Finn Balor and Karrion Kross Return on NXT, Balor Announces Title Defense

Finn Balor and Karrion Kross, who both were injured during their respective NXT Championship-winning matches, both made their returns tonight on NXT.

Balor came out to open the show, holding his NXT Championship. He was interrupted by Pete Dunne, Kyle O’Reilly and Damian Priest, who all wanted a title shot.

Balor said that he will in fact defend the NXT Championship at NXT New Year’s Evil on Wednesday, January 6, but his opponent wasn’t up to him, it was up to NXT GM William Regal.

Scarlett then came out and walked around Balor. Balor said, “Let me guess, I know what you’re gonna say. ‘Tick tock.’ Well I got a message for your boy. You tell him that when he’s ready, Finn’s ready.”

Damian Priest then asked Scarlett, “Do you usually tell your boy to wait in the car while you handle his business? If he wants to come back and pick a fight, next time all he has to do is step to me like a man.”

Later in the show, Priest interrupted a promo by Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell, but was attacked on the ramp from behind by a returning Karrion Kross.

Kross tossed him around the NXT set and powerbombed him off the stage through a table and walked off, got into a car with Scarlett and drove away.

Kross has been out of action since August 22, when he suffered a separated shoulder at Takeover: XXX in his NXT title-winning match against Keith Lee. Balor has been out since October 4, when he suffered a broken jaw at TakeOver 31 in his title-winning match against Kyle O’Reilly.