WWE: 15 Best Matches of 2016
By Tim Sherry
WWE.com
1. The Revival vs Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa – NXT TakeOver: Toronto
To be perfectly honest, I grappled for days over numbers 1 and 2 for this list. But at the end of the day, my love of professional wrestling is the reason I chose the rematch between DIY and The Revival. On paper, Nakamura versus Zayn might have had the better technical match, but I cannot remember the last time a match has had me so glued to the edge of my seat the way these two teams did that November night in Toronto.
It was a perfect storm at TakeOver. On one side you had one of the hottest teams the NXT universe had ever seen in Gargano and Ciampa taking on a heel duo of Wilder and Dawson who’s heat with the fans was thermonuclear. Add to the fact that DIY had come so desperately close 3 months earlier at TakeOver: Brooklyn II and the intervening months had been marred by verbal and physical assaults by The Revival, when this night finally rolled around it had the NXT crowd whipped into a frenzy. And for the next 22-plus minutes the near 13,000 fans in attendance cheered at every move and groaned at every near 3 count. It truly was an astounding sight to see.
The emotions of this match alone worked almost as a time machine, bringing wrestling fans back to the drama of the days of old in the business. Everything about it was just perfect. The build-up, the story, the joy, the despair, and the triumph of 2 independent wrestling scene sweethearts who finally made good on the big stage. The Revival deserves just as much credit as Gargano and Ciampa as their style much like The Minnesota Wrecking Crew were perfect fodder for what took place in the ring that night. Back and forth warfare, perfect pacing, numerous near falls, and an overall lust to be champion is what made this what it was.
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And what was it? The best match of 2016.