New BC allies see ELP with back to wall throughout title clash
The NEVER Openweight Championship was on the line at Dominion June 4 when new champion David Finlay put the gold on the line against exiled BULLET CLUB member El Phantasmo.
Entering with his new BULLET CLUB recruits Dan Moloney, Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd in tow, Finlay charged into the ring before thinking better and searching for safety on the outside. ELP instead elected to dive through the ropes and hurled Finlay over the barriers before heading to the top rope and flying through Osaka-Jo Hall with a death-defying dive over the barriers onto Finlay. The action returning to the ring, the quicker ELP got moving and landed a smooth lionsault for a two count. As Phantasmo looked to hit the ropes the Bullet Club members on the outside created a distracting wall, allowing Finlay to attack from behind and get his first footing in the match.
Finally continued his assault on the outside by hurling El Phantasmo head first in the steel ring post before setting up a table; both men struggling to put the other through it but to no avail. Finlay remained in dominant control, dictating a slow and methodical pace but unable to earn a three count. A series of savage forearm strikes to ELP’s face wrought further punishment, but a desperation dropkick from ELP finally offered him some much needed breathing room.
As El Phantasmo looked primed to hit Sudden Death, Moloney and Connors jumped up on the ring apron as distractions which once again allowed Finlay the chance to regain control with an exploder suplex. But the control was only brief, ELP tying Finlay up in the ropes to hit a dropkick and follow up with a sizzling springboard tornado DDT. A blue thunder bomb, nasty Irish curse backbreaker and rebound slam off the ropes could not secure the win for Finlay.
An Into Oblivion attempt from Finlay was escaped, however Phantasmo’s Sudden Death landed firmly on Finlay’s chin, but the champion refused to give up his gold and kicked out at two. Heading to the top rope, Bullet Club members again got in Phantasmo’s way; ELP finally having enough and taking them all out by soaring to the floor. But, the distraction still played it’s purpose, Finlay unceremoniously shoving ELP from the top rope to the floor and immediately hoisting ELP for a wicked powerbomb through the table. Back in the ring, Finlay followed up with another powerbomb, before finally hitting Into Oblivion to secure the win and retain his NEVER Openweight Championship.
