Subscriber’s Ratings – NXT Championship 2014 & 2015

Welcome to a new series on my blog. Usually I write the articles you see here, but in order to further engage with my YouTube subscribers and make them feel even more apart of the SmarKDown community, I will also accept articles made by them. This one is written by Runn O. He’ll take it from here, enjoy!

In front of the star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.

Adrian Neville (February 27, 2014 – December 11, 2014)

• Televised matches: 22

• Record: 18-4

My match ratings:

• Adrian Neville def. Bo Dallas (c) in a Ladder Match – NXT Arrival (***½) *R*

• Adrian Neville (c) def. Bo Dallas – NXT Vengeance: March 27 2014 (***¼)

• Adrian Neville (c) def. Tyson Kidd – NXT TakeOver (***¾) *R*

• Adrian Neville def. Tyler Breeze – NXT August 14 2014 (***½) *R*

• Adrian Neville (c) def. Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze and Tyson Kidd – NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way (****½) *HR*

• Adrian Neville (c) def. Tyson Kidd – NXT October 2 2014 (***½) *R*

• Adrian Neville (c) def. Sami Zayn – NXT November 13 2014 (***½) *R*

• Sami Zayn def. Adrian Neville (c) – NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution (*****) *HR*

When Neville won the NXT Title, it was a breathe of fresh air in the NXT Title picture. The start of this reign was okayish but after the match at the first ever TakeOver event, this was where his reign truly excel with great matches after great matches every months. Seriously, take a good look at how many “R” or “HR” he got. Neville was one of the if not the most consistent NXT Champion ever and I see no problem giving him a nine at all.

Rating: 9/10

Sami Zayn (December 11, 2014 – February 11, 2015)

• Televised matches: 3

• Record: 2-1

My match ratings:

• Sami Zayn def. Adrian Neville (c) – NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution (*****) *HR*

• Sami Zayn (c) def. Adrian Neville – NXT January 14 2015 (***¾) *R*

• Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (c) – NXT TakeOver: Rival (****) *R*

Sami Zayn was more than deserving of the NXT Championship when he won it at R-Evolution. A title defense against Neville in a not-quite memorable-yet-good TV match would follow before Zayn dropped the belt to his “former best friend”, Kevin Owens in a match full of compelled storytelling. Sure, this reign maybe short and consists of only two defenses (both of which are recommended, by the way), but you can’t deny it was a hell of a short reign!

Rating: 7/10

Kevin Owens (February 11, 2015 – July 4, 2015)

• Televised matches: 17

• Record: 12-3 (2 draws)

My match ratings:

• Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (c) – NXT TakeOver: Rival (****) *R*

• Kevin Owens (c) def. Finn Bálor – NXT March 25 2015 (***¾) *R*

• Kevin Owens (c) draw. Sami Zayn – NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable (***½) *R*

• Kevin Owens def. John Cena – Elimination Chamber 2015 (****½) *HR*

• John Cena def. Kevin Owens – Money in the Bank 2015 (****½) *HR*

• Finn Bálor def. Kevin Owens (c) – Beast in the East 2015 (****½) *HR*

After turning heel on his best friend Sami Zayn, Owens captured the NXT Title at TakeOver: Rival approximately three months after his debut. Owens then started a mini-feud with Alex Riley in what would turn out to be a nice program between the two. At TakeOver: Unstoppable, Owens absolutely murdered Zayn and wrote him off TV again. Around that time, Owens also debuted on the main roster and started a feud with the the then U.S. Champ: John Cena and actually went over him in Owen’s first match on the main roster. His reign came to an end in Japan when Finn Bálor dethroned him. It wasn’t an incredibly long reign or anything but it was fantastic. The program with Cena really elevated Owens a lot (and I mean A LOT) and Owen’s heel persona and promos were always spectacular to watch.

Rating: 10/10

Finn Bálor (July 4, 2015 – April 21, 2016)

• Televised matches: 14

• Record: 12-2

My match ratings:

• Finn Bálor def. Kevin Owens (c) – Beast in the East 2015 (****½) *HR*

• Finn Bálor (c) def. Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (****½) *HR*

• Finn Bálor & Samoa Joe vs. Dash & Dawson in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament Semi-Final Round Match – NXT TakeOver: Respect (***¼)

• Finn Bálor & Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin & Rhyno in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament Final Round Match – NXT TakeOver: Respect (***¼)

• Finn Bálor (c) def. Apollo Crews – NXT November 4 2015 (***¼)

• Finn Bálor (c) def. Samoa Joe – NXT TakeOver: London (****¼) *HR*

• Finn Bálor def. Apollo Crews – NXT February 3 2016 (***½)

• Finn Bálor def. Neville – NXT March 2 2016 (***½) *R*

• Finn Bálor (c) def. Samoa Joe – NXT TakeOver: Dallas (***½) *R*

• Samoa Joe def. Finn Bálor (c) – NXT Live Event April 21 2016 (N/R)

Bálor won the belt in his hometown, Japan (I know he’s from Ireland, but still), and successfully defended it at Brooklyn in an amazing ladder match against Kevin Owens. Bálor then found himself teaming with Samoa Joe in a quest to become the winner of the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The partnership with Joe didn’t last long, as Joe quickly turned on Bálor, resulting in a string of great matches between the two, which ultimately saw Joe beat Bálor for the title at an NXT Live Event in April. The end of this reign came out of nowhere, but lacks an importance due to it taking place at a live event, therefore preventing me from giving this a perfect ten.

Rating: 9/10

ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING

1. Kevin Owens (11/02/2015 – 04/07/2015) 10

2. Finn Bálor (04/07/2015 – 21/04/2016) 9

3. Adrian Neville (27/02/2014 – 11/12/2014) 9

4. Bo Dallas (12/06/2013 – 27/02/2014) 7

5. Sami Zayn (11/12/2014 – 11/02/2015) 7

6. Seth Rollins (29/08/2012 – 09/01/2013) 6

7. Big E (09/01/2013 – 12/06/2013) 3