WWE NXT TakeOver: Respect - 7 Major Talking Points
2. Balor & Joe Winning The Tournament Was The Right Decision
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic came to an end at this event, when Finn Balor pinned Rhyno after the Coûp de Grace. It was the culmination of a weeks-long tournament that was done in order to honor the memory and legacy of a major force in NXT, Dusty Rhodes.
The big talking point of the semifinal matches and the finals was Balor’s knee. Early in the first match, Balor got his knee ‘injured’ by one of the Mechanics and sold it like it was bad enough that he and Joe could lose their chance to win the tournament. But despite what looked like considerable pain, Balor and Joe overcame the powerhouse team of Corbin and Rhyno to win the tournament.
Furthermore, Balor, who represented toughness and determination in his matches, and Joe, whose less-than-ideal physique that’s reminiscent of Dusty’s shows that wrestling is about way more than just looks, were the most deserving winners of the entire tournament.
After they won, members of the Rhodes family came to the ring to award Balor and Joe the trophy commemorating the tournament (which, to show respect for Dusty, no one touched until the final match was over). It was a very touching moment that showed just how unbelievably important Dusty Rhodes was to NXT and its wrestlers.
Given how entertaining the whole tournament was, one can only hope that we’ll have another one next year.