NXT TakeOver Dallas: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
4. NXT Title: Finn Balor (c) Vs. Samoa Joe
Result: Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch, but Balor manages to use the ropes to leverage it into a pin, reminiscent of Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper from WrestleMania 8 (16:22).
Rating: It says a lot when the main event is the third most-anticipated match on a card and the second-worst after it's all said and done, all the more so when we're talking about Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe.
Before the match even begins, there's Balor's awesome chainsaw entrance and Spider-Man-inspired paint to soak in. After that, it took mere moments for a security guard to get destroyed and Joe to get busted wide open. What's not to like? Well, the medics having to stop the match to seal Joe's wound, resulting in the crowd chanting "PG sucks!" and "F*** PG!"
The match was a rock solid brawl from start to finish, though it was fairly disappointing that Balor retained, as this really felt like the time for Joe to become the top-line guy, and Balor to move up to the WWE (possibly by interfering in Taker vs Shane as the leader of the Balor Club). On the other hand, it was unpredictable, and the bleeding actually contributed significantly to the psychology of the match.
The overall pace was upended a little by the medic, but once the two were left to their own devices, it was magic. And if you listened carefully when Joe locked Balor in the Crossface, some fans tried to start a Benoit chant and were quickly booed down. 8/10