Switchblade logs first NEVER defence
The first of a double main event at Resurgence saw David Finlay meet Jay White with the NEVER Openweight Championship on the line. With bad blood stretching back six years between champion and challenger, it was a match that was never going to be entirely clean, and indeed Finlay and White were quick to exchange strikes early before Finlay was sent tumbling from the top rope to the concrete floor.
Outside, White kept the pressure up with a gordbuster onto the apron; in a familiar position of control, champion booted challenger to the floor before declaring that this was ‘his ring’. Responding to the pressure, a back body drop and flying European uppercut scored for Finlay, who followed with a plancha and a second European from the second rope for two.
With signature ease, White tipped the scales of momentum back his way, and dropped Finlay over the top rope before connecting with a Bladebuster for two. As the match passed the ten minute mark, Finlay again battled back with elbow smashes and European uppercuts, but a Stungun over the top rope again brought momentum to the champion.
White wanted to land a backdrop suplex from the apron to the concrete, but instead found himself suplexed on the apron by Finlay. Yet again, Finlay couldn’t keep control for long, a suplex over the ropes sending Finlay’s back cracking off the apron. An uranage suplex connected inside and the Switchblade wanted another suplex off the top, but was cut off with frantic elbows and fists; instead champi0n scored with a massive superplex as the match passed the 15 minute mark and a partisan crowd swung their support to the champion.
A big elbow from Finlay to White would send a spaghetti legged champion reeling, but once back inside, the NEVER champion cracked his challenger with a short range lariat. Finlay tried to respond in kind on the run, but instead was met with a Complete Shot and deadlift German, but the challenger showed his will to win with a pair of Blue Thunder Bombs, getting two counts from the referee.
Finlay kept up the pressure with an STF, and then converted the hold to Nagata Lock III, but his co-trainer’s hold did not secure victory as White got a foot to the ropes. As he tried to blank out crowd support that was going toward the champion, Finlay went for trash Panda, but a desperate White shoved Finlay to the referee, connecting with a low blow.
Finlay responded with a low blow of his own to heavy boos, and Trash Panda scored for two. Back to his feet, White connected with a Snap Sleeper Suplex, but in a replay of the New Japan Cup, Finlay landed Tash Panda and went for the Acid Drop. A Bladerunner counter attempt was met with a rollup for another two, and Finlay followed with two snap sleeper suplexes of his own, but an Acid Drop was countered with Bladerunner for the successful White defence.
Post match, Tomohiro Ishii stormed to the ring, fresh off his victory over Moose earlier in the night. White was clearly not willing to take the challenge, but time will tell.
