Ranking Every Demon Finn Bálor Match In WWE And NXT
5. Vs. Kevin Owens (Beast In The East 2015)
Finn Bálor first failed to knock off Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship in March 2015, but it was a different story when they waged war again at Beast In The East later that summer.
In addition to the event emanating from Japan (where Bálor honed his craft for many years), he walked into this match as The Demon. That changed the complexion of the contest completely, because with Owens not knowing what to expect from the international sensation, Bálor had the clear advantage.
Plus, the commentary (shockingly enough) was top-notch here from Michael Cole and Byron Saxton. They didn't sound as scripted or as overproduced as they normally do and were actually allowed to list off Bálor's New Japan Pro Wrestling achievements. Thanks to them, this championship clash felt like a major happening.
Of course, the excellent in-ring work from Bálor and Owens was another important factor in the overall success of the bout. Throw in a hot crowd and it just seemed like the right time for Bálor to take the title.
Sure enough, he hit the Coup de Grace not once but twice on Owens to clinch the championship and embark on a record-setting 292-day title reign.