WWE Beast in the East Results: Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor

Results from the WWE Beast in the East live event from Tokyo, as Finn Balor returns to his second home to challenge Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship.

This was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated bouts on the card for WWE Beast in the East, as Kevin Owens defended his NXT Championship against Finn Balor. Balor is a legend in NJPW after nearly a decade of competing for that promotion, and would hope to use this home crowd advantage to capture his first championship in WWE.

Balor’s entrance was unsurprisingly epic, with elements of his body paint paying homage to his years in Japan, and the crowd lap it all up. There is then a ceremonial passing of flowers which often precedes championship matches in Japan, which Owens does not uphold by throwing them out of the ring, which filled with colorful streamers.

The Irishman wastes little time in getting into the fight, dropkicking Owens against the turnbuckle and ascending for the Coup de Grace. The champion escapes to the outside, but that didn’t stop Balor from flying onto him with a crossbody. This was followed up by some fierce aggression from the challenger at ringside, finishing with a dropkick on Owens against the barricade.

However, when the action returns to the ring, Owens is quick to establish control for the first time in the contest, dropping him with a modified Celtic Cross. Owens then takes this opportunity to weaken his challenger with his powerful and brawling offense, arrogantly mocking the crowd in the process.

Balor attempts to fight back, but a springboard into the ring is immediately cut off with a punch to the jaw by Owens, followed swiftly by throwing the Irishman into the steel steps. The champion looks to secure a count out victory on a couple of occasions, only for Balor to make his way back into the ring.

The shift of momentum comes with a hard kick to the face of Owens, which allows Balor to get some separation and trade blows with Owens. Yet, he is again taken off the pedal with the champion’s mocking of the offense of John Cena, but this mockery does not do enough to keep his rival down for long.

Again they trade shots, Owens’ forearm smash responded to immediately with a Pele Kick. Balor rides this momentum, flying over the top rope onto his opponent, and utilizing a number of his arsenal of maneuvers, like double foot stomps and Bloody Sunday, which cannot keep the champion down for the count.

Owens does not stay on the defensive for long, throwing Balor across the ring with a German suplex, immediately linked up with a running cannonball into the corner. His Package Side Slam brings about a near fall, but Balor refuses to surrender.

The Irishman connects with a hard kick to the face from the apron, which leaves Owens prone for the Coup de Grace, but the champion is able to kick out of the cover. This forces Balor to dig down deep, placing Owens on the top turnbuckle, but this only ends with him being flattened by the champ, and barely surviving in the match.

The pair then trade powerful throws in the center of the ring, which add to the ever-growing list of near-falls. Eventually Owens stands over his challenger, screaming that Balor is unable to beat him, before setting him up for the Pop-Up Powerbomb.

However, Balor leaps out of this predicament, and connects with a clothesline that turns Owens inside out. A pair of dropkicks into the corner leave the champion motionless on the mat, and a second Coup de Grace connects, and with that we have a new NXT Champion.

Finn Balor is unsurprisingly emotional as he is handed the coveted belt, with the audience offering a standing ovation to both his accomplishment and the phenomenal match that proceeded it. Recent WWE Hall of Fame inductee Tatsumi Fujinami approaches the ring to celebrate with the new champ, but Owens offers no such respect, refusing a handshake before skulking backstage.

This was a terrific match, and the launch of a new era in NXT. It frees up Kevin Owens, who could easily become United States Champion at Battleground, and establishes Finn Balor as the face of the developmental brand, which is richly deserved for the impact he has had in his short time in WWE.

Next: WWE Beast in the East Live Review

More from Daily DDT

Home/WWE