TLC 2018: Drew McIntyre vs Finn Balor, winners, video highlights, and analysis
Finn Balor has been facing down Baron Corbin's posse for the better part of three months now. Corbin, Bobby Lashley, and Drew McIntyre have all been a thorn in the side of the leader of Balor Club, continuing to beat him down any chance they got.
Tonight, Finn Balor had a chance to get some much-needed redemption. The first-ever Universal Champion faced the Scottish Psychopath at WWE TLC 2018 and hoped to put an end to his rampage over the Raw roster.
McIntyre dwarfed Balor, and as many would assume, quickly overpowered him early in the match. The former Chosen One shrugged off shots from Balor, continuously sending him to the mat with vicious clotheslines and fists.
McIntyre slung Balor into the turnbuckle, but Balor came back at him with a dropkick to the knees. McIntyre forced him back into the corner, but clearly, the damage to his leg was done. McIntyre's ego allowed Balor to get back into the match, continuing to break down McIntyre's leg.
McIntyre stopped Balor from going for the Coup de Grace and sent him across the ring with a belly to belly suplex. Balor kept chipping away at McIntyre's legs, but the Scottish Psychopath slung him across the ring again. Balor fought back again with some kicks to the outer thigh, only for McIntyre to power through it and drive him down with a suplex.
McIntyre locked Balor down with a mounted arm-wrench. Balor eventually broke out and connected with two flying forearms. Eventually, he took McIntyre down and connected with the double stomp.
Balor continued to build momentum and drove McIntyre back down with a satellite DDT. Sent to the outside, McIntyre couldn't catch his breath as Balor went over the ropes, taking the fight to his opponent. McIntyre tried to catch Balor as they rolled back inside, but Balor brought him down with the Slingblade.
A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker bought McIntyre some time to breathe and almost put Balor away. McIntyre told Balor that he and Ziggler mean absolutely nothing to him, then went for the reverse Alabama Slam. Balor rolled into a pinfall, but McIntyre kicked out. Balor dropped him with a kick to the face and went for the Coup de Grace again, and was again interrupted by McIntyre.
The Sinister Scotsman went up top, then drove Balor down with the Celtic Cross from the middle rope. Balor broke out and rolled to the outside.
McIntyre chased him, and Balor caught him inside the ring apron, beating him down. He went for a running kick but was caught by McIntyre, who drove him face first into the apron. A Glasgow Kiss Headbutt seemingly knocked out Balor.
As the referee checked on Balor when McIntyre rolled him back in, Ziggler came out of nowhere to hit him with the Superkick. Ziggler picked up a steel chair, only to have it kicked into his face by McIntyre.
McIntyre sent Ziggler inside and picked up the chair. However, distracted, Balor caught him with the shotgun dropkick, then connected with the Coup de Grace, finally, for the win.
Results: Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre via pinfall.
Drew McIntyre's only two losses on the main roster have now come from both Dolph Ziggler and Finn Balor, the men he claimed didn't matter to him. The Scottish Psychopath seethed in the middle of the ring as Ziggler laughed on the outside and Balor backed up the ramp victorious.
With a win over one of Monday Night Raw's top guys, Balor has to be in line for some big opportunity coming soon.