Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho might be kayfabe best friends now, holding the two most prestigious singles titles on Raw, but they weren’t doing too bad for themselves in the recent past either.
On this day two years back, Kevin Owens would win the NXT title – ironically beating yet another best friend of his in Sami Zayn. As for Jericho, he would beat the best thing to happen in the WWE that year – AJ Styles, on an episode of SmackDown.
Also on this day, Sasha Banks put an end to Charlotte’s record-breaking run as Women’s Champion – not on Raw, but NXT.
#1 Kevin Owens wins the NXT title: 11th Feb 2015
NXT produced one of its most compelling storylines during the feud between former friends Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Zayn had just won the NXT title from Adrian Neville when Owens came to the ring – apparently to congratulate Zayn, only to end up viciously attacking him.
This led to an NXT Championship match between the two at NXT Takeover: Rival on its’ 11th February 2015 edition. The match would be an emotional roller coaster, with the medical team declaring that Zayn was unable to compete after taking a Pop-up powerbomb from Owens.
The Prizefighter would show his ruthless side, delivering four more Pop-up powerbombs on a fallen Zayn.
Owens would be declared the winner by Technical Knockout. The match and the title win would accelerate Owens’ ascent to the main roster, with the NXT Champion starting a program with John Cena soon after.
#2 Jericho vs Styles II: 11th Feb 2016
Wrestling fans were treated to a pleasant surprise when AJ Styles finally made his WWE debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble. AJ would last 29 minutes in the Rumble and go straight to the main roster. His first feud was against Chris Jericho.
Styles and Jericho would first clash on an episode of RAW, with the phenomenal one coming out on top. Y2J and Styles would then battle in a rematch three weeks later on SmackDown and it would be Jericho coming out on top with a Codebreaker.
The duo would have matches at Fastlane and Wrestlemania with Styles and Jericho winning once each.
#3 Sasha Banks wins the NXT title: 11 Feb 2015
The undercard of NXT Takeover: Rival featured a fatal four-way match involving the ‘Four Horsewomen’ of NXT – Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley, fighting over Charlotte’s NXT Women’s title.
The match was a classic and after several false finishes including Charlotte taking a BeXploder suplex and a Bayley-to-Belly from the top rope, it was Sasha who would come out on top. Charlotte would be trapped in the Banks’ statement which would be modified into a Crucifix pin earning Sasha the victory and the title.
Charlotte's reign had lasted 258 days and soon Charlotte, Banks and Becky would graduate to the main roster as part of the Women's revolution storyline.
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