10 Greatest Title Changes In NXT History
4. Sami Zayn Beats Neville – TakeOver: R Evolution
The fact that a man who was once considered the successor to Daniel Bryan is now a heel is testament to just how badly WWE have screwed up Sami Zayn’s character (and his extraordinary abilities as a performer).
Before his heel turn, Zayn was the most organically over babyface in NXT. His underdog persona and never-say-die attitude won him legions of fans - and they were all desperate to see him win the NXT Championship at TakeOver: R Evolution in 2015.
It wouldn’t be an easy task; he was going up against Adrian Neville (who managed to lose his “Adrian” when he graduated to the main roster), the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history at that point. Furthermore, if Sami lost, he would have to leave NXT forever. Safe to say, the stakes were pretty damn high for the former El Generico.
Neville and Zayn put on a classic, with both men’s styles blending effortlessly and the Full Sail crowd gripped by the brilliantly-told story.
To everyone’s delight, Zayn landed the Helluva Kick on Neville and picked up the pin, landing the NXT Championship and keeping his career alive. It was the biggest feel-good moment NXT had ever seen; the most beloved man in the promotion’s history had finally overcome the odds and won the big one. It was wrestling storytelling in its purest form, and it was lovely.
Then Sami got the snot beaten out of him by Kevin Owens and things got decidedly less lovely.