11. Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville - NXT Championship (NXT Takeover: R-Evolution)
Interestingly, there are probably as many people wondering why there is another NXT match on this list as there are people cursing under their breaths and ready to stop reading this list because Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville from earlier in the month is not ranked higher. The fact of the matter is that NXT is merely WWE's developmental program based in Florida, but its profile has been dramatically boosted by its inclusion as a special feature for WWE Network subscribers. Who knows how many of WhatCulture's readers are subscribers to WWE Network? Or who have access to NXT through some other means? For those who have watched NXT, it does not come across as the minor leagues. Rather, it is a sneak peak into WWE's future. Surely, after a match like they had at the latest NXT event, Zayn and Neville are both part of that future. Based on the pure wrestling talent on display, there might not be a better match all year than Zayn vs. Neville. It was that good. However, it cannot be ignored that it was a small scale production. Its WWE, but not really. If we compare it to Batman, WWE is the feature film that grosses billions, while NXT is the little cartoon tucked away on an obscure satellite network. So, that is why, dear NXT enthusiasts, it does not rank higher.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
