12. Ladder Match For NXT Championship: Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas (NXT Arrival, Feb. 27)
Say the name "Bo Dallas" to longtime NXT fans and the response will be a venomous one. Still, for over 200 days the third-generation Superstar had reigned as NXT champion heading into Arrival. His opponent at that show, Adrian Neville, had surged to the number one contender's spot and was the heavy favorite to finally put an end to the Bo experiment. With nary a Bo-Liever to be had, Dallas entered the NXT Arena at Full Sail University as the most hated man on the card. Absent his title, which had been strung up high overhead prior to the bout, Dallas was determined to do whatever it took to scale the rungs of the ladder and retrieve his most prized possession. Neville had other plans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6qvRiUB42A The rivals turned in a fine Ladder match that sacrificed the insane bumps taken by the likes of Edge, Christian and the Hardys in previous incarnations of the gimmick bout and worked a safer, smarter match. Neville still utilized his high-flying arsenal to his advantage, however, delivering the breathtaking Red Arrow to incapacitate Dallas, allowing him to climb the ladder and retrieve the championship. The well-traveled Brit celebrated with the gold to close out the broadcast and leave the fans with a lasting image from the night NXT dominated the wrestling world.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
