NXT Championship Rematch (& More) Set For New Year's Evil

Kyle O'Reilly will challenge NXT Champion Finn Balor on 6 January.

by Andy H Murray
Finn Balor Kyle O'Reilly
WWE

Kyle O'Reilly will challenge NXT Champion Finn Balor at the upcoming New Year's Evil event on 6 January.

This was announced on last night's show. O'Reilly defeated rival Pete Dunne in a fantastic, hard-hitting match, as one might expect from these two, putting 'The Bruiserweight' away with a Tornado DDT to the floor followed by a flying knee drop. A continuation of the long-running Undisputed Era vs. Kings of WWE NXT storyline, the bout saw the duo get down to uninterrupted business following a massive tag team brawl at the beginning.

O'Reilly and Dunne were part of a big in-ring segment with Balor last week, though Finn wasn't present on yesterday's show. This will be the second NXT Championship between 'The Prince' and KOR in recent months, as Balor defeated Kyle at TakeOver: 31, prospering in a bruising match that left both men injured. Finn hasn't actually wrestled since then.

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Also set for New Year's Evil is a big singles match between Karrion Kross and Damian Priest, whom Kross put through a table after returning on last week's NXT. Kross smashed jobber Desmond Troy in a quick squash last night.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.