You never forget the first time. For many of us, NXT Arrival was our first peak into the world of WWE's developmental system. Insider reports and mainstream news had, for a long time, touted its successes, but what did that really look like to the dedicated fan of pro wrestling that had previously figured his/her allotted wrestling time for the week already maxed out? WWE Network gave people an opportunity to see what all the fuss had been about, frankly. The star of NXT in 2014 had to have been Sami Zayn. In a year in which Daniel Bryan broke down barriers for smaller wrestlers reaching the industry apex, Zayn - on a much smaller scale - borrowed from the same principles that made his peer a star and became the most endearing fish in a Florida-based pond. His matches stood out for their passion and skill. Though Zayn had one better match in 2014 that accentuated his yearlong quest to become NXT Champion, a greater number of people invested in that journey, in part, because of his match with Cesaro on NXT Arrival. It was a rematch of what some called a superior version from 2013, but that mattered not, especially to the unique viewers who did not tune in before February 2014. Zayn and Cesaro absolutely tore the house down. The entire broadcast was great entertainment, but the Zayn-Cesaro match made it special.
"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.
