We are back with a Finn Balor video package. He says that Seth has some misconceptions about him. What you call disrespect is honesty. What you call arrogance, he calls confidence. What you call ignorance, he calls fire. Do you know about the legends and myths? Do you know about Finn MacCool? He threw a piece of Ireland into the ocean and made the Isle of Mann.

 

Do you know about the monsters? What about the King of the Demons? When his evil eye opens, the world ends. The grass burns, the sea boils and then the land catches on fire. When a warrior enters a great battle, he can tap into the power of these creatures and become greater than himself.

 

He says he know that Seth has his demons, but you have never seen a demon like this. You will see the Demon at SummerSlam.

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We are back and Michael Cole is in the ring and he talks about the week that his guest had. He brings out Finn Balor.

 

Michael mentions Finn being a first round draft pick and he says Finn proved it was not a fluke. Finn agrees that it has been a wild couple of weeks. He says he knew that he had to come to Raw and make an impact. He knew that coming here meant a lot of things.

 

Seth Rollins’ music plays and he makes his way to the ring.

 

Rollins introduces Finn. He says Finn is a former NXT Champion. He wasn’t the first one because that was Seth Rollins. He says Finn was picked in the first round, but he wasn’t the first overall pick.

 

Last week, Finn shocked the world when he pinned Roman Reigns. Seth says that was admirable and he had a career threatening injury and came back on his first night back and beat Roman Reigns for the WWE Title. He calls Finn a cheap remake of Seth Rollins.

 

Finn says some of the things you say are true. You were the first to do some of those things. Finn says he will beat Seth at SummerSlam and become the first WWE Universal Champion.

 

Seth says that Finn is funny, but he is not a comedian. That is like expecting the Braves to win the World Series. He tells Finn he has beaten a lot of people and NXT would not be where it is today without Finn Balor. Seth tells Finn this is his show and this is his ring. He tells Finn that he is the man.

 

Balor says that he has been watching Seth for a while and he thought Seth’s laugh was bad, but hearing it live is annoying. He says that everywhere he has been, someone said they were the man. Finn says he beat that person to be the man.

 

Seth says you have never faced anyone like him. He is stronger, faster, and the most resiliant in the industry. If you want an idea, get on the WWE Network and watch his sweet special. Maybe he can watch when Seth faces Sami Zayn and makes an example of him.

 

Finn says there is one thing that is different about them. Finn says he earned his title match while Seth had it handed to him.

 

Seth says he has never had anything handed to him. He will be handed the WWE Universal Title when he beats Finn.

 

Finn says the only thing that Seth will have handed to him is his ass.

 

Seth tries to punch Finn but Finn blocks it and Finn with a Pele Kick and Seth goes to the floor.

 

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Foley says tonight’s episode of RAW will feature two Fatal Four-Way matches. The winners of those two matches will face each other in the main event of RAW. The winner of that main event match will go on to face Seth Rollins at SummerSlam for the brand new championship title. Foley says the championship title is named for everyone in the WWE Universe. They have decided to call it the WWE Universal Championship. Foley says they’re going to begin with Sami Zayn. The crowd gives him a good hand.

 

Sheamus will also take part in the qualifying matches, as will Chris Jericho. Cesaro will be in it along with Roman Reigns, who gets heavily booed. The United States Champion Rusev will participate. Kevin Owens will be in it as well. The eighth slot goes to their draft pick from NXT, Finn Bálor. Bálor steps out to the center to a great ovation from the crowd. Today is Finn Bálor’s 35th birthday.

Cesaro vs. Rusev vs. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Bálor

The bell rings, and Bálor immediately goes after Owens while Cesaro squares off against Rusev. Owens clubs Bálor back, but Bálor starts punching away at him in the corner. Cesaro floors Rusev with a running uppercut that takes him out of the ring. Owens chops Bálor’s chest and applies a side headlock. Rusev punches away at Cesaro at ringside. In the ring, Bálor whips Owens off, but Owens shoulder blocks him down. Owens hits the ropes, but Bálor leapfrogs him and takes him down with a dropkick. Cesaro sends Rusev hard into the barricade and wipes him out with a summersault senton off the apron.

 

We come back from the break to see Owens and Rusev stomping Bálor. During the commercial break, Cesaro and Bálor gave Owens and Rusev a double suplex. Owens chokes Bálor in the corner while Rusev punches Cesaro on the apron. Owens taunts the crowd, but Bálor begins to fight back. Bálor hits the ropes, but Owens back elbows him down. Rusev then walks up and gives Bálor a suplex. Owens claps for Rusev before connecting with a suplex of his own on Bálor. Rusev grabs Bálor and gives him a German Suplex before getting in Owens’ face. Owens grabs Bálor and goes for a German Suplex, but Bálor fights back. Owens quickly clubs him in the back of the head before bowing for the crowd. Owens picks up a near fall. On the apron, Cesaro starts punching away at Rusev. Owens quickly comes in and makes the save by punching him. Rusev throws Bálor out of the ring and turns back to Cesaro. Owens and Rusev then suplex Cesaro into the ring. Rusev covers Cesaro, but Owens breaks it up and yells at him. Owens tries to talk strategy. Owens catches Cesaro with a senton splash and tells Rusev to “do that flip.” Rusev gives Cesaro a summersault senton splash.

 

Bálor gets in the ring and starts punching away at Owens and Rusev. Bálor hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline, and goes for a running cross-body block, but Owens catches him and gives him reverse powerslam. Rusev breaks up the pin and gives Owens a back suplex. Rusev goes to the second rope for a diving head-butt, but Owens rolls out of the way. Owens and Rusev punch away at each other before Cesaro takes them both out with a cross-body block. Cesaro gets to his feet and starts the uppercut train on Rusev and Owens before giving one to Bálor to be fair. Cesaro showcases his amazing cardio before going for the Cesaro Swing on Owens, but Rusev puts a stop to it. Rusev sends him into the ropes, but Cesaro hangs on and boots him in the face. Cesaro then gives Rusev a hip toss over the top rope and goes over with him. Bálor teases a plancha, but Owens stops it. Bálor gives him a back body drop before giving him a low dropkick to the face. Owens rolls out of the ring to recover. Bálor then takes out his three opponents with a summersault plancha!

 

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Finn Bálor vs Shinsuke Nakamura

 

Finn Balor makes his entrance to a big pop. Balor is not coming in as “the demon” tonight, but in his normal leather jacket and all black gear. Balor still has one of the better entrances in recent memory in NXT or WWE. Speaking of pops and great entrances, out comes Shinsuke Nakamura. As Balor reveals a smile at Nakamura’s popularity, we head to break before the bell rings. This show has done a fantastic job of making this feel like a huge match.

 

A “this is awesome” chant breaks out as we return. The lights lower and we get full blown ring announcements for both competitors.

 

Balor and Nakamura trade lockups as they feel each other out early. Nakamura rests his head on Balor. Finn doesn’t take it lightly and does “too sweet” right in Shinsuke’s face. Lots of stiff kicks and strikes from both men as the pace remains methodical to this point. We head to break.

 

We return to a quick two count cover. Finn Balor takes out the left knee of Nakamura. Balor continues to work the knee with a submission. Nakamura fights out but eats a front drop kick from Balor for a two count. Big chops from Balor to Nakamura in each corner of the ring. Another big blow to the knee and goes into a modified surfboard. Balor uses the double stomp for a two count. Finn stays in control with a heel hook but Shinsuke makes it to the ropes. They trade strikes but Nakamura uses the injured knee for a reverse strike that takes down both wrestlers. Nakamura strikes Balor repeatedly with the injured left knee and takes down Balor. Nakamura delivers the patented knee lift to Balor for a two. Balor hits a shot that sends Nakamura to the outside. Balor sends a swift kick to Nakamura’s face as we head to break.

 

We return with Balor delivering a double stomp for a two count. Balor applies another submission to Nakamura’s left leg but reverses. Nakamura sneaks into an arm bar and then a triangle choke! Balor gets his leg to the rope to break the hold. Nakamura gets in a flurry of strikes to weaken Balor. Balor recovers and does a reverse version of his “1916” for a 2! Nakamura regains control and lines up the “kinshasa” but Balor counters with a double stomp. The crowd begins chanting “fight forever,” and well they should. They trade extremely stiff shots in the center of the ring and Balor hits a slingblade! Balor kicks Nakamura do the corner to set up the “Coup De Grace,” but misses. Nakamura delivers a big knee from the second rope. Nakamura lines up Balor and hits “Kinshasa”! One, two, and three! Nakamura defeats Finn Balor in the battle of NXT icons.

 

Winner via Pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura (Kinshasa)

 

Both men show each other respect after the match. You can feel a passing of the torch if Nakamura remains in NXT after the brand extension. Nakamura celebrates in the ring as we go off the air.

 

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Main Event: Finn Balor & Shinsuke Nakamura vs Samoa Joe and Austin Aries. Pinfall win for Balor on Austin Aries after a Kinshasa/Coup De Grace double from the face team. Epic match to finish the show.

After the main event, Finn cut a nice promo about everything NXT have done in the last two weeks and how it is all worth it when they see and hear the reactions they get from the fans. They finished with a double Shinsuke rope-hang pose to send the crowd home smiling.

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