NXT TakeOver: London Review: Results, Analysis and Grades; Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe

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NXT Championship Match
Finn Balor (c) vs. Samoa Joe

Result: Finn Balor defeats Samoa Joe via pinfall.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Joe tried doing a few moves but Finn moved out of the way. Joe got Balor to the ropes and shoved him down. Balor kicked Joe in the chest and hit a dropkick in the ring and another one as Joe was out of the ring. He then lined Joe up on the apron and hit a running kick.

Outside the ring, Balor hit a chop and a dropkick into the steel steps. He placed Joe on the steps and went for a double foot stomp but Joe moved out of the way. Joe would slam Balor down at ringside to take control.

In the ring, Joe hit an elbow to Balor’s head and worked punches in the corner. Balor worked back with chops and elbows before being hit with a hard right hand.

Joe hit a vicious chop and an enziguri in the corner. They started trading elbows in the middle of the ring until Joe hit a shoulder tackle. He then put a chin lock on Balor and took him down for a near-fall.

Joe hit two vicious kicks to the chest and a knee for a near-fall. Joe continued to work Balor with stomps and a big boot to the face.

Joe hit an elbow but Balor traded one back. They began going back and forth until Joe hit a big boot but missed a senton.

Balor came back with an enziguri but Joe chopped him down and dove through the ropes to take Balor down.

Joe hit a few knees to take Balor down. He then hit a powerbomb into a pinfall attempt. After Balor kicked out, he got locked into a cross-face. He then bent Balor’s arm back but he got to the ropes.

Balor would come back with a big DDT. He hit an elbow, a chop and an elbow again. Joe got hit with a few more vicious chops across the ring. Joe worked back with an elbow and went to the second rope until Balor got up and hit a running enziguri. This went Joe to the outside, to which Balor flipped over the ropes to dive on Joe!

Balor hit a double foot stomp on the back for a near-fall.

Balor hit a spinning enziguri and the slingblade. He went for the dropkick but Joe moved out of the way and hit a senton. Joe would go for the Muscle Buster but Balor reversed into a roll-up near-fall. He then hit the Pele Kick to send Joe down.

In the middle of the ring, they began trading elbows and chops. Joe hit an uppercut but Balor missed the Pele Kick. Joe then put on the Coquina Clutch, but Balor got out of it.

Joe would go for the Coquina Clutch again in the middle of the ring but Balor hit a double stomp on the counter!

Balor hit the slingblade and a dropkick. He went dropkicked Joe into the corner again and went to the top rope. Joe moved out of the way, though, and went for the Muscle Buster. Instead he hit an enziguri and met him at the top rope. Balor pushed him off and hit Coup de Grace for the win.

Rob’s Note: That was an absolutely epic match. Joe and Balor pulled out all the stops here and kept the fans at the edge of their seats. They told a terrific story and worked each other well.

Balor’swin cements him as the guy of WWE NXT and will reign for the future. What an impressive showing here.