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NXT Championship Match: Pete Dunne vs. Finn Balor (c)
The NXT Championship match that we've all been waiting for finally arrived. Once Pete Dunne returned to NXT, fans knew that we were heading toward this encounter.
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Balor held Dunne down to the mat, managing to out wrestle the Bruiserweight for the moment. Dunne managed to get back to his feet, and nearly snapped the fingers of The Prince of NXT.
There was quite a long feeling out process before Dunne went for Balor's injured jaw. A few shoulder shots took Balor down to the mat, and the NXT Champion's hand was taken in by Dunne. Balor was again caught in some of Dunne's classic joint manipulation, but was able to slip out for a moment.
Balor blocked an armbar, but Dunne hit a nasty armbreaker, nearly snapping Balor's shoulder out of socket. Dunne kept his arm there, bending his hand and fingers further back. Balor managed to break away again, but the damage was clearly done.
Dunne went after the fingers once again. Balor not only escaped, but this time trapped Dunne in a hold. A modified heel hook left Dunne screaming in agony. To break the hold, he went back to the fingers, but he paid for it with a kick to the jaw.
Balor's single-leg Boston Crab failed, so he went to another heel hold, battering Pete Dunne in the jaw with some elbows all the while. Dunne broke away but couldn't get far. His leg hanging on the bottom rope, Balor stomped right through the back of the knee.
Stomps to the head and the back of the neck left Dunne in a heap of trouble, and Balor followed up with an STF. Of course, with his fingers in front of the challenger, Dunne took advantage and smashed them into the mat.
Dunne's knee gave out, and Balor smelled blood in the water. However, Dunne countered Balor with an armdrag, hitting a headbutt afterward and following up that combination with a sit-out powerbomb. Balor kicked out at two. The leaping stomp to Balor's elbow connected as well, and it seemed that his arm was completely broken to pieces.
Balor's fingers were stomped, but he avoided the roundhouse follow up. The swinging elbow drop and shotgun dropkick connected, leaving Dunne in the perfect spot for the Coup De Grace. Dunne managed to counter, trapping Balor in the Triangle Choke. Balor, after what seemed like minutes, made it to the ropes. However, he was out like a light.
Dunne told the official to check him, but the referee wouldn't call for the bell. Dunne picked him up for the Bitter End, only for the ref to then separate them. Balor said he could continue, and countered the Bitter End. Dunne blocked the 1916 attempt, bringing both men to the mat. Dunne escaped another submission hold and snapped the hand and fingers of the NXT Champion.
With that, Dunne looked again for the Bitter End. Balor swung for the fences, rocking Dunne with rights. With a low blow, Dunne planted Balor, finally, with the Bitter End. Still, The Prince of NXT kicked out.
More stomps to Balor's fingers and a roundhouse set up for another powerbomb. Balor countered, spiking Dunne with a DDT. They traded kicks, again with Dunne getting the best of the champ.
Balor countered a Bitter End with the reverse suplex, getting a close two-count. Dunne held the fingers of Balor, though, and snapped Balor's hand once again. Still, Balor had a better response, hitting a double stomp to Dunne's back.
Balor ripped the mouth piece out of Dunne's mouth, then rocked him with a dropkick to the jaw. The Coup De Grace connected, and he picked up Dunne for the 1916.
In arguably his most difficult defense yet, Finn Balor walked out with the NXT Championship yet again.
Results: Finn Balor defeated Pete Dunne via pinfall at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day.
Grade: A+
After the match, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch attacked Finn Balor. They sent him into the ring, leading to a three-on-one beat down. However, they cleared the ring as soon as Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong stormed the ring. Once again, The Undisputed Era saved the NXT Champion.
This time around, Balor accepted the help, shaking the hand of Kyle O'Reilly. As all four men posed, Cole rocked Balor with a superkick. O'Reilly and Strong protested it, leading to Cole dropping O'Reilly with one as well.
The Undisputed Era is no more. Roderick Strong was stunned, and didn't leave with the former NXT Champion.
