WWE TLC 2017 highlights: AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor

Finn Balor was supposed to face Bray Wyatt at WWE TLC. Instead, he went to battle with AJ Styles.

Remember when Finn Balor vs. Sister Abigail was supposed to be a thing for WWE TLC? Well, it became Balor vs. AJ Styles, a wrestling fan’s dream match, at least for some. Viral meningitis struck the WWE locker room, which Bray Wyatt was impacted by, leading to the match change.

The crowd was electric for this match — the battle of former Bullet Club leaders in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Dueling chants started before the bell could ring, so that solved any question about fan investment in a match that had no build.

The match was all Balor to start. He had the upper hand, until Styles gained control. However, everyone chanted “We want tables!” much like the prior matches at WWE TLC. This one didn’t need props, folks.

Anything these two did in this match had the crowd in the palms of their hands. From simple chops to a suicide dive, it had everyone going berserk.

The action became dramatic, when Styles locked in the Calf Crusher in the center of the ring. It only lasted for about 20 seconds, until Balor smashed his opponent’s head into the mat. He then blocked a Phenomenal Forearm attempt, which continued the fun.

After barely surviving the count-out, Balor and Styles ran into each other, with the same move, not once but twice. It created the dramatic, middle-of-the-ring trade of moves, until the Demon hit an overhead kick and his first 1916 since his shoulder injury in 2016. However, the Phenomenal One kicked out.

Styles missed a 450 splash (which would have torn the house down if he hit it), so Balor quickly took over. He hit a dropkick into the corner. One Coup de Grace later, the match was over.

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On short notice, these two in-ring veterans delivered a phenomenal match, one that riled up the fans at WWE TLC. It was a dream bout, even if it meant nothing (Styles and Balor are on different brands). One day, we’ll hopefully see this pairing have a high-stakes matchup for a championship.