Ranking Shinsuke Nakamura’s 10 Best WWE Matches So Far
5. Vs Austin Aries (NXT TakeOver: The End)
Possibly the most underrated match of either man's short tenure with the company, the Austin Aries/Shinsuke Nakamura at Full Sail University's last ever TakeOver card was a battle pitting the brand's newest hot properties against one another.
The match had an interesting narrative flowing through it, with the build-up honestly assessing how Austin Aries' much-touted debut had been overshadowed by the same night arrival of Shinsuke Nakamura.
On the evening the 'King of Strong Style' made an unreal first impression on WWE audiences, Aries snuck by Baron Corbin in a middling affair that proved unexpectedly to be the 'Lone Wolf's farewell match on the developmental brand.
Cool and confident, Nakamura accepted the challenge of the perturbed 'A Double', who looked to steal back his thunder with a victory. It wasn't to be.
In a belting midcard clash at TakeOver: The End, Nakamura outwitted and outwrestled the future Cruiserweight superstar, who was weeks short of a heel turn that would at last help him gather momentum away from Shinsuke's shadow.
The contest reached a blistering crescendo after the two matched each other for strikes with a series of breathtaking punches, kicks, knees and elbows in an increasingly athletic display. Aries nailed a death valley driver on the apron late on, but then horrifically missed a dive that would ultimately cost him. Smashing his face against the guardrail, Aries' needless risk left him open for a devastating Kinshasa.