20 Best WWE Matches Of 2014 - 16

16. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn (NXT Arrival)

You never forget the first time.  For many of us, NXT Arrival was our first peak into the world of WWE’s developmental system.  Insider reports and mainstream news had, for a long time, touted its successes, but what did that really look like to the dedicated fan of pro wrestling that had previously figured his/her allotted wrestling time for the week already maxed out?  WWE Network gave people an opportunity to see what all the fuss had been about, frankly.

The star of NXT in 2014 had to have been Sami Zayn.  In a year in which Daniel Bryan broke down barriers for smaller wrestlers reaching the industry apex, Zayn – on a much smaller scale – borrowed from the same principles that made his peer a star and became the most endearing fish in a Florida-based pond.  His matches stood out for their passion and skill.

Though Zayn had one better match in 2014 that accentuated his yearlong quest to become NXT Champion, a greater number of people invested in that journey, in part, because of his match with Cesaro on NXT Arrival.  It was a rematch of what some called a superior version from 2013, but that mattered not, especially to the unique viewers who did not tune in before February 2014.  Zayn and Cesaro absolutely tore the house down.  The entire broadcast was great entertainment, but the Zayn-Cesaro match made it special.