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#3 Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT TakeOver: Dallas (2016))
This NXT Takeover took place on WrestleMania weekend and it outshone WWE's biggest PPV. One of the anticipated matches was the arrival of mega star Shinsuke Nakamura against NXT's biggest underdog Sami Zayn. When that match happened, magic occurred.
This was an electrifying debut for Shinsuke Nakamura in WWE, coming from New Japan Pro Wrestling, bringing unbelievable hype for this epic match. The atmosphere in Dallas was incredibly insane and they were excited for both men but especially for the King of Strong Style, from the moment he came out to his entrance music, they were going nuts.
This was Sami Zayn's last match in NXT so it was fitting that his last battle should be with Nakamura, which also was his first NXT match.
Zayn proved he was among the best on the planet today to me and everybody else. Sami's body language and selling were transcendental here; every single hit elicited a different, unique reaction that told the perfect story.
There was a solid 2 minutes of nothing but elbow strikes, but the pacing was so pitch-perfect it worked. The crowd chanting, "Fight Forever" made this match a very memorable match and a amazing debut for The King of Strong Style. This was a fitting end and a fitting beginning for not just both men, but NXT as a whole.
