Brock Lesnar Retains Universal Title Over Finn Balor at the Royal Rumble

Finn Balor did not enter Sunday's Universal Championship match with Brock Lesnar as The Demon and [...]

By Ryan Droste

Finn Balor did not enter Sunday's Universal Championship match with Brock Lesnar as The Demon and that was our first clue that he wouldn't be walking out of Chase Field as champion.

Balor erupted in a flurry at the beginning of the match, starting off with a running drop kick and trying to gain any kind of advantage he could get against Lesnar. They fought to the outside where Brock proceeded to German Suplex Balor on the floor. Lesnar set up an announce table for battle, but Balor again fought back and threw Brock into the table stomach first, right into the corner of the table. After some brief offense from Balor, Brock took him out with a big knee.

Brock sold his stomach back in the ring with the announcers noting his past battle with diverticulitis. Brock stayed on the offense in the ring but was gasping in pain holding his mid section. He tossed Balor around the ring, cringing and grabbing his stomach after every throw.

Balor fought back with a Sling Blade. He went for another but ran into a big clothesline. Graves noted it sounded like a "Paul Goldschmidt home run." Note that Goldschmidt no longer plays for the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks.

They mentioned that Lesnar looked hestitant due to his internal injuries. He went to German Suplex Balor but dropped him in pain. Eventually he went for an F5, but Balor countered into a DDT for a near fall. Balor continued to fight with a standing stomp to the stomach. Lesnar rolled out of the ring and Balor flew over the top to the outside with a flip drive. Then he did it again. And then a third time.

Lesnar slowly came back into the ring and Balor hit him with a double drop kick to the face in the corner. Balor went up top for the Coup De Grace and hit it, which resulted in a two-count. After kicking out, Lesnar immediately locked in a Kimura submission and Balor tapped out.

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