20 Greatest Matches In WWE's Empty Arena Era

Kushida’s introduction to NXT had been a little slow starting, so in a way this match with Johnny TakeOver was like his grand reveal, and did he ever make it count. The Japanese star found his perfect match in the North American champion, and they stole the show on one of the best events in the lockdown era with a match made for the wrestling purists out there.

This was smoothness personified, two absolute pros gelling marvelously. They hadn’t a long history to fall back on, but the bout was replete with counters and reversals as though they’d been fighting forever.

The psychology was so on point, too, with body parts worked on as each man built up to convincing submission spots. In the end it was Gargano who won, but this was booked as a war, and both participants’ stock raised as a result.

Perhaps the best match of 2021 thus far, this was the Johnny Wrestling we’ve wanted to see for a while, and more than proved that Kushida has something to offer to this brand. We’re primed for round two, three, and so forth.