Before the match, they show a highlight video showcasing Sami Zayn having an amazing career in NXT as a popular wrestler but not winning the big one. He and Neville are former friends. Neville pulled the referee out of the ring during Zayn's cover to keep his belt at TakeOver: Fatal Four Way, and in a championship defense on NXT feigned a leg injury and rolled Zayn up. Zayn wanted to put his NXT career on the line but Neville said he didn't want to be responsible for ending Zayn's career. Adrian Neville's told Zayn point blank that everyone knows Zayn can't win the big one. Including Zayn. Zayn snapped and slapped Neville across the face, exclaiming he'll take Neville's title.
We see Zayn walking to Gorilla position and cut straight to his entrance, it's Zayn in NXT. I don't need to tell you what that reaction is like. Neville then enters and Rich asks if he has mixed feelings about this match. Riley says absolutely not. Neville gets a mixed reaction due to his recent actions. We get in ring introductions and an Ole chant starts up before the bell. Zayn looks at Neville during his introduction, basically saying “I'm the people's champion of NXT, and after tonight I'll be the NXT Champion officially too. Adrian Neville gets heavy boos and holds his championship up to Zayn.
MATCH 6: ADRIAN NEVILLE © VS. SAMI ZAYN (NXT CHAMPIONSHIP)
The bell rings and the support for Sami hasn't stopped, they've just started chanting his name differently. This evolves into duelling chants of “let's go Sami/Neville sucks” and another ole chant erupts from that and they still haven't touched. They cautiously circle and Zayn reaches for Neville, collar-elbow tie up and Neville gets behind Sami, taking him down into a front facelock. Zayn counters into a hammerlock, but Neville gets to his feet as Corey Graves makes a Newcastle United vs. Sunderland football reference, Neville gets control of the arm, Zayn counters that and Neville has to use acrobatics to release the hold, Zayn is quickly into a headlock takedown but Neville gets the headscissors on the mat, Sami kicks out and both men scramble quickly to their feet. Neville this time gets a headlock takeover, Zayn scissors, Neville kicks out AND KIPS UP in one motion, he stands over Zayn who shoves him away to get some space, making it to his feet in the corner. They stand off for a moment before they link up for a test of strength.
Neville decides against that, going collar-elbow again, and Zayn grabs control of his arm, taking him down to his knees, Neville tries to get to his feet so Sami snapmares him over, but Neville escapes the chinlock before it can be applied. Neville drops down on a hammerlock, and uses his other arm to grab a chinlock too, Zayn fights to his feet and reverses the hammerlock, but Neville quickly uses the momentum to switch it back and he transitions into an arm wrench. Zayn rolls out so Neville drops him down to the mat and holds an armbar in. Neville brings Zayn to his feet and sends him over with a hammerlock Northern Lights suplex, keeping hold and going back to the arm. The fans again chanting “Ole” for Zayn, and he rolls onto his front and gets to his feet in an arm wrench, Zayn rolls and flips out of it, sending Neville over with a tug of his shoulder, NEVILLE LANDED ON HIS FEET! Neville wags his finger at Zayn after showing his athleticism and they stand off again.
Neville back to collar-elbow tie up and he gets control of Sami's left arm, Zayn tries to send Neville into the corner but Neville catches himself and jumps over to the apron, shoulder block to the midsection by Neville and he flips over Zayn's back into the ring. Neville picks up some speed but gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Neville rolls out to the floor, Zayn goes out to the apron, and kicks Neville away, Zayn hits a sitout springboard moonsault to Neville on the floor! Zayn gets back in the ring as the “Ole” chants are heard all around the city of Orlando. Neville gets to his feet and stands at ringside as the referee gets to a 7 count, Neville gets on the apron at 8 and charges at Zayn, Zayn ducks a clothesline and hits a calf kick on Neville! Zayn covers but the champ kicks out at 1. Nice tease of Neville taking the Champions' Advantage there. Zayn sends Neville into the top turnbuckle face first, before flipping him out and rolling him up for a crucifix, Neville powers out quickly again, there's a lot of fight left in the champion. Neville gets to his feet in the corner. Zayn walks him across the ring and sends him face first into a second turnbuckle. Neville takes a walk across the ring as Zayn looks to the fans for support, something he hasn't been short of this match.
Neville catches Zayn with a back elbow out of the corner, and sends Zayn across the ring, knocking him down with a second one. Neville covers but Zayn kicks out at 2. Zayn is sent into the top turnbuckle again and Neville snapmares him out, before dropkicking Zayn in the back of the head and the ear. Neville covers for another nearfall. Neville grabs at Zayn's face before getting a chinlock on the mat. Zayn makes it clear to the referee he's not giving up, and he tries to make it to his feet but Neville powers him back down. Neville keeps his weight on Zayn, but Zayn somehow fights to his feet, hitting an arm drag to make some space between him and Neville. Zayn tries to catch his breath in the corner but Neville charges at him with a European uppercut, Zayn crumbles to the mat. Neville covers but Zayn still kicks out at 2. Neville checks the referee's credentials before dropping a knee on Sami Zayn's jaw. He hits a second and gets some speed for his third, backing into the ropes and leaping in the air. Neville covers 1, 2, no! Zayn still isn't done.
Neville clasps his hands in front of Zayn's face for another chinlock, blocking his airways. Zayn uses the POWER OF THE FANS to get to his feet and force Neville into the corner to break the hold. Zayn walks into a back elbow, and Neville hits a missile front dropkick from the second rope for another nearfall. Alex Riley thinks Neville might be losing his cool trying to put Zayn away. Zayn is back up on his knees and Neville shoves him with his boot, mocking him. Zayn fires an overhand chop at Neville but gets kicked in the face for his troubles, Neville picks up speed again, but gets turned inside out with a clothesline. Sami Zayn knocks Neville back down with a second clothesline, and Neville lifts Zayn to get dropkicked out of the ring. Zayn decides he wants to fly but Neville quickly gets back in the ring and sends Zayn out with a flying headscissors takedown! Zayn also gets back in the ring before Neville's airborne and he sends Neville over the top to the floor. Running suicide senton connects on the champion! We get a replay of what just happened as Zayn gets back to his feet. Zayn brings Neville back in the ring and the fans chant “this is awesome” Zayn climbs all the way to the top rope and connects with a cross body! 1, 2 Neville kicks out!
Graves thinks Neville might think the championship is slipping from him, Riley advises Zayn to stay focused as he lifts Neville for a brainbuster, Neville slides out and Zayn is able to avoid a german suplex, double switch leads to Zayn hitting a back elbow on Neville, Neville leapfrogs a running Zayn landing on his shoulders, Zayn able to counter to a Blue Thunder Bomb! 1, 2, NO! Holy fuck that really could have been it. Zayn can't believe that didn't put Neville away and Graves says as champion you just do what you have to do to keep your spot. Neville is 5-0 in matches lasting over 10 minutes this week. Zayn brings Neville to his feet but the jumping Geordie drops down with a jawbreaker sending Zayn into the corner. Neville explodes at Zayn with a running European uppercut, Neville runs to the other side of the ring but Zayn follows, Neville catches him with a boot! Neville flubs sending Zayn into the ropes sternum first but does setting up for a bridging german, Zayn still able to keep the match alive, kicking out at 2 ½.
The referee checks on Sami as Neville gets to his feet, he sets Sami Zayn up for a powerbomb, but Zayn drops to one knee. Neville softens him up with a stiff forearm strike and this time is able to lift Zayn, but Zayn kicks his way back down and hits Neville with an overhead chop to a soundtrack of "ole ole ole" Sami Zayn uses the ropes to assist with a flying arm drag but Neville avoids it, hitting a sitout powerbomb on Zayn! Neville holds the shoulders down, 1, 2, 2 ½, Zayn desperately forces his shoulder up! Adrian Neville asks the referee to reconsider, but it was just a nearfall as "let's go Sami" chants can be heard. We get a replay of the powerbomb as Sami makes it to his feet, Neville hits Sami with forearms and Sami is nose to nose with the champion, slugfest reaches a stalemate before Neville hits a combination of kicks on Zayn, Zayn avoids a running boot though and lariats Neville inside out! Neville avoids the Helluva Kick, clocking Zayn with a roundhouse to the head. Neville ascends to the top and dives onto Zayn with a Red Arrow but he eats knees! Zayn locks in the Koji clutch! Neville struggles as the fans want him to tap out!
Neville holds on, slowly inching towards the ropes and he breaks the hold. Zayn sets Neville up for an Xploder into the corner, but Neville counters it and rolls Zayn up, 1, 2, no! Zayn kicked out but Neville bashed skulls with the referee, Graves says it's a dangerous place to get hit and unfortunately he'd know. Zayn checks on the referee and turns into a superkick! Reverse Rana plants Zayn on his head and Neville covers, 1, 2, NO!!! Zayn still kicks out! A guy in the front row in a Paul Heyman Guy shirt is taking this match really personally, shouting at Neville in favour of Zayn. Neville can't believe Zayn's resiliency as the fans chant "Ole" yet again. Zayn tries to get his bearings as we see a replay of him getting planted on his head. Neville brings Zayn up to his feet but Zayn fires at him with a forearm, Neither of these men are steady on their feet as Neville hits one back sending Sami into the corner. Sami walks into another forearm shot but ducks a roundhouse! Sami hits Neville with rolling german suplexes and the fans chant for a third, Sami traps Neville's arm and flips him over with a half dragon suplex instead! Neville avoids another Helluva Kick sliding out of the ring, Zayn slides out too and hits the running DDT through the ropes!! If you haven't seen that move yet, you really have to look it up. It's worthy of the "holy shit" chant it got.
Sami throws the champion back in the ring and finally connects with the Helluva Kick! The referee was caught in the crossfire though, knocking him down, Neville also able to slide himself out of the ring, if the kick didn't knock him there anyway. "This ref sucks" chant from the crowd. Neville brings his championship belt into the ring, but Zayn catches him in time with a big boot. Zayn looks at the title, contemplating using it.The fans chant for him not to do it but he picks it up, the battle inside Sami's head is visible, wanting to win the championship but not this way. Neville takes advantage of his hesitation by rolling Sami up, Sami kicks out at 2.999999 just to stop the impending riot, XPLODER into the corner! Helluva Kick! 1, 2, 3! Sami Zayn wins the big one!
WINNER: SAMI ZAYN (NEW NXT CHAMPION)
One thing I enjoyed about this match was that you could clearly see the three acts being played out, and they all flowed, with the basic mat wrestling ending with Neville on the floor, to both guys hitting bigger things that would normally end television matches, and some lesser TakeOver matches up to and including Zayn's reversal into a Blue Thunder Bomb. From there was the third act of all haymakers and throwing everything you can at each other, including Zayn having a personality crisis. The referee bumps and Zayn's overly long pandering of using the belt kind of took me out of the match near the end, but having a clean finish with the Xploder into Helluva Kick culminating in Sami's big moment pulled me back just in time.
Wrestling: 4.5/5 Personal Enjoyment: 4.75/5 Rating:- 9.25/10
After the match Sami Zayn celebrates with his new championship and the commentators let us all enjoy the moment. The referee raises his hand and it's hard to describe the reaction from the fans. We get highlights of the match as Zayn gets emotional and the NXT locker room empties, lead by Kevin Owens who made his debut earlier tonight. Owens hugs his best friend in the ring, Owens' nose is still busted open as he raises Sami Zayn's hand and they both get emotional. Zayn is lifted on the shoulders of two guys I recognise but can't name, I want to say one is part of American Alpha though, and he gets the whole confetti deal. Neville is back to his feet and Sami puts the championship down and extends his hand, Neville kicks it away and gives Sami a hug! The NXT roster leave Sami alone to have his moment celebrating with the fans. Owens reappears as Zayn sits on the apron and starts walking Zayn to the back, OWENS SLAMS ZAYN ONTO THE RAMP! Kevin Owens picks a lifeless Sami Zayn back up to his feet and powerbombs him onto the apron! General Manager William Regal walks down the ramp to find out what's going on, but he'll get no answers off Kevin Owens who blanks him and walks to the back. Referees and medical staff come out to check on Sami Zayn as the show ends.
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