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Finn Balor will defend his NXT Championship against Adam Cole next week after The Prince challenged the former champion on Wednesday night. The Panama City Playboy turned at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day by attacking Bálor out after his grueling battle with Pete Dunne. Cole eventually attacked his Undisputed Era stablemate, Kyle O'Reilly, too.
On the following week's episode of NXT, Cole again attacked The Prince and made his intentions of winning the NXT Championship clear. Bálor doesn't want to wait, so this match is set for next week's show. It's surprising to see such a major match being given away on TV, though fans can expect a memorable outing from two of the very best on the black-and-gold brand.
Fans of both Superstars are already making predictions about this match. While some claim Cole needs to win the title to preserve his new momentum, others expect Bálor to retain due to his stellar title reign so far.
Here's a look at five potential outcomes for the NXT Championship match on next week's episode. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
#5 Finn Bálor cleanly defeats Adam Cole to retain his NXT Championship
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Finn Bálor's current reign as the NXT Champion has featured some of his best work. From his matches to his ring presence and his character work, The Prince has been thriving in recent months. Since he won the NXT Championship for the second time in his career last September, Bàlor has wrestled some of the best WWE matches in recent memory.
His brutal, stiff encounters with Kyle O'Reilly didn't just show the world what he can achieve if he's given creative freedom. These bouts also elevated O'Reilly to the main event level.
His title defense against Pete Dunne at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day was also widely appreciated across the board by wrestling fans and critics alike. For this reason, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bàlor defeat The Panama City Playboy cleanly in the middle of the ring after yet another highly-physical contest.
Defeating Cole would cement The Prince's status as one of the best NXT Champions of all time, and it could make his eventual loss to another contender even more impactful.
#4 Adam Cole decisively defeats Finn Bálor to win the NXT Championship
Former NXT Champion Adam Cole is arguably the most important Superstar in the history of the black-and-gold brand. His first reign with the NXT Championship was a record-setting 403 days long. The Panama City Playboy consistently had great matches as the NXT Champion, and his chemistry with his Undisputed Era stablemates were highly entertaining, too.
Now that the legendary stable has broken up, Cole needs the NXT Championship more than ever in order to stay on top of the card. Also, considering how long his previous reign with the title was, NXT management clearly believes that Cole is one of their best assets.
As a result, The Panama City Playboy winning the NXT Championship cleanly in the middle of the ring is a possibility. His win would ensure that other babyfaces on the brand can step up and have terrific matches with Cole. These bouts would have a traditional heel-face dynamic, something that NXT has been missing lately.
Unlike Bálor's tweener character, Cole is a full-fledged heel, and it's often fun to see villains reign on top. Cole's previous run as the champion is a fitting example of a successful heel champion, so NXT could look to repeat history by giving him the title again.
#3 Pete Dunne interferes and ends the NXT Championship match with a non-finish
Despite Adam Cole getting a shot at NXT Championship next week, Pete Dunne is still in line for a championship match against Finn Bálor. While the Bruiserweight lost at Vengeance Day in an acclaimed bout, he pinned the champion on the following week's NXT in a six-man tag team match.
As a result, Dunne can legitimately claim a shot at the title, even though Cole has already been given an opprortunity. The former NXT UK Champion and NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch could interfere in the match and end it with a non-finish to anger both the champion and the challenger.
In some ways, it wouldn't only make logical sense for Dunne to interfere, but it would also leave NXT's main event scene wide open. This progression would present multiple storytelling possibilities.
With Cole, Balor, Dunne, and Kyle O'Reilly hovering around the top of the card, this finish would allow the company to book multiple matches between these Superstars with championship stakes on the line.
#2 Karrion Kross costs Finn Bálor the NXT Championship during next week's match
One of the biggest dream matches in NXT that hasn't happened yet is a clash between Karrion Kross and Finn Balor. Since his return to NXT in 2019, Balor has conspicuously avoided using his Demon King moniker. Though many fans love his current role as an in-ring wizard, others hope to see him revisit his mysterious persona avatar at least once during his current NXT run.
A match with Kross could be the perfect reason to bring back the Demon King. The Herald of Doomsday is quite possibly the best character on the whole black-and-gold brand. A feud between these two stars could be unlike any other story on NXT, and the two men wouldn't even need the title to sell it.
To make this match a reality, Kross could interfere during next week's NXT Championship match and cost The Prince his title.
From there, an irate Bálor could delve deep into his conscience and bring out his sinister alter ego to deal with Kross. This buzzworthy match has written WrestleMania 37 all over it, so WWE could opt to set it up next week.
#1 Kyle O'Reilly gets revenge against Adam Cole by costing him the NXT Championship
Though he's currently out with a kayfabe injury, interfering in next week's NXT Championship match might be the best way to bring Kyle O'Reilly back to TV. Just when Cole is about to score the victory, O'Reilly could make his presence known by distracting his former friend in the process. With his sights set on O'Reilly, Cole would be vulnerable to a decisive flurry of offense from the champion.
Cole and O'Reilly have wrestled countless times throughout their careers, particularly in Ring of Honor. But seeing the two stars collide in NXT would provide a different kind of excitement to fans of both competitors. Stories between former friends and stablemates engaged in a heated feud often result in emotional battles.
Though it would be hard for the two to surpass what Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa achieved in 2018, Cole and O'Reilly can come pretty close if they are granted the creative license to do so.
Out of all the possible outcomes for next week's match, this one seems like the most realistic path because it makes narrative sense. It would give the feud between Cole and O'Reilly a new layer, and it would allow the champion to branch off into a story of his own.
How do you hope to see this NXT Championship Match end? Sound off in the comments below.
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