Biggest Disappointments
5. Reigns being depushed - At the end of 2014, most WWE fans knew one thing; Roman Reigns was going to be a superstar. After his dominance in the 2014 Royal Rumble and the split up of The Shield, Reigns looked poised to be the next face of the company. As the 2015 Royal Rumble drew near, it was all but certain that Reigns was going to walk out of Philadelphia as the winner of the match to take on Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania in what would be a the match where Reigns would arrive. Reigns did win the Royal Rumble but it was not well received at all. After Bryan's elimination, the crowd was not invested in the match at all and when it came down to Big Show and Kane eliminating all the younger talent, the fans had had enough. Even The Rock couldn't quell the situation as he helped his cousin fend off the attacks of Big Show and Kane. Despite the negative reaction, Reigns defended his right to challenge Lesnar against Bryan at Fastlane in a great main event and went into Mania as the favorite, simply because Lesnar's contract with the company was coming up. The week of Wrestlemania, Lesnar resigned with WWE, causing a level of uncertainty to the main event of Mania.
Reigns put on a fantastic performance against The Beast, taking all the suplexes he delivered and surviving 4 F5s. Reigns wouldn't win the title that night as Seth Rollins would cash in his MITB contract. The rest of the year featured Reigns trying to get back to the main event level, feuding with Big Show, Bray Wyatt and The Authority for the rest of the year. He did eventually win the title at Survivor Series but WWE's work to make him more likable to the fans didn't work as he was still booed when he won it and even after getting cashed in on AGAIN, fans aren't still 100% on the Reigns bandwagon. I don't know what it's going to take but my point is, why not just give Reigns the title at Wrestlemania? Yes, it pushed Rollins and he certainly deserved it but Reigns was left with the short end of the stick. In the end, it worked for both guys as they both got to hold the title this year but I can't help but to feel bad for Reigns. It has to suck to be pushed to the Moon and then brought back down to Earth. It all worked out in the end as Reigns did win the WWE Title AGAIN, this time in the same arena that booed him out of the building so this is only #5 on the list.
4. Cena feuds - Unlike most wrestling fans, I like John Cena, especially in the year 2015. With his renewed focus on the US Title, he made the championship important for the first time since WWE brought the title into the company. While I like what Cena has been doing, I don't agree with HOW it's all done. Let's look at his feuds in 2015. His first major singles feud was with Rusev who was the reigning undefeated US Champion. They battle at Fastlane and Rusev gets the 1st victory thanks to some interference. They would go on to do battle at the next three PPVs, all which Cena would win. Next up for Cena was Kevin Owens. Owens didn't need any outside help to beat Cena the first time, giving him one of the rare clean victories over Cena. Cena would bounce back and win the next two to end the feud. Cena went onto Rollins next. Rollins got the first one at SummerSlam but lost at Night of Champions and the Raw after. See the pattern?
In WWE's mind, you're allowed to get one victory over Superman John Cena but you're never allowed to win the entire feud. It's been awhile since Cena has lost a feud. I think only Sheamus currently has that claim back in 2009-10. It's a clear understanding that after you feud with Cena, you're never the same. Rusev has been struggling ever since, Owens luckily bounced back with an IC Title win and Rollins lost a bit of credibility has champion. If WWE wants to survive in the coming years, they have to let guys get victories over the top guy. It's not going to hurt Cena to lose two matches to the same person. Why does WWE continue to believe that without Cena, their company would fail? Probably because it's the truth but how are other stars going to ascend to that next level without a winning record of the face that runs the place? This is something WWE has to focus on in 2016, especially with guys like Balor and Joe coming up soon.
3. Main event of NXT Brooklyn - I would first like to say that like all the NXT specials, I loved this show. From the matches to the atmosphere, it was a very awesome show. My only problem was that with all this talk of the Divas Revolution and Sasha being on the main roster at the time and with the biggest crowd in NXT history, why didn't they put Bayley VS Sasha as the main event? Yes, I understand that this was Owens' farewell match from NXT and it was a Ladder match but looking back at everything that they did in the women's title match, it seems kind of criminal that they weren't able to close the show. They were granted the main event at the next NXT event but this would have been something even more special had they gotten the slot. It was just a minor thing but could you imagine how the Revolution would've been different had they allowed this to happen? Ah well, missed opportunity.
2. Direction of Bray Wyatt - Bray Wyatt had a crazy year with no real sense of direction ever. He started the year by ending his random but great feud with Dean Ambrose. Does anyone remember that those two main evented TLC 2014? I guess not. Anyway, then he has the best performance in the Rumble and starts his cryptic promos about The Undertaker, which led to a loss at Wrestlemania and another disappearance. He would come back to have a one off match with Ryback. Roman Reigns would cost Wyatt a spot in the MITB match, which led to Wyatt costing Reigns the MITB briefcase and started their four month long feud, which ended inside a fantastic Hell in a Cell match. Wyatt would then enter another feud with Taker, which he loss and began a feud with The Dudleys to close the year.
I think when creative tries to come up with plans for Wyatt, they all sit down and throw darts at a board full of superstars and whichever dart lands on the star, Wyatt feuds with them. It's that random. Bray Wyatt is one of the stand out stars from this era, mixing together an intriguing gimmick with impeccable mic skills and a rough in ring style. Why hasn't he had a shot at the World Title yet or any singles title for that matter? They have a gold mine in Wyatt and need to capitalize on him soon. How can they call him The New Face of Fear when the only scary thing about him is how he's booked? Fix it WWE.
1. Injuries - 2015 was the worse year ever for injuries. Look at this list of stars who were hurt this year: Tyson Kidd, Sami Zayn, Hideo Itami, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, etc. LOOK AT THAT LIST! Could you imagine how different 2015 would have been had all those guys stayed healthy? Kidd and Cesaro were a great team that were over with the fans. Triple H was apparently set on the two as solid singles stars which would've been great for Kidd to finally win a singles title. Could you imagine a Kidd/Cena match for the US Title? Bryan was looking to elevate the IC Title this year and was set to have some fantastic matches this year with Ziggler and Barrett. Hideo Itami probably had one of the most disappointing injuries as he was looked to have been scheduled to become #1 contender for the NXT Title at Takeover Unstoppable. The title match at Beast in the East would've been Itami and Owens then. Itami would have definitely won the title in his home country with the GTS. Rollins injury was untimely but if reports are to be true, then an injury is something he needed so he can be relevant again. Plans were always for him to drop the title but he wasn't penciled in at Mania just yet. Cesaro looked to be one of the ones who would benefit from Rollins being out but then he ends up getting injured himself. Cesaro feuding with Sheamus before Mania season would've been great for both stars. Orton didn't really have any direction during his return in late 2015 but he's always someone great to have around as he has longevity and people can instantly recognize him.
Bottom line, 2015 was already a good year for WWE but how much better would it have been had those guys stayed healthy? Another great what if in WWE.
Best Things WWE Did In 2015
5. John Cena US Open Challenges - Once John Cena won the United States Title, it was clear that WWE was focused on making it an important title again. There's no way that it would be irrelevant if the franchise of the company was holding on to it. Cena made the championship even more important when he announced his open challenges the next night after Wrestlemania, which saw he defend the championship against random opponents. His first challenger was Dean Ambrose and while he gave Cena a fight, he was no match for the Cenation Leader. As it continued, Cena fought many tough challenges in Barrett, Stardust, Neville, a reinvigorated Zack Ryder and probably the most shocking two opponents Sami Zayn and Alberto Del Rio. The challenge also saw the main roster debut of Kevin Owens. While Cena won all but his last challenge, it was great seeing Cena defend the championship every week, seeing how the US Title was barely defended during superstar's reigns. He fought night in and night out and made the title important again. That is, until Del Rio ruined all of it with not defending it in a whole month after winning it. Regardless, Cena's Open Challenges were the best thing on Raw each week when he did them and if he does win another one, would be very welcome in 2016.
4. New Day Rocks! - Putting together three of the best black talents in WWE was a dream come true for me and the original direction the three were taking in mid 2014 was that of a serious sick of being oppressed group. Then, it vanished and vignettes of dancing and typical choir music started being played and it looked like WWE was going to once again stereotype a black group. At first, New Day wasn't working at all and us great fans from Philadelphia gave them hell at the Royal Rumble. They began to embrace the hate and started showing heel tactics after Wrestlemania season, which would lead them to defeating Kidd and Cesaro for the tag team titles. The gimmick would start picking up steam during the summer and their comedy, humorous dancing and amazing chemistry would lead to being a top act in WWE in 2015. There is such amazing talent between the three and the fact that they're all friends outside the ring translates well into their promos and matches. Xavier Woods playing the trombone and playing the manager/wrestler role has done the teams wonders. This is one of the best success stories of 2015 and they are THE team in WWE. They even defeated the returning Dudleys! New Day rocks and their 2015 rocked as well.
3. Women's Wrestling - As long as I been a fan of WWE, women's wrestling was always used for two things; sex appeal and bathroom breaks. That was until NXT came around and starting putting on live specials and showcasing their women in the penultimate match before the main events. 2014 was already a great year for the women as Charlotte, Sasha and Bayley has strong matches throughout the whole year. In 2015, they raised the bar even higher for women's wrestling. NXT started strong with Sasha winning the NXT Women's Title from Charlotte in a Fatal Four Way also featuring Becky Lynch and Bayley. Charlotte and Sasha would go onto main event the FIRST ever live event of Philadelphia in a spectacular match between the two. This was followed by Sasha VS Becky at a live special, which was the most technically sound women's match I had ever seen WWE put on. It was my early match of the year when it happened. This was followed by Stephanie McMahon ushering in a hyped but mostly failed Divas Revolution on the WWE main roster. She called up Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks to the main roster to light a fire under the Divas division. It started off very well with an exceptional Triple Threat match between Sasha, Charlotte and Brie Bella at Battleground and also gave us Charlotte winning the Divas Title in September but it just kind of fell off since then, mainly because they formed three teams but there's only one championship. Why not make it every woman for themselves? Still, it was a step in the right direction for the division.
Meanwhile in the summer, Sasha was still NXT Women's Champion and was scheduled to face Bayley in front of the biggest NXT crowd to date in Brooklyn. In the best women's match in WWE history, Bayley defeated Sasha Banks to finally win the NXT Women's Championship. They had a rematch in October but this time, it was a 30 Minute Iron Man match and it was going to be the main event of NXT Takeover, the first time that women would main event a major WWE event. It didn't disappoint and Bayley retained her gold again, giving Sasha an emotional farewell from NXT. Bayley continued to fell off challengers, like Alexa Bliss, Eva Marie and Nia Jax in the later months. Bayely continues to carry the torch for women's wrestling in NXT.
The women continued to evolve in WWE. I'm still waiting for the full transition on the main roster but I know that will take time. If they want to really impress though, they need to have a big match at Wrestlemania. More on that later...
2. Ascension of the Architect - Heading into 2015, Seth Rollins was already a top heel in the company, having turned his back on his Shield brethren and joining forces with the villainous Authority. He also held the Money in the Bank contract, meaning he could literally become WWE World Champ whenever he wanted. Rollins took his status in 2015 from top heel to face of a new generation. At Wrestlemania, Rollins made a lot of history when he became the first man to cash in his Money in the Bank contract in the main event of Wrestlemania to worldwide acclaim. That made him the first man from WWE's "developmental" territory NXT to win the WWE Title. Rollins didn't stop there as he held onto to the title for most of the year, finally losing it only to injury. I'm not going to go into full details here as I'll be discussing Rollins in a different section but his time in WWE this year tore down a lot of barriers on the main roster and was the most refreshing thing on the main roster since CM Punk had his breakout.
1. Treating NXT like a brand - Before the WWE Network, NXT was used as a way to prepare younger wrestlers to the WWE style of wrestling. Those who showed promised were brought up to the main roster with hopes of succeeding, i.e, Seth Rollins. After the WWE Network and certainly this year, NXT, while still a place for WWE to put young stars to hone their craft, is no longer a developmental league. It's a brand separate from Raw and Smackdown. It offers an alternative for fans who may be bored with the current product WWE offers.
NXT feels like a brand because of its indy roster and fantastic specials put on quarterly. There's a distinct difference in a WWE PPV and a NXT Live Special. There's so much more emphasis on wrestling that the WWE main roster doesn't offer on a consistent basis, not yet at least. With two Takeovers taking place in areas other than Full Sail, my argument is valid, not to mention all the touring they did this year, including coming to Philadelphia which I saw LIVE the first night. They sold out the Barclays Center, which was the same building to host SummerSlam the next night. It was so great the first time, they're dong it again next year. Also, they had an opportunity to host a LIVE special in a different country. No developmental league would do that. This is a brand, hands down. It's so much a brand that when you leave, it hurts you. Look at the reaction Sasha had after the Brooklyn match and Ironman match. Yes, I'm sure a lot of that was from the atmosphere but it was also because you're kissing the brand goodbye. The WWE main roster is a scary place that isn't like NXT at all. I've said it before but NXT is like college while the main roster is like the real world. It's a sharp but realistic contrast.
2015 was a stellar year for NXT as it definitely went from developmental to its own brand. 2016 will definitely see more of the same. The proof of this being that a NXT Live Special will air TWO days before WWE's flagship PPV Wrestlemania. THAT'S going to be freaking amazing to see.
5. John Cena US Open Challenges - Once John Cena won the United States Title, it was clear that WWE was focused on making it an important title again. There's no way that it would be irrelevant if the franchise of the company was holding on to it. Cena made the championship even more important when he announced his open challenges the next night after Wrestlemania, which saw he defend the championship against random opponents. His first challenger was Dean Ambrose and while he gave Cena a fight, he was no match for the Cenation Leader. As it continued, Cena fought many tough challenges in Barrett, Stardust, Neville, a reinvigorated Zack Ryder and probably the most shocking two opponents Sami Zayn and Alberto Del Rio. The challenge also saw the main roster debut of Kevin Owens. While Cena won all but his last challenge, it was great seeing Cena defend the championship every week, seeing how the US Title was barely defended during superstar's reigns. He fought night in and night out and made the title important again. That is, until Del Rio ruined all of it with not defending it in a whole month after winning it. Regardless, Cena's Open Challenges were the best thing on Raw each week when he did them and if he does win another one, would be very welcome in 2016.
4. New Day Rocks! - Putting together three of the best black talents in WWE was a dream come true for me and the original direction the three were taking in mid 2014 was that of a serious sick of being oppressed group. Then, it vanished and vignettes of dancing and typical choir music started being played and it looked like WWE was going to once again stereotype a black group. At first, New Day wasn't working at all and us great fans from Philadelphia gave them hell at the Royal Rumble. They began to embrace the hate and started showing heel tactics after Wrestlemania season, which would lead them to defeating Kidd and Cesaro for the tag team titles. The gimmick would start picking up steam during the summer and their comedy, humorous dancing and amazing chemistry would lead to being a top act in WWE in 2015. There is such amazing talent between the three and the fact that they're all friends outside the ring translates well into their promos and matches. Xavier Woods playing the trombone and playing the manager/wrestler role has done the teams wonders. This is one of the best success stories of 2015 and they are THE team in WWE. They even defeated the returning Dudleys! New Day rocks and their 2015 rocked as well.
3. Women's Wrestling - As long as I been a fan of WWE, women's wrestling was always used for two things; sex appeal and bathroom breaks. That was until NXT came around and starting putting on live specials and showcasing their women in the penultimate match before the main events. 2014 was already a great year for the women as Charlotte, Sasha and Bayley has strong matches throughout the whole year. In 2015, they raised the bar even higher for women's wrestling. NXT started strong with Sasha winning the NXT Women's Title from Charlotte in a Fatal Four Way also featuring Becky Lynch and Bayley. Charlotte and Sasha would go onto main event the FIRST ever live event of Philadelphia in a spectacular match between the two. This was followed by Sasha VS Becky at a live special, which was the most technically sound women's match I had ever seen WWE put on. It was my early match of the year when it happened. This was followed by Stephanie McMahon ushering in a hyped but mostly failed Divas Revolution on the WWE main roster. She called up Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks to the main roster to light a fire under the Divas division. It started off very well with an exceptional Triple Threat match between Sasha, Charlotte and Brie Bella at Battleground and also gave us Charlotte winning the Divas Title in September but it just kind of fell off since then, mainly because they formed three teams but there's only one championship. Why not make it every woman for themselves? Still, it was a step in the right direction for the division.
Meanwhile in the summer, Sasha was still NXT Women's Champion and was scheduled to face Bayley in front of the biggest NXT crowd to date in Brooklyn. In the best women's match in WWE history, Bayley defeated Sasha Banks to finally win the NXT Women's Championship. They had a rematch in October but this time, it was a 30 Minute Iron Man match and it was going to be the main event of NXT Takeover, the first time that women would main event a major WWE event. It didn't disappoint and Bayley retained her gold again, giving Sasha an emotional farewell from NXT. Bayley continued to fell off challengers, like Alexa Bliss, Eva Marie and Nia Jax in the later months. Bayely continues to carry the torch for women's wrestling in NXT.
The women continued to evolve in WWE. I'm still waiting for the full transition on the main roster but I know that will take time. If they want to really impress though, they need to have a big match at Wrestlemania. More on that later...
2. Ascension of the Architect - Heading into 2015, Seth Rollins was already a top heel in the company, having turned his back on his Shield brethren and joining forces with the villainous Authority. He also held the Money in the Bank contract, meaning he could literally become WWE World Champ whenever he wanted. Rollins took his status in 2015 from top heel to face of a new generation. At Wrestlemania, Rollins made a lot of history when he became the first man to cash in his Money in the Bank contract in the main event of Wrestlemania to worldwide acclaim. That made him the first man from WWE's "developmental" territory NXT to win the WWE Title. Rollins didn't stop there as he held onto to the title for most of the year, finally losing it only to injury. I'm not going to go into full details here as I'll be discussing Rollins in a different section but his time in WWE this year tore down a lot of barriers on the main roster and was the most refreshing thing on the main roster since CM Punk had his breakout.
1. Treating NXT like a brand - Before the WWE Network, NXT was used as a way to prepare younger wrestlers to the WWE style of wrestling. Those who showed promised were brought up to the main roster with hopes of succeeding, i.e, Seth Rollins. After the WWE Network and certainly this year, NXT, while still a place for WWE to put young stars to hone their craft, is no longer a developmental league. It's a brand separate from Raw and Smackdown. It offers an alternative for fans who may be bored with the current product WWE offers.
NXT feels like a brand because of its indy roster and fantastic specials put on quarterly. There's a distinct difference in a WWE PPV and a NXT Live Special. There's so much more emphasis on wrestling that the WWE main roster doesn't offer on a consistent basis, not yet at least. With two Takeovers taking place in areas other than Full Sail, my argument is valid, not to mention all the touring they did this year, including coming to Philadelphia which I saw LIVE the first night. They sold out the Barclays Center, which was the same building to host SummerSlam the next night. It was so great the first time, they're dong it again next year. Also, they had an opportunity to host a LIVE special in a different country. No developmental league would do that. This is a brand, hands down. It's so much a brand that when you leave, it hurts you. Look at the reaction Sasha had after the Brooklyn match and Ironman match. Yes, I'm sure a lot of that was from the atmosphere but it was also because you're kissing the brand goodbye. The WWE main roster is a scary place that isn't like NXT at all. I've said it before but NXT is like college while the main roster is like the real world. It's a sharp but realistic contrast.
2015 was a stellar year for NXT as it definitely went from developmental to its own brand. 2016 will definitely see more of the same. The proof of this being that a NXT Live Special will air TWO days before WWE's flagship PPV Wrestlemania. THAT'S going to be freaking amazing to see.
Biggest Surprises
5. Del Rio's return - I've never been high up on Del Rio's mic skills or gimmick but he's an absolute work horse and can definitely put on some hard hitting and competitive matches. Just look at his feud with Ziggler to confirm that. So, when John Cena had an Open Challenge at Hell in a Cell, many were speculating just who it would be. A lot of the internet fans knew that Cena was taking some time away from the ring, so whoever would challenge Cena would most likely BEAT Cena as there would be no way that Cena would hold onto the title for 2 months without showing up to defend it. There were many names thrown out there, names like James Storm, Neville, Tyler Breeze and Samoa Joe. Del Rio wasn't one of the names I thought would come out but when he did, it was nice to see him. I then got immediately upset as he beat Cena in under 8 minutes with ONE move while Owens couldn't beat him for a 2nd time with everything in his arsenal. Anyway, Del Rio is a former WWE Champion so the added name is very welcomed in this current WWE environment.
4. Former TNA World Champs Arrive - Remember when TNA was legitimately good and some considered it a threat to WWE, even WWE themselves? Also, remember when they said no one from the roster would ever wrestle for them? Well, that is out of the window now! In early 2015, former TNA World Champion Samoa Joe announced he was leaving TNA. With WWE more focused then ever to produce quality wrestling, speculations began to rise as whether Joe was going to make the jump to WWE. Those speculations were quickly dashed when Joe had plenty of booking dates with many other indie companies but, in pro wrestling, never say never. After Owens/Zayn II at Takeover Unstoppable, Samoa Joe made his unannounced debut in NXT, keeping his ringname despite the internet jokes. Another former TNA World Champion James Storm made his surprise debut in NXT in October but has yet to start a full time schedule or anything yet. The presence of these two former champions of a rivals promotion prove one thing; WWE is finally starting to open their eyes. This opens the flood gates for a lot of people. Austin Aries was backstage at a NXT taping following Takeover Respect. Aries fits the bill of amazing indie talent that NXT would need to tour full time so his addition to the roster is a must. Chris Sabin is another guy they should think about getting if they could. I still think the biggest acquisition they could get is TNA legend AJ Styles. They need to pay him whatever they need to because with a guy like Styles, NXT becomes even more serious than it already is. Joe and Storm don't know what they started.
3. First Wrestlemania/Survivor Series Cash ins - Money in the Bank turned 10 years old this year. It debuted at Wrestlemania 21 where Edge, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, Christian and Kane battled for a chance at having a title match whenever they wanted. With this single win, Edge launched an amazing 6 year journey which included 11 World Championships and a Hall of Fame bid. Over the course of the 10 years, we had cash ins just about everywhere. Raw, Smackdown, Extreme Rules, Money in the Bank and even SummerSlam was included but there were never cash in attempts at the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania. The one year I thought they were going to do it, they waited until the next night on Raw to pull the trigger. That was Dolph Ziggler. Anyway, it finally happened and it was probably the most viewed cash in ever as Seth Rollins cashed in mid main event match to become the WWE Champion. We also saw the first cash in at Survivor Series as well as Sheamus cashed in on new WWE Champion Roman Reigns. Reigns took the pinfall from two MITB winners this year, the first time in history that has happened. Cash ins are surprising. The Survivor Series one was expected but Rollins spoiling Roman Reigns' big moment was a huge shocker this year. Royal Rumble, you're up next.
2. NXT Women's Ironman/Main Event - Sasha Banks VS Bayley at NXT Takeover Brooklyn was an amazing match between two talented women who wanted to do nothing but wrestle their entire lives. It showed as their in ring chemistry was on fire and gave us the best women's championship match in WWE history. The only problem was that it WASN'T the main event. WWE realized they had a gold mine though and decided to give the women and the division the respect it so desperately deserved and put Sasha and Bayley in the main event together of NXT Takeover Respect. They even took it up a notch by making it a 30 Minute Ironman match, a first for the women's division in WWE. The ladies of NXT make it their business to work just as hard as the men and they deserve the main event slot as well. I remember saying that Sasha and Bayley should main event a Takeover but I thought Brooklyn was going to be their chance. The ladies wrestled a fantastic and emotional battle as this was Sasha's sendoff match. Bayley remained in NXT as the champion and now carries the torch for women's wrestling and The Four Horsewomen in WWE. It was a well deserved slot for the two women, one that will hopefully affect the main roster's view of the women.
1. Win Owens Win - If you would have told me last year that Kevin Owens and John Cena would have wrestled against one another in 2015, I would have called you crazy. Owens had just made his NXT debut in December 2014 and looked like he would be in a feud with Sami Zayn for much of the year. Well, plans change fast in WWE. Owens won the NXT Title two months after he came into NXT and made a surprise bold statement on Raw following WWE Payback. Owens making his first appearance on Raw and powerbombing Cena was a major shocker, which was followed by an announcement that the two would do battle for the first time ever at the pop-up WWE Network special Elimination Chamber. Everyone had the same thought; Owens was being fed to Cena already. He already had enough of Rusev so he needed some new NXT meat to feast on. There was no way that Owens would win as he was still NXT Champion. Although it has blown up recently, many still view NXT as developmental so you have this guy marching in from that and he's going to beat the face of the WWE? We all waited for the inevitable Cena Wins but it never came. Usually, if you get one over Cena, it's a dirty victory marred by interference or some type of dirty heel tactics. Owens didn't need any of that. After a 2nd Pop-Up Powerbomb, Owens got the biggest win of his 1 year WWE career. The NXT Champion had defeated the United States Champion. This would be the last victory over Cena from Owens in 2015 but it was a major first step in introducing that NXT is not something to be taking lightly.
Mark Out Moments of the Year
10. Making a little girl cry - Sasha Banks is such a natural heel. She doesn't really have to try to make you hate her, although, you know we never could, but her actions at Takeover Respect were on a new heel level. If you watch NXT, you know of superfan Izzy, whose favorite wrestler is Bayley. She dresses up like her at all the shows and the two have even hung out behind the scenes. During the main event, Sasha snatched away Izzy's prized headband, put in on her own head while taunting Bayley, Izzy and the whole crowd. Izzy started crying and I couldn't stop cheering. Which wrestler in WWE has made a child cry like that ever? It was a fantastic heel tactic but don't worry, Sasha apologized to Izzy so it's all good. It's pro wrestling everyone!
9. Bray Wyatt calls out Undertaker - Bray Wyatt's cryptic promos after the Royal Rumble were clearly directed to The Undertaker. It was obvious that the two were going to do battle after Taker's shocking defeat at WM30. At Fastlane, they did the typical Undertaker entrance with the darkness and coffin but instead of The Undertaker inside, it was Bray Wyatt, confirming what the entire WWE Universe already knew; he wanted to challenge Taker to a match at Wrestlemania. Though it was the expected outcome, the lead to it and how it was presented still gives me goosebumps and the thought that Wyatt could actually defeat Taker ran through my mind. It didn't happen but I'll always have the build.
8. Zayn answers Cena's challenge - John Cena's challenges were great, as I said in the above section. While we knew Cena was always going to win as to not mess up PPV plans, it was still fun and unpredictable to see who would take the challenge. A week before Payback, in Montreal, Bret Hart came out to a huge and expected pop. He came out to announce who would be taking the challenge and it was none other than the hometown boy Sami Zayn. The crowd fully expected Zayn to come out in someway as there were signs everywhere for him but when he finally did come out, it was still a shock. Zayn would wrestle a fantastic contest against Super Cena but the match was never for Zayn to win but to give him and the brand exposure. Zayn was injured early in the match but continued on and still gave the franchise a run for his money. This was probably the best challenge Cena had all year and I would love to see WWE take this similar approach with the title in the future.
7. Sting/Triple H reignite Monday Night Wars - When Sting VS Triple H was official, I wasn't really looking forward to it as it was a match between two older guys. Sting is almost 60. Come on! After the match took place though, I regret that I didn't give it a chance in the first place. WWE essentially started the Monday Night Wars all over again. DX and the NWO battled in this match between Sting and Triple H which even saw HBK make a rare in ring appearance, hitting Sting with his signature Sweet Chin Music. The end came like all matches Triple H has had with WCW alumni, him winning. It was a brief but enjoyable trip down memory lane.
6. NXT Philly/Royal Rumble/Raw LIVE - This is a personal one but as big a wrestling fan that I am, I've only gone to one Raw and I really didn't enjoy it. I went with my manager at the time so it wasn't as fun as it could have been. Plus, the Raw was pretty forgettable. I changed that this year as I went to three different events. The Royal Rumble came to Philly for the first time in 11 years so naturally, I told my friends and we all went. It was a fun experience, minus the crowd rebelling over who won. NXT was next and it was right around the corner from my house, so again, naturally I had to go. This was better than the Rumble for me because the matches were better and this was a special live event, no taping so the results don't reflect what's on TV. The crowd was hot all night and all the stars got good reactions. I remember when they called Jason Jordan "Jason Jobber". Look at him now.
And I got to see Sasha face Charlotte in the main event of the night! I was way too excited. The last event I went to was Raw in December, the night after TLC. That was the last Raw I went to as well so I wasn't expecting much. Boy was I wrong! It was easily one of the best Raws in months and the icing on top was that my wife was with me, highlighted by the brutal battle between The Wyatt Family and the ECW Originals and Roman Reigns winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the same arena where he was booed out of the building. It was a full circle experience. It was a great show no doubt. All the shows were great for different reasons. The Royal Rumble was the first wrestling outing for my friends as a group, NXT, while we went as a group, was mainly for me as I continue to enjoy NXT over the main roster and the live Raw was for my wife and I to share in one of my hobbies. Great year and I hope Philly gets a Takeover or another live NXT show soon.
5. Finn Balor wins NXT Title - When they announced Prince Devitt was coming over to NXT, I was ecstatic. He was easily my favorite guy in NJPW so I was hoping nothing but the best for him. That best came on July 4th as Balor defeated Owens in a fantastic clash for the NXT Title. Things may have been different if Itami was healthy, but Balor was in the right place at the right time. Balor holding onto to title meant he would most likely be staying in NXT for the whole year, which sucks as a fan because you want your favorites on the main roster but the time in NXT allows Balor to continue to have fantastic matches and be used properly. Great moment to witness as a fan of Fergal since I saw him in NJPW.
4. Sasha Banks wins NXT Women's Title/NXT Women Debut on Raw - I've been a Sasha Banks fans since she attacked Bayley at Takeover Fatal Four Way. No longer in the shadow of Charlotte, Sasha was given room to grow and show what type of competitor she was. I was completely sold when she fought Charlotte at R Evolution. I knew I'd be a fan for life. She finally got what she deserved when she won the NXT Women's Title in February and proceeded to change the game from there. From her main eventing NXT's first show in Philadelphia to being in the main event of a live NXT Takeover, Sasha's initial title win started all of that. And what a great moment it was to have Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha all debut at the same time in WWE and to lock submissions together on Team Bella. It was a sight to see. While the initial Revolution has fallen a bit flat, there's still hope as we enter 2016 and most of the teams are broken up. We'll see down the line where they go with the women but Sasha Banks winning the NXT Women's Title will pale in comparison when she wins the Divas Title next year.
3. Seth Rollins cashes in - You're going to see a lot about this moment all throughout this blog as this was a fantastic moment for not only Rollins and the WWE Universe but also for all the guys down in NXT. This was a sign that everyone can make it if they work hard enough. What also made this moment even better was that it was a first as the MITB has never been cashed in at Wrestlemania. Rollins cashed in on the great main event going on between Lesnar and Reigns and etched his name in the record books with the win, becoming the 1st heel to win AND walk out of Wrestlemania as the WWE Champ in the main event. Sorry Yokozuna. Triple H and Miz are the only heels to retain the title in the main event. Anyway, Rollins had a fantastic performance and made himself a household name with this moment.
2. Owens beats Cena - Cena doesn't lose often. If he does lose, it's usually a dirty finish, with some type of weapon or shenanigans being used. When Cena was scheduled to face Owens on PPV, my mind was filled with rage if Cena was going to beat another member of the NXT 5, having already defeated a game Sami Zayn earlier in the month. Cena and Owens tore the roof down when they wrestled and showed that even the guys in developmental can hang with the top guy in the company. Owens hit that 2nd Pop-Up Powerbomb on Cena, went for the cover and actually got the 3 count on the 15 time World Champion. What a statement match from Kevin Owens. He showed the entire WWE audience what he was capable of. The icing on the cake was the fact he was NXT Champion. The main champion from NXT was able to defeat the top guy on the main roster, a position all the people in NXT want. This wasn't only a win for Owens but for NXT as well. Regardless of what happened afterwards, Owens will always have the CLEAN victory over John Cena in his first main roster match. That's stuff the Hall of Fame is made for.
1. Curtain Call - So Bayley and Sasha Banks already had this close to 20 minute classic for the Women's Title in front of the biggest crowd in NXT history. The moment has been etched into WWE history. What could make it even better? How about celebrating with two of the other Four Horsewomen? How about having Sasha herself hug Bayley after the match? How about all four ladies embrace while the crowd is clapping and chanting in full support? The icing on the cake though? All four ladies holding up the number four with their hands while Corey Graves emphatically said, "This is the Divas Revolution." It was a magical moment and how it wasn't the last shot of the show is still a mystery to me. You go back in time and remember moments that defined WWE and that was certainly one when it pertains to that women's division.
5. Del Rio's return - I've never been high up on Del Rio's mic skills or gimmick but he's an absolute work horse and can definitely put on some hard hitting and competitive matches. Just look at his feud with Ziggler to confirm that. So, when John Cena had an Open Challenge at Hell in a Cell, many were speculating just who it would be. A lot of the internet fans knew that Cena was taking some time away from the ring, so whoever would challenge Cena would most likely BEAT Cena as there would be no way that Cena would hold onto the title for 2 months without showing up to defend it. There were many names thrown out there, names like James Storm, Neville, Tyler Breeze and Samoa Joe. Del Rio wasn't one of the names I thought would come out but when he did, it was nice to see him. I then got immediately upset as he beat Cena in under 8 minutes with ONE move while Owens couldn't beat him for a 2nd time with everything in his arsenal. Anyway, Del Rio is a former WWE Champion so the added name is very welcomed in this current WWE environment.
4. Former TNA World Champs Arrive - Remember when TNA was legitimately good and some considered it a threat to WWE, even WWE themselves? Also, remember when they said no one from the roster would ever wrestle for them? Well, that is out of the window now! In early 2015, former TNA World Champion Samoa Joe announced he was leaving TNA. With WWE more focused then ever to produce quality wrestling, speculations began to rise as whether Joe was going to make the jump to WWE. Those speculations were quickly dashed when Joe had plenty of booking dates with many other indie companies but, in pro wrestling, never say never. After Owens/Zayn II at Takeover Unstoppable, Samoa Joe made his unannounced debut in NXT, keeping his ringname despite the internet jokes. Another former TNA World Champion James Storm made his surprise debut in NXT in October but has yet to start a full time schedule or anything yet. The presence of these two former champions of a rivals promotion prove one thing; WWE is finally starting to open their eyes. This opens the flood gates for a lot of people. Austin Aries was backstage at a NXT taping following Takeover Respect. Aries fits the bill of amazing indie talent that NXT would need to tour full time so his addition to the roster is a must. Chris Sabin is another guy they should think about getting if they could. I still think the biggest acquisition they could get is TNA legend AJ Styles. They need to pay him whatever they need to because with a guy like Styles, NXT becomes even more serious than it already is. Joe and Storm don't know what they started.
This guy knows it's a big deal
3. First Wrestlemania/Survivor Series Cash ins - Money in the Bank turned 10 years old this year. It debuted at Wrestlemania 21 where Edge, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Shelton Benjamin, Christian and Kane battled for a chance at having a title match whenever they wanted. With this single win, Edge launched an amazing 6 year journey which included 11 World Championships and a Hall of Fame bid. Over the course of the 10 years, we had cash ins just about everywhere. Raw, Smackdown, Extreme Rules, Money in the Bank and even SummerSlam was included but there were never cash in attempts at the grandest stage of them all, Wrestlemania. The one year I thought they were going to do it, they waited until the next night on Raw to pull the trigger. That was Dolph Ziggler. Anyway, it finally happened and it was probably the most viewed cash in ever as Seth Rollins cashed in mid main event match to become the WWE Champion. We also saw the first cash in at Survivor Series as well as Sheamus cashed in on new WWE Champion Roman Reigns. Reigns took the pinfall from two MITB winners this year, the first time in history that has happened. Cash ins are surprising. The Survivor Series one was expected but Rollins spoiling Roman Reigns' big moment was a huge shocker this year. Royal Rumble, you're up next.
2. NXT Women's Ironman/Main Event - Sasha Banks VS Bayley at NXT Takeover Brooklyn was an amazing match between two talented women who wanted to do nothing but wrestle their entire lives. It showed as their in ring chemistry was on fire and gave us the best women's championship match in WWE history. The only problem was that it WASN'T the main event. WWE realized they had a gold mine though and decided to give the women and the division the respect it so desperately deserved and put Sasha and Bayley in the main event together of NXT Takeover Respect. They even took it up a notch by making it a 30 Minute Ironman match, a first for the women's division in WWE. The ladies of NXT make it their business to work just as hard as the men and they deserve the main event slot as well. I remember saying that Sasha and Bayley should main event a Takeover but I thought Brooklyn was going to be their chance. The ladies wrestled a fantastic and emotional battle as this was Sasha's sendoff match. Bayley remained in NXT as the champion and now carries the torch for women's wrestling and The Four Horsewomen in WWE. It was a well deserved slot for the two women, one that will hopefully affect the main roster's view of the women.
Main eventing like a boss...
1. Win Owens Win - If you would have told me last year that Kevin Owens and John Cena would have wrestled against one another in 2015, I would have called you crazy. Owens had just made his NXT debut in December 2014 and looked like he would be in a feud with Sami Zayn for much of the year. Well, plans change fast in WWE. Owens won the NXT Title two months after he came into NXT and made a surprise bold statement on Raw following WWE Payback. Owens making his first appearance on Raw and powerbombing Cena was a major shocker, which was followed by an announcement that the two would do battle for the first time ever at the pop-up WWE Network special Elimination Chamber. Everyone had the same thought; Owens was being fed to Cena already. He already had enough of Rusev so he needed some new NXT meat to feast on. There was no way that Owens would win as he was still NXT Champion. Although it has blown up recently, many still view NXT as developmental so you have this guy marching in from that and he's going to beat the face of the WWE? We all waited for the inevitable Cena Wins but it never came. Usually, if you get one over Cena, it's a dirty victory marred by interference or some type of dirty heel tactics. Owens didn't need any of that. After a 2nd Pop-Up Powerbomb, Owens got the biggest win of his 1 year WWE career. The NXT Champion had defeated the United States Champion. This would be the last victory over Cena from Owens in 2015 but it was a major first step in introducing that NXT is not something to be taking lightly.
Mark Out Moments of the Year
10. Making a little girl cry - Sasha Banks is such a natural heel. She doesn't really have to try to make you hate her, although, you know we never could, but her actions at Takeover Respect were on a new heel level. If you watch NXT, you know of superfan Izzy, whose favorite wrestler is Bayley. She dresses up like her at all the shows and the two have even hung out behind the scenes. During the main event, Sasha snatched away Izzy's prized headband, put in on her own head while taunting Bayley, Izzy and the whole crowd. Izzy started crying and I couldn't stop cheering. Which wrestler in WWE has made a child cry like that ever? It was a fantastic heel tactic but don't worry, Sasha apologized to Izzy so it's all good. It's pro wrestling everyone!
9. Bray Wyatt calls out Undertaker - Bray Wyatt's cryptic promos after the Royal Rumble were clearly directed to The Undertaker. It was obvious that the two were going to do battle after Taker's shocking defeat at WM30. At Fastlane, they did the typical Undertaker entrance with the darkness and coffin but instead of The Undertaker inside, it was Bray Wyatt, confirming what the entire WWE Universe already knew; he wanted to challenge Taker to a match at Wrestlemania. Though it was the expected outcome, the lead to it and how it was presented still gives me goosebumps and the thought that Wyatt could actually defeat Taker ran through my mind. It didn't happen but I'll always have the build.
8. Zayn answers Cena's challenge - John Cena's challenges were great, as I said in the above section. While we knew Cena was always going to win as to not mess up PPV plans, it was still fun and unpredictable to see who would take the challenge. A week before Payback, in Montreal, Bret Hart came out to a huge and expected pop. He came out to announce who would be taking the challenge and it was none other than the hometown boy Sami Zayn. The crowd fully expected Zayn to come out in someway as there were signs everywhere for him but when he finally did come out, it was still a shock. Zayn would wrestle a fantastic contest against Super Cena but the match was never for Zayn to win but to give him and the brand exposure. Zayn was injured early in the match but continued on and still gave the franchise a run for his money. This was probably the best challenge Cena had all year and I would love to see WWE take this similar approach with the title in the future.
7. Sting/Triple H reignite Monday Night Wars - When Sting VS Triple H was official, I wasn't really looking forward to it as it was a match between two older guys. Sting is almost 60. Come on! After the match took place though, I regret that I didn't give it a chance in the first place. WWE essentially started the Monday Night Wars all over again. DX and the NWO battled in this match between Sting and Triple H which even saw HBK make a rare in ring appearance, hitting Sting with his signature Sweet Chin Music. The end came like all matches Triple H has had with WCW alumni, him winning. It was a brief but enjoyable trip down memory lane.
6. NXT Philly/Royal Rumble/Raw LIVE - This is a personal one but as big a wrestling fan that I am, I've only gone to one Raw and I really didn't enjoy it. I went with my manager at the time so it wasn't as fun as it could have been. Plus, the Raw was pretty forgettable. I changed that this year as I went to three different events. The Royal Rumble came to Philly for the first time in 11 years so naturally, I told my friends and we all went. It was a fun experience, minus the crowd rebelling over who won. NXT was next and it was right around the corner from my house, so again, naturally I had to go. This was better than the Rumble for me because the matches were better and this was a special live event, no taping so the results don't reflect what's on TV. The crowd was hot all night and all the stars got good reactions. I remember when they called Jason Jordan "Jason Jobber". Look at him now.
And I got to see Sasha face Charlotte in the main event of the night! I was way too excited. The last event I went to was Raw in December, the night after TLC. That was the last Raw I went to as well so I wasn't expecting much. Boy was I wrong! It was easily one of the best Raws in months and the icing on top was that my wife was with me, highlighted by the brutal battle between The Wyatt Family and the ECW Originals and Roman Reigns winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the same arena where he was booed out of the building. It was a full circle experience. It was a great show no doubt. All the shows were great for different reasons. The Royal Rumble was the first wrestling outing for my friends as a group, NXT, while we went as a group, was mainly for me as I continue to enjoy NXT over the main roster and the live Raw was for my wife and I to share in one of my hobbies. Great year and I hope Philly gets a Takeover or another live NXT show soon.
5. Finn Balor wins NXT Title - When they announced Prince Devitt was coming over to NXT, I was ecstatic. He was easily my favorite guy in NJPW so I was hoping nothing but the best for him. That best came on July 4th as Balor defeated Owens in a fantastic clash for the NXT Title. Things may have been different if Itami was healthy, but Balor was in the right place at the right time. Balor holding onto to title meant he would most likely be staying in NXT for the whole year, which sucks as a fan because you want your favorites on the main roster but the time in NXT allows Balor to continue to have fantastic matches and be used properly. Great moment to witness as a fan of Fergal since I saw him in NJPW.
4. Sasha Banks wins NXT Women's Title/NXT Women Debut on Raw - I've been a Sasha Banks fans since she attacked Bayley at Takeover Fatal Four Way. No longer in the shadow of Charlotte, Sasha was given room to grow and show what type of competitor she was. I was completely sold when she fought Charlotte at R Evolution. I knew I'd be a fan for life. She finally got what she deserved when she won the NXT Women's Title in February and proceeded to change the game from there. From her main eventing NXT's first show in Philadelphia to being in the main event of a live NXT Takeover, Sasha's initial title win started all of that. And what a great moment it was to have Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha all debut at the same time in WWE and to lock submissions together on Team Bella. It was a sight to see. While the initial Revolution has fallen a bit flat, there's still hope as we enter 2016 and most of the teams are broken up. We'll see down the line where they go with the women but Sasha Banks winning the NXT Women's Title will pale in comparison when she wins the Divas Title next year.
3. Seth Rollins cashes in - You're going to see a lot about this moment all throughout this blog as this was a fantastic moment for not only Rollins and the WWE Universe but also for all the guys down in NXT. This was a sign that everyone can make it if they work hard enough. What also made this moment even better was that it was a first as the MITB has never been cashed in at Wrestlemania. Rollins cashed in on the great main event going on between Lesnar and Reigns and etched his name in the record books with the win, becoming the 1st heel to win AND walk out of Wrestlemania as the WWE Champ in the main event. Sorry Yokozuna. Triple H and Miz are the only heels to retain the title in the main event. Anyway, Rollins had a fantastic performance and made himself a household name with this moment.
2. Owens beats Cena - Cena doesn't lose often. If he does lose, it's usually a dirty finish, with some type of weapon or shenanigans being used. When Cena was scheduled to face Owens on PPV, my mind was filled with rage if Cena was going to beat another member of the NXT 5, having already defeated a game Sami Zayn earlier in the month. Cena and Owens tore the roof down when they wrestled and showed that even the guys in developmental can hang with the top guy in the company. Owens hit that 2nd Pop-Up Powerbomb on Cena, went for the cover and actually got the 3 count on the 15 time World Champion. What a statement match from Kevin Owens. He showed the entire WWE audience what he was capable of. The icing on the cake was the fact he was NXT Champion. The main champion from NXT was able to defeat the top guy on the main roster, a position all the people in NXT want. This wasn't only a win for Owens but for NXT as well. Regardless of what happened afterwards, Owens will always have the CLEAN victory over John Cena in his first main roster match. That's stuff the Hall of Fame is made for.
1. Curtain Call - So Bayley and Sasha Banks already had this close to 20 minute classic for the Women's Title in front of the biggest crowd in NXT history. The moment has been etched into WWE history. What could make it even better? How about celebrating with two of the other Four Horsewomen? How about having Sasha herself hug Bayley after the match? How about all four ladies embrace while the crowd is clapping and chanting in full support? The icing on the cake though? All four ladies holding up the number four with their hands while Corey Graves emphatically said, "This is the Divas Revolution." It was a magical moment and how it wasn't the last shot of the show is still a mystery to me. You go back in time and remember moments that defined WWE and that was certainly one when it pertains to that women's division.
Superstar Most Likely to Win First World Title in 2016
5. Finn Balor - Yes, this is a long shot but out of all the guys currently on the main roster, I had to go to NXT to find someone. I was going to include Rusev or Barrett but both guys have had such starts in the year to such directionless endings that I couldn't put them on the list. Balor, the current NXT Champion, is likely in a better position to win a World Title in 2016. Why? Well, he's the NXT Champion. Rollins opened the floodgates for the brand and Balor holding onto that title makes him very close to getting a call up. Balor has everything a star needs to succeed and if his NXT Title reign is anything to go off of, he would be a workhorse. Balor's gimmick is probably the most original in WWE. When he unleashes the Demon with the full body paint and awesome entrance, you have something that's not seen on the current main roster. All these combined with his great in ring work and potential for amazing matches with some of the current WWE crop of characters and you have yourself a potential new WWE Champ from NXT in 2016.
4. Bray Wyatt - In 2015, Wyatt feuded with The Undertaker, Ryback, Roman Reigns and The Dudleys. he's been all over the board when it comes to his feuds and the running joke between my friends and I is that creative just has a dartboard with all the names of their stars on it and whatever dart lands on whatever name, that is the person Wyatt feuds with. Bray Wyatt is a superstar with not only the pedigree, but he has the size and gimmick to make him interesting enough to watch. The more years go by, the more unlikely he'll become World Champion. With all the other guys I've listed in the higher positions, it's hard to see Wyatt as World Champion in 2016 despite having the package WWE needs but never say never in WWE.
3. Cesaro - Cesaro is easily one of the most gifted stars in WWE and could put on a great match with just about anyone, quite like Dolph Ziggler. His only problem is his gimmick, which may be holding creative back from backing him. That's the only thing holding him back because he has crowd support and natural wrestling ability to become World Champion. And his feuds and matches while champion would be amazing. Cesaro/Bryan at ANY PPV would steal the show and set the bar for any title match to come afterwards. Cesaro's chancing of being in the title picture were very good heading into 2016 with Rollins out but an untimely injury has put him on the back burner for awhile. I think when he returns, he'll be hotter than ever and WWE will have no other choice but give him the championship run he deserves.
2. Dean Ambrose - Oh wow, this is weird! Four years ago when I said this guy was going to be a star, NO ONE believed me. Now, as we enter 2016, he's a leading candidate to finally win the WWE World Title. Looking at his 2015, he had a lot of title opportunities, which included 4 PPV main events with the title on the line. I will never forget that pop Ambrose got when they did the false finish at Elimination Chamber. That crowd went NUTS. If they're looking for their next top face, they found him. Ambrose has connected with the crowd more than anyone else from NXT so a championship reign should be inevitable for him. He's come close before and in 2016, he'll actually have the title.
1. Kevin Owens - NXT stars winning the WWE World Title was somewhat of a fantasy in 2014 but in 2015, both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns were able to hold the title while Superman Cena didn't. If there's one guy on the main roster who's most deserving of carrying the honor of being the next NXT guy to hold the title, it would be Kevin Owens. The guy is a star, no questions asked. He is the complete package the WWE needs in a heel. Fantastic in ring performer, great on the mic and he just exudes everything heel like. He came close in the championship tournament back at Survivor Series and I know that won't be his last opportunity. If WWE doesn't put the title on Owens, they obviously don't know what they want in a champion. Owens is my favorite NXT champion of all time and he's definitely going to make an amazing WWE World Heavyweight Champion next year.
5. Finn Balor - Yes, this is a long shot but out of all the guys currently on the main roster, I had to go to NXT to find someone. I was going to include Rusev or Barrett but both guys have had such starts in the year to such directionless endings that I couldn't put them on the list. Balor, the current NXT Champion, is likely in a better position to win a World Title in 2016. Why? Well, he's the NXT Champion. Rollins opened the floodgates for the brand and Balor holding onto that title makes him very close to getting a call up. Balor has everything a star needs to succeed and if his NXT Title reign is anything to go off of, he would be a workhorse. Balor's gimmick is probably the most original in WWE. When he unleashes the Demon with the full body paint and awesome entrance, you have something that's not seen on the current main roster. All these combined with his great in ring work and potential for amazing matches with some of the current WWE crop of characters and you have yourself a potential new WWE Champ from NXT in 2016.
4. Bray Wyatt - In 2015, Wyatt feuded with The Undertaker, Ryback, Roman Reigns and The Dudleys. he's been all over the board when it comes to his feuds and the running joke between my friends and I is that creative just has a dartboard with all the names of their stars on it and whatever dart lands on whatever name, that is the person Wyatt feuds with. Bray Wyatt is a superstar with not only the pedigree, but he has the size and gimmick to make him interesting enough to watch. The more years go by, the more unlikely he'll become World Champion. With all the other guys I've listed in the higher positions, it's hard to see Wyatt as World Champion in 2016 despite having the package WWE needs but never say never in WWE.
3. Cesaro - Cesaro is easily one of the most gifted stars in WWE and could put on a great match with just about anyone, quite like Dolph Ziggler. His only problem is his gimmick, which may be holding creative back from backing him. That's the only thing holding him back because he has crowd support and natural wrestling ability to become World Champion. And his feuds and matches while champion would be amazing. Cesaro/Bryan at ANY PPV would steal the show and set the bar for any title match to come afterwards. Cesaro's chancing of being in the title picture were very good heading into 2016 with Rollins out but an untimely injury has put him on the back burner for awhile. I think when he returns, he'll be hotter than ever and WWE will have no other choice but give him the championship run he deserves.
2. Dean Ambrose - Oh wow, this is weird! Four years ago when I said this guy was going to be a star, NO ONE believed me. Now, as we enter 2016, he's a leading candidate to finally win the WWE World Title. Looking at his 2015, he had a lot of title opportunities, which included 4 PPV main events with the title on the line. I will never forget that pop Ambrose got when they did the false finish at Elimination Chamber. That crowd went NUTS. If they're looking for their next top face, they found him. Ambrose has connected with the crowd more than anyone else from NXT so a championship reign should be inevitable for him. He's come close before and in 2016, he'll actually have the title.
1. Kevin Owens - NXT stars winning the WWE World Title was somewhat of a fantasy in 2014 but in 2015, both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns were able to hold the title while Superman Cena didn't. If there's one guy on the main roster who's most deserving of carrying the honor of being the next NXT guy to hold the title, it would be Kevin Owens. The guy is a star, no questions asked. He is the complete package the WWE needs in a heel. Fantastic in ring performer, great on the mic and he just exudes everything heel like. He came close in the championship tournament back at Survivor Series and I know that won't be his last opportunity. If WWE doesn't put the title on Owens, they obviously don't know what they want in a champion. Owens is my favorite NXT champion of all time and he's definitely going to make an amazing WWE World Heavyweight Champion next year.
Maybe that title is next?
Best Matches of the Year
10. Roman Reigns VS Daniel Bryan - Fastlane - Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble to severe fan backlash. Many wanted Daniel Bryan to win and get back the title he never lost. Unfortunately for fans, WWE were solely behind their decision to make Reigns the next star and Bryan was eliminated early to avoid any real hope that he would win. The crowd didn't like this at all and destroyed the main event and even booed Reigns, even though he was endorsed by his cousin The Rock. WWE had to fix this issue and made the main event of Fastlane Roman Reigns VS Daniel Bryan for the right to face the WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania.
This was Reigns' match to make him look strong and to quell the fans who hated him. If he could beat Bryan and get endorsed by him, there would be no way that the fans would boo him. They had a great match against one another as Bryan did his job of putting Reigns over. Reigns even kicked out of Bryan's Flying Knee, a first for anyone in WWE. It wasn't the prettiest match in the world but it did the job it was suppose to; make Reigns a star. Bryan went for another knee only to be caught in a massive spear. Reigns covered Bryan to secure his spot at Wrestlemania.
It was an enjoyable match with a good ending. It's the ending WWE wanted and although fans wanted the same thing over again, WWE was providing a way to give the fans what they need; new stars. Great match from both men.
9. New Day VS Lucha Dragons VS The Usos - TLC - A last minute addition! I originally had Cena and Cesaro here but these guys wrestled such a career threatening match that I to put it on the list. Ladder spots galore in this match! Sin Cara did a diving Swanton Bomb on The Usos on the outside while there was a ladder on top of them. Yes, that was a thing. And, how about this?
The match itself was very entertaining and made the titles that much more important but a spot like this will be replayed FOREVER. This is Edge spearing Jeff Hardy at WM17. This is this era's most extreme moment. It was brutal and showed everything that ladder matches are all about. I'm glad both guys are OK and I hope Kallisto gets a great singles push after this amazing spot. WOW. Great match from all 7 guys with New Day retaining the gold. New Day rocks!
8. Roman Reigns VS Brock Lesnar - Wrestlemania - WWE's main event of its biggest show of the year. It's a main event that everyone was skeptic about. Was Reigns ready to main event Wrestlemania? Is anyone really ready though? It doesn't matter what your opinion was going into the match because WWE was clearly going to do what they wanted. Reigns and Lesnar didn't disappoint in a match that was hard hitting and showcased Reigns even further as a true and rightful contender of the World Title.
The match started off much like Cena/Lesnar at SummerSlam. Reigns came in heavy only to be dropped with a F5 seconds into the match. What would follow would be Lesnar's new signature style he adapted from UFC, punches, knees and of course, SUPLEXES. This is where the term Suplex City was born. Please excuse the language.
Roman Reigns got it BAD. Dozens of suplexes, some of the most vicious strikes I've ever seen from Lesnar and FOUR different F5s. It was a massacre. Reigns fought back valiantly, landing his signature Superman Punches multiple times before hitting two massive spears, which didn't keep the Beast down. After the 4th said F5, you all know what happened next...
Rollins stole Reigns moment to the delight of the crowd and walked out as champion. It was a great match with an even better ending. Not for Reigns but whatever. Reigns delivered in his first Mania main event and if he stays champion, it certainly won't be his last. It was a typical UFC Lesnar match but with the added blood and Reign's perseverance, it made it a better main event.
7. Seth Rollins VS Brock Lesnar VS John Cena - Royal Rumble - This was originally booked as Cena/Lesnar III with it being the last time the two would face since Lesnar's contract was coming to and end after Wrestlemania but someone in creative was smart and knew Philadelphia would most likely crap all over the match so they added Seth Rollins to the mix. Adding Rollins made the match fresh and gave it a new dimension not yet seen. It was also a sign of things to come as Rollins made his ascension to the top of the card.
Lesnar started the match off with Suplexes to everyone, even J & J Security. (remember them) The match would continue to break down into different singles matches, like Cena/Lesnar, Lesnar/Rollins and Rollins/Cena. Rollins and Cena would eventually team up to take the dominant Beast down, which led to Rollins doing a diving elbow on the announce table to Lesnar.
This led to Rollins and Cena having a one on one match, both guys kicking out of each other's finishers. After Rollins went up top and hit a Phoenix Splash, Lesnar sprung up from the table to hit some suplexes. From one of the suplexes, Rollins landed on his feet and started to hit Lesnar with his briefcase. He would put the briefcase on the ground to set up a Curb Stomp but Lesnar caught him for a F5 and the victory. It was an awesome match and even better to watch the match live as the three guys risked everything, especially right before Wrestlemania. This is how Triple Threats should be done!
6. Roman Reigns VS Bray Wyatt - Hell in a Cell - PG Hell in a Cell matches are hit or miss. You can have a crappy one like Punk/Ryback or a really exceptional one like Rollins/Ambrose. Reigns and Wyatt had a great one to end their long feud. Many times, the HIAC is not used in its proper capacity. It's designed to settle the feud of any stars who enter it. You're not suppose to have a HIAC and CONTINUE the feud. The match is suppose to be the thing that separates the two but because of the how watered down the match has become, it sometimes doesn't do that. This time, it was the feud ender, it was the be all to end all and they did a great job ending their first major singles feud together.
Both guys went all out as there were A LOT of different table spots in this match. Bray giving Reigns a Uranage from the apron through a table
Reigns powerbombing Wyatt through a table....
And my favorite, the spear from off the apron through a table
It was a brutal match to end a physical and hard hitting feud. These two have chemistry together and it certainly won't be the last time you see the two battle each other and it shouldn't be after these two stole the show at HIAC. Yes, over the supposed match of the year in Lesnar/Taker. Match of the Year though, really?
5. Sasha Banks VS Becky Lynch - NXT Takeover Unstoppable - Warning: this one is a bit gif heavy. This was the most technically sound match of the year. When these two were announced for Takeover, I was excited to see the match but nothing in my mind thought that this was going to be one of the best matches of 2015. NXT just has a way of making their women title matches so important with the promo and then the leading build showing the women backstage about to make their entrance. It all just screams big time title fight.
Sasha VS Becky came down to the Bank Statement VS The Dis-arm-her and since both ladies have a submission focusing on the arms, they both went for moves that would hurt them. There was one point in the match where Sasha was stretching Becky's arms in an ungodly angle. It was sickening to see her arms contorted like that.
Becky used her own innovative offense as well, using her legs to trap Sasha in a submission move working down her arms as well. These ladies were pulling hair or slapping each other, they were wrestling each.
Can we also talk about how Becky gives some of the best suplexes I've ever seen from a women's wrestler? And how well Sasha takes them?
Sasha attempted a suicide dive in this match, only to be caught by Becky and then slammed into the ring steps.
After about 15 minutes of action, Becky went to to top rope, only to be caught by The Boss who was lying in wait, hit a top rope armbreaker, locked in Banks Statement and forced Becky to tap out.
When this first aired, THIS was my match of the year, simply because of the wrestling in the match. WWE's main roster has never put on a women's match with this much technical wrestling, this much emotion and will to win. This is what I wanted out of Charlotte and Paige when they feuded in late 2015 but I guess you can't replica something like this. This was an amazing match from two of the leading ladies in WWE right now and I can't wait until they can do this again on the main roster with the Divas Title on the line.
4. Kevin Owens VS Finn Balor - Beast in the East - Kevin Owens never stood a chance in this match. The build of this was clearing set on making Finn Balor the NXT Champion while Owens made his transition to the main roster. It was held in Japan, where Balor was made famous. WWE Network put together a special on the career of Balor up to that point. There was no way that Owens was walking out NXT Champion. As the match was about to happen, Owens was clearly frustrated, hence why he did this gracious action.
Ah, good ole heel Kevin Owens. Can't beat that. Anyway, to the match itself, it was obviously fantastic. You take the two best guys NXT has to offer and put them in a title match, you're practically guaranteed success. This was a tit for tat type of match up where Owens and Balor were trading off big moves every chance they could get. If Owens would hit a Sleeper Suplex, Balor would come back with a Bloody Sunday. They just went back and forth. Owens was also able to kick out of Balor's Coup De Grace, a first in NXT. Like I said though, it was big move after big move and neither man was going to give. After a big combo of a some dropkicks in the corner, Finn went to the top to hit the 2nd Coup de Grace, which gave him the victory and the NXT Championship.
I love this match because it featured two of the WWE's biggest acquisitions fighting over NXT's top prize. This is something that could one day headline a Wrestlemania and if they did, they would not disappoint one bit. The rubber match in Brooklyn was great as well but you just can't match the same emotion as Balor winning the title in front of his 'hometown'. Get used to seeing this match as this will not be the last you see of these two.
3. Seth Rollins VS John Cena - SummerSlam - Alright, let's be perfectly honest. WWE straight ripped off ROH with this fantastic match. If you don't know. Ring of Honor had a winner take all title match two months before this when their World Champn Jay Briscoe faced the TV Champ Jay Lethal, in a match where the mid card champion was claiming he was the top champion in the company because of who he was. Sound freaking familiar? In ROH's title match, the mid card champion was able to win and capture the World Title.
WWE basically when the same route when WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins fought WWE United States Champion John Cena. Cena had been doing big things with the US Title, defending almost every week against ANYONE, names including Dean Ambrose, Rusev, Barrett, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens just to name a few. He began to call himself the top champion because of his name status and fact that he always defends the title. During a match on Raw, Rollins broke Cena's nose with a high knee. That didn't stop Cena as he was able to defeat Rollins. Not happy with that decision, Rollins challenged the injured Cena to a Title for Title Winner Takes All at SummerSlam.
Although not being the main event, it had a big fight feel. Two titles up for grabs and featuring the two hottest singles champions in the WWE. It should have been the main event. The hostile crowd toward Cena made Rollins look like a face and he showed the hell off for Brooklyn. Suicide dives, somersault splashes and even an amazing frog splash from Rollins in this match. He also stole Cena's own Attitude Adjustment for good measure!
Seth Freaking Rollins everyone! We all know that Cena was chasing World Title #16 and he played to that well, even going as far as to locking the Figure Four Leglock onto Rollins in this match. It was a war of big moves and close pinfalls. In the end, trying to keep tradition and hope alive, the host of SummerSlam Jon Stewart came into the ring, hit Cena in the gut with a chair and Rollins hit a Pedigree onto to chair for the three count and United States Championship.
WOW, what a title match at SummerSlam! These two met each other with every move and it continued to put over Rollins as the future star for WWE despite the wonky finish. Rollins would lose the following rematches with the US Title on the line but Cena could not get the job done when the WWE Title was up for grabs so Internet Wrestling Community rejoice! Another great SummerSlam match from Cena. Rollins goes 2-0 at the event while Cena hasn't won at SummerSlam since 2009, losing to former ROH Champions CM Punk and Daniel Bryan in the past. Congrats on a great match guys!
2. John Cena VS Kevin Owens - Elimination Chamber - The statement matches of all statement matches. This match literally came from out of nowhere and didn't disappoint. A match between these two last year happening in 2015 sounded like a fantasy but it's what we got! John Cena had just defeated Rusev at Payback and had one of his Open Challenges for the US Title. When it came time for someone to come out, we're greeted with the music of NXT Champion Kevin Owens. After a lengthy promo and promotion for NXT Takeover Unstoppable, Owens got a cheap shot on Cena and laid him out with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. This led to the match's announcement for the next PPV.
It was NXT Champion VS United States Champion in a special attraction match. Kevin Owens had a coming out party at this event. He showed the WWE Universe why you should keep your eyes on him in the coming years. From hitting moves never before seen to imitating the franchise of the company, Owens' first match on the main roster told you a lot about him as a wrestler. Cena rose to the occasion though as anytime that he wrestles one of the Internet darlings, he learns a new move and steps his game up to the next level.
Cena was game and hung with Kevin Owens every step of the way. Cena starting to lay Owens out with some massive clotheslines. He hit two but the third one was met with a duck and counter into a Pop-Up Powerbomb. This would lead to one of the biggest and shocking victories in WWE history as Kevin Owens was able to defeat John Cena CLEAN. No interference, no foot on the ropes. A finisher to the cover in his first main roster match.
This was the performance of a lifetime for Kevin Owens. If you weren't convinced of his abilities, you were after his win here. Rollins opened the floodgates at Wrestlemania for the NXT talent to show off and Owens is the product of the ripples that was caused that night. Owens lost the next two matches to Cena but there's a lot of career left for both guys so a match down the line, with the WWE Title on the line, isn't out of the question. Owens put on the best match of his short WWE career with Cena and the 2nd match of the year.
1. Sasha Banks VS Bayley - NXT Takeover Brooklyn - Sometimes in wrestling, the stars align just right and you have a match that is so good, so emotional, it's hard to put into words just why it was so amazing. That's how I feel about Sasha and Bayley's match at Takeover Brooklyn.Why is this #1? Why not? Everything about this match made it the best match of the year. The build? The best lead up of any women's title match ever. Bayley, the unlucky lovable loser of NXT finally got sick of being in that role. She decided to go on her Sami Zayn redemption tour. Remember when Zayn was in the same position last year and went on to defeat Tyler Breeze, Tyson Kidd and Adrian Neville and won the NXT Championship? Bayley did the same. First, she beat her tormentor Emma, who called Bayley out on her status in the first place. Next, she challenged the best in the division, Charlotte, a woman she never beat one on one. She went on to beat her and was finally put in a #1 contender's match against a woman who turned on her, Becky Lynch. It was a hard fought match but Bayley got the win and the right to face Sasha at Takeover. Oh, and this was the first Takeover outside of Full Sail University, inside the same arena where SummerSlam would be taking place the next night.
Once the match was official, we all knew Bayley was going to win. Sasha, Becky and Charlotte were all on the main roster now. There was no need to have Sasha as champion anymore. So, the match came about and Stephanie McMahon was the one who introduced the first of the two main events that night. The crowd was hot for both women and Sasha had a superstar entrance for one of her final matches in NXT. The stage was set, the time was now and all eyes were on the two ladies. They didn't disappoint in the almost 20 minutes they got. Sasha was vicious, focusing mostly on Bayley's hurt hand. She kicked her hand into the steps in a vicious spot. The ladies knew each other and obviously had a lot of chemistry together being in NXT together all of those years. I'm not going to go over all the spots but how about Sasha's sunset flip on the outside?
Or the Banks Statement with Sasha STOMPING (in pro wrestling world because she clearly never touched her) on Bayley's hand?
Or how about the ending?
10. Roman Reigns VS Daniel Bryan - Fastlane - Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble to severe fan backlash. Many wanted Daniel Bryan to win and get back the title he never lost. Unfortunately for fans, WWE were solely behind their decision to make Reigns the next star and Bryan was eliminated early to avoid any real hope that he would win. The crowd didn't like this at all and destroyed the main event and even booed Reigns, even though he was endorsed by his cousin The Rock. WWE had to fix this issue and made the main event of Fastlane Roman Reigns VS Daniel Bryan for the right to face the WWE World Champion Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania.
This was Reigns' match to make him look strong and to quell the fans who hated him. If he could beat Bryan and get endorsed by him, there would be no way that the fans would boo him. They had a great match against one another as Bryan did his job of putting Reigns over. Reigns even kicked out of Bryan's Flying Knee, a first for anyone in WWE. It wasn't the prettiest match in the world but it did the job it was suppose to; make Reigns a star. Bryan went for another knee only to be caught in a massive spear. Reigns covered Bryan to secure his spot at Wrestlemania.
It was an enjoyable match with a good ending. It's the ending WWE wanted and although fans wanted the same thing over again, WWE was providing a way to give the fans what they need; new stars. Great match from both men.
9. New Day VS Lucha Dragons VS The Usos - TLC - A last minute addition! I originally had Cena and Cesaro here but these guys wrestled such a career threatening match that I to put it on the list. Ladder spots galore in this match! Sin Cara did a diving Swanton Bomb on The Usos on the outside while there was a ladder on top of them. Yes, that was a thing. And, how about this?
The match itself was very entertaining and made the titles that much more important but a spot like this will be replayed FOREVER. This is Edge spearing Jeff Hardy at WM17. This is this era's most extreme moment. It was brutal and showed everything that ladder matches are all about. I'm glad both guys are OK and I hope Kallisto gets a great singles push after this amazing spot. WOW. Great match from all 7 guys with New Day retaining the gold. New Day rocks!
8. Roman Reigns VS Brock Lesnar - Wrestlemania - WWE's main event of its biggest show of the year. It's a main event that everyone was skeptic about. Was Reigns ready to main event Wrestlemania? Is anyone really ready though? It doesn't matter what your opinion was going into the match because WWE was clearly going to do what they wanted. Reigns and Lesnar didn't disappoint in a match that was hard hitting and showcased Reigns even further as a true and rightful contender of the World Title.
The match started off much like Cena/Lesnar at SummerSlam. Reigns came in heavy only to be dropped with a F5 seconds into the match. What would follow would be Lesnar's new signature style he adapted from UFC, punches, knees and of course, SUPLEXES. This is where the term Suplex City was born. Please excuse the language.
Roman Reigns got it BAD. Dozens of suplexes, some of the most vicious strikes I've ever seen from Lesnar and FOUR different F5s. It was a massacre. Reigns fought back valiantly, landing his signature Superman Punches multiple times before hitting two massive spears, which didn't keep the Beast down. After the 4th said F5, you all know what happened next...
Rollins stole Reigns moment to the delight of the crowd and walked out as champion. It was a great match with an even better ending. Not for Reigns but whatever. Reigns delivered in his first Mania main event and if he stays champion, it certainly won't be his last. It was a typical UFC Lesnar match but with the added blood and Reign's perseverance, it made it a better main event.
7. Seth Rollins VS Brock Lesnar VS John Cena - Royal Rumble - This was originally booked as Cena/Lesnar III with it being the last time the two would face since Lesnar's contract was coming to and end after Wrestlemania but someone in creative was smart and knew Philadelphia would most likely crap all over the match so they added Seth Rollins to the mix. Adding Rollins made the match fresh and gave it a new dimension not yet seen. It was also a sign of things to come as Rollins made his ascension to the top of the card.
Lesnar started the match off with Suplexes to everyone, even J & J Security. (remember them) The match would continue to break down into different singles matches, like Cena/Lesnar, Lesnar/Rollins and Rollins/Cena. Rollins and Cena would eventually team up to take the dominant Beast down, which led to Rollins doing a diving elbow on the announce table to Lesnar.
This led to Rollins and Cena having a one on one match, both guys kicking out of each other's finishers. After Rollins went up top and hit a Phoenix Splash, Lesnar sprung up from the table to hit some suplexes. From one of the suplexes, Rollins landed on his feet and started to hit Lesnar with his briefcase. He would put the briefcase on the ground to set up a Curb Stomp but Lesnar caught him for a F5 and the victory. It was an awesome match and even better to watch the match live as the three guys risked everything, especially right before Wrestlemania. This is how Triple Threats should be done!
6. Roman Reigns VS Bray Wyatt - Hell in a Cell - PG Hell in a Cell matches are hit or miss. You can have a crappy one like Punk/Ryback or a really exceptional one like Rollins/Ambrose. Reigns and Wyatt had a great one to end their long feud. Many times, the HIAC is not used in its proper capacity. It's designed to settle the feud of any stars who enter it. You're not suppose to have a HIAC and CONTINUE the feud. The match is suppose to be the thing that separates the two but because of the how watered down the match has become, it sometimes doesn't do that. This time, it was the feud ender, it was the be all to end all and they did a great job ending their first major singles feud together.
Both guys went all out as there were A LOT of different table spots in this match. Bray giving Reigns a Uranage from the apron through a table
Reigns powerbombing Wyatt through a table....
And my favorite, the spear from off the apron through a table
It was a brutal match to end a physical and hard hitting feud. These two have chemistry together and it certainly won't be the last time you see the two battle each other and it shouldn't be after these two stole the show at HIAC. Yes, over the supposed match of the year in Lesnar/Taker. Match of the Year though, really?
5. Sasha Banks VS Becky Lynch - NXT Takeover Unstoppable - Warning: this one is a bit gif heavy. This was the most technically sound match of the year. When these two were announced for Takeover, I was excited to see the match but nothing in my mind thought that this was going to be one of the best matches of 2015. NXT just has a way of making their women title matches so important with the promo and then the leading build showing the women backstage about to make their entrance. It all just screams big time title fight.
Sasha VS Becky came down to the Bank Statement VS The Dis-arm-her and since both ladies have a submission focusing on the arms, they both went for moves that would hurt them. There was one point in the match where Sasha was stretching Becky's arms in an ungodly angle. It was sickening to see her arms contorted like that.
Becky used her own innovative offense as well, using her legs to trap Sasha in a submission move working down her arms as well. These ladies were pulling hair or slapping each other, they were wrestling each.
Can we also talk about how Becky gives some of the best suplexes I've ever seen from a women's wrestler? And how well Sasha takes them?
Sasha attempted a suicide dive in this match, only to be caught by Becky and then slammed into the ring steps.
After about 15 minutes of action, Becky went to to top rope, only to be caught by The Boss who was lying in wait, hit a top rope armbreaker, locked in Banks Statement and forced Becky to tap out.
When this first aired, THIS was my match of the year, simply because of the wrestling in the match. WWE's main roster has never put on a women's match with this much technical wrestling, this much emotion and will to win. This is what I wanted out of Charlotte and Paige when they feuded in late 2015 but I guess you can't replica something like this. This was an amazing match from two of the leading ladies in WWE right now and I can't wait until they can do this again on the main roster with the Divas Title on the line.
4. Kevin Owens VS Finn Balor - Beast in the East - Kevin Owens never stood a chance in this match. The build of this was clearing set on making Finn Balor the NXT Champion while Owens made his transition to the main roster. It was held in Japan, where Balor was made famous. WWE Network put together a special on the career of Balor up to that point. There was no way that Owens was walking out NXT Champion. As the match was about to happen, Owens was clearly frustrated, hence why he did this gracious action.
Ah, good ole heel Kevin Owens. Can't beat that. Anyway, to the match itself, it was obviously fantastic. You take the two best guys NXT has to offer and put them in a title match, you're practically guaranteed success. This was a tit for tat type of match up where Owens and Balor were trading off big moves every chance they could get. If Owens would hit a Sleeper Suplex, Balor would come back with a Bloody Sunday. They just went back and forth. Owens was also able to kick out of Balor's Coup De Grace, a first in NXT. Like I said though, it was big move after big move and neither man was going to give. After a big combo of a some dropkicks in the corner, Finn went to the top to hit the 2nd Coup de Grace, which gave him the victory and the NXT Championship.
I love this match because it featured two of the WWE's biggest acquisitions fighting over NXT's top prize. This is something that could one day headline a Wrestlemania and if they did, they would not disappoint one bit. The rubber match in Brooklyn was great as well but you just can't match the same emotion as Balor winning the title in front of his 'hometown'. Get used to seeing this match as this will not be the last you see of these two.
3. Seth Rollins VS John Cena - SummerSlam - Alright, let's be perfectly honest. WWE straight ripped off ROH with this fantastic match. If you don't know. Ring of Honor had a winner take all title match two months before this when their World Champn Jay Briscoe faced the TV Champ Jay Lethal, in a match where the mid card champion was claiming he was the top champion in the company because of who he was. Sound freaking familiar? In ROH's title match, the mid card champion was able to win and capture the World Title.
WWE basically when the same route when WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins fought WWE United States Champion John Cena. Cena had been doing big things with the US Title, defending almost every week against ANYONE, names including Dean Ambrose, Rusev, Barrett, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens just to name a few. He began to call himself the top champion because of his name status and fact that he always defends the title. During a match on Raw, Rollins broke Cena's nose with a high knee. That didn't stop Cena as he was able to defeat Rollins. Not happy with that decision, Rollins challenged the injured Cena to a Title for Title Winner Takes All at SummerSlam.
Although not being the main event, it had a big fight feel. Two titles up for grabs and featuring the two hottest singles champions in the WWE. It should have been the main event. The hostile crowd toward Cena made Rollins look like a face and he showed the hell off for Brooklyn. Suicide dives, somersault splashes and even an amazing frog splash from Rollins in this match. He also stole Cena's own Attitude Adjustment for good measure!
Seth Freaking Rollins everyone! We all know that Cena was chasing World Title #16 and he played to that well, even going as far as to locking the Figure Four Leglock onto Rollins in this match. It was a war of big moves and close pinfalls. In the end, trying to keep tradition and hope alive, the host of SummerSlam Jon Stewart came into the ring, hit Cena in the gut with a chair and Rollins hit a Pedigree onto to chair for the three count and United States Championship.
WOW, what a title match at SummerSlam! These two met each other with every move and it continued to put over Rollins as the future star for WWE despite the wonky finish. Rollins would lose the following rematches with the US Title on the line but Cena could not get the job done when the WWE Title was up for grabs so Internet Wrestling Community rejoice! Another great SummerSlam match from Cena. Rollins goes 2-0 at the event while Cena hasn't won at SummerSlam since 2009, losing to former ROH Champions CM Punk and Daniel Bryan in the past. Congrats on a great match guys!
2. John Cena VS Kevin Owens - Elimination Chamber - The statement matches of all statement matches. This match literally came from out of nowhere and didn't disappoint. A match between these two last year happening in 2015 sounded like a fantasy but it's what we got! John Cena had just defeated Rusev at Payback and had one of his Open Challenges for the US Title. When it came time for someone to come out, we're greeted with the music of NXT Champion Kevin Owens. After a lengthy promo and promotion for NXT Takeover Unstoppable, Owens got a cheap shot on Cena and laid him out with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. This led to the match's announcement for the next PPV.
It was NXT Champion VS United States Champion in a special attraction match. Kevin Owens had a coming out party at this event. He showed the WWE Universe why you should keep your eyes on him in the coming years. From hitting moves never before seen to imitating the franchise of the company, Owens' first match on the main roster told you a lot about him as a wrestler. Cena rose to the occasion though as anytime that he wrestles one of the Internet darlings, he learns a new move and steps his game up to the next level.
Cena was game and hung with Kevin Owens every step of the way. Cena starting to lay Owens out with some massive clotheslines. He hit two but the third one was met with a duck and counter into a Pop-Up Powerbomb. This would lead to one of the biggest and shocking victories in WWE history as Kevin Owens was able to defeat John Cena CLEAN. No interference, no foot on the ropes. A finisher to the cover in his first main roster match.
This was the performance of a lifetime for Kevin Owens. If you weren't convinced of his abilities, you were after his win here. Rollins opened the floodgates at Wrestlemania for the NXT talent to show off and Owens is the product of the ripples that was caused that night. Owens lost the next two matches to Cena but there's a lot of career left for both guys so a match down the line, with the WWE Title on the line, isn't out of the question. Owens put on the best match of his short WWE career with Cena and the 2nd match of the year.
1. Sasha Banks VS Bayley - NXT Takeover Brooklyn - Sometimes in wrestling, the stars align just right and you have a match that is so good, so emotional, it's hard to put into words just why it was so amazing. That's how I feel about Sasha and Bayley's match at Takeover Brooklyn.Why is this #1? Why not? Everything about this match made it the best match of the year. The build? The best lead up of any women's title match ever. Bayley, the unlucky lovable loser of NXT finally got sick of being in that role. She decided to go on her Sami Zayn redemption tour. Remember when Zayn was in the same position last year and went on to defeat Tyler Breeze, Tyson Kidd and Adrian Neville and won the NXT Championship? Bayley did the same. First, she beat her tormentor Emma, who called Bayley out on her status in the first place. Next, she challenged the best in the division, Charlotte, a woman she never beat one on one. She went on to beat her and was finally put in a #1 contender's match against a woman who turned on her, Becky Lynch. It was a hard fought match but Bayley got the win and the right to face Sasha at Takeover. Oh, and this was the first Takeover outside of Full Sail University, inside the same arena where SummerSlam would be taking place the next night.
Such a great heel
Once the match was official, we all knew Bayley was going to win. Sasha, Becky and Charlotte were all on the main roster now. There was no need to have Sasha as champion anymore. So, the match came about and Stephanie McMahon was the one who introduced the first of the two main events that night. The crowd was hot for both women and Sasha had a superstar entrance for one of her final matches in NXT. The stage was set, the time was now and all eyes were on the two ladies. They didn't disappoint in the almost 20 minutes they got. Sasha was vicious, focusing mostly on Bayley's hurt hand. She kicked her hand into the steps in a vicious spot. The ladies knew each other and obviously had a lot of chemistry together being in NXT together all of those years. I'm not going to go over all the spots but how about Sasha's sunset flip on the outside?
Or the Banks Statement with Sasha STOMPING (in pro wrestling world because she clearly never touched her) on Bayley's hand?
Or how about the ending?
Bayley got the victory after 18 minutes and the whole arena blew up. It finally happened. Like with Sami Zayn, it was a predictable ending but a fantastic and fairytale like end. The moment didn't stop there as all the Four Horsewomen took a moment to celebrate together on just how far the division has come in the past couple years.
I'm a sucker for a good ending but the end was even better because of the match that preceded it. Once again, sometimes, pro wrestling isn't just about the in ring action, it's about the story it tells as well. When you combine amazing in ring action, a fantastic build and top it off with a stellar and much talked about ending, you have my Match of the Year. I will watch this match over and over again and still have the same result when in comes to the matches in 2015. None were better and thanks to this amazing match, they were able to main event a NXT Live Special. I believe I said it would be these two but I thought it was going to be at Brooklyn. Still a great match but not the magical adventure their first encounter was. At least Sasha made a little girl cry.
Match of the year, hands down. Congrats ladies!
The next two sections are very similar as they both focus on 2016. The first section is my fantasy while 2016 are things I believe need to happen or will happen.
BOLD Predictions for 2016
5. Building towards Reigns/Cena - With Reigns as the WWE Champ, I think the inevitable is closer than ever. The inevitable being the match between The Franchise and The Golden Boy. If Reigns is going to win his critics over, he's going to have to defeat John Cena. In a match between the two, I think the IWC will more than likely be on Reigns side, simply because they are tired of seeing Cena. If the match is to happen. it would certainly have to main event Wrestlemania as this is the next passing of the torch type match. It may be too soon, but since Reigns now holds the top title, it only makes sense that the top dog will be getting an eventual shot. Roman Reigns VS John Cena is a money match. They have put these two far from each other for that simple reason. When this match happens, it will have the entire WWE Universe buzzing.
4. Big acquisitions - 2015 brought some major players to WWE. Samoa Joe made his NXT debut in May while Askua, formerly known at Kana, made her debut in the summer. Both have been very helpful in NXT and allowed them even greater success as they begin to tour NXT all around the world. The question becomes now; who's next? Shinsuke Nakamura, one of New Japan Pro Wrestling's greats, is on WWE's radar. His strong style would definitely be a feat to see in NXT and I could just imagine the hard hitting match he would have with Samoa Joe. Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Lethal is also on the radar. Lethal has been open to a WWE run but his obvious success in ROH is probably holding him back. He just had a 500+ day reign with their mid card title and used that to finally ascend to the main event championship. I want to see him in WWE but he need to run the ROH thing out first. The biggest acquisition WWE could get is still The Phenomenal AJ Styles. AJ works between ROH and NJPW and hasn't ruled out a WWE run, only saying if it's beneficial for his family. WWE needs to do everything they can to get him into their company. If they play their cards right, they could even have a Bullet Club main event between AJ and Finn Balor. Styles is just a dream right now but could you imagine the reaction he would get? After getting Samoa Joe, anything is possible now!
3. Wrestlemania matches - There are a lot of guys injured who'll probably miss Wrestlemania. Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan all come to mind as guys who might miss the big event. Don't worry, it looks like WWE will be alright without them. Let's talk potential matches. Roman Reigns is the current WWE World Champion so if he holds onto the title until Wrestlemania, he'll most likely wrestle against a heel at the show right? What heel right now would you put against Reigns? Certainly not Del Rio, Barrett or Rusev. I think Rusev VS Reigns is more of a summer time feud, not at Wrestlemania. There's only one remaining heel left; Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens should win the Royal Rumble and face Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania for the WWE World Title. At this point, there's no one else and Owens is certainly deserving of the title match after the year he's had. It's a main event that everyone can get behind and would truly show how much NXT has grown as a brand. The only other option would be Reigns VS Triple H but that would mean he would win the Rumble. I say have that match at the Royal Rumble and then build towards Reigns/Owens. John Cena will face Sheamus while he tries to destroy the League of Nations. There have been reports that Brock Lesnar is penciled in to face Bray Wyatt at Mania. It's a smart move because it would feature The Beast going against four guys and would show how destructive he can truly be.
The match that needs to happen most is Charlotte defending her Divas Title against Sasha Banks. Think it about it guys, why else would WWE put that much distance between Charlotte and Sasha? They haven't had a one on one match since they debuted on the main roster. Isn't that strange? Becky VS Charlotte and Sasha VS Becky have happened. They've done almost every combination of match between the Divas and not one of them included a one on one match between the ladies. They're obviously saving the match for the biggest show of the year. They're going to let them loose and have a match that will leave the crowd wanting more. Forget the paragraph above, THIS is the only match I really want announced for Wrestlemania. While I'll be on The Boss' side, the winner doesn't even matter; just give the people the Divas Revolution they need. I have a feeling they're going to do it at the Royal Rumble but they really need to wait until Wrestlemania. Please WWE.
2. NXT Title matches on WWE PPVs - It's time. After a year where the NXT title was defended all over the world, I believe it's time that there are proper defenses of the title on certain PPVs. Maybe not the big ones just yet as it seems WWE is trying to pair some Takeover events with the big WWE PPVs, like Wrestlemania and SummerSlam. How about a title match at Fastlane, kind of build toward the next Takeover special? It might be hard with the taping schedule now but if they can get that down, title defenses are a must for the continual growth of NXT as its own brand. Then, they could have main roster talent challenging for the NXT Title. Guys who aren't doing anything that could push the current NXT Champion. A Balor/Sheamus type match would be great for not only NXT but for WWE in general. So yeah, make it happen WWE.
1. Finn Balor debut - Finn Balor is one of the great acquisitions for WWE in 2014. Triple H really did a great job in bringing him over as he was a superstar in NJPW. While I'm sure he's happy in NXT as the champion, I'm just as sure that he wants to be changing things on the main roster. To do that, he'll need to debut. What better show to debut on than the show AFTER Wrestlemania? You know, the biggest Raw of the year, the one Raw mostly every wrestling fan watches because of all the surprises that take place? The crowd will also be filled with alot of UK fans that would appreciate a Balor debut. I don't know when they would involve Balor losing the NXT Title but there are plenty of guys who will take that opportunity. A Balor debut should definitely happen on the biggest Raw of the year. And it will.
5. Building towards Reigns/Cena - With Reigns as the WWE Champ, I think the inevitable is closer than ever. The inevitable being the match between The Franchise and The Golden Boy. If Reigns is going to win his critics over, he's going to have to defeat John Cena. In a match between the two, I think the IWC will more than likely be on Reigns side, simply because they are tired of seeing Cena. If the match is to happen. it would certainly have to main event Wrestlemania as this is the next passing of the torch type match. It may be too soon, but since Reigns now holds the top title, it only makes sense that the top dog will be getting an eventual shot. Roman Reigns VS John Cena is a money match. They have put these two far from each other for that simple reason. When this match happens, it will have the entire WWE Universe buzzing.
4. Big acquisitions - 2015 brought some major players to WWE. Samoa Joe made his NXT debut in May while Askua, formerly known at Kana, made her debut in the summer. Both have been very helpful in NXT and allowed them even greater success as they begin to tour NXT all around the world. The question becomes now; who's next? Shinsuke Nakamura, one of New Japan Pro Wrestling's greats, is on WWE's radar. His strong style would definitely be a feat to see in NXT and I could just imagine the hard hitting match he would have with Samoa Joe. Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Lethal is also on the radar. Lethal has been open to a WWE run but his obvious success in ROH is probably holding him back. He just had a 500+ day reign with their mid card title and used that to finally ascend to the main event championship. I want to see him in WWE but he need to run the ROH thing out first. The biggest acquisition WWE could get is still The Phenomenal AJ Styles. AJ works between ROH and NJPW and hasn't ruled out a WWE run, only saying if it's beneficial for his family. WWE needs to do everything they can to get him into their company. If they play their cards right, they could even have a Bullet Club main event between AJ and Finn Balor. Styles is just a dream right now but could you imagine the reaction he would get? After getting Samoa Joe, anything is possible now!
3. Wrestlemania matches - There are a lot of guys injured who'll probably miss Wrestlemania. Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan all come to mind as guys who might miss the big event. Don't worry, it looks like WWE will be alright without them. Let's talk potential matches. Roman Reigns is the current WWE World Champion so if he holds onto the title until Wrestlemania, he'll most likely wrestle against a heel at the show right? What heel right now would you put against Reigns? Certainly not Del Rio, Barrett or Rusev. I think Rusev VS Reigns is more of a summer time feud, not at Wrestlemania. There's only one remaining heel left; Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens should win the Royal Rumble and face Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania for the WWE World Title. At this point, there's no one else and Owens is certainly deserving of the title match after the year he's had. It's a main event that everyone can get behind and would truly show how much NXT has grown as a brand. The only other option would be Reigns VS Triple H but that would mean he would win the Rumble. I say have that match at the Royal Rumble and then build towards Reigns/Owens. John Cena will face Sheamus while he tries to destroy the League of Nations. There have been reports that Brock Lesnar is penciled in to face Bray Wyatt at Mania. It's a smart move because it would feature The Beast going against four guys and would show how destructive he can truly be.
The match that needs to happen most is Charlotte defending her Divas Title against Sasha Banks. Think it about it guys, why else would WWE put that much distance between Charlotte and Sasha? They haven't had a one on one match since they debuted on the main roster. Isn't that strange? Becky VS Charlotte and Sasha VS Becky have happened. They've done almost every combination of match between the Divas and not one of them included a one on one match between the ladies. They're obviously saving the match for the biggest show of the year. They're going to let them loose and have a match that will leave the crowd wanting more. Forget the paragraph above, THIS is the only match I really want announced for Wrestlemania. While I'll be on The Boss' side, the winner doesn't even matter; just give the people the Divas Revolution they need. I have a feeling they're going to do it at the Royal Rumble but they really need to wait until Wrestlemania. Please WWE.
2. NXT Title matches on WWE PPVs - It's time. After a year where the NXT title was defended all over the world, I believe it's time that there are proper defenses of the title on certain PPVs. Maybe not the big ones just yet as it seems WWE is trying to pair some Takeover events with the big WWE PPVs, like Wrestlemania and SummerSlam. How about a title match at Fastlane, kind of build toward the next Takeover special? It might be hard with the taping schedule now but if they can get that down, title defenses are a must for the continual growth of NXT as its own brand. Then, they could have main roster talent challenging for the NXT Title. Guys who aren't doing anything that could push the current NXT Champion. A Balor/Sheamus type match would be great for not only NXT but for WWE in general. So yeah, make it happen WWE.
1. Finn Balor debut - Finn Balor is one of the great acquisitions for WWE in 2014. Triple H really did a great job in bringing him over as he was a superstar in NJPW. While I'm sure he's happy in NXT as the champion, I'm just as sure that he wants to be changing things on the main roster. To do that, he'll need to debut. What better show to debut on than the show AFTER Wrestlemania? You know, the biggest Raw of the year, the one Raw mostly every wrestling fan watches because of all the surprises that take place? The crowd will also be filled with alot of UK fans that would appreciate a Balor debut. I don't know when they would involve Balor losing the NXT Title but there are plenty of guys who will take that opportunity. A Balor debut should definitely happen on the biggest Raw of the year. And it will.
What to look for in 2016
5. John Cena - Cena's role in the past couple years has been an interesting one. He plays his tried and true character but now he acts like the gatekeeper for the next generation. If anyone is going to make an impact, it's going to be through Cena. He's taken on lesser roles at the past two Wrestlemanias as well to try and give the youth some exposure. It hasn't worked so far as the people he face never seem to rebound but there's a lot of guys WWE could pair him with in 2016 and could change that trend. Finn Balor is due for a call up in 2016 and would definitely have some great matches with the Cenation Leader. Samoa Joe has the Internet darling backing and would certain present Cena with his hardest fought matches in a long time. Cena has plenty of guys he can feud with and give proper exposure to. There's also the case of him winning his 16th World Championship. It didn't happen in 2016 so maybe he'll win 16 in 16. Get it, because it will be 2016 and he'll be a 16 time.....you got it. Anyway, keep all eyes on Cena and let's see someone break the trend of feuding with him.
4. NXT - NXT traveled around the world this year. From Florida to Philadelphia to Brooklyn to even the United Kingdom! NXT took its first steps as a brand and that's a trend that we should all look forward to in 2016. We already have another Takeover special outside of Full Sail in April, 2 days before Wrestlemania. It will only keep going from there. I'm holding out for a NXT event in Philly but that's not what's important. Look to see who else will come join the NXT roster, where they go next and their status on the main roster, meaning if WWE will start to use some of their feuds or anything to get them more exposure. If you don't know about NXT now and you're a WWE fan, there's something wrong with you.
3. Importance of mid card titles - John Cena and Daniel Bryan both winning the United States and Intercontinental titles was suppose to be WWE's way of trying to elevate the mid card titles to relevancy again. Bryan got injured so the title got vacated, given to Ryback who got injured and then finally dropped to Owens then Ambrose. Cena held onto the US Title until SummerSlam, having one of the best reigns ever with the belt. He defended the title more than anyone else could. He made the championship something to be won again simply because he was holding onto it and defending it on a regular basis. While the title has taken a sharp turn since Del Rio won it, I think once Cena is back in full force, he'll got back to doing it again until someone else carries the torch for doing so. The IC Title continues to struggle. In 2016, more defenses are a must along with better feuds. The Cena/Owens feud for the US Title felt more like a WWE World Title feud than for the US Title. They can do this by having the champions actually defend the title. I think Del Rio has defended the title once in 2 months. That's not what Cena was fighting for. Look for WWE to reboot and try again to push the mid card titles.
2. Next step for women's wrestling - The Four Horsewomen broke down barriers this year, having my Match of the Year, debuting on the main roster and even main evented a WWE Live Special on the WWE Network. 2016 MUST bring more of this change and revolution. Most of the accomplishments came through NXT, not the main roster. While I liked the Charlotte/Paige feud because it featured two true NXT Divas, they need to keep breaking down the barriers they did in NXT. It looks like Charlotte/Becky is the next feud heading into 2016 and it's the first time the title will be the main focus for two of the Four Horsewomen. They have to allow the women time to let people get behind the Divas Title matches. Charlotte and Paige headlining Raw was awesome but if they continue to mess up like they did, they won't get it again. I truly believe everyone's eyes will be open once they do an amazing title match at a Wrestlemania. I will say time and time again, they need to give Sasha and Charlotte 20 minutes to show the world what they can do on the big stage. This will definitely keep hope alive for the division. That's not enough though. Other women have to step up their game. Say what you will about Nikki but she has truly improve. Everyone needs to step it up. Only then will they reach the next level. Look for this in 2016.
1. Rise of new stars - I think this tops one of my lists each year but that's because it's important to see which stars will break out in the next year. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens all broke out as top guys this year, with two of them winning the WWE World Title this year alone. Who's turn will it be in 2016? There are plenty of guys just waiting for the opportunity to get their shot. Rusev and Wyatt need something to push them to the top because they both have what it takes to play major villains to the Roman Empire. Guys like Sami Zayn and Finn Balor will need to make solid impressions on their main roster debuts so they don't get lost in the shuffle. Neville needs to put in mid card title feuds so they can back up his win as Breakout Star of the Year. WWE needs to put these guys in winning positions so when they go through their injury period in 2016, there won't be such a big gab like it was this year. It's time for the youth stars to rise and if Rollins, Reigns and Owens are anything to go by, then it's very possible that it will happen in 2016.
5. John Cena - Cena's role in the past couple years has been an interesting one. He plays his tried and true character but now he acts like the gatekeeper for the next generation. If anyone is going to make an impact, it's going to be through Cena. He's taken on lesser roles at the past two Wrestlemanias as well to try and give the youth some exposure. It hasn't worked so far as the people he face never seem to rebound but there's a lot of guys WWE could pair him with in 2016 and could change that trend. Finn Balor is due for a call up in 2016 and would definitely have some great matches with the Cenation Leader. Samoa Joe has the Internet darling backing and would certain present Cena with his hardest fought matches in a long time. Cena has plenty of guys he can feud with and give proper exposure to. There's also the case of him winning his 16th World Championship. It didn't happen in 2016 so maybe he'll win 16 in 16. Get it, because it will be 2016 and he'll be a 16 time.....you got it. Anyway, keep all eyes on Cena and let's see someone break the trend of feuding with him.
4. NXT - NXT traveled around the world this year. From Florida to Philadelphia to Brooklyn to even the United Kingdom! NXT took its first steps as a brand and that's a trend that we should all look forward to in 2016. We already have another Takeover special outside of Full Sail in April, 2 days before Wrestlemania. It will only keep going from there. I'm holding out for a NXT event in Philly but that's not what's important. Look to see who else will come join the NXT roster, where they go next and their status on the main roster, meaning if WWE will start to use some of their feuds or anything to get them more exposure. If you don't know about NXT now and you're a WWE fan, there's something wrong with you.
3. Importance of mid card titles - John Cena and Daniel Bryan both winning the United States and Intercontinental titles was suppose to be WWE's way of trying to elevate the mid card titles to relevancy again. Bryan got injured so the title got vacated, given to Ryback who got injured and then finally dropped to Owens then Ambrose. Cena held onto the US Title until SummerSlam, having one of the best reigns ever with the belt. He defended the title more than anyone else could. He made the championship something to be won again simply because he was holding onto it and defending it on a regular basis. While the title has taken a sharp turn since Del Rio won it, I think once Cena is back in full force, he'll got back to doing it again until someone else carries the torch for doing so. The IC Title continues to struggle. In 2016, more defenses are a must along with better feuds. The Cena/Owens feud for the US Title felt more like a WWE World Title feud than for the US Title. They can do this by having the champions actually defend the title. I think Del Rio has defended the title once in 2 months. That's not what Cena was fighting for. Look for WWE to reboot and try again to push the mid card titles.
2. Next step for women's wrestling - The Four Horsewomen broke down barriers this year, having my Match of the Year, debuting on the main roster and even main evented a WWE Live Special on the WWE Network. 2016 MUST bring more of this change and revolution. Most of the accomplishments came through NXT, not the main roster. While I liked the Charlotte/Paige feud because it featured two true NXT Divas, they need to keep breaking down the barriers they did in NXT. It looks like Charlotte/Becky is the next feud heading into 2016 and it's the first time the title will be the main focus for two of the Four Horsewomen. They have to allow the women time to let people get behind the Divas Title matches. Charlotte and Paige headlining Raw was awesome but if they continue to mess up like they did, they won't get it again. I truly believe everyone's eyes will be open once they do an amazing title match at a Wrestlemania. I will say time and time again, they need to give Sasha and Charlotte 20 minutes to show the world what they can do on the big stage. This will definitely keep hope alive for the division. That's not enough though. Other women have to step up their game. Say what you will about Nikki but she has truly improve. Everyone needs to step it up. Only then will they reach the next level. Look for this in 2016.
1. Rise of new stars - I think this tops one of my lists each year but that's because it's important to see which stars will break out in the next year. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens all broke out as top guys this year, with two of them winning the WWE World Title this year alone. Who's turn will it be in 2016? There are plenty of guys just waiting for the opportunity to get their shot. Rusev and Wyatt need something to push them to the top because they both have what it takes to play major villains to the Roman Empire. Guys like Sami Zayn and Finn Balor will need to make solid impressions on their main roster debuts so they don't get lost in the shuffle. Neville needs to put in mid card title feuds so they can back up his win as Breakout Star of the Year. WWE needs to put these guys in winning positions so when they go through their injury period in 2016, there won't be such a big gab like it was this year. It's time for the youth stars to rise and if Rollins, Reigns and Owens are anything to go by, then it's very possible that it will happen in 2016.
Superstar of the Year
Honorable Mention - The Four Horsewomen - Three of the Four Horsewomen were champions this year, three made their main roster debut, two main evented a WWE Live Event and that's only the start for them. Bayley, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks are the four ladies who are hoping to change the game in WWE by bringing women's wrestling back. They sure did their part in 2015. The ladies had a fantastic Fatal Four Way at Takeover Rival, which saw Sasha finally win the title from Charlotte. Sasha and Becky would have an amazing technical battle at the next special. During the summer, Charlotte, Becky and Sasha were all brought up to the main roster as apart of the Divas Revolution, which led to a great first step at Battleground. At the PPV, Charlotte defeated Sasha and Brie Bella in one of the better main roster women's matches in 2015. Sasha was still the NXT Women's Champion and she defended it against Bayley at Takeover Brooklyn. As you read, they stole the show and the year with their performances, with Bayley getting the win. All four of the ladies shared a moment after the match. Charlotte didn't take long to make an impact on the main roster as at Night of Champions, she ended Nikki's historic reign with the Divas Title. Charlotte entered 2015 as NXT Women's Champion and left it as WWE Divas Champion. Bayley and Sasha had a rematch at Takeover Respect in a 30 Minute Iron Man main event match while Stephanie McMahon, Lita, Charlotte and Becky Lynch all looked on from ringside. Bayley retained in Sasha's farewell match as she went solely to the main roster after this. These women tore down barriers in 2015 and collectively had the best year out of any women wrestlers ever. Yes, ever. These four ladies are leading the charge on change in WWE and if any women are ever to main event a WWE PPV, it would be a combination of these ladies. I can't wait to see how they top themselves in the new year.
Honorable Mention - The Four Horsewomen - Three of the Four Horsewomen were champions this year, three made their main roster debut, two main evented a WWE Live Event and that's only the start for them. Bayley, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks are the four ladies who are hoping to change the game in WWE by bringing women's wrestling back. They sure did their part in 2015. The ladies had a fantastic Fatal Four Way at Takeover Rival, which saw Sasha finally win the title from Charlotte. Sasha and Becky would have an amazing technical battle at the next special. During the summer, Charlotte, Becky and Sasha were all brought up to the main roster as apart of the Divas Revolution, which led to a great first step at Battleground. At the PPV, Charlotte defeated Sasha and Brie Bella in one of the better main roster women's matches in 2015. Sasha was still the NXT Women's Champion and she defended it against Bayley at Takeover Brooklyn. As you read, they stole the show and the year with their performances, with Bayley getting the win. All four of the ladies shared a moment after the match. Charlotte didn't take long to make an impact on the main roster as at Night of Champions, she ended Nikki's historic reign with the Divas Title. Charlotte entered 2015 as NXT Women's Champion and left it as WWE Divas Champion. Bayley and Sasha had a rematch at Takeover Respect in a 30 Minute Iron Man main event match while Stephanie McMahon, Lita, Charlotte and Becky Lynch all looked on from ringside. Bayley retained in Sasha's farewell match as she went solely to the main roster after this. These women tore down barriers in 2015 and collectively had the best year out of any women wrestlers ever. Yes, ever. These four ladies are leading the charge on change in WWE and if any women are ever to main event a WWE PPV, it would be a combination of these ladies. I can't wait to see how they top themselves in the new year.
5. The New Day - What a turn around year for these three. In 2014, Big E, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods formed together a group called The New Day, a group that focused on the power of being positive and dancing a lot. Fans weren't happy with it as it looked like the three were going to do some type of Nation of Domination gimmick. This couldn't have been more clear than when they were severely booed out of the building at the Royal Rumble. As they continued to get boos, the WWE slowly started to turn them into heels. The heel act began to pick up steam as the fans legitimately hated these guys. The hate worked as The New Day were able to win the WWE Tag Team Titles at Extreme Rules from Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. They became a funny gimmick as people continued to hate them and they became favorites of the Internet community. Their first reign wouldn't last long as the Prime Time Players would dethrone them at MITB. Two months later, The New Day would regain the titles at Summerslam, leading to one of the greatest victory celebrations ever.
They continued to gain fans in hostile serious WWE fan territory. The New Day had their biggest feud as a team when the Dudley Boys returned and wanted the WWE Tag Team Titles. Although we all thought they would drop the titles to the Dudleys, they were able to escape Night of Champions with a DQ and Hell in a Cell with a pinfall victory. They also won the tag team match of the year at TLC against The Usos and The Lucha Dragons and are heading into 2016 as the top team to beat.
These three had one of the best years for any tag team. They were on the verge on failure but when faced with adversary, they powered through by staying positive. It's their gimmick but it's also how they were able to come back from mediocrity in 2015. Eventually, the gimmick is going to sour, maybe and they' break up, but for now, let's just enjoy what The New Day is doing. Also, it gave us this moment so I'm happy.
They continued to gain fans in hostile serious WWE fan territory. The New Day had their biggest feud as a team when the Dudley Boys returned and wanted the WWE Tag Team Titles. Although we all thought they would drop the titles to the Dudleys, they were able to escape Night of Champions with a DQ and Hell in a Cell with a pinfall victory. They also won the tag team match of the year at TLC against The Usos and The Lucha Dragons and are heading into 2016 as the top team to beat.
These three had one of the best years for any tag team. They were on the verge on failure but when faced with adversary, they powered through by staying positive. It's their gimmick but it's also how they were able to come back from mediocrity in 2015. Eventually, the gimmick is going to sour, maybe and they' break up, but for now, let's just enjoy what The New Day is doing. Also, it gave us this moment so I'm happy.
BAD DAY ROCKS!
4. John Cena - John Cena took a supporting role this year instead of being a lead and sometimes, he was able to shine like he was in the main event. Cena started off his year with a planned rematch with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, which of course, turned into the Triple Threat with Seth Rollins. Cena was then placed into a feud with United States Champion Rusev. Rusev, who was still undefeated, was able to get a cheap win at Fastlane but would end up losing the title to Cena at Wrestlemania 31, giving Cena his fourth US Title and the first in 10 years. 10 YEARS. The next night, Cena would start an awesome trend for Raw in 2015, a United States Championship Open Challenge. Basically, ANYONE could come out and they were granted a US Title shot. The first star who accepted was Dean Ambrose and Cena set the bar high with his match with him. His segment became the best part of Raw each week as another victim, I mean superstar who could totally beat John Cena, would come out to try and take the title. Guys like Kane, Barrett, Stardust, and Zack Ryder tried their hand at taking the title. This all led to probably the biggest challenge yet, when Bret Hard would introduce Sami Zayn from NXT as a surprise opponent
.
Cena truly backed up his claim that he would take on ALL comers. Cena would defeat Zayn but not without making him look like an absolute star in defeat. While doing these challenges, Cena was able to defeat Rusev two more times on PPV. His challenge matches ended up being more interesting than his feud with Rusev. After squashing Rusev, his next feud would bring up the NXT upstart Kevin Owens who was making his Raw debut. This would lead to a three PPV feud between the two with Cena losing the first match but winning the other two. The match had the title on the line. All while his feud was going on, Cena would find time to have open challenges. He had one with Cesaro that last about 30 minutes in the main event. As Cena continued to rack up victories, he began to call himself the top champion as in his words, more people gained confidence in the US Title and lost it in the WWE Title. Cena's title was on the line when he faced Rollins, who he defeated on a Raw already. Rollins broke Cena's nose in that match by the way. Anyway, at SummerSlam, Rollins was able to get the victory and walk out as a double champion. Cena won the title back at Night of Champions and beat Rollins in the rematch the next night. Cena went back to doing open challenges and did his first one on PPV at Hell in a Cell. Cena lost the title to a returning Alberto Del Rio in an underwhelming title change and would take the rest of the year off to film a show for Fox.
John Cena did what he was suppose to do in 2015; elevate the United State Championship. Del Rio basically ruined that when he won it but at least during the summer months of 2015, the US Title was getting up to much watch status. If Cena can just do the same for the IC Title now. 2016 didn't give Cena World Title #16 but it gave him another banner year of feuding with the youth of the company and then squashing them. 2016 will definitely be the year he wins lucky #16.
Cena truly backed up his claim that he would take on ALL comers. Cena would defeat Zayn but not without making him look like an absolute star in defeat. While doing these challenges, Cena was able to defeat Rusev two more times on PPV. His challenge matches ended up being more interesting than his feud with Rusev. After squashing Rusev, his next feud would bring up the NXT upstart Kevin Owens who was making his Raw debut. This would lead to a three PPV feud between the two with Cena losing the first match but winning the other two. The match had the title on the line. All while his feud was going on, Cena would find time to have open challenges. He had one with Cesaro that last about 30 minutes in the main event. As Cena continued to rack up victories, he began to call himself the top champion as in his words, more people gained confidence in the US Title and lost it in the WWE Title. Cena's title was on the line when he faced Rollins, who he defeated on a Raw already. Rollins broke Cena's nose in that match by the way. Anyway, at SummerSlam, Rollins was able to get the victory and walk out as a double champion. Cena won the title back at Night of Champions and beat Rollins in the rematch the next night. Cena went back to doing open challenges and did his first one on PPV at Hell in a Cell. Cena lost the title to a returning Alberto Del Rio in an underwhelming title change and would take the rest of the year off to film a show for Fox.
John Cena did what he was suppose to do in 2015; elevate the United State Championship. Del Rio basically ruined that when he won it but at least during the summer months of 2015, the US Title was getting up to much watch status. If Cena can just do the same for the IC Title now. 2016 didn't give Cena World Title #16 but it gave him another banner year of feuding with the youth of the company and then squashing them. 2016 will definitely be the year he wins lucky #16.
3. Kevin Owens - Kevin Owens had one of the most sensational rookie years in WWE history. He was literally in WWE for a month before 2015 started and he became one of the top names the company has by the end of it. Owens made an impact quick by winning the NXT Title from real life friend Sami Zayn in February. He continued to dominate the competition there, remaining undefeated for 7 months in NXT. He started a brief feud with a debuting Samoa Joe before getting called up to the main roster, where he was placed in a feud with John Cena. Yes, THE John Cena. In a shocker, Owens beat Cena clean while still being the NXT Champion. His first loss came at Money in the bank in June, where Cena defeated him in the rematch. Owens wouldn't take his first loss lightly as he attacked Cena post match and declared he wanted the US Title. While still working for NXT, Owens loss the title to Finn Balor on July 4th from Tokyo. Owens received his US Title match and despite kicking out of an Attitude Adjustment from the top, he wasn't able to defeat Cena and take the US Title so their feud ended there.
Owens had to pull double duty SummerSlam weekend as NXT Takeover Brooklyn was the night before. In the main event of Takeover, Owens loss his farewell match which was a Ladder match for the NXT Title against Balor. At SummerSlam, Owens was in the penultimate match as he fought Cesaro in a hard hitting match up. Owens was able to rebound from his loss at Takeover with an impressive win. Owens then began to go after Ryback and the Intercontinental Championship and at Night of Champions, Owens won another title in WWE.
Seth Rollins went down with an injury in late 2015 and had to vacate the WWE Title and there was a tournament to declare a new champion. Owens got to the semi finals before losing to Dean Ambrose. Owens and Ambrose would continue their feud and at TLC, Ambrose would dethrone Owens for the title.
Kevin Owens has made an impressive impact in WWE since his debut last year. He wasn't able to win the World Title in his rookie year but he's definitely made a name for himself in the last 12 months. In my mind, Kevin Owens has to be a heavy favorite to win the 2016 Royal Rumble and main event Wrestlemania and why not? You must have confidence in his ability if you give him a clean win over the face of the company 5 months after he started. Owens will continue to make an impact in WWE and it will definitely propel him to the WWE Championship. Kevin Owens WILL be the 3rd NXT alumni that will win the title. No doubt.
Owens had to pull double duty SummerSlam weekend as NXT Takeover Brooklyn was the night before. In the main event of Takeover, Owens loss his farewell match which was a Ladder match for the NXT Title against Balor. At SummerSlam, Owens was in the penultimate match as he fought Cesaro in a hard hitting match up. Owens was able to rebound from his loss at Takeover with an impressive win. Owens then began to go after Ryback and the Intercontinental Championship and at Night of Champions, Owens won another title in WWE.
Seth Rollins went down with an injury in late 2015 and had to vacate the WWE Title and there was a tournament to declare a new champion. Owens got to the semi finals before losing to Dean Ambrose. Owens and Ambrose would continue their feud and at TLC, Ambrose would dethrone Owens for the title.
Kevin Owens has made an impressive impact in WWE since his debut last year. He wasn't able to win the World Title in his rookie year but he's definitely made a name for himself in the last 12 months. In my mind, Kevin Owens has to be a heavy favorite to win the 2016 Royal Rumble and main event Wrestlemania and why not? You must have confidence in his ability if you give him a clean win over the face of the company 5 months after he started. Owens will continue to make an impact in WWE and it will definitely propel him to the WWE Championship. Kevin Owens WILL be the 3rd NXT alumni that will win the title. No doubt.
2. Roman Reigns - Roman Reigns had a very hard year that certainly made him the star he is now. He started the year the favorite to push the company in a new direction and somewhere along the way, the fans disagreed and Reigns had to spend the rest of the year climbing back to the top before he finally made it. Reigns had a Never Give Up year.
Reigns entered the 2015 Royal Rumble as the overwhelming favorite even though Daniel Bryan stated his claim that he was going to be the one to win. After they eliminated Bryan early on in the match, Reigns, who the crowd was already hostile to, came out to a chorus of boos. He would eventually win the Rumble with some support from his cousin The Rock but even Rocky couldn't quiet down the boos from the Philadelphia crowd. This trend continued and it seemed to be the cool thing to boo the person WWE thought was ready for the main event spot. Reigns didn't like all the controversy surrounding this and was coerced by The Authority to put his Wrestlemania spot on the line against either Rollins or Bryan, who wrestled on a Raw main event to determine who would face him. Bryan got the win but he was unsuccessful in winning the title shot. Even Daniel Bryan gave Reigns the endorsement but the crowd continued to boo. Reigns would get his shot at Wrestlemania and was met with boos again. He put up a hell of a fight against then champion Brock Lesnar in the main event. Reigns moment was ruined when former Shield brethren Seth Rollins would make history by cashing in the MITB contract and stealing the title away from both men.
Reigns would play catch up for the rest of the year. He was put into a feud with Big Show following this and he was able to defeat him in a Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules. ER was in Chicago, which is known to be a very vocal WWE crowd but they were actually many cheering for Reigns that night. Reigns was involved in a WWE Title Fatal Four Way at Payback which involved Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Randy Orton but Rollins retained. As the Money in the Bank PPV drew near, it seemed like it was all but guaranteed that Reigns would win the briefcase and finally get his moment. Just as he was about to win the match, Bray Wyatt appeared and pushed Reigns off the ladder. Thanks to this, Sheamus was able to win the contract. Remember that.
Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt are perfect enemies as they are polar opposites and they fed off of each other during their 4 month feud. They traded victories, got family members involved, it was chaotic. Wyatt got the first win at Battleground with the help of Luke Harper. Ambrose and Reigns won at SummerSlam against the duo. Wyatt debuted a new member of his family in Braun Strowman, a MASSIVE addition to the family. They would face the trio of Reigns, Ambrose and Chris Jericho at Night of Champions. The Wyatts won that one. Reigns and Wyatt decided to end their feud once and for all in the match that ends (or should end) all major feuds, the Hell in a Cell. After a brutal contest that involved plenty of tables and dangerous spots, Roman Reigns got the victory. Reigns would finally become the #1 contender for Seth Rollins' WWE Championship and they were scheduled to face each other at Survivor Series. Rollins got injured and a 16 man tournament was held. Reigns got to the finals and had to defeat his best friend Dean Ambrose in the main event to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career. He's the 2nd man from the NXT brand to win the title. Triple H came out to shake Roman's hand and get him on his side but Reigns wasn't having any of that. This would lead to Sheamus cashing in his Money in the Bank contract, ending Reigns' title reign at 5 minutes and 15 seconds.
Roman Reigns would get his rematch at TLC but thanks to the new group of Sheamus, Rusev, Barrett and Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus was able to retain the championship. After the match, Roman Reigns snapped and destroyed the League of Nations. When Triple H came out, Reigns even destroyed him. He powerbombed him on the announce table, gave him an elbow through it and even gave him a massive spear to the crowd's approval. The next night from Philadelphia, the McMahon family tried to avenge what happened at TLC but he was able to get his way into a title match against Sheamus. In a major shocker, Roman Reigns was able to overcome the odds and win the title from Sheamus. Reigns came full circle in 2015 as he was able to win the title in the SAME arena where all his misfortune started. And I was there live to see both happen so that was awesome.
Roman Reigns had a very telling year, a year that showed you can't give up on superstars. WWE had the plan to make Reigns the face if the company for the future and they took the first steps with him this year. He got cashed in on twice, had to suffer feuding with The Big Show and had his Wrestlemania moment stolen from him. Reigns didn't let that stop him as he was able to win the WWE World Heavyweight Title twice. And with him entering 2016 as champion, there's a great chance he'll get to main event another Wrestlemania. A Topsy turvy year for Reigns but one that all paid off in the end.
Reigns entered the 2015 Royal Rumble as the overwhelming favorite even though Daniel Bryan stated his claim that he was going to be the one to win. After they eliminated Bryan early on in the match, Reigns, who the crowd was already hostile to, came out to a chorus of boos. He would eventually win the Rumble with some support from his cousin The Rock but even Rocky couldn't quiet down the boos from the Philadelphia crowd. This trend continued and it seemed to be the cool thing to boo the person WWE thought was ready for the main event spot. Reigns didn't like all the controversy surrounding this and was coerced by The Authority to put his Wrestlemania spot on the line against either Rollins or Bryan, who wrestled on a Raw main event to determine who would face him. Bryan got the win but he was unsuccessful in winning the title shot. Even Daniel Bryan gave Reigns the endorsement but the crowd continued to boo. Reigns would get his shot at Wrestlemania and was met with boos again. He put up a hell of a fight against then champion Brock Lesnar in the main event. Reigns moment was ruined when former Shield brethren Seth Rollins would make history by cashing in the MITB contract and stealing the title away from both men.
Reigns would play catch up for the rest of the year. He was put into a feud with Big Show following this and he was able to defeat him in a Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules. ER was in Chicago, which is known to be a very vocal WWE crowd but they were actually many cheering for Reigns that night. Reigns was involved in a WWE Title Fatal Four Way at Payback which involved Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Randy Orton but Rollins retained. As the Money in the Bank PPV drew near, it seemed like it was all but guaranteed that Reigns would win the briefcase and finally get his moment. Just as he was about to win the match, Bray Wyatt appeared and pushed Reigns off the ladder. Thanks to this, Sheamus was able to win the contract. Remember that.
Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt are perfect enemies as they are polar opposites and they fed off of each other during their 4 month feud. They traded victories, got family members involved, it was chaotic. Wyatt got the first win at Battleground with the help of Luke Harper. Ambrose and Reigns won at SummerSlam against the duo. Wyatt debuted a new member of his family in Braun Strowman, a MASSIVE addition to the family. They would face the trio of Reigns, Ambrose and Chris Jericho at Night of Champions. The Wyatts won that one. Reigns and Wyatt decided to end their feud once and for all in the match that ends (or should end) all major feuds, the Hell in a Cell. After a brutal contest that involved plenty of tables and dangerous spots, Roman Reigns got the victory. Reigns would finally become the #1 contender for Seth Rollins' WWE Championship and they were scheduled to face each other at Survivor Series. Rollins got injured and a 16 man tournament was held. Reigns got to the finals and had to defeat his best friend Dean Ambrose in the main event to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career. He's the 2nd man from the NXT brand to win the title. Triple H came out to shake Roman's hand and get him on his side but Reigns wasn't having any of that. This would lead to Sheamus cashing in his Money in the Bank contract, ending Reigns' title reign at 5 minutes and 15 seconds.
Roman Reigns would get his rematch at TLC but thanks to the new group of Sheamus, Rusev, Barrett and Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus was able to retain the championship. After the match, Roman Reigns snapped and destroyed the League of Nations. When Triple H came out, Reigns even destroyed him. He powerbombed him on the announce table, gave him an elbow through it and even gave him a massive spear to the crowd's approval. The next night from Philadelphia, the McMahon family tried to avenge what happened at TLC but he was able to get his way into a title match against Sheamus. In a major shocker, Roman Reigns was able to overcome the odds and win the title from Sheamus. Reigns came full circle in 2015 as he was able to win the title in the SAME arena where all his misfortune started. And I was there live to see both happen so that was awesome.
Roman Reigns had a very telling year, a year that showed you can't give up on superstars. WWE had the plan to make Reigns the face if the company for the future and they took the first steps with him this year. He got cashed in on twice, had to suffer feuding with The Big Show and had his Wrestlemania moment stolen from him. Reigns didn't let that stop him as he was able to win the WWE World Heavyweight Title twice. And with him entering 2016 as champion, there's a great chance he'll get to main event another Wrestlemania. A Topsy turvy year for Reigns but one that all paid off in the end.
1. Seth Rollins - Back to back amazing years. In WWE, that's rare but Seth Rollins made it possible. 2015 was the Year of the Architect and even the WWE fans had to vote him the Superstar of the Year. Rollins entered 2015 as Mr. Money in the Bank but was still thrust into a triple threat title match with John Cena and Brock Lesnar. He didn't win the title but he showed that he could hang with the biggest dogs in the yard. Rollins would then enter a feud with Randy Orton, who Rollins took out in late 2014. This would lead to a Wrestlemania match between the two. Rollins' 2-0 streak at the event was broken when Orton caught Rollins in one of the most spectacular RKOs I've ever seen. Rollins night wasn't over though. During the main event WWE World Heavyweight Title match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins ran down the aisle to cash in his contract that he had held for 273 days, one week shy of the record Edge set when he first held it 10 years ago. Rollins made it a successful cash in as he walked out the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and made plenty of history, the biggest being that Rollins was the first man from the NXT brand to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This was a decision that would send shockwaves throughout WWE and give NXT the momentum it needed for the amazing 2015 that it had.
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Rollins would continue to feud with Randy Orton and defeated him in a Steel Cage to retain his title. Then against Orton, Reigns and Dean Ambrose at Payback which saw a fantastic little Shield reunion. Rollins and Ambrose would reignite their feud as they main evented pop up PPV Elimination Chamber. Ambrose originally pinned Rollins but due to some of the wonkiness of the match, the ref reversed the decision to a DQ finish, allowed Rollins to retain the gold. They had a Ladder rematch at Money in the Bank which Rollins won. The Authority were starting to lose faith in their hand picked wrestler so to test Rollins, they put him into a title match against the returning Brock Lesnar. At Battleground, Rollins was taken to Suplex City but was able to escape with the title thanks to The Undertaker returning. Rollins just....vanished.
With Lesnar busy with The Undertaker, Rollins was in the clear! That is, until John Cena started making his claim as the top champion in WWE, even though he was the United States Champion. In a match of Raw, Cena was able to beat Rollins but not without Rollins breaking Cena's nose in the process.
Sensing Cena was weaken, Rollins challenged Cena to a Title for Title Winner Takes All match at SummerSlam. Cena accepted and the match was on. Rollins was able to walk out with two titles thanks to Jon Stewart. As Rollins was going to be rewarded with a statue on the Raw after, Sting made his return and stated his claim to become WWE Champion. As double champion, Seth Rollins had the task of defending the US Title versus John Cena while defending the WWE Title against Sting at Night of Champions. Cena was able to regain the US Title but Rollins was able to beat Sting to retain the WWE Title. After the match, Kane made his return and attacked Rollins after everything Rollins did to Kane in the Authority. Rollins would go on to retain the title against Kane at Hell in a Cell. Rollins was then scheduled to finally have a one on one main event title match with Roman Reigns, but tragedy struck when Rollins was wrestling at a house show and tore his ACL/MCL. This would force Rollins to vacate the title and get surgery, putting him on the shelf for 6-9 months. Despite this, he was awarded the Superstar of the Year award by the WWE Universe and claimed his intention on winning back the title he never loss when he returns.
Seth Rollins career threatening injury doesn't change the 10 months where he completely owned WWE. He was literally everywhere. There was even one idea thrown across to have Rollins hold onto the IC Title as when he was already double champion. WWE really has their confidence in this guy and for the right reasons. He's a superstar and definitely one of the best in ring workers in WWE today. The injury was unfortunate but it will make Rollins stronger and make the WWE Universe appreciate him that much more when he finally comes back. Rollins went from Triple H's handpicked star in NXT to walking out of Wrestlemania as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. No other star had a year like this and Rollins is certainly the future of the WWE. Get well soon champ.
Rollins would continue to feud with Randy Orton and defeated him in a Steel Cage to retain his title. Then against Orton, Reigns and Dean Ambrose at Payback which saw a fantastic little Shield reunion. Rollins and Ambrose would reignite their feud as they main evented pop up PPV Elimination Chamber. Ambrose originally pinned Rollins but due to some of the wonkiness of the match, the ref reversed the decision to a DQ finish, allowed Rollins to retain the gold. They had a Ladder rematch at Money in the Bank which Rollins won. The Authority were starting to lose faith in their hand picked wrestler so to test Rollins, they put him into a title match against the returning Brock Lesnar. At Battleground, Rollins was taken to Suplex City but was able to escape with the title thanks to The Undertaker returning. Rollins just....vanished.
With Lesnar busy with The Undertaker, Rollins was in the clear! That is, until John Cena started making his claim as the top champion in WWE, even though he was the United States Champion. In a match of Raw, Cena was able to beat Rollins but not without Rollins breaking Cena's nose in the process.
Sensing Cena was weaken, Rollins challenged Cena to a Title for Title Winner Takes All match at SummerSlam. Cena accepted and the match was on. Rollins was able to walk out with two titles thanks to Jon Stewart. As Rollins was going to be rewarded with a statue on the Raw after, Sting made his return and stated his claim to become WWE Champion. As double champion, Seth Rollins had the task of defending the US Title versus John Cena while defending the WWE Title against Sting at Night of Champions. Cena was able to regain the US Title but Rollins was able to beat Sting to retain the WWE Title. After the match, Kane made his return and attacked Rollins after everything Rollins did to Kane in the Authority. Rollins would go on to retain the title against Kane at Hell in a Cell. Rollins was then scheduled to finally have a one on one main event title match with Roman Reigns, but tragedy struck when Rollins was wrestling at a house show and tore his ACL/MCL. This would force Rollins to vacate the title and get surgery, putting him on the shelf for 6-9 months. Despite this, he was awarded the Superstar of the Year award by the WWE Universe and claimed his intention on winning back the title he never loss when he returns.
Seth Rollins career threatening injury doesn't change the 10 months where he completely owned WWE. He was literally everywhere. There was even one idea thrown across to have Rollins hold onto the IC Title as when he was already double champion. WWE really has their confidence in this guy and for the right reasons. He's a superstar and definitely one of the best in ring workers in WWE today. The injury was unfortunate but it will make Rollins stronger and make the WWE Universe appreciate him that much more when he finally comes back. Rollins went from Triple H's handpicked star in NXT to walking out of Wrestlemania as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. No other star had a year like this and Rollins is certainly the future of the WWE. Get well soon champ.
From FCW to NXT to WWE World Champ
Great year for WWE, certainly not without its bad moments but the good has always weighed out the bad for me. In closing, WWE continues to show the blueprint for the future. You couldn't see that more clear than this year, with NXT branching out and with Rollins and Reigns BOTH winning World Titles this year. The future is bright for WWE. That's all ladies and gentlemen, thank you SO MUCH if you made it this far. I had a blast reminiscing about the year and I look forward to next year. Let's go Reigns VS Owens at Wrestlemania!! Right? Right?
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