Favourite Matches of 2016

This year has been such a good year for wrestling. WWE split into two brands tobring us more PPV's, the Cruiserweight Classic provided some of the best weekly wrestling programming I've ever seen, the UK indies have been on fire providing their best talent to the US with Ospreay, Sabre and Scurll all having massive years. So I've decided to do a best matches list of 2016 but most importantly, this is not what I think are the best matches of the year. These are my personal favourite matches of the year, matches that felt special to me for one reason or another.

There are some special mentions: Sasha Banks and Charlotte had an endless series of matches, I only watched the PPV matches and all were good (despite cringing at Sasha landing on her neck over-and-over again). The two highlights of the feud were the Hell in a Cell and the finale, the Iron Man match. The two got a lot of stick for competing too much against each other but since I only watched the PPV's I've enjoyed all their matches and although they have been pushed too hard into the limelight, I think they have stepped up everytime. A big step raising the bar for the women.

Despite watching more Lucha Underground, no matches make the list. They put on a great weekly television show. I've watched every episode of Season 3 and it's such a good show to follow. Their booking isn't always the best especially the reluctance to build the show around their best performer, Pentagon Jr. Despite being a great show, no match in particular stood out enough to make the list. The match that came closest was Rey Mysterio vs. Prince Puma. I thought Rey was done, just cashing in one last paycheck but he dialled back the years in an excellent performance and Puma continues to show why he is arguably the best highflyer today.

Below is my list for my favourite matches of the year. There are 15 matches in no particular order since I couldn't really rank them without watching them all again. Then the final match listed is my match of the year:

2/3 Falls: Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe - NXT

It was great to see two indy titans clash on a WWE programme. You just knew something was up when the two made their entrances at the start of the show. What followed was a full hour of me questioning whether they would go the full hour. They did and they did it in style. No downtime just pure straight up wrestling. Just fantastic.

The Revival vs. American Alpha - NXT Takeover Dallas

I'll admit, I was wrong about the Revival. I didn't get into them at first but now, their possibly the best team on the planet. There's no better workers than them, they stick to what they do best and it's highly effective. I saw these two teams in a MOTN battle live in Cardiff at the end of 2015 and I was a mega fan of American Alpha at this point, so to see them win the belts was something special.

KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay - NJPW Invasion Attack

What can I say about Will Ospreay? I'll probably write more about him in my reviews of 2016 but what a year he has had. This was his New Japan debut if I remember rightly and his attire was a tribute to the late Kris Travis. I remember  thinking how cool it was to see Ospreay in Japan but what I remember strongly in this match is KUSHIDA working the arm so well that Ospreay could not perform the handspring off the ropes so he did a no arm handspring. I think this is the match that really made me think Ospreay was something special.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10

Look at this now, it's crazy. One is the NXT Champ, the other the WWE Champ. But earlier this year they were battling in New Japan. But honestly, I dunno if this should make the list. I remember enjoying it when it happened but there's been so many good matches since January it's hard to remember whether this was better or not. Either way, historically it deserves to go down and it capped off both men's fantastic time in the land of the Rising Sun.

Dragon Lee vs. Kamaitachi - NJPW Fantasticamania

I usually wouldn't have watched this show but my interest in New Japan was high at the time due to Wrestle Kingdom and this match was recommended. I'm glad I watched it because it was different to most matches I watched all year. These two are big rivals who had faced off many times before so they had excellent chemistry. Everything was slick and fast paced. With Kamaitachi re-appearing in NJPW and Lee in ROH I'm looking forward to seeing more of both men in 2017.

Will Ospreay vs. Zack Sabre Jr - EVOLVE 58
This is just a straight up battle between two of the best on the indies. Evolve has been on fire this year and booked this match between the highflyer and the technician. It's hard to comment on this too much rather than just watch because there was some excellent sequences between these two. What I will comment on is that it seems 2016 has been a year for UK wrestlers, these two (along with Scurll) led the charge and got the chance to show why their two of the best in Evolve.

Marty Scurll vs. Will Ospreay - RPW High Stakes
This was possibly the first Ospreay match I ever watched and while I had seen Scurll before, I hadn't seen him performing like this. I watched this match very early on in the year and was blown away. These two got a Generico/Steen-style feud and every time they step in the ring it's magic, although they've probably had better matches, this one stands out for me as I was blown away by the athleticism, story and moves from both men. I'm scared to go back and watch this as it may not live up to my memory but when I watched it, I thought nothing could top it this year. I remained that way until my eventual match of the year happened.

Roy Wilkins vs. Trevor Lee - CWF Worldwide
I've already written a full piece on this masterpiece. Less a wrestling match and more an epic fight scene the length of a film. I think Trevor Lee is one of the most underrated wrestlers around but then again, he's young so he's got plenty of time to rise up the card. But in this match he puts on a show that only a veteran should put on. Wilkins should also deservedly be praised but Lee is the star of this match, he plays both the in-control face and the underdog perfectly without you wondering how he can play both.

Will Ospreay vs. Ricochet - NJPW Best of Super Juniors
One of the most talked about match of 2016. They had other matches in Evolve and PWG but I chose this match because of THAT sequence. These are the two best high flyers in the world and just did stuff that we couldn't even dream of. Not only are they awesome at highflying but they execute it perfectly making it look easy. The sequence these two put together got some heat from some (and oddly led to Ospreay facing Vader) but I thought it was fantastic. I wouldn't want it every match but what do you expect when the "Ariel Assassin" takes on the "Future of Flight"?

Kota Ibushi vs. Cedric Alexander - CWC
I honestly could have made this list entirely from CWC matches. Easily the highlight of the wrestling year and the best weekly wrestling shows I've seen. I decided to only put one match on the list which is harsh because TJ Perkins was my choice the beginning. I never even expected him to get passed Gargano so the semi and the finals were special but the best match was in the second round. I'd seen very little of Cedric leading into the tournament but he became one of the highlights despite going home relatively early. The story of the match was just perfect and the emotion was off the charts. Who would have thought WWE could have pulled something like this off?

AJ Styles vs. John Cena - WWE Summerslam
Talk about dream matches. Over ten years these two have been the faces of the two top American promotions, TNA and WWE. Who would have thought we'd see this match? Especially for AJ to jump to WWE at his age. But all credit to him who has been one of the best wrestlers every year constantly for a long long time. AJ has performed everywhere he has been, he killed it in NJPW after winning the championship straight away but he had to prove himself again in WWE. It didn't click at first but then he turned heel and he's been THE best in the world. Despite his critics, Cena always performs and was pushed all the way here. Add in that AJ pinned Cena, that makes a huge result and Cena leaving the armband in the ring made this felt special.

The Revival vs. DIY - NXT Takeover Brooklyn
I debated putting this match in because I enjoyed Revival/American Alpha so much but to its credit this is probably a better match. I can't remember ever seeing a average Gargano and Ciampa match they always seem to put on great matches but this was even better. The teams have faced off a few times but this one goes on the list due to the emotion of DIY falling short. DIY were so close to winning then the chop-block turned it all on its head. Gargano struggling to hang on was a great ending and more top quality storytelling that you wouldn't expect from WWE.

Pentagon Jr and Fenix vs. Chris Hero and Tommy End - PWG Bola Stage 2
I haven't seen much of PWG this year but I am so glad I watched Bola during my week off. It was like the best unsigned talent all in three nights of action. I watch the previews they post and usually get one OMG moment but when I watched the Bola previews there was multiple OMG moments, the Pentagon assisted Fenix dive was something I had to rewind over and over. But outside of that one spot, this is just an excellent match. Pentagon is one of my favourites and my eyes opened more to Fenix after this. Hero is contender for 2016 indies MVP and End has risen to become a must watch performer. Just a match that needs to be watched.

Ricochet, Matt Sydal and Will Ospreay vs. Adam Cole and the Young Bucks - PWG Bola Stage 2
Another polarising match. Some said it was just a silly spot fest, others gave it the full five stars. As long as you go with the comedy it's a really fun watch and has some amazing spots. It's fast paced action from the beginning to the end plus Chuck Taylor mocking Adam Cole's weight is the best bit of commentary all year. Nothing else to say, just a good laugh.

Jay Lethal vs. Lio Rush - ROH Supercard of Honor Night 1
Like PWG, I haven't seen a lot of ROH this year. I caught up with Final Battle which was a hell of a show but none of the matches were special enough to make the list. I then chose to watch this as it was The Kevstaa's top rated ROH match and was not disappointed. Rush is a special young talent and it was great to see ROH put so much trust in him, hopefully they don't mess up with him. He played a brilliant plucky rookie and Lethal was in the midst of one of the best title reigns of the year. There had been a lot of underdog matches in 2016 but I couldn't think of much to top this. 

2016 Match of the Year

Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - NXT Takeover Dallas
My match of the year is from NXT Takeover Dallas, it stole the WrestleMania weekend and the entire year. It was Nakamura's debut and he went out there and smashed it. Nakamura did not disappoint and made the best first impression you could ever hope to make. The entrance alone makes it a high contender for match of the year. But what makes this special is the type of match they have. It's hard hitting and something completely against the WWE style.  Add in that WWE trusts that the fans will pick up on Nakamura's unique style despite some never seeing him before. Not just that but Zayn then copies him. It shouldn't work because we shouldn't be familiar with Nakamura but it just does. Despite all the praise for Nakamura, I should not discount Zayn who deserves equal praise. He had a tough task of getting a new person over in his first match, he could have easily dialled it in with a ladder match booked for the following night but he doesn't. He goes all out and finishes his time in NXT on a high. I don't like rating matches by stars or giving them ranking but this match stood out so much it deserves to be listed separately. For me, it's a five star match. It's just perfect, I wouldn't change a thing and is one of the best matches I've ever seen.  

British Wrestler Kris Travis loses Battle to Cancer aged 32

On 31 March 2016, UK wrestling lost one of its brightest stars. Kris Travis passed away at the young age of 32 after battling stomach cancer. Travis performed all over the UK and was universally loved in whatever promotion he competed in.

Tributes poured in from the likes of WWE’s Kevin Owens, NXT’s Samoa Joe and independent starlet Zack Sabre Jr. Jim Smallman of UK independent promotion PROGRESS Wrestling, which Travis wrestled for, wrote this particularly moving piece.

Travis performed for most UK independent promotion with matches in the aforementioned PROGRESS, Preston City Wrestling and Attack Pro Wrestling. His big break came when he auditioned for TNA’s British Bootcamp 2. Travis wowed the judges with his match against long-time friend and eventual winner Mark Andrews. Travis progressed to the next round but was unable to join his friend in America after being diagnosed with cancer. His skills, physique and natural charm would have made him a natural fit for either TNA or WWE’s NXT.

Travis battled back and even made his return to the ring last year. He later announced his retirement from Pro Wrestling. Many inside the business backed Travis for a bright future. He will be remembered as one of the UK’s funniest and friendliest wrestlers. His comedic style can be clearly seen in the video below from Cardiff based Attack Pro Wrestling where Travis wrestles as one half of the video game characters The Mario Bros:

One Hundred and Five Minutes

One hundred and five minutes. That's a long time for anything. Insanely long for a wrestling match. Almost impossibly long for a great wrestling match. But incredibly two guys completed this feat. And this wasn't between two Japanese pros in Korakuen Hall or between two indy darlings in front of diehard wrestling fanatics. It was in a small local arena between TNA's Trevor Lee and the pretty much unknown Champion Roy Wilkins. To put the length of the match into perspective, just think of your average three hour Raw and count up how much of that you actually spend watching wrestling. It shouldn't work, but it does and does so fantastically.

Both Lee and Wilkins go to war for the entire length of the match. The match painted a perfect story of slow deliberate technical wrestling, focusing on particular body parts and really cranking and grinding those holds in. What struck me is that Trevor Lee, the babyface, was in control for the majority of the match. If your going to have a hundred and five minute match, common sense would be to have the heel beat down the babyface and have the good guy crawl his way back into it. Although this match did have an element of this, Lee was the man in control and seemed to enjoy dishing out the punishment to Wilkins. And it worked. The fans were all over seeing the heel, who had cheated his way to the title and keep hold of it, get twisted, slapped and kicked in every corner of the arena.

The comeback from Lee came after a series of interferences from a group of heels. Lee got beat down, tried a comeback, failed and got beat down more. A group of faces then showed up to even the odds. Classic storytelling. There's even time for a lights off, lights on, man-appears-in-ring gimmick. Even through I don't follow the product and don't know who any of these guys are, Lee and Wilkins have set the foundation for these interferences. Lee, in what I think is the moment of the match, has an almighty comeback, taking out all the heels with a series of moves. The fans quite rightfully go crazy for this. Up until now, the match had been holds and strikes but this was all a build up to Lee busting out all of his favourite moves such as the standing double stomp and the flip crossbody. After a few ref bumps It looks like Wilkins may steal the match, this fails so Wilkins hits a sick Flip Piledriver. I thought that was it but Lee rallies and wins with a big supekick.

Lee's performance can only be praised more when you realise he is only 22 years old. His performance was one of a veteran, expertly plotting out the story of the match-up. Everything about Lee in this match showed that he knows exactly what he was doing. He was excellent in the pacing of the early goings of the match, how he locked in innovative submissions using the ropes and found counters constantly to whatever Wilkins had up his sleeve. It was the small things that Lee did that really impressed, the slap of he thigh while in a hold or a knee applied to the neck to add more pressure. He had the crowd in the palm of this hands throughout. That's without even mentioning the chair spot.

The crowd cannot go unnoticed for their contribution to this classic. The fans in attendance there weren't die hard wrestling fans, I'm sure they are not used to anything like this in length or style. But hell, did they make a noise from the first strike to the moment the video went off air. I've never seen an atmosphere like it in such a small arena. Throughout the entire match there was not one silent period and the CWF Mid-Atlantic fans should be applauded for this.

And let us not discount the commentators. They built up the match perfectly by telling us the story of the bout: how Lee has won every title but this one, how this was his last chance or he would have to leave the company, how and why the stipulations were made. They even went into physical details of affect of stamina and sweat has on as the match wore on. The two were the perfect guides to the match but they were more than that, it felt like you were watching the match with them. When you bit on a near fall so did they, when you lost your mind when Lee made an epic comeback the commentators were shouting even louder than you. It was like you were watching it with a group of friends. Truly great commentary.

So what else is there to say? Well considering the match was a hundred and five minutes long there is plenty to say. What I will finish on harks back to a comment I made in the first paragraph. This match was by CWF Mid-Atlantic. Not WWE, TNA, ROH, PWG, Evolve, Lucha Underground or NJPW. A small promotion that I (and likely many others who have watched this bout) had never heard of. Isn't it fantastic and a true wonder, that in the 21st Century due to the availability of modern technology that we can share and watch this match. Not too long ago promotions like CWF Mid-Atlantic wouldn't be able to film or record their shows, let alone broadcast it for anyone around the World to watch it. This match would have been only been seen for those lucky enough to be in attendance. We would have missed out on this classic and I'm so glad we didn't.

Best of British: Top 10 British Wrestlers

Wrestling in the United Kingdom has been on the up the last couple of years. Gone are the days of Big Daddy battling Giant Haystacks and WWE rip-offs. Now Britain hosts a wealth of talented home grown wrestlers who compete not just in the UK but also internationally in America and Japan. Here I look at who I think are the best ten British wrestlers competing today. This excludes the likes of Finn Balor, Sheamus and Becky Lynch who are from the Republic of Ireland.

*Side note there are plenty of links in this article to wrestling matches and other related videos. Check them out to see what all the fuss is about.

10) Jimmy Havoc: The story of Havoc from fan favourite to violent psychopath was done masterfully by Progress Wrestling. It was reminiscent of Jimmy Jacobs evolution into the Age of the Fall leader. Havoc has now become a heat magnet with the fans chanting "Die Jimmy Die" at him and he has come close. Buckets of blood has been lost by this man inside a wrestling ring as he continues to bring something different to the UK independent scene.

9) Noam Dar: One of two Scotsman on the list. Dar is a regular on the UK independent scene. He's best friends with TNA's Grado but don't hold that against him. Although he can be funny, Darrs strength's lie in his technical wrestling and loves to tie his opponent up in holds. The charismatic Scot hasn't had much exposure outside of TNA's British Bootcamp Season 2. Hopefully that will change because despite being young, Dar has plenty of experience under his belt.

8) Bad News Barrett: This is a low placement for someone competing in the top wrestling promotion in the World. After winning NXT Season 1 and leading the Nexus it seemed we would finally see a English WWE World Champion in Wade Barrett. That didn't work out but he has had some decent runs in the company and is currently part of Sheamus's stable (although he only seems to be there to take the pin). He's out injured at the moment and there's talk of him leaving WWE. I can't see him WWE main event material now but he could still play an important midcard role. But if he goes elsewhere he may get the starring role he desires.

7) Paige: Sticking with WWE and the only woman on the list (Although there are plenty of talented British female wrestlers see: Kay Lee Ray and Nixon Newell). There's no understating Paige's impact on the rise of female wrestling. Although her matches are not always the best, whenever she's on screen you pay attention. She's still young and could carry the division for many years to come. She's got charisma by the bucket load. You can see there's potential for her to have some really good matches like she did in NXT, when she does, she'll climb up the list.

6) Drew Galloway: The big Scot is great example of a wrestler leaving WWE and becoming better. Despite being "hand picked" by Vince McMahon, Drew never achieved much in the WWE. However, since leaving he's captured titles and put on some great performances. He's also decent on the mic and has worked with TNA. But that doesn't stop him returning home to battle for the likes of Insane Championship Wrestling. After achieving so much since leaving the WWE, the big question is where does he go from here?

5) Mark Andrews: I'm probably being a bit biased with the only Welsh wrestler on the list but there are plenty of matches that back up Mandrew's high ranking. Some people may have only seen his short performances for TNA but Mandrews' best work has been in the UK, with the likes of his home promotion ATTACK Wrestling and Progress Wrestling. He's also been part of the European crew who started taking part in PWG which will hopefully be the catapult to get him noticed on the American Indies. Hopefully, Mandrews'' gets more of a chance to shine in the future.

4) Marty Scurll: This lad has grown so much in the last few years. He's really killed it in his "Villain" character. It's very old school and shouldn't work but Scurll pulls it off perfectly. Add in that he is a fantastic technician and you have yourself one of the best the UK has to offer. The match that really emphasised how good Scurll is was his match against Will Ospreay at RPW's High Stakes this year. Scurll played he heel perfectly, there was hard hitting, technical wrestling and brilliant storytelling. If you haven't checked it out, it's a must watch.

3) Will Ospreay: That leads me nicely to this man, who I must admit I hadn't seen much of before this year. After a few matches, I was hooked. Ospreay is a great highflyer, is young and very likable. I think he has all the tools to be a big success. He was on TNA's recent UK tour but then was snapped up by NJPW before he could sign for TNA. It's a big move and I can't wait to see him against some of the best NJPW has to offer. He has so much going for him. Unlike the typical highflyer like Ricochet, ACH, Rich Swann, Ospreay is a tall guy and I think WWE should keep an eye on this young lad. Apart from the aforementioned match, check out his series of highflying battles against Mark Andrews.

2) Neville: "The Man that Gravity Forgot" and the man formally known as PAC. Neville is struck in WWE limboland with no real direction but in terms of wrestling, you know you can rely on the former NXT Champion. He'll always put in a good performance and get the crowd on his side. Ironically for someone who is such a highflyer there may be a glass ceiling for Neville. Realistically, he's not going to become WWE Champion (Although Barrett seems to think so according to his appearance on WWE Ride Along) but I think he has an important role to play in both WWE and NXT.

1) Zack Sabre Jr: Who better to have at number one than one of my favourite wrestlers and a guy who proudly wears the Union Jack on his way to the ring? Sabre just nails it, every time he steps in the ring, I think 2015 was when people started to realise this. He has stolen every PWG and Evolve show he performed on and was even mentioned by WWE as a guy to watch. He brings something different to the table which in 2016 is easier said than done. He's a joy to watch whoever he's across the ring from due to his crisp technical style, he just makes it look effortless. With Evolve's link to WWE, he could find his way to the biggest stage in wrestling. But honestly, I think he's better off where he is, at least for the moment. He's the hottest name on the Indies and a regular in Japan with Pro Wrestling NOAH. One things for sure, wherever he's wrestling, I'll be watching.

 

WWE 2016 Predictions

2016 looks to be a great year in wrestling, below are some of my predictions for the year ahead:

Rollins will return as a heel: There has been a lot of talk about Rollins returning with many predicting that he will return as a face. I cannot see any reason for this, Rollins has been gold as a heel. Add on top that this that without Rollins, WWE is crying out for a top heel (sorry Sheamus). It always makes a good story to have the champion who never lost the belt reclaim the title and Rollins will have no problem doing this with the backing of the Authority.

Reigns - three-time champion: Going into 2016, Reigns is the WWE Champion and is the focus of WWE programming. It's been clear all year WWE sees Reigns as a long term successor to John Cena, so it's time to start racking up the title reigns. I predict he loses the title mid-way through the year and then gets in back around Survivor Series time.

Still no magic 16 for Cena: "The Champ is here" or not as I predict. Cena is chasing his sixteenth World title to tie level with the Nature Boy but I think that he won't do this in 2016. Cena has played a major role in breathing fresh life into the US title. I predict that he will stay away from the World title for the first half of the year before challenging for the title losing, then returning to staying away from the title. IC title maybe?

Triple H steps back into the ring: With Wrestlemania already on the horizon and a big arena to sell our, WWE are going to be bringing out the big guns and I predict "the Game" will perform at the biggest show of the year. Who is he going to face is another question. A bout against Reigns has been built up since last year or will he face the recently announced The Rock continuing off their encounter at the last 'Mania.

'Taker wins at 'Mania: The Undertaker returned several times in 2016 to fend off both Brock Lesnar and the Wyatt Family. It's a given that he will perform at 'Mania but the question is against who and will he win or lose. Last year it was perfect chance to have Wyatt go over 'Taker and establish himself as the new "Phenom". However, 'Taker went over and Wyatt went back to the first square. In light of this, whoever the WWE picks to face 'Taker they are not going to make "the Deadman" lose

Zayn versus Owens WWE-style: It was great seeing Sami Zayn return live in Cardiff, now hopefully he can kick on and jump to the main roster. Nobody deserves it more than him and he's going to make a big splash in the WWE. I'm predicting a few months in NXT before he joins the main roster and when he does, it makes perfect sense for him to target one man, Kevin Owens. They've battled in ROH, NXT and now in 2016 WWE.

Breeze wins gold: Tyler Breeze's start to WWE hasn't quite gone to plan. A feud against Dolph Ziggler sounded good on paper but never lived up to potential and now he's caught in no-where-land. But I see a bright future for Breeze in 2016 and a title win in his future. He is young so he has plenty of time but I think WWE will hand him a title to see how he handles it.

Corbin is called up: Last year I incorrectly predicted Finn Balor would get called up to the main roster. This year I have gone for NXT's "Lone Wolf". Corbin is one of NXT's top heels and although he divides opinion, I think he makes a good cocky heel. It will be interesting to see how he performs on the main roster, in NXT he towers above opponents, he won't look so tall in WWE.

Jordan and Gable win the titles: A bit of an easy prediction to end this off, my favourite team Jason Jordan and Chad Gable are currently the hottest thing going in WWE today. I'm hoping for a nice long reign as champions which raises the prestige of the title up to the World and Women's titles.

WWE Top 5 2015

With 2015 now gone, here are my top performers of 2015:

1) Roman Reigns: Not a popular choice but Reigns' has had a fantastic year. His year didn't start well when he was boo'ed for winning the Royal Rumble but he has responded with PPV after PPV of top quality matches. His performance against Lesnar was brilliant, his matches against Wyatt brought the best out of both men and he even managed to get a good match out of the Big Show. His weekly booking on Raw may be bad but long-term, his booking throughout the year tells a good story. He finished off the year by capturing the belt for a second time and raging against the authority.

2) Kevin Owens: What a year this guy has had. From NXT Champion, to beating John Cena, to becoming IC champion. And all though the year he has been a 'must watch' performer. Whenever he has the mic in his hand you know your in for something good. Hell, he even powerbombed that rapper off the stage. If the rumours are true about Owens being lined up to face Lesnar at Mania, 2016 looks very bright for WWE's prize-fighter.

3) Seth Rollins: In the moment of the year, Seth cashed in his Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania to win the World title. It was a true mark out moment to see the former Tyler Black hold the biggest title in wrestling. Some people disliked Seth's booking as champion calling him cowardly. But I thought that was exactly how he should be booked. He's young enough to have dominant title reigns in the future but for now he can be the cowardly champion hiding behind the Authority. Sadly, his title reign was cut off by injury.

4) Bayley: It speaks volumes for the four Horsewomen of NXT that the NXT women's division has become a highlight of WWE programming. With three of the four women being called up to the main roster (and subsequently mis-used) Bayley has become the face of NXT's women's division. Bayley is something different entirely, she is just infectious and has a large and broad fanbase. She is always a joy to watch.

5) The New Day: Who doesn't love these guys? It was a tough call putting these guys in the top 5 instead of the two guys listed below. But every time I hear Big E's voice at the entrance you know you are going to get entertained. The trio have such good chemistry and everything they touch turns to gold. They are undoubtedly the best team in WWE, the only question is where do they go from here?

Honourable Mentions:

John Cena: Cena has had a career revival this year, mainly thanks to the "John Cena Open Challenge". He defended the belt against lots of upcoming talent and even in winning, he managed to make them look good. He raised the prestige of the title even battling for the World title while US Champion. He has varied up his offence and although his matches may seem formulaic, I enjoy the almost nostalgic feel of his bouts.

Finn Balor: It was a toss up whether to include the Demon in my top 5. Although Balor has had great success in being NXT Champion, there hasn't been that many matches that have wowed me. I would put this down to NXT only having an hour of television. All his matches from bouts against Owens, Apollo and most recently Joe have all been great and his Demon character and entrance are still a sight to behold.

 

WWE 2015 Reviewed

Back in January 2015 I made several predictions. One year on, it's time to see if I was right with any of these guesses:

 Roman Reigns will win Belt: This happened (twice). Correct

Rollins will fail to cash in: In the best moment of the year, Rollins cashed in at Wrestlemania. Incorrect

Cena to beat Rusev: The “face that runs the place” defeated the Russian several times over their feud. Correct

Brock to return to UFC: Although he continues to make limited appearances, just before ‘Mania. Brock announced that he was not returning to UFC and staying with WWE. Incorrect

HHH vs. Sting: This clash of the titans happened at ‘Mania. Although the wrong person went over. Correct

Owens NXT Champ: Owens made 2015 his year, he won the NXT title and dominated the brand, beat John Cena in his WWE debut and won the IC title. Correct

Balor joins the main roster: Finn has instead risen to the top of NXT and become the champion. I question whether he was meant to win it as I believe Hideo would have been in his position if he didn’t get injured. Incorrect

Miz vs. Mizdow feud: Okay this was a pretty obvious one. Correct

Ziggler still gets underutilised: After defeating the Authority at Survivor Series in a brilliant performance, it seemed like the WWE would finally use Ziggler as a main event star. This hasn’t happened for the “Show-off”. Instead being put into mid-card feuds with Sheamus, Rusev and more recently Tyler Breeze. Correct

Result: 6/9 Pretty good going, although some predictions were pretty easy to predict. Of the three predictions I got wrong,  I am happy with the result of all of them: Rollins cashing in was a highlight of 2015, more Brock in WWE is always a good thing and Balor carrying the NXT brand as champ is a delight.

On a side note I also saw NXT live in Cardiff on 15 December 2015. Here are the results:

1) Enzo and Cass defeat Blake and Murphy
2) Asuka defeated Alexa Bliss
3) Bull Dempsey defeated Tye Dillinger
4) Nia Jax defeated Carmella
5) Apollo Crews defeated Baron Corbin
6) Tag Titles: Dash and Dawson defeated Jason Jordan and Chad Gable MOTN
7) Women’s: Bayley defeated Emma w) Dana Brooke
8) World title:  Finn Balor defeated Samoa Joe and the returning Sami Zayn