10 Sami Zayn WWE matches to watch instead of Super ShowDown
By Bassam Kaado
3. Sami Zayn vs Tyson Kidd vs Tyler Breeze vs Adrian Neville (NXT Takeover Fatal 4 Way – September 11, 2014)
As the Takeover title indicates, this match is a Fatal 4-Way match and the only non-singles match on my list.
There is a reason for this, and to describe every single one of them to you is a fool’s errand in this article. So what I’ll give you the details you need to know for my first perfect graded match, and you really should watch this one to fill in the rest.
The four competitors are the hottest superstars in NXT at the time:
Neville is the defending Champion, utilizing his unique mixture of aerial based combat and well-placed strikes. He also plays defense on a few near-victories that are so much fun to watch, the best being a Sharpshooter.
Kidd is the main heel in this main event, dominating a huge portion of the match and dictating its pacing. At one point, he constantly makes sure that Neville cannot enter the ring, trying to neutralize him.
Zayn is the default babyface in the match, taking a lot of offense and elevating the pacing of the match when needed and executing amazing spots.
Breeze is the opportunist. He takes his time in the match, barely playing a part in a large chunk. He willing goes into a temporary alliance with Kidd to prey on Zayn and gets some well-placed shots in throughout the match. His sequence of the Beauty Shot, the Supermodel Kick, and Dropkick was gorgeous to watch.
The finish of keeping Neville was the right call, and forced Zayn to re-evalute his career and start his “Road to Redemption.”
Grade: 5
2. Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens (WWE Battleground – July 24, 2016)
The definitive end to their feud. This match is a classic, a narrative masterpiece in WWE’s history, and an undeniable show stealer.
This match has everything: tons of emotion and passion; beautifully well-executed wrestling sequences that show in ring chemistry; and a proper culmination to a story two years in the making.
These two were consistently in each other’s paths in the past year along, and when the opening bell rang, the wrestlers put their hearts and souls into this final match.
Their character work was on display, with Owens being despicable and mocking the crowd and Zayn never giving up in his pursuit for revenge. They scouted each other’s moves to the point where you couldn’t take your eyes off the match, in case a wrestler found an opening.
This match also boasts one of the best finishes that accurately reflects the end to a rivalry.
In its final moments, Zayn hits a Helluva Kick on Owens, holds his former best friend’s head in his hands, takes a moment to look at him and see what he has become, then follows this up with a second Helluva Kick for the win.
This match has always been a favorite of mine, and, re-watching it, I still got excited to see the man get a win. Only one other Zayn match topped this.