After a month and a half long absence, Finn Balor returned to WWE television on the latest episode of NXT. The reaction for Balor as he stood in the middle of the NXT ring showed the love he still has from the NXT fans.
It can be debated that Finn Balor never realized his potential after he was moved to the WWE main roster. Balor accomplished a great deal in his two year run on NXT, which included a run as NXT Champion.
With Balor being on NXT exclusively for the near future, it gives him the potential to face opponents in matches that fans have not seen before.
Here are five feuds for Finn Balor in NXT.
Adam Cole
Adam Cole has taken the NXT Championship to unprecedented levels. With every entrance, Cole has the fans eating out of the palm of his hand. Every night he performs, his reaction is the loudest.
We haven’t even begun to discuss his in-ring wrestling ability either, which is as good as anyone in WWE.
Adam Cole is the best wrestler on the deepest NXT roster of all time. Finn Balor received a hero’s welcome in his return. The two men can produce a series of classic matches.
Balor, like Cole, can thrive in either a hero or antagonist role. A series of matches between Cole and Balor is the right way to bring Balor back to NXT. This story does not require a quick ending. Adam Cole being the leader of The Undisputed Era is pivotal for this feud.
Johnny Gargano
Since his legendary feud with Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano has treaded water in WWE NXT. Gargano flourished as “Mr. NXT” for over two years now thanks to having classics with Tommaso Ciampa, Adam Cole, Aleister Black, and more. A feud with Finn Balor would be the catalyst for both men to be reintroduced to NXT.
In the past, Gargano has dipped his toe in the water of being an antagonist. The feud could be centered on Gargano claiming to be the face of NXT. He can claim he took NXT to levels higher than Finn Balor did. A feud where neither is a clear cut hero or antagonist is a smart way to further both careers.
Balor was never able to maximize his potential on RAW or SmackDown. We may never know if that is a product of the creative team or unknown circumstances. Balor could return to NXT with something to prove against the best wrestler in NXT, Johnny Gargano. Balor would want to showcase his talent, while Gargano wants to prove that he is “Mr. NXT”.
Both men can trade wins and losses until a final winner take all match happens at NXT Takeover on Royal Rumble weekend.
Keith Lee
Keith Lee should be one of the top players on NXT. He has every gift imaginable in the ring.
It is unknown if the “Bask in my Glory, I Am Limitless” is enough to get fans behind the character. His wrestling talent cannot be debated. What has happened is that Lee has not gotten off to a start parallel to his skillset. A feud with Balor could be the catalyst needed for Keith Lee’s career.
NXT has always been different than RAW or SmackDown due to many reasons. One thing that has always made NXT different is the lack of that monster antagonist. WALTER has been the closest to that mold. With WALTER the NXT UK Champion, it appears unlikely that fans will see him stateside on a consistent basis.
This spot is there for Keith Lee to take. Balor had great matches when he would fly around for the bigger wrestler. He sells a beating that adds credibility to the larger wrestler. Keith Lee has shown fans glimpse of what he can do in matches like that with Dominik Dijakovic.
The perfect time for Lee to turn on Balor is a match where Keith Lee and Finn Balor face off against The Undisputed Era for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
This feud should be one of the first NXT on USA storylines to have a beginning, middle, and end on television.
Velveteen Dream
Velveteen Dream has everything you would require in developing a great pro wrestler in WWE. His style borders on arrogance and theatrics. He has toiled in feuds that showcase his talent and charisma. He has yet to break through to that main event level though.
Finn Balor is the guy to get him there.
Dream has developed a unique presence on social media. He would demean the crop of independent wrestlers that join NXT. The spark from that persona should be what sets Balor and Dream’s feud on fire.
Dream can go after the multiple wrestlers from the main roster that he believes have “failed” on RAW and SmackDown. Due to their failure, they need to return to NXT, and NXT can be where the Dream has “never failed”.
The feud should build slowly. This should starts when Dream attacks Breeze and Fandango. He starts to show his distaste for the guys who failed since he would never fail.
Dream has shown traces of that arrogant heel with delusions of grandeur. A feud with Balor will have a major impact in Dream’s rise and eventually departure to the main roster. It gives Balor a shred of vulnerability due to Dream forcing him to address his “failures” on RAW and SmackDown.
Velveeten Dream vs “The Demon” Finn Balor should be the first match on the NXT on USA show of 2020. It should also be the last match of Velveeten Dream on NXT before he debuts on WWE RAW or SmackDown.
Matt Riddle
Sometimes, you can have two strong and charismatic characters, and you don’t need a firm story. You just need to get them in the ring, ring the bell, and get out of the way.
If NXT on USA has one weakness, it has been the lack of storytelling. Their roster is strong enough that every card has fresh matches that tear the house down. They just rarely move a story along.
In order to get this match going, there is no need for a complex storyline. This can be billed as a dream match. Matches of this quality need to have a simple storyline. Two of the best wrestlers in NXT that want to push themselves to see who the better man is.
Riddle has shown the ability to get the crowds behind him with his undeniable charisma. Finn Balor must be put in a marquee feud in his return to NXT. Few superstars in NXT have such equity with fans like Riddle.
Neither man has to go into this contest as a hero or antagonist. They need to show a desire to measure themselves against who they believe is the best in NXT.
If NXT wants to drive viewership, put Finn Balor vs Matt Riddle on as the last match on television. Give both men 30 minutes and turn the camera on. No reason to believe that the two can’t produce magic.