What happens when you put four of the best wrestlers in NXT history in the ring, and give them sixty minutes to see who is the best under ironman rules? You will get a wrestling classic. Everything has already been said about this one, and Johnny Gargano put it best. “Amongst the toxicity of the this or that & “everything is bad” narrative, I can safely tell you this from my heart.. I still love pro wrestling! Do me a favor tonight.. put that negativity away & just enjoy 4 of the Best In The World giving you their all for a legit 60 minutes.”
Adam Cole, Finn Balor, Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa are all one time NXT Champions, but at the end of this hour, that will change. Who will be left standing when the dust settles? Which of these four men would be NXT’s Ironman?
Tommaso Ciampa Starts Off Strong
Big match feel doesn’t even begin to sum this match up, with an incredible energy from the start. There is just so much talent in this match, truly the Mount Rushmore of NXT. The bell would ring, and they wouldn’t rush getting into this one.
Gargano would flee the ring as Ciampa became unglued, beating down both Cole & Balor. Balor would come back and take it to Ciampa, and Gargano would slip in behind only to be taken out with a running knee. Balor would take a running knee through the barricade, Gargano would take one as well, and Cole would be beat down too.
Ciampa would look to do what he did to Jake Atlas to Adam Cole, slingshot him into the bottom of the ring. Balor would save Cole, and prevent this from becoming a triple threat match. He’d end up being beat down by Ciampa in the ring, who has ruled the opening few minutes of this match.
Adam Cole Shows Signs Of Life
Finally Ciampa would be dropped with a back elbow, and we’d see Cole vs. Balor took the focus in the ring. Balor would be in control, and he’d prevent Gargano from getting into the ring. Cole would get kicked in the face, but Gargano slipped in from behind to attack both Cole & Gargano. He’d choke Balor with the boot and say he didn’t forget their match in Portland.
Gargano hit a neckbreaker, prevented Ciampa from getting in the ring and yelled for him to ‘Get out of my life’, before turning his attention to Cole. The arm of Cole would become a target, being snapped and struck, before he’d be tied up in the middle of the ring with a submission. Cole would finally gain some ground in this match with a big neckbreaker, but the arm is giving him trouble.
Balor would be the target of Cole, and get a near fall. He’d run into the boots of Balor, who’d come back with a double stomp to the chest. Ciampa came into the ring only to be fit with the GTR for a near fall as we would go into a commercial break.
Near Falls But No Points On The Scoreboard
About fifteen minutes in, and still no falls, but Gargano might have chipped a tooth. Cole knows a good dentist, but he’d be getting pummeled in the corner before breaking out. Gargano would be hit with a pump kick and a big neckbreaker for a near fall. Cole would set up Panama Sunrise, but Gargano would dodge. Balor was right there to try to hit Bloody Sunday, but Gargano would save cole.
A flurry of strikes would follow, and everyone was downed and catching their breath. Ciampa took a kick to the knee, and Cole would again fail to hit Panama Sunrise. Balor looked for a superplex, but Ciampa would take him down with a powerbomb.
Gargano would crotch Ciampa on the ringpost and try to pin both Cole & Balor, getting two on both. It’s unclear what it will take for someone to get a fall here. Balor would be signalled out, and would be worn down by Gargano. Gargano would try for the Gargano Escape, but Balor countered out into 1916, but it only got a near fall.
Balor would hit the front dropkick into the corner, and go high for the Coup De Grace. He’d miss, Ciampa would hit the Air Raid Siren and only get a two count. During the commercial break, Cole & Balor would be trapped in submissions by Gargano & Ciampa, but they’d both break out before.
Finn Balor Gets On The Board
We’d see a stardown from Gargano & Ciampa, but Cole & Balor would throw them out. Cole would throw up a Too Sweet and try to make an alliance, but Balor would throw him out of the ring and dive onto him and Ciampa. Balor would take everyone out with running dropkicks on the outside, and take Cole into the ring.
The Coup De Grace would be hit, and Balor gets his first fall in this match, 26 minutes deep! Gargano & Ciampa would both look to take Balor out, but he’d take out Ciampa and focus on Gargano in the ring. At this point, Balor just needs to wait out the match and play defensive for a while.
#DIY would reunite as Ciampa was thrown into Gargano, before they’d be stomped into the mat by Balor. Cole would be alive briefly before being sent off the apron to the mat. Ciampa would take control of Balor briefly, before Cole came into the ring and would be hit with Project Ciampa. Balor prevented the pinfall, and then saved Gargano after he’d taken the same move. Ciampa would then hit Balor with the move, but only get a near fall.
Back Where We Started
Once again, Cole would find himself in danger as Ciampa would nearly slingshot him into the bottom of the ring before Balor saved him with a dropkick. He’d throw Ciampa in the ring, but take Willows Bell & The Fairytale Ending. Gargano would slip into the ring, throw Ciampa out and steal the pin for himself! He’s now tied with Balor, but when he’d try to get ahead Ciampa would stop him.
Back in the ring, Ciampa would take a Last Shot from Cole but kick out at two. He’d take Cole out with a big lariat, but Cole hit superkicks on all three men once he’d be back on his feet. Gargano would also take Panama Sunrise, and Cole gets his first fall. Only Ciampa is at zero now.
Gargano would almost be hit with Last Shot, but Cole was pulled to the outside by Balor. Ciampa hit a knee on Gargano instead, but only got a two count. He’d interrupt Cole on the apron, and then hit double Willows Bell on both Gargano & Cole, before hitting Fairytale Ending to get a pinfall. We’re back where we started, as all men are at one fall nearly forty minutes in.
Ciampa Finds His Second Wind
All men would get into the ring, and it broke down into a slugfest. Gargano & Cole would be downed, and we’d have Ciampa & Balor trade blows in the middle of the ring. A double down after they both tried lariats would be followed by Gargano & Cole doing the same with superkicks on the outside.
With nineteen minutes left, everyone is exhausted but adrenaline is flowing. Ciampa would be persistent to get the pin on Balor, hitting a big running knee in the corner, then hit another, taking Balor out. Cole & Gargano would be taken out on the outside, and Ciampa would have his pick of the liter.
He’d choose Cole, and try for an Air Raid Siren on the apron, but would be fought off. Some big kicks would send him into the ring, and Cole would go to the top rope, and even commentary was getting tired. Ciampa would stop Cole at the top, and nearly hit an Air Raid Siren off the top.
Instead, Cole would slip out and hit a superkick to the bad knee of Ciampa and apply the Figure Four Leg Lock. Balor broke this up with a running double stomp, before applying a Figure Four of his own, only for Cole to break it up and lock it in again. Ciampas leg might not last much longer, but he doesn’t want to fall behind now.
Just Ten Minutes Left
Gargano would come into the ring and apply Gargano Escape on Ciampa, also reversing the pressure on Cole. Balor would have to save the double submission, with Gargano nearly getting two points so close to the end.
Balor would hit running chops on everyone, being the freshest man in this match after a nice rest. The knee of Ciampa was practically destroyed, and he couldn’t even run across the ring. A single leg boston crab would be applied by Balor, but he’d get the ropes to break the hold. Balor would hit a slingblade, the dropkick, and look for Coup De Grace.
Gargano would stop him, and give Ciampa enough time to save himself. Cole & Gargano would hit superkicks on Balor, before Cole was sent to the outside. Gargano would hit dives on all his opponents, but Balor would nearly catch him with Bloody Sunday, before a counter into a tornado DDT would save him.
And The Winner Is…
With just five minutes to go, the end was in sight. Gargano would have Cole in the ring, but be hit with a superkick. He’d dodge the Last Shot and apply the Gargano Escape. Cole would fight with all his heart, but couldn’t slip out.
Ciampa would drag them both out of the ring, preventing the tap out. Balor would be run into the plexiglass, and Cole would be hit with a suplex on the floor. Gargano would attack with just three minutes left, but be battered on the outside. Ciampa would finally slingshot someone into the bottom of the ring, and Gargano would be thrown back into the ring.
Cole would stop the pinfall at two, and be fought off. Balor would do the same thing. Ciampa would take them out, but come into the ring and be caught with a small package but kick out. Ninety seconds left, and Ciampa had Gargano alone and hurt.
Gargano would be taken to the top rope, and Ciampa would go for the second rope air raid crash. As he came down, Balor came off the top rope with Coup De Grace for a last minute fall! He thought he had the championship, but Cole hit a Last Shot and pinned Balor as time ran out!
Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole Next Week In A Tie Breaker
With this one ending in a draw, there is only one solution. After an hour battle, and with no more TV time for sudden death, this one will have to wait until next week. Finn Balor & Adam Cole both ended with two falls a piece, so next week they meet one on one for the championship. This was a truly epic battle, and next week it continues with a huge one on one match. For now, the belt remains vacant.
Who will walk away from next week’s episode of NXT with the gold? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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