The following is from our play-by-play coverage of the WWE NXT TakeOver 31 event:
WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly
After a technical start to this one, Balor caught him with a drop kick to the face. Balor worked over the left shoulder. O’Reilly caught him with some knee strikes and kicks. A few minutes passed with Balor beating him down until O’Reilly fought back and hit a bridge suplex for 2. Balor connected with a stiff elbow strike for 2. O’Reilly fired back with a drop kick to the left knee of Balor.
O’Reilly had a bloody mouth. He blocked the 1916 and locked in a knee bar. Balor reversed it and locked in the sharpshooter. Balor caught him with a kick, but O’Reilly fired back with a clothesline. O’Reilly went for a guillotine choke then hit him with a knee strike and hit a suplex for 2. O’Reilly transitions into an armbar.
O’Reilly went back to working over the left leg of Balor then hit a knee drop off the top rope twice. O’Reilly went back to a heel hook, but Balor got to the bottom rope. Balor hit a double foot stomp. O’Reilly caught him with a knee strike in the corner. Balor knocked him down then hit the double foot stomp off the top rope for the win.
Winner: WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor
