WWE NXT TakeOver: The End: 10 Awesome Moments
4. Simply Seeing Shinsuke Nakamura & Austin Aries Face Off
For over a decade, Austin Aries has been regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers on the planet. Meanwhile, Shinsuke Nakamura had been building his own reputation in his homeland, working wonders for New Japan Pro Wrestling. There was an element of 'dream match' about their NXT collision, something announcers Tom Phillips and Corey Graves were keen to point out.
That anticipation was definitely present before the pair even locked up physically. Nakamura's natural charisma has been documented heavily, but it deserves to be mentioned every time he appears due to how it enraptures those around ringside.
Aries has personality, but he was definitely the underdog for most in this match. Those pre-bout predictions proved correct, Nakamura came out on top. Simply seeing this pair of independent marvels collide on the NXT stage felt huge however, and it's exactly the kind of match the developmental brand has become known for.
Aries vs. Nakamura as a match didn't have the same qualities as Shinsuke's battle with Sami Zayn in Dallas, but it did have a similar electricity before the bell had even started ringing.