Karrion Kross Retains NXT World Championship Against Finn Balor
Photo Credit: WWE
Karrion Kross keeps the NXT stat sheet even between he and Finn Balor as he retained his World Title against the star in the main event of this week’s episode.
Kross and Balor went back and forth in their second encounter as both men beat each other to a pulp in order to secure the belt that defines the black and gold brand. Kross really had hold of the offense as he at times flung Finn around the ring, but Balor showed resiliency, reversing the bigger man’s attempts at winning. The announcers note that Scarlett is pacing at ringside. Kross channels some of the late Davey Boy Smith with some running collisions in the corner before nailing a powerslam. Karrion had Finn nearly dead to rights with his straight jacket guillotine, bu thanks to his veteran savvy, Balor battled his way to the ropes. This only seemed to infuriate Kross as he continued to cross check Balor across the boards of the Capitol Wrestling Center.
The champion later bombs Balor on top of the commentator’s table and sends the challenger back in the ring. Finn finds his second wind and downs Kross for the Coupe de Grace, but Kross played possum and methodically dismantled Finn, complete with a Saito suplex.
Balor does fight back, but Kross continues his brutality as well. Balor locks in his own version of a straight jacket sleeper on Karrion, but soon transitions it into a traingle sleeper. The ref goes to hold up Karrion’s arm for a KO check, but Kross powers up to powerbomb Finn. He follows that up with a lariat to the front and back of Balor. The finish came when Karrion cinches in a sleeper on Balor for the KO finish and the title retain.
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