In a stunning opening to NXT’s show on USA Network, NXT decided to set the tone for the Wednesday night wars by bringing a former WWE champion back to the brand.
** Spoilers Ahead:
NXT on USA opened the Wednesday night show opposed to AEW with a huge match, having Adam Cole defend his NXT Championship against Matt Riddle. It was a great match but that result wasn’t the big story of the opening, uninterrupted segment. After Cole defeated Riddle to retain, Finn Balor’s music hit and Balor appeared.
The former Universal Champion and NXT Champion who always contended he loved his time in NXT grabbed a mic, stared Cole in the face and said simply,”From this moment on, Finn Balor is N-X-T.”
The crowd went incredibly nuts to see Balor back and even more insane when he announced he was returning to the brand that made him into a star. It was completely unexpected and it set a tone for the rest of the night. The NXT vs AEW war is a real thing and WWE isn’t wasting any time showing how seriously they intend on competing.
Balor Is Back!
There were rumors that Balor's break from WWE might mean a return and him joining up with The O.C. WWE clearly had bigger plans and NXT is the brand who benefits. AEW's Kenny Omega said offered bigger stars and not developmental talent. Take that AEW!
With Balor on the brand and staying put, it looks like NXT is planning on loading the deck. Balor is no developmental talent, he's one of the most popular stars in the wrestling industry.
Who else will join the show? Triple H said during the kickoff panel to the show, NXT intended on kicking people's ass. That can only mean WWE and NXT have more surprises in store?
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