Finn Bálor def. Elias Samson
After weeks of circling and baiting Finn Bálor, Elias Samson finally got his one-on-one crack at the Irish high-flyer. And while the match ended on a sour note for the guitar-slinging scoundrel, Samson did get to play a solid tune on the first-ever Universal Champion.
Bálor opened strong but had to fight from underneath after Samson shifted into second gear to put him on his heels. Samson’s reversal of Bálor’s running punt and a concentrated attack on his opponent’s surgically-repaired shoulder took away Finn's striking abilities ... so the Irishman went and switched to his feet.
Bálor blasted Samson into the turnbuckles with a running dropkick and closed the book with a Coup de Grâce, a rally that was enough to earn him a show of respect from The Hardy Boyz on the ramp.
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