this one stands alone for me as the MOTY so far."
[10.0] "It should have been the main event. I don't watch ROH. Not many people do the only thing I watch are the Bandido matches now that he is champ, and his run should be the thing ROH is built on. Athena, after she lost, didn't deserve to be the main event here. Bandido is on the run of his career, and until he slows down or stop, don't take the title off him. The match had crazy spots and great exchanges, the technical stuff was great, and it felt raw and real, not some choreographed match. 10 out of 10 didn't feel like a long bout at all. They made every minute count."
[10.0] "Otherwordly match, with a better ending it could have been something like match of the decade but like that it's still pretty much top 15 MOTYCs. The technical work was lit and all the spots were great; the variety of this bout was astonishing. Someone put a belt on Hechicero. *****1/4(5, 25*/10, 5 out of ten)"
[9.0] "Bandido continues to cement his claim to Wrestler of the Year and Hechicero is an impeccable dance partner to nobody's surprise. For me there were just a couple too many slightly flubbed moves and awkward pauses to give it the 10, but still absolutely worth going out of your way to see."
[10.0] "Very few matches these days showcase genuine struggle and exhaustion between two people trying desperately to win, this one was remarkable in that regard, Absolutely stunning match, they worked extremely well together, and just seemed to be out there trying stuff. And that stuff ruled."
[10.0] "two of the best wrestlers in the world right now, of course they would put on an all-time banger .. Bandido's run as a champion is terrifying, i love this man and he's only giving us 5-stars matches since the very start, absolutely monstruous match from both of these beasts, it was so great in every point .. incredible"
[10.0] "Genuinely don't think that bandido can miss I mean it's unbelievable. This match was utterly incredible and ROH on YouTube is a great idea even if it was a change of plans. This match will go down and a career defining moment for both I mean this match was one of the only matches recently that had made me audibly yell at the spots taking place on my tv and when a match can do that it's often a good sign. But in short this match was absolutely class from both wrestlers and I'm practically on my knees for TK to give us a rematch."
[9.0] "Absolutes Hammer Match. Aufbau und Struktur, vorallem in den ersten 2/3 sind weltklasse. Holds, Submissions, Technik, Highflying Action, alles absolut super. Einige crazy Spots wie der Suplex auf der Barrikade oder dieser wunderschöne Splash vom Top Rope nach draußen. Im letzten drittel, stimmt das pacing manchmal nicht ganz, außerdem der nicht richte 21-Plex zu finish stören mich etwas. Dabei find ich es allerdings super, dass es nur einen Finisher und natürlich die restliche super Action, zum Sieg braucht. 37 Minuten super gefüllt und ein definitiver MOTYC. (****3/4)"
[10.0] "What a fucking crazy match! I expected it to be good, but they clearly exceeded my expectations. Bandido and Hechicero went to war, it was a very close match that came down to nothing. There was everything in this match: technique, high flying, impressive spots, it was very complete. I loved it from start to finish. Special mention to Bandido, who never ceases to impress me this year, and is without doubt one of the top 5 wrestlers of the year."
[10.0] "Bandido and Takeshita are really neck and neck for best this year. The 3rd is far away from these two. Bandido might be the best ROH World Champion in recent years and Hecichero is a master of the game . Another clinic and thus this legendary run continues. A strong candidate for Match of the year"
[8.0] "They took a little bit to get going but once these two found their rhythm it was pure magic. I liked this more than Bandido's match with Konosuke Takeshita to be honest as I feel like these two gelled so much better. I will say the traditional lucha exhibition moves weren't as crisp as I'd hoped but these guys excelled in sheer brutality. The match really started to get going when Hechicero began stonewalling Bandido, slowing the match down and showcasing his superb ring work. Hechicero adds to the intesity by clawing at Bandido's mask and Bandido responds by giving the same disrespect much to the dismay of the fans. This moment was great as it showed Bandido's slipping in honor but also his love for the fans as their displeasure clearly affected him. This was the second big turning point of the match. After this we get insane spots like a suplex on the barricade, a monkey flip on the apron, a picture perfect crossbody to the outside from Bandido and some kind of spin out drop to the outside from Hechicero that looked dreadful in the best possible way. The match finishes with a great back and forth and a reversed 21 plex into a stalling german suplex that admittedly wasn't the best end to the match but was the right time to bring it home. I think had the feeling out moments at the start been a bit more clean and tight this would be my MOTM but I'm not totally convinced that the match length was justified but still another great ROH world title defence for Bandido"
[8.0] "Not once did this feel like 36 minutes, which is the biggest compliment. The action is dynamic, but the technical work is even greater. Honestly, in a match full of such big moments, my favourite spot was a simple ankle pic Hechicero does whilst catching Bandido mid leapfrog. Simple yet great in terms of the small moments. The submission trading actually has tension and feels like the two are struggling to regain control, instead of simply going through the motions. The big spots are still great, with the helicopter spin being gnarly. The only downside here, is that by the time they got to the finish, I was slightly deflated since the action prior was so grand."
[9.0] "Another incredible performance from Bandido alongside an absolute showcase of technical brilliance from Hechicero, this was an instant match of the year contender. Hechicero just picked apart Bandido with such academic precision and got the crowd solidly behind the champion, creating some really magical moments. If I am totally honest I do not think this needed the Don Callis interference, but that is a very minor nitpick of a brilliant match. Bandido retained with a 21 Plex after an incredible closing stretch, this is a must watch and such an amazing match."
[10.0] "This match was insanely good. Bandido continues his great catalog of matches in 2025. There were some great submission holds and sequences; both Bandido and Hechicero performed amazingly here. The commentary and crowd at the historic 2300 arena were also top-tier. 5/5."
[10.0] "This was magical. I think I was a bit sceptical going into this because of the length but my god was this just the greatest experience ever. Bandido's the best babyface in the world right now I think and hechicero tortured him so well. The escalation was unbelievable. Some of the spots were otherworldly. This is what main fucking event pro wrestling should look like"
[9.0] "Bandido's insane 2025 campaign for Wrestler of the Year continues with this match, which I think easily makes the top 2 in ROH this year. They do some insane stuff. The match isn't perfect, some of the transitions are a slow. Some of them are janky. Both guys are SOOO visibly exhausted by the end that I do think they absolutely missed the peak. But they keep you engaged the whole time, and do some fantastic work. Definitely go out of your way to see this one."
[10.0] "A very close match. I thought it would be Bandido as a highflyer vs. Hechicero as a technical wrestler. But it's surprising to see how Bandido managed to match the Hechicero's technical skills. He performs several counters and traps the Sorcerer in complex holds. From the punishment we saw, it was brutal. While Bandido focused on Hechicero's back, Hechicero focused on Bandido's legs. Brilliant spots and sequences of top-level technical wrestling."
[10.0] ""What a match! We knew just looking at the card it was gonna be crazy, but man, Bandido is hands down one of the wrestlers of the year maybe THE wrestler of the year. And against one of the greatest luchadors ever, of course it was gonna hit. Insane spots, Hechicero being technically flawless as always, Bandido showing off his insane power... it was just awesome. Honestly, I was low-key expecting Bandido to lose tho"
[10.0] "If you only have time to watch one match from this show go it of your way to make it this one. These two put on what might be best match ever held in a legendary venue. The technical spots, the insane bumps, the hard hitting fast paced sequences. It's hard to describe a match this good in words. Somehow Don Callis being in commentary added to this magic when often times his shenanigans detract. Bandido might be WOTY."
[10.0] "The first 5-7 minutes are spent studying, both analyzing each other and trying to find ways to trap the other. From the first dive outside the ring is when the revolutions increase. Sorcerer looks to take the match to his own territory by punishing Bandit's leg. Meanwhile, Bandit looks to stun Sorcerer with his speed, but also manages to trap Bandit in several holds. This is a very high level match, there are a couple of errors but nothing serious."
[10.0] "What a fantastic match! It was a fantastic back-and-forth between two of the best luchadors, with plenty of impressive moments and a very satisfying 36 minutes. Bandido had a string of great defenses and is undoubtedly one of the best wrestlers of the year."
[10.0] "Amazing match, and the 2nd MOTY contender by Bandido. 36 minutes of non-stop hoops, amazing transitions and you get a little of everything from these guys. Great character work from both of these guys as well, kept the crowd hot the entire time and it made this match even better. A few awkward spots where you can see a botch or two but these guys recover so well throughout. Amazing match, and Bandido will get a AEW world title run a lot sooner than people think, I feel."
[9.0] "This was fantastic. I wouldve preferred a shorter match but they kept it hot the entire time. Bandido has been on fire all year and hechicero might be my favorite opponent he's faced this year besides mascara dorada. Great technical wrestling, great heat segments, great high flying sequences, just a seriously awesome match. ****3/4"
[10.0] "Bandido is having a year that not a lot of wrestlers can even dream of having. The man is on a roll! This was a technical lucha libre masterpiece, both men played to their strengths and it showed how much it payed off. Not one dull moment in 36+ minutes of professional wrestling. One of the matches of 2025."
[10.0] "A masterpiece of a match, Bandido and Hechicero killed it. Starting as an exhibition, slowly grew into a heated affair with some heated exchanges and moves. Bandido and Hechicero were incredible out there and left all out there. A top 5 MOTYC and has me wanting a rematch. *****"
[10.0] "I said after the Takeshita match that I felt like I needed a cigarette; Bandido has only gone and done it yet again. The Summer of Bandido is going to extend all the way to Christmas at this rate with yet ANOTHER notch on his belt after the magnificent Dorada, Mistico, and Takeshita matches and his turns as a tag team wrestler on the AEW roster. He might not win Wrestler of the Year due to exposure bias, but if he doesn't give Takeshita and Ospreay a run for their money for Most Oustanding, then I don't know what everyone else is watching. Absolutely magic."
[10.0] "Bandido is a special wrestler man wow. This is an incredible match with awesome performances from both. Technical sequences were great but they also had a ton of high spots and really mixed all styles of wrestling and they did it in a way that made sense and connected together. MOTYC"
[10.0] "I knew this match would cook as soon as it was announced. And now that it's done, IT HAS DONE MORE THAN COOK. My goodness, Bandido is WOTY. The risk spots were what they were, risky. Helicopter off the apron, suplex from the barricade. Actually, ON the barricade. What more can I say? Might be match of the year, thats how much I enjoyed this. ***** 3/4"
[9.0] "Bryan Danielson was 100% correct, Bandido is the wrestler of the year. Holy hell this match was incredible. The crowd and the pace never slowed down, the only downtime was received with applause. Hechicero was also terrific here, he's a great foil to Bandido and I was begging to see Bandido beat him. One of the best matches of the year quite easily."
