The Demon Inside Me
Chapter Two: Fallen
Finn Bálor returned to NXT in the following weeks after his shocking debut at Night of Champions, specifically at NXT Takeover: Respect. What might have been even more shocking was the return to NXT itself and not straight to the main roster. He was not on Raw or Smackdown to explain his actions at the pay-per-view, but he was there at NXT Takeover: Respect, the Full Sail audience expectantly eager to see their champion again. He was the one to start off the night.
"Ladies and gentlemen," said Greg Hamilton, the NXT ring announcer. "Please welcome your NXT Champion, Finn Bálor!" His music hit, and the crowd went wild, the anticipation about to destroy them on the inside. Finn appeared and made his way to the ring, wearing a black suit with the championship dragged over his left shoulder. He entered the ring with a microphone in hand, the crowd chanting: "Finn! Finn! Finn!" over and over again. He couldn't resist a sheepish grin, a slight blush glowing on his face.
"I guess I've got some explainin' to do," he said chuckling a little bit. The crowd shouted their support, eager to hear their champion speak. Finn let the air breathe for a few seconds before continuing, pacing a bit in the middle of the ring.
"As all of you may have known, two blokes by the names of Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns were in dire need of a partner going into Night of Champions. And as all of you know, the guy they called just so happened to be me." The crowd yelled in glee, proud of their champion. "And ever since that night, I've been hearing the same question week after week; why did you do it, Finn? Some people say I was in over my head for daring to defy the giant and the Wyatt Family… but honestly, it wasn't even about the Wyatts. I've been itchin' for the opportunity to really prove myself. I am the NXT Champion, and have been for the past two months…Not everybody knows what I am capable of just yet, and I wanted to set an example of what it means to be champion. A champion is honorable, and they help those in need; that's my motivation, and I would do it again in a heartbeat…for anybody here, and anybody up there." Finn shrugged his shoulders and continued to smile. The crowd seemed to understand his reasoning by the way of their clapping. "Oh, and one other thing; I am not about to pull a Kevin Owens and go back and forth from Raw and Smackdown to here on NXT; I am here to stay. Just because I went to help Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns one time on their territory does not mean I'm going to stay up there with them. I'm not about to go anywhere; so long as I have the NXT Championship, this is where I'm supposed to be." He held the championship title high above his belt, the gold shining and glistening under the spotlight. Everyone watching was ecstatic to hear they weren't about to lose their champion.
The low horns from the Submission Specialist's theme suddenly rang; it was Samoa Joe with a white towel around his neck, making his way to the ring. He wore his signature "Samoa Joe: So Cal" shirt with his red and black trunks. He entered and received a microphone from the announcer, his expression very friendly toward his partner.
"I hope you don't mind me interrupting you, Finn," Joe said, the crowd chanting his name; Finn shook his head, not at all offended. "I just wanted to tell you face-to-face that what you did for Ambrose and Reigns was ballsy, and I respect you for that. I'm proud to have you represent the brand."
Something else was clearly on Joe's mind; his eyes shifted obviously from Finn's face over to the hold title resting on his shoulder. "But enough about that," he said, smiling and looking back at Finn. "Since you're here to stay, let me tell you to keep your head in the game. Enough about what's happening up there on the other brands; we still have the semi finals for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tonight against the Mechanics." He knuckled Finn directly on the championship. "Don't forget to bring that either…" Joe's voice trailed off, and Finn could sense a change in the air. Maybe he was going crazy; Joe was his friend, and he wouldn't screw him over, right? Joe put his hand out in front of him, looking Finn directly in the eyes again and with a smile on his face. Finn nodded and shook hands with him, choosing to ignore a feeling that popped in the back of his mind.
Finn returned backstage and headed toward the locker rooms when a familiar voice called to him.
"Hey, Finn," said the NXT Women's Champion – NXT's resident hugger – Bayley. She was already in her ring gear, a white and gold combination that she wore when she first won the title back in Brooklyn with the NXT Women's Championship wrapped snuggly around her waist. "Nice speech out there. Joe was right; what you did for Roman and Dean was incredible. I'm glad you're our champion, too."
Finn couldn't help but blush at Bayley's kind words. "It was nothing really…I'm here to help people whenever I can," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, I never got to say to you, what you did in Brooklyn was truly a spectacle, Bayley. You were really livin' the dream."
It was Bayley's turn to blush, but she hid it well with her grandiose smile. "Thank you!" The two champions nodded to each other. "Well, I have to finish preparing for my match tonight… it still feels like a dream that Sasha and I are main eventing tonight!"
"Best of luck to you; you're going to show everybody out there that you're the real champion, and bring the gold back home!"
Bayley placed her hand against Finn's free shoulder, her face rather serene. "And you're going to honor Dusty tonight; I just know it. You and Joe got this one in the bag! Dusty would be super proud of you two." A wide smile lit up her face, showing off her pearly teeth. "I'll see you around; good luck tonight!"
"You too, Bayley!"
The finals of the Dusty Rhodes' Tag Team Classic went on second to last, and it was Baron Corbin and Rhyno versus Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe. Both teams were on a month long journey to the top, ready to duke it out in honor of their hero and their mentor.
The match lasted for quite some time. Joe and Bálor worked incredibly well together, even though they were surprisingly even with the other team. The two of them had a somewhat similar move set, especially with those Enzuigiri kicks straight to the back of their opponents' head. Finn was the legal man for his team, and it seemed as though he were about to end the match; Bàlor and Joe were in the ring together, and Baron and Rhyno were limping outside in front of the ring. They were groaning and struggling to get back to their feet after sustaining attacks like the rope grip Enzuigiri from Bálor and a vicious Snap Scoop Powerslam from Joe. It was the opportune moment to hit that tope con hilo over the top rope from both of them; the crowd was on their feet, cheering for Joe and Bàlor to go for it. Bàlor went for the jump, running full speed ahead when suddenly he was grabbed from behind and thrown backward so that he landed on the back of his head. The audience audibly gasped, completely in shock at the inevitable. Joe looked at his partner and smiled with a smile he used many a time before forcing Bálor to stand in order to set up the Muscle Buster. He hoisted the champion on his shoulder and let him drop to the mat, executing his finisher successfully. Bàlor was out, helpless, as Joe stood over his body, letting the waves of boos rain over him as he laughed to himself. Rhyno and Corbin began to slowly grab the ropes to pull themselves back into the ring, watching Joe carefully as the Submission Specialist stayed perfectly still, raising one of his eyebrows at his opponents. "Go for it," he said, leaving without another word and allowing Rhyno to scurry in and pin the NXT Champion.
"Ladies and gentlemen, here are your winners for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic," said Greg Hamilton. "Rhyno and Baron Corbin!" And just like that, it was all over.
Bálor found his way backstage with the NXT title in hand, his head throbbing in particular from the fall. What could have possessed Joe to snap like that, and especially during one of the most important matches in both of their respective careers? Bálor thought they were friends; if Joe had a problem, they could have talked about it.
"Finn! A word, if you would?" The NXT backstage interviewer, Devin Taylor ran up to him with a microphone in hand. "Could you please tell us your thoughts on what just happened tonight with Samoa Joe? I know it must be a very difficult thing to discuss with it being so fresh, but just say whatever is on your mind."
"Devin, I haven't the foggiest idea what just happened," admitted Bálor. "I thought he and I were close… One minute, everything is going great, and it looked like we were going to win, and then the next, I'm in the Muscle Buster…"
"Were there any warning signs that you may have noticed over the past few weeks that stuck out to you as odd?"
"Let me answer all your questions, Devin," said the man in question himself, Samoa Joe, who appeared without any such noise and was still in his black and red trunks. "I was never your friend, Bálor, and I don't plan on being it anytime soon. When I came here in May, I had but one goal in mind, and that was to become NXT Champion, and for months I had to step aside and watch the likes of you take on Kevin Owens for the title when there have been so many other more deserving people, namely me. So I've done my waiting. You have something that belongs to me, Bálor, and I'm going to take it and show you what a real champion looks like." He glared at the current champion, and then left the scene, leaving Bálor with his mouth agape.
Finn was left to ponder the events for the next few days; how could this have happened? Maybe he should've caught on sooner; Joe had been awfully concerned with the championship, now that he thought about it, and always made sure that Bálor wouldn't forget it whenever they went out for a match together. He just thought Joe was being a good friend, but alas it was a red flag.
The next few weeks at NXT grew only worse for the champion; Joe had decided to ambush him at random times. During an interview with Devin, Bálor was mid-sentence into a response when Joe came out of nowhere and bashed right into his side. The following week, Bálor had a match against one of the enhancement talents, Marcus Louis, and Joe came out just as Bàlor had executed a perfect Sling Blade, and powerbombed him in the middle of the ring, interrupting the match and disqualifying Louis. Even when Bàlor was in the locker room preparing for what NXT had for him that day, Joe attacked him while his back was turned, burying him in the lockers and leaving bruises on his back. Finn could feel the demon beginning to stir deep within his belly, craving vengeance and freedom against that traitor.
Finn made his way to the ring toward the end of the night one NXT showing, wearing his black suit again with the title hanging over his shoulder in its usual place. He grabbed a microphone; his expression unchanged and angry.
"Let's cut to the chase here," Bálor said in an uncharacteristically growly voice. "Joe, get your arse out here. Be a man for once in your damn life."
It took a moment, but Joe answered the call with a microphone already in his hand. He stayed on the ramps, remaining cool and calm as he stared down his former partner. "What is it that you need from me, dear champion?"
"You've got some nerve coming at me the way you have been these past few weeks… I've never known you to be such a coward." The audience gasped at such shocking words from their champion.
Joe laughed, shaking his head. "A coward? Me? You must have me confused with everybody else in that locker room…" He made his way into the ring, standing about two or three feet away from him. "I can see it in your eyes, Finn; I'm getting inside your head. You're watching your back, and guarding your title more closely than ever. I've really been doing you a favor these past few weeks, so you're welcome."
"You're out of your mind, Joe. I've been in this business long enough to know the kinds of games you're playing; hell, I've even done it myself!"
"What, are you telling me to stop?" Joe sneered, rolling his eyes.
"I'm telling you to try something different."
The Submission Specialist couldn't hold back his laughter. A man who weighed about a hundred pounds less and stood three inches shorter than he was trying to get up in his face and intimidate him. What was he thinking, champion or not?
"That's cute, Bálor, real cute… you know, you've been living in a fairy tale ever since you've got here one year ago. That immediate rise to the top; anyone would kill to have that luck. And to overcome and beat the biggest bad guy in this company to get that championship in your quote-on-quote second home of Japan; you're a dream come true! Man, you've been hanging out with Bayley too much; she actually has you believing in fairytales."
"You leave her out of this; this is between you and me," Bálor hissed, stepping closer to Joe. "You want to do it? You want to dethrone me?" His voice remained sharp and low, daring to challenge his former partner. The tension grew between the two men, their eyes throwing daggers at one another. They were only disrupted when the theme of the general manager, William Regal, began to play, and the man himself appeared.
"Joe, I'm sorry, but you can't honestly expect a title match after continuously attacking our champion; I will not reward that behavior," Regal said, stopping right in front of the ring to speak.
"It's not like it hasn't been done before," Joe responded.
"You're not the only one who believes they deserve a title shot, I'm afraid. No matter how good you think you are, there are still others who are just as worthy at an opportunity. So here's what I'll do: Starting next week on NXT, there will be a Number One Contender tournament to face Finn Bálor at NXT Takeover: London for the NXT Championship. And Joe, consider yourself a part of the eight potential men." Regal stared up at Joe and Finn as seven other men began to appear along the ramp – those men included Bull Dempsey, Tyler Breeze, Solomon Crowe, Tye Dillinger, Baron Corbin, Rhyno, and Apollo Crews. Joe had to get through just three of them if he wanted to earn that title shot.
"I don't care whether if it's the entire locker room or just one of you; it's all going to end the same. That title shot is mine." Joe dropped his mic and left the ring, shoving some of the men out of his way so he could leave. Finn's eyes never left Joe, even as he raised his championship high above his head as an act of dominance. He would never get his hands on what rightfully belonged to Finn, and he was going to make sure of it.
The tournament kicked off on November 11 with Samoa Joe versus the creator of "Bull-Fit" Bull Dempsey. Finn snuck onto commentary, joining Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, and Rich Brennan, and kept a close watch on the match, studying every move that Joe made. No one had ever seen the champion so focused before, and so visibly angry.
The match itself lasted no more than three minutes; Bull fought valiantly, but it was a losing effort against the motivated Samoan machine. Joe got him up in the Muscle Buster, and it was all over from there; Joe was advancing.
"Are you nervous, Finn, for the potential of Samoa Joe to be the number one contender?" Byron asked.
"Not even in the least bit," he responded. "In fact, I hope he does win this tournament. He needs to be taught the lesson to not double cross me."
The tournament progressed, some of which had to be done at the weekend live events, such as Baron Corbin versus Rhyno and Tye Dillinger versus Apollo Crews. Joe went on to face Corbin. Tyler Breeze, after defeating Solomon Crowe, went on to face Apollo Crews. In just a snap, a week before NXT Takeover: London, Samoa Joe stood before the up and coming Apollo Crews. Crews was the last man Joe needed to face in order to get to Finn Bálor and that sweet NXT Championship, and he was not about to let this journey end when he was so close. These two competitors hit each other with everything they had; their high hitting kicks both stunning and powerful, and no less impressive. Crews utilized an amazing offense that consisted of Swinging Neckbreakers, dropkicks, and one hell of an impressive Spinebuster that knocked the wind right out of Joe. All it would have taken was one wrong step on Joe's part, one tiny miscalculation, and Crews would have ended it, deservedly so. But those sixteen years that Joe's been in the business came in handy; after nineteen minutes, Crews landed a Moonsault off the top rope on Joe, and just as the referee counted to two, Joe rolled out of it with Crews in his arms, put him on the top rope to form the Muscle Buster, and executed it perfectly seemingly in the matter of a second. The referee counted one, two, and three, and it was over then. At NXT Takeover: London, the main event match was set: Samoa Joe versus the NXT Champion, Finn Bálor for the championship.
Over twelve-thousand five hundred fans showed up to the SSE Arena Wembley on Wednesday, December 16 to watch NXT Takeover: London live, and millions more did so on the WWE Network. All championships were being defended that night; The Vaudevillians versus Blake and Murphy for the NXT Tag Team Championship, Bayley versus Asuka for the NXT Women's Championship, and of course, Samoa Joe versus Finn Bálor for the NXT Championship. Other feuds participated in this event, but the match on everybody's mind – besides Bayley versus Asuka – was The Demon versus the Submission Specialist.
Booming, low horns played, and out came the challenger. Samoa Joe, out with new gold and black trunks, came down the ramp with a particular swagger in his step, smirking at the crowd who replied with both booing and cheering. He entered the ring and walked around it, looking back at the titantron to await his prey. A few moments passed where Joe paced left and right, and viewers on the Network could hear the live audience's unrest.
The lights went out, the arena becoming pitch-black; the crowd began to cheer, even with the darkness lingering. But soon the red lights flickered in the audience and in the ring to the sound of a heartbeat. The screech of a guitar hissed and growled like a hawk, a shadowed figure leaping through the thick smoke that covered the entrance and ramp. The tension grew and the heartbeat raced, faster and faster until it all came to a screeching halt. The shadowed figure stood up in time, and bright white lights hailed down on him, revealing the demon deep within the champion. He wore black and red leather streamers, running down from bands around his wrists and his temples, and face paint covered the entirety of his back, face, and chest. He even had some paint in the form of skeletal hands coming up from inside his hips. The demon, noted for his sharp teeth, wide, open mouth, and slimy, thin tongue, had risen from the depths of hell and kept his sleeved arms wrapped around his prize, the NXT Championship. On all fours, Demon Bálor crawled down the ramp, much like an animal, and snaked up the steel steps and onto the top turnbuckle, stretching his arms out wide to the beat of his music twice.
Both men were now in the ring together, Finn's eyes especially wide as the two competitors stared down one another. Joe seemed unfazed in the slightest, returning the stare with an unimpressed glance that was emphasized by the raising of one of his eyebrows.
"You think the Demon is going to save you?" he said. "I'll break him, too!"
"The following contest is scheduled for one-fall," said Greg Hamilton, "and it is for the NXT Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, from Huntington Beach, California, weighing in at 282 pounds, Samoa Joe!" Half the people booed in response, and the other half chanted his name in support; Joe didn't care either way. "And his opponent, from Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, weighing in at 190 pounds, he is the NXT Champion, Finn Bálor!" The crowd was slightly more approving toward Bálor, but as the bell run and the match officially started, they couldn't help but chant the usual: "Let's go Joe," "Let's go Bálor" ordeal. The two men let the air breathe between them, letting the crowd chant their support or their disdain and allowing the anticipation to peak.
"You want to do it, Joe?" The demon said; his wide, blue eyes were made more vivid and intense by the paint on his face. "You want to dethrone me?" He repeated those sentences from months ago as Joe's lips curled into a smirk. They walked toward each other, trying to intimidate the other by using meaningless and empty threats until finally, Joe had enough and shoved Bálor backward, nearly falling on his back but was saved by the ropes. Bálor used the momentum to get back up, steady his feet, and utilize a tornado kick to the back of Joe's head before launching himself directly on him and driving him into the corner, using his forearm to jab him on the side of his face, letting out all of his frustrations that he's felt from the past few months, grunting and growling with each attack. The referee began to count: "One, two, get out of the corner! three, four –" Joe managed to shove Bálor back again, giving him a second to recuperate before landing his boot on Bálor's jaw from a Superkick. Bálor was momentarily stunted, kneeling on the ground so that Joe could force him to stand and throw him at the ropes. He ducked under Joe's attempt at a clothesline, hit against the ropes again, and landed a running front dropkick, forcing Joe against the ropes. Using his internal rage as his motivator, the demon plunged his arm onto his opponent's collarbone, the clothesline strong enough to force Joe up and over, landing first on the apron and then onto the mat itself. He let out a loud roar with his arms outstretched, the crowd shouting with glee and screaming Finn's name over and over again. He was livid, and he was not to be made a fool. Bálor stared like a predator at the Submission Specialist who found his way upright again, and the two locked eyes, the referee starting the count. Joe grunted under his breath and slid under the ropes, arriving just before the seven count. The two immediately grappled, Joe gaining the upper hand through pure strength alone, driving the champion into the corner and then proceeding to send strikes straight to his face, chest, and stomach. Joe walked a few steps away to allow the referee to stop saying: "Get out of the corner!" and then grabbed Finn, carrying him and lifting him high above his head. Joe looked directly into one of the cameras, smirking ever so confidently before just dropping Finn to the ground as if he were nothing. The Gorilla Press hit Finn hard, as expected, and Joe stood over him laughing at his pain.
"You're damn right I'm going to dethrone you," he said, grabbing Finn by the hair and forcing him to look at him. "Even your demon can't save you, Bálor!" He slapped his meaty hand across the champion's face, getting some of the face paint on the bank of his hand. He forced Bálor to stand before tossing him toward the corner, proceeding to run and slam his backside into the dizzied champion before taking a step back and kicking his temple; the agility of a man of his stature was unmatched. The champ was stunned and fell to the ground, giving Samoa Joe the opportunity to try to pin him. The ref counted up to two, but he kicked out just in time.
The match could have lasted forever, it seemed. Both sides were evenly matched, and both sides gained the upper hand only for the other to gain it back moments later. Enzuigiri kick after Enzuigiri kick, strikes, Bloody Sunday, Snap Powerslam… They hit one another with everything they had, but nobody was willing to quit. Ten minutes passed, fifteen, twenty… Samoa Joe slammed Finn Bálor against the barricades twice for good measure, but it was Finn who landed the tope con hilo to bring them both outside the ring. Joe brought them both back in and went for the pin, but was unsuccessful. He let out a groan of annoyance; what could he possibly do to put away the champion? They both got back to their feet, and Joe did what he does best – striking. With every strike that landed on Finn, the crowd yelled: "Joe!" and the faster he jabbed, the faster the crowd yelled, until the demon managed a palm strike in retaliation, causing the heavyweight to fall back a few steps. Finn saw his opportunity and executed an effortless SlingBlade. Joe finally fell to the ground, exhausted and limp.
Most of the paint on Bálor's body was all over the mats and on Joe, and he looked nearly like his normal self again. The demon was dissipating, and faster than Bálor could have predicted.
Bálor had to end this fast, and with Joe on the ground, there was only one thing left for him to do. He climbed up the turnbuckles, staring down at his challenger ever before him as the crowd was on the edge of their seats, if not standing up and voicing their support. "This is it!" yelled Rich Brennan. "He's going to put away Samoa Joe with the Coup de Grâce!" He took his courageous leap off the top turnbuckle, but was met with no body as Joe had been playing possum and got out of the way. Finn landed on his feet but rolled out to safety, standing back up only to be immediately caught from behind in Joe's infamous Coquina Clutch. They fell back to the ground, Finn flailing around, trying desperately to get out as the crowd erupted into hysteric screams. Joe had a vice grip around his head, neck, and waist, and there was seemingly no way for him to escape.
"Tap out, Bálor!" Joe yelled. "Tap out!" Many in the audience screamed for Bálor to persevere, willing him to survive and continue. He had to think fast; in another moment he would succumb to the darkness caused by the sleeper hold, but there was no way in hell he would tap out. Not like this. Finn continued to flail and roll around, hoping to gain some momentum and reverse the pressure. He pushed through the pain, even with Joe's grip tightening and the world around him becoming fuzzy; the champion rolled onto his stomach with Joe on his back, and through the power of pure adrenalin, got back on his feet and ran backward into the turnbuckles once, twice, thrice, just to release the grip. Joe let go, and the two men collapsed, exhausted.
"Oh my god!" the commentary team said in unison.
"An impressive display of pure strength on the champion, Finn Bálor's part!" said Byron Saxton.
"But how much did it just take out of him, and Joe as well?" replied Corey Graves. The crowd was screaming the ultimate chant: "This is awesome!" repetitively as the referee began to count the fallen both men. If he reached ten, Bálor would retain. Around the count of seven, miraculously they started to stir, Joe getting to his feet first. He breathed heavily, as did Bálor, but that did not stop him from finding a burst of energy deep within him to strike his opponent. They exchanged blows, with eventually Bálor hitting more, pushing the Submission Specialist back into the corner. Finn found his way on top of the turnbuckles once more, but his exhaustion caught up with him and he was one second too slow. Joe planted an Enzuigiri to the back of Finn's head – his agility never ceasing to be so impressive – stunning the NXT Champion. He fell into Joe's shoulders, limp, and Joe was able to put him into the Muscle Buster. He walked to the center of the ring, giving the camera one last look before dropping down to the mat hard, the ring yelping at the intensity. The champion was laid out and motionless, Joe covered him as the referee counted, and champion Bálor was no more. One, two, three; Joe won.