Finn Bálor’s Intercontinental Title victory was a welcome return to championship status for the dynamic Irishman, who’s labored for almost three years to claim a title since winning and vacating the Universal Championship in the span of a day. His current reign, though only one day old, is certainly looking to be an eventful one: He’s already got a rival and a friend to his name, as well as a victory.
The rival is Bobby Lashley, the musclebound former champion who lost his title under Handicap Rules when Bálor pinned his second, Lio Rush. The friend is Ricochet, the NXT high-flyer who defies description — he’s literally called The One and Only, which should give you an idea — and came to Bálor’s rescue during a sneak attack from Lashley and Rush. The victory came in the following impromptu tag match, which showcased the skills and athleticism of everyone involved; with three speedsters and one powerhouse sharing the ring, it was, to borrow Rush’s phrase from last night, plenty of sizzle with a big side of steak.
Rush and Ricochet provided a lot of the former, while Lashley seemed set on painfully reducing Bálor to a flash in the pan. Rush made the mistake of provoking Bálor instead of closing out, however, allowing the Irishman to rally and tag in his partner, who took the fight to Rush and — once Bálor had dispatched Lashley at ringside — put the match away with his astounding 630 maneuver.