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The five greatest matches in NXT history
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports WWE Analyst
Before a new version of NXT is unveiled Tuesday night, let’s reflect on the brand’s past.
NXT started making waves in 2014 after going live for the first time on WWE Network. In the seven years that followed, WWE’s third brand built a reputation as one of the premiere destinations for pro wrestling.
NXT TakeOvers then became can’t-miss events for die-hard wrestling fans, and stars such as Sasha Banks, Bayley, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Asuka, Shinsuke Nakamura and many others were given a platform to shine in front of the WWE Universe.
With a change on the horizon, however, now seems like the perfect time to look back on what I consider the five greatest matches in NXT history.
5. Sami Zayn versus Adrian Neville – TakeOver: R Evolution
Sami Zayn was incredibly important to NXT’s growth.
His matches against Cesaro set the standard for the brand early on, and his various feuds helped attract the eyes of indie wrestling fans while NXT was undergoing a change from its game-show past.
The culmination of his quest for the title has to be included on anyone’s list of the brand’s best matches.
The title vs. career bout was fantastic from bell to bell, and his big win at the end, coupled with the roster coming out to celebrate with him after, was unforgettable. Sami was the heart and soul of NXT at that time, and his crowning moment was proof of that.
Plus, the post-match angle with Kevin Owens turning on him is one of the most iconic moments in TakeOver history.
4. The Revival versus DIY, 2 out of 3 falls – TakeOver: Toronto
Relive the epic NXT tag team title 2-out-of-3 falls match between The Revival and DIY at NXT TakeOver: Toronto 2016 in its full-match glory.
In my opinion, this was not only NXT’s best tag-team match of all time but also one of the best tag matches in the history of the company.
The old-school style embodied by Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder jelled perfectly with Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano – and their two out of three falls affair against was a master class in tag team wrestling.
Everything flowed naturally. The two teams were completely in sync while raising the bar for tag team wrestling. It was magic to watch.
This was also the first NXT Tag Team title win for DIY, so the match is important to the history of the brand, considering what their legacy would become.
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3. Sami Zayn versus Shinsuke Nakamura – TakeOver: Dallas
This was the first real NXT dream match.
Shinsuke Nakamura was just arriving after shocking the wrestling world by leaving his longtime home of NJPW for WWE, and Sami Zayn was main-roster-bound after helping NXT grow into a viable third brand.
Before he left, though, the two masterful wrestlers squared off at TakeOver: Dallas in an epic encounter.
The atmosphere in the building that night was electric. The crowd was chanting, "Holy s---," before the match even started. While it was underway, the famous "fight forever" chants could be heard throughout the arena.
I was at this show, and as this match was happening, I knew it was something I’d never forget — especially because I was at the show with my dad, who was watching NXT for the first time and losing his mind over how awesome it was.
2. Bayley versus Sasha Banks – TakeOver: Brooklyn
The NXT matches between Bayley and Sasha Banks will go down in history as some of the most influential matches of the modern era.
From the way they helped convince the powers-that-be to take women’s wrestling more seriously to the number of young women they encouraged to join wrestling schools, the importance of their encounters at this time cannot be stated enough.
Their match at TakeOver: Brooklyn, however, is the best one.
Just one month after the Women’s Revolution began in WWE on the main roster, Sasha and Bayley put on a clinic for all the world that people still talk about to this day.
The curtain call at the end, which included Becky Lynch and Charlotte, will also be remembered as one of the most powerful images from a TakeOver event.
1. Johnny Gargano versus Tommaso Ciampa, Unsanctioned – TakeOver: New Orleans
The storyline between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa took NXT to a completely different level.
The black and gold brand had already been known for its stellar matches, but the implosion of DIY and their subsequent feud showed that NXT could also provide some of the best storylines in all of pro wrestling.
Ciampa had been away from the ring for months after turning on Johnny, and his return attack kicked the heat up on their feud. Meanwhile, Gargano had been killing it in singles competition while Tommaso was away.
This created a perfect storm for their encounter, and both performers stepped up to the challenge in a big way. It's that build, combined with the fight itself, that makes this the greatest match in NXT history for me.
If you haven’t seen this match, go watch it. And if you have, you should probably go watch it again.
That’s how great it was.
Ryan Satin is a WWE analyst for FOX Sports. Satin previously appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and founded Pro Wrestling Sheet, where he broke countless news stories as editor-in-chief.
