NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Results, Analysis and Grades

NXT Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match

Finn Balor (c) vs Kevin Owens

Result: Balor grabs the title to retain the NXT Heavyweight Championship

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

The second ladder match in NXT history starts with Owens talking trash and shoving Balor back. He tries to go get a ladder immediately, but Balor pulls him back into the ring and hits him with a massive dropkick. Owens manages to get back some control and hits a massive senton to the champion.

Finn hits a double foot stomp on Owens, but takes too long to make his next move. Owens gets him into the corner and KO hits a cannonball. The crowd starts chanting Ole for Sami Zayn, and Owens mocks his former best friend’s shoulder injury. Owens gets hit with a slingblade, and then Owens goes out to get the ladder. Balor ends up being the one who grabs the ladder, but Owens catches up and rams the champion with the ladder. He sets up the ladder as a ramp, and when he makes a run at it he just tops and smacks Balor.

Owens tries to whip Balor into the barricade but then both end up fighting into the crowd. Owens goes for a powerbomb, but Balor flips him over the barricade back to ringside. Balor then gets run into the barricade and then tosses the champ over the table. Owens taunts Balor on the table before grabbing a ladder. When Owens turns with the ladder, Balor dropkicks it right back into Owens’ face by leaping off of the ladder.

Balor has the ladder in the ring but it gets pulled out by Owens. Balor then hits a flip suicide dive to Owens on the outside. The champ gets the ladder set up and almost touches the title. Owens manages to stop him before he can reach it. Balor comes back into the ring with a ladder, doubling the number in the ring.

Balor tries to set up Owens for a dropkick into the ladder, but Owens knew it was coming and clotheslined Balor into next week. Owens slams Balor down on a ladder and then comes down on the champ with a senton onto the ladder. Owens goes for a powerbomb onto the ladder, but it’s reversed and he goes back first onto the metal.

Balor goes for the title but is stopped and whpped into the other ladder by Owens. KO goes for a cannonball into Balor, but the champ moves and Owens instead cannonballs into a ladder. Balor hits his corner drop kick and then connects with the Coup De Grace off the top turnbuckle. Balor begins to climb the ladder amd gets his hand on the title. Owens gets up and pulls Balor off the ladder and destroys him with a powerbomb.

Owens gets to the top of the ladder, but the ladder gets toppled by Balor and Owens gets sent to the outside. KO goes for an apron powerbomb but is reversed at first. Balor then attempts a Coup De Grace on the outside, misses, and gets hit with an apron powerbomb! Both men down and out on the outside.

Owens gets close to the title but Balor breaks it up. Owens hits a superkick and yells at Finn to stay down. He connects with another superkick and then sets up a bridge with a ladder between the ladder and turnbuckle. He drags Balor up the ladder that is set up and tries to suplex the champ onto the bridge. Balor knocks Owens down onto the bridge. Balor’s ladder is off centre so he can’t reach Owens so instead he hit the Coup De Grace off the top of the ladder! Balor then has the ladder set up properly and manages to get it for the victory. Finn Balor retains the NXT Heavyweight Championship!

Evan’s Note: A well contested match between these two that made the most of the ladder stipulation. The Coup De Grace off the top of the ladder was a cool spot, and Owens was his regular great heel self. While not as strong as the Women’s title match, it was a great cap to a wonderful TakeOver event.

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