10 Underhyped Wrestling Matches That Blew Everyone Away
4. Bayley Vs. Eva Marie (NXT, November 25, 2015)
Nobody could really be blamed for scoffing at the prospect of Eva Marie challenging Bayley for the NXT Women's Title, but this shockingly entertaining November 2015 match proved how smart booking could elevate inexperienced in-ring talent.
This wasn't simply a case of Bayley carrying Eva Marie to a solid match, but the creative stacking the odds against Bayley in a totally organic and self-aware way.
The match was laid out with the very idea that the Authority-backed Eva Marie didn't deserve this spot, and so Bayley was going to have to fend off stooge referees and Nia Jax in addition to her actual opponent.
In turn, this allowed the bulk of the physical demands to fall upon Bayley, while Eva Marie could focus more on playing to her character strengths than putting on a technical clinic.
What could've been a sloppy botch-fest or pure mediocrity was instead ingeniously booked for the best possible outcome, boosting the stock of both women in the process.