#140: Bryan Danielson vs. Fergal Devitt, NWA Empire Red, White & Bruised (7/21/2007).
This is a Quarterfinal Match in the tournament to crown a new NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, and is the one and only singles meeting between Bryan Danielson and the man who would become more known as either Prince Devitt or Finn Balor.
I really couldn't believe it when I found out these two had a match. I always thought their paths were destined to never cross. Yet, here they are, in a very small venue, fighting for a chance to become NWA Worlds Champion. I believe this tournament is taking place because the NWA had just split from TNA around this time.
What a wild world this is: the future Finn Balor is coming out for this match to āBrass Monkeyā by Beastie Boys, which is the current independent theme for Mike Bailey, one of my favorite wrestlers.
They shake hands at the start, and then lock up. Danielson gets Devitt in the corner, and gives a clean break. Devitt with a drop toe hold, and he quickly takes control of the back, to which Danielson cranks on his arm. Devitt gets to the rope, and Danielson lets it go. Devitt controls the arm, and gets Danielson to the mat. Danielson escapes and connects with a dropkick. Devitt takes a moment to yell at a heckler, before locking up with Danielson again.
Devitt kicks Danielson in the midsection, then chops him. Danielson quickly gets Devitt to the mat, and stretches his arm back with his boot. They roll around, before getting back to their feet. Danielson hypes the crowd up, before going into a test of strength with Devitt. Danielson has the advantage, as he forces Devittās wrist back, until the future Demon King forces Danielson to the mat, and drops all his weight on the midsection. Danielson flips over, and they take turns flipping, until Danielson catches Devitt in a body scissors.
They do that spot where both men have their legs tied up, and they stand on their heads, before Danielson mounts Devitt and forearms the shit out of him. Devitt kicks Danielson low, and applies the side headlock. Danielson with a nasty series of uppercuts, followed by a kick to the spine. Devitt aināt having that, and he kicks Danielson on his back, before applying a neck crank. Danielson escapes, and tries for the surfboard lock, until Devitt is able to take control of his leg.
Devitt with a variation of the surfboard on Danielson, and he transitions to pulling Danielsonās neck backwards. Danielson Muta Locks Devittās legs, and drops all his weight into his knee, before applying the lock proper. Nice series of kicks by Danielson, followed by a spinning karate kick that sends Devitt to the floor. Devitt shoulders him in the midsection, and tries to suplex him to the floor. Devitt succeeds, and Danielson appears to hurt his shoulder.
Devitt chops Danielson hard repeatedly, and he responds with some of his own. Devitt slams his face off the apron, and then gets a head scissors applied back in the ring. Devitt kicks at Danielsonās arm in the corner, then drops his knees across it on the mat. Devitt hammerlocks the arm above the head. Danielson comes back with a series of arm drags, but Devitt explodes with a hard irish whip into the turnbuckle for a nearfall.
Devitt literally ties Danielson up like a pretzel for a moment, before hitting a snap mare and a kick to the back. Devitt with the chin lock next. Danielson is back up, and he sends Devitt head first into the ring post, which causes him to land on the front row of people! Danielson runs the ropes and hits a Tope to the floor onto Devitt! He brings Devitt back into the ring, then scales the top rope. He flies off with a shotgun dropkick that gets a nearfall.
Danielson takes wrist control, and applies the surfboard lock submission. Danielson with a series of uppercuts next, but Devitt catches him in a sleeper hold. He grapevines the legs around the midsection for extra pressure. The ref checks the arm, and Danielson is still alive! Heās back up and applies his own sleeper hold, but Devitt counters into a back suplex for a nearfall. He chops Danielson, who connects with a sunset flip pin for 2. They exchange nearfalls, until both men exhaust themselves to fall over. Even the referee is winded! Both men are back up, and they exchange forearms. Danielson leaps off the top rope and hits a backbreaker. Next, he comes off the top with a headbutt, but Devitt avoids it. A back slide pin gets a nearfall. Devitt with a variation of the Pele gets a nearfall. A powerslam follows, and Devitt scales the top rope. Danielson cuts him off with a dropkick.
Danielson connects with a superplex, and thatās enough for the win.
This was a solid match, but nothing spectacular. Danielson was in his element here, but Devitt was simply getting started in his own career, and thus, the incredible bout you'd have in your head between these two just isn't there. It's not a bad match, though, and Danielson does give Devitt a lot of offense throughout. Oh, that selfless Danielson.
Just imagine Danielson vs. Finn Balor, though. How fucking awesome would that match be? I guess we may never know, but hey, at least we have this little gem of a match.
Side note: The crowd for this match is a fucking joke. Bunch of damn hecklers.