10 Best WWE NXT Matches Of 2015

1. Sasha Banks (c) Vs. Bayley - TakeOver: Brooklyn

What a year Sasha Banks had in NXT. When the dust settles and the lists are finally compiled for wrestler of the year, her name must feature highly on any self respecting list. The pinnacle of her year, along with the year of NXT, came at the excellent TakeOver: Brooklyn show in August. Sasha Banks defended her NXT Women's Championship against her eternal rival Bayley at the show, and the whole thing really felt like a big moment for the brand. The build up centred around Bayley and Banks not taking her particularly seriously, the need for Bayley to forget for a moment that she is a fan living the dream and realise that she is in the fight, that she is on the cusp of immortality. Bayley brought the aggression in the match, something that was really embellished by Sasha's condescending manner throughout the match. Banks really carried herself as a confident champion here, and it is constantly impressive how someone who is so small in stature can manage to make themselves seem so large. Sasha worked on Bayley's injured hand throughout the match, going so far as to crush it between the ring and the steps, providing an extra hurdle for the challenger to get over. Everything built to a couple of scary top rope spots at the end of the match. The first of these saw Bayley practically land on her head after a hurricanrana attempt, the second was a true moment that made jaws hit the floor. You don't often see a reverse hurricanrana in WWE, let alone one from the top rope. Bayley hit Banks with one here, and it looked absolutely brutal. It was the moment where belief became tangible for Bayley, and just a Bayley to Belly later and we had a new NXT Women's Champion. This was a true exercise in storytelling, with history being referred to throughout. The match didn't skimp on the details in this respect, with Banks' work on Bayley's hand particularly impressive. It was an absolute masterclass in building a crowd to a frenzy through slow tension, and the release at the final three count was one of the greatest moments in recent WWE history. The finest moment in a fine, fine year for NXT.