NXT TakeOver Dallas: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
1. Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Sami Zayn
Result: Nakamura kills Zayn with the Kinshasa (aka the Bomaye) for the win (20:55).
Rating: In many ways, this was the big one, the one match above all others that wrestling fans the world over were hyped for. It was great to see that Nakamura's stiff style wasn't gimped too much, and Zayn was a fantastic first opponent to show off his skills, while giving Sami a superb NXT send-off.
This was a thrilling mix of chain wrestling and slobberknocker-like brawling through and through, with the highlights including Zayn's absolutely brutal Michinoku Driver, Nakamura getting a nosebleed the hardway, and the overall ring psychology as the match wore on. This one truly felt like a battle.
Credit to the crowd, too: they turned it up to 11 and built one hell of an atmosphere. Good luck topping this one, WrestleMania. An early Match of the Year candidate? One of the best NXT matches ever? After all, when was the last time you heard the crowd chant "Fight forever"? 9/10