Finn Bálor looks to make his past his future and dethrone The Undisputed ERA’s Adam Cole as NXT Champion, until Johnny Gargano makes a shocking return.

Finn Bálor put Johnny Gargano out of action for nearly two months, but Gargano may have found the only higher retributory price for Bálor to pay — a squandered chance to reclaim the NXT Championship.

Adam Cole pinned Bálor — with plenty of thanks due to Gargano — to retain the NXT Title. 

Controlling the early goings at a methodical pace, Bálor grounded Cole with several holds until his opponent caught him with a superkick to the left knee. The Panama City Playboy continued to target that same knee throughout the bout, undercutting Bálor's signature ability to inflict damage through the air. 

NXT's Prince felt the pain of that maneuver when his knee buckled on a missed Coup de Grace attempt. Cole's ensuing Last Shot wasn't enough to keep Bálor down for a three-count, however.

Bálor fought back to connect cleanly on another Coup de Grace, then locked Cole in position for the 1916 DDT to try to put him away.

That's when Gargano strode onto the stage, causing Bálor to freeze in the ring like he had seen a ghost. It allowed Cole to wriggle free and blast him with a second Last Shot, which this time proved decisive.

Gargano — who had competed at nine consecutive TakeOvers before Bálor's shocking, savage attack in October prevented him from participating at WarGames last month — wasn't satisfied with merely costing NXT’s Prince the match. Finding a steel chair at ringside, Gargano blasted Bálor repeatedly until he managed to retreat backstage. 

Thanks to Johnny Wrestling, Cole's NXT Championship reign remains undisputed, while the issue between Bálor and Gargano is anything but.