Credit: WWE.com
The Prince returned to the NXT stage again on Sunday to defend his world title while Finn Balor battled contender “The Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne in a long-awaited main event.
The initial grappling gave way to each competitor focusing his attention on a specific part of his opponent’s anatomy. Balor focused on the knee and neck, while Dunne aimed at the NXT champion’s chin, fingers and shoulder.
Balor arrested Dunne in an STF in search of submission when the challenger grabbed his fingers and pushed them onto the mat. With his knee still aching from Balor’s focused attack, Dunne stumbled into the ring, but still managed to knock Balor down with a sit-out powerbomb for a close count of two.
Dunne tapped his shoulder and then his fingers before Balor responded by shooting him in the knee. Balor gave a shotgun dropkick and climbed the ropes for a Coup de Grace. Dunne caught the prince coming out of the ropes with a triangular choke.
He undermined Balor’s fight with the grab, but the champion still managed to reach the ropes, forcing the break. Balor indifferent, Dunne tried to put his opponent away with the Bitter End. Balor countered in a 1916 attempt. Dunne delivered more joint manipulation and then used Balor’s own arm to deliver a low blow.
The Bruiserweight delivered a Bitter End, but Balor kicked in two and three quarters. A frustrated Dunne tried a powerbomb, but Balor hit a DDT. The champion removed Dunne’s spokesman, shook him with a low dropkick in the mouth and added the Coup de Grace. 1916 ended it and Balor maintained it.
After the match, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch attacked, leading to a defeat three against one of the champion. It was indisputable that he hit the ring, making the defense. Kyle O’Reilly assured Balor that everything was fine with him, only for Adam Cole to shock the two with superkicks.
The former champion left, apparently disgusted, leaving Roderick Strong wondering what he just witnessed and what it means for the most dominant faction in the company’s history.
Result
Balor defeated Dunne to retain
Grade
A +
Analyze
This was an exercise in internal psychology and storytelling. Each location had a purpose; each counter, reversal, attack and retention meant something. The performers used logic, targeting body parts and working the narrative around them.
It was a physical battle, a punitive war and a reminder of how great a fighter Dunne is at just 27 years old and how extraordinary Balor’s talent is. The excellence that the Prince has demonstrated since returning to NXT, refreshed and better than ever, is proof of his commitment and the importance of a change of scenery in the main cast for talent.
The post-game antics, which included the beginning of the end of Undisputed Era through Cole’s actions, propel his story forward and will force individual members to pledge allegiance. It is exactly what this faction needs and gives Balor even more challengers to his throne.
A great match, even an initial candidate for the match of the year, put an exclamation point in a phenomenal broadcast that all the talent and management involved should be proud of. Hopefully, the brand can take advantage of this momentum because it has a ton of side coming out of Sunday’s show.