My Favorite Network Matches of 2015

I'm not going to lie and say I've been the most faithful WWE viewer this year, but I've certainly spent more hours enjoying The Network than a 31 year old man should admit. Since subscribing in the spring of 2014, I've chronicled my journey through the highs and lows of some of WWE and WCW's history on this very blog, while also reviewing the current product. Here's a list of my favorite matches from the Network this year...

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
* Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose (Payback 2015) - Considerably better than it could've been. Proof that there's still money in the Shield concept.

* Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte vs. Bayley (NXT Rrival) - An awesome, genre-defining "coming out party" for the NXT's women's division.

* Goldust vs. Stardust (FastLane 2015) - Hated by most, beloved by me. This is what a match between two siblings, one reluctant and the other unhinged, should be. Extra consideration for the backstage segments/production work around the match.

10. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (NXT Arrival) - A flawless mix of an actual wrestling match with an old school wrestling angle. Reminiscent of top shelf (and ultra violent) NWA storytelling. 

9. PrimeTime Players vs. Los Matadores vs. Lucha Dragons vs. New Day vs. Kidd and Cesaro vs. The Ascension (Elimination Chamber 2015) - Many will point to the New Day/Lucha Dragons/Usos match from December's TLC show as the best tag opener of the year, but I'm going to stick up for this underappreciated and thoroughly entertaining hidden gem. A spotlight match for everyone involved - which is no small feat when you consider there were 12 guys involved.  

8. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor (NXT Takeover Brooklyn) - In a year featuring no less than a half-dozen matches incorporating ladders, Owens and Balor delivered the year's best spot fest. 

7. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch (NXT Unstoppable) - In a year of stellar performances by Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, and Finn Balor (not to mention Brock Lesnar and John Cena), this is the match that started the argument that Sasha Banks was 2015's most consistently awesome performer and the best heel in the entire WWE. 

6. Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns (TLC 2015) - Despite huge bouts against Brock Lesnar, Daniel Bryan, and Bray Wyatt this year (not to mention winning the Royal Rumble), this was the character-defining match that Roman Reigns needed in 2015.

5. Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (FastLane 2015) - Sadly, this one may go down as Daniel Bryan's last great match in the WWE. The fact that he went out putting over the next big star when his own run in that position was cut short only adds more gravitas to rewatches. 

4. The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell 2015) - An incredibly violent contest that probably pissed off Vince McMahon, but successfully gave the rest of the world a brief trip back to the Ruthess Aggression era.

3. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (WrestleMania XXXI) - Many will have this as their Match of the Year, but I was slightly less enthused. Simillarities to the unforgettable Cena/Lesnar match from SummerSlam 2014 and a finish that denied fans a real victor keep this one a notch below the greatness of my top 2 picks.

2. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble 2015) - On his show, which has become the quintessential wrestling podcast, Steve Austin called this "the best triple threat match [he's] ever seen." While there may be some hyperbole in that statement, last January, few weren't arguing the opposing side. 

1. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (NXT Takeover Brooklyn) - This match may not be flawless, but it packs an emotional wallop that no other bout this year came close to matching. Impeccable production, unbelievable atmosphere, remarkable characters competing in a match of consequence, and the added bonus of this match symbolizing the landscape-altering work of the young women in the WWE's developmental system - this wasn't just the best match of 2015, it was the most historically significant.