NXT books Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor cage match for next TakeOver special
The Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor NXT title match on the next TakeOver special will be a cage match — a first in company history.
William Regal made the announcement today after a house show pull-apart brawl on Saturday night in Portland, OR, was shot where Regal announced it would lead to stipulations for the match being announced today.
With the June 8 match set to be their third consecutive TakeOver main event, Joe vs. Balor has become the first program to reach that milestone since NXT started doing WWE Network specials.
Balor retained the NXT title on a December 16 special from SSE Wembley in London, and did so a second time on April 1 as part of the WrestleMania weekend activities in Dallas.
However, Joe captured the title in a house show in Lowell, MA on April 21.
The cage match is likely to be the blow-off of the program since NXT is being booked similar to an old school promotion.
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.