WWE NXT TakeOver The End: 5 Near-Guarantees & 5 Possible Surprises
1. Possible Surprise: Is This Finn Bálor's Final NXT Match?
Had this match been announced mid-April, you could place your bottom dollar on Finn Bálor retaining the NXT Championship in a feud-ending barn burner. Now, whilst not a guarantee, it's extremely difficult to see any result other than a Samoa Joe title defence. What a difference a month and a half makes.
There's not enough evidence to suggest Samoa Joe will win comfortably, but you can almost chalk up the result. However, that's not where the interest lies.
It's safe to believe that 'The End' could solely mean the finale in Bálor and Joe's feud, but it's hard to see the merit of keeping Finn in NXT after TakeOver. He's the longest-reigning NXT Champion and could potentially be going out on the back of an epic seven-month feud - even longer if you count the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic - that has gone from strength to strength. He is as ready for the main roster as any NXT competitor has ever been.
Bálor has all but said his goodbyes at house shows, but the three tolls of the bell at the end of this contest could be followed by an official farewell. We may be on the verge of The End of Finn Bálor's groundbreaking NXT run and the beginning of his life as a bona fide WWE main event star.