Breaking down NXT's top-three moments ahead of Sportsnet debut

NXT, WWE’s third brand alongside Raw and SmackDown, will make its live two-hour television debut in Canada Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet 360.

This is a major victory for wrestling fans in Canada, as NXT has been showcasing some of the best professional wrestling in the world for several years, rivalling that of both Raw and SmackDown and sometimes even surpassing the two main WWE brands in terms of in-ring quality.

One of the top talents not only in NXT, but across all of WWE, is Adam Cole and Canadian viewers will get a glimpse of the former leader of The Undisputed Era, one of the top stables in pro wrestling over the last decade, on Wednesday night. Cole has made headlines over the last couple of weeks thanks to attacks on former stablemate Kyle O’Reilly and NXT Champion Finn Balor. Cole will address the NXT Universe to explain his actions.

Speaking of Kyle O’Reilly, the native of Delta, B.C., is one of the top pure wrestlers in NXT and has been showcasing that for the last several months. O’Reilly was even mentioned by former WWE Intercontinental Champion, and Montreal native, Sami Zayn as one of the top up-and-coming Canadian wrestlers in a recent conversion with Sportsnet.

Another one of NXT’s top in-ring talents is set for action Wenesday, as well, when NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano takes on Dexter Lumis, who embraces many of the same characteristics as the main character from Showtime’s hit series, Dexter. The match should set a solid standard for viewers who may tuning into NXT for the first time.

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NXT has been setting new standards for in-ring action for several years, with their semi-recurring NXT TakeOver series that air on the WWE Network. The most recent TakeOver event, on Valentine’s Day, featured Balor – considered by many to be in the upper-echelon of pro wrestlers in any company – defending his championship against Pete Dunne in what fans have tabbed a match-of-the-year candidate thus far.

It’s common for match of the year to come from the NXT brand. NXT has a history that stretches as far back as the early part of the previous decade, and while there are dozens upon dozens of incredible moments, here are the top-three moments in the history of NXT as chosen by Sportsnet.

3) DIY vs. The Revival – NXT TakeOver: Toronto (Nov. 19, 2016)

One of the greatest tag team matches in the last decade across the entire world of professional wrestling.

DIY and The Revival went over 20 minutes in a two-out-of-three falls match that left all of Scotiabank Arena in amazement. The match was a clinic in tag team wrestling with the two teams showcasing a brilliant contrast of styles.

The Revival provided a masterclass in old school ground-and-pound, while DIY, comprised of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (who now wrestle as singles stars in NXT), played the role of high-flying, electric babyfaces.

To be in the crowd for this match was to be part of one of the greatest wrestling matches to take place on Canadian soil this century.

2) Bayley vs. Sasha Banks – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (Aug. 22, 2015)

The “Women’s Evolution,” as WWE has branded it, began in NXT.

“The Four Horsewomen” of pro wrestling consists of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bayley. The latter two of those four ushered in a new era of women’s wrestling in 2015 with their classic matchup for the NXT Women’s Championship. The match was critically acclaimed by fans, journalists and wrestlers alike.

Both Banks and Bayley went on to compete in a 30-minute iron-woman match and have now become the faces of women’s wrestling. This set the standard for the highest quality of match at TakeOver events.

1) Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn – NXT TakeOver: R Evolution (Dec. 11, 2014)

For many, this is the feud that started it all in NXT. These two wrestlers kickstarted one of the greatest periods in pro wrestling over the last 10 or so years.

Quebec natives Sami Zayn (Montreal) and Kevin Owens (Marieville) took their real-life friendship and unbelievable chemistry from the independent wrestling circuit and brought it to NXT, where they gave fans some of the best storytelling seen in years.

Owens kicked off the show in his debut match for NXT, squashing CJ Parker (now known as Juice Robinson outside of WWE), while Zayn defeated Adrian Neville (now known as Pac outside of WWE) to capture the NXT Championship. However, the conclusion to the show saw Owens turn on his best friend with several powerbombs. Owens immediately cemented himself as a top heel in NXT and went on to capture the NXT Championship from Zayn two months later.

While this show won’t be remembered as historic for any of its matches, it will always be remembered for launching two of the greatest Canadian wrestling careers within WWE over the last decade.

Owens went on a cataclysmic run as NXT Champion before defeating John Cena in his first match on the main WWE roster and eventually capturing the Universal Championship. Zayn vaulted on the main WWE roster not long after his championship loss and has become a mainstay, capturing the Intercontinental Championship in 2020.

NXT was once known as a proving ground, a launching pad for careers on to both Raw and SmackDown, but no longer. NXT is a destination for wrestlers from around the world. Some of the top talent across of pro wrestling resides in NXT, including NXT Champion Finn Balor, NXT Women’s Champion Io Sharai, Adam Cole, Kushida, Karrion Kross, Kyle O’Reilly, Candice LeRae, Toni Storm and many more.

If you’re a wrestling fan who longs for the days of yesteryear, NXT could be a fantastic reintroduction to pro wrestling thanks to some of its old-school characteristics. However, NXT will also hook you with some of the best pro wrestling on the planet, week in and week out.