After a plethora of surprise appearances by WWE NXT stars during SmackDown on Friday night, we got the best during the main event when Adam Cole defended the NXT Championship against Daniel Bryan.

The match was set-up backstage when Bryan approached Triple H and Shawn Michaels about a match. After Bryan challenged Hunter (who said no due to not having his gear with him), Michaels teased he was interested. Michaels began to take off his track jacket, only to joke and say “it’s cold” and put it back on.

 

However, Triple H someone was there who wanted a match and out walked Adam Cole. The match was booked, surprisingly the first time that Bryan and Cole have ever wrestled each other. The two wrestled on the independent scene simultaneously for several years without crossing paths in the ring.

The SmackDown match did not disappoint, with the men given about 20 minutes to close-out the show. Cole got a massive reaction from the crowd in Buffalo during his entrance, proving he’s not just “over” in NXT.

 

Cole ended up winning the match following a Panama Sunrise and Last Shot. It was a fantastic match that went back and forth that is worth seeking out if you missed it. At one point, Bryan locked on the LaBell lock and synched it in just about every single you can think of, bending Cole’s arms back in some creative and gruesome ways.

 

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