5 Ups And 2 Downs From WWE NXT (Sep 8)

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5. The Finnish Line

After making us wait 60 entire minutes just for rug-pull that S U P R I S E I D I O T S this was actually just a semi-final, NXT was determined to drag this Championship match out as long as humanly (if not humanely) possible. Our first 5 minutes was Balor and Cole exchanging holds, before it really kicked into gear with 4 further minutes of adverts.

Don't worry though, because after those incredibly important words from our sponsors, we came back to a chin lock. The clock was at 12 minutes before we even saw a back bump.

Now don't get me wrong, two incredible performers gradually feeling each other out as the crowd settles in for the long haul - deliberately bringing down the energy in the room before gradually building it to a breakneck crescendo - is a time-honoured main event structure in this industry. But that's for matches at the end of the night, where there have been months of story and weeks of build. Not this.

However, when this eventually did get going, it was spectacular. NXT's rapidly disintegrating booking nous was forgotten about thanks to the world-class level of the in-ring work, and that's very much the brand's identity at present.

With a frenetic finish, Balor picked up the win and the vacant championship. Where he goes with it I'm not really sure, but in the here and now he was easily the best choice.