Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles at WWE TLC Leaves Fans Begging for More

As Finn Balor and AJ Styles stood opposite each other at WWE TLC, one foe sizing up another, the crowd belted a familiar chant—"This is awesome!"

Balor and Styles then went out and earned that sentiment. In a match thrown together just days before Sunday's TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view, the two Superstars wowed with fast-paced, back-and-forth action.

What The Demon and The Phenomenal One produced in Minneapolis should only be the beginning. A match that served as plan B should have the company rethink what it had in mind for both men.

Balor was originally set to face Bray Wyatt's Sister Abigail alter-ego in what could have easily been a laugher.

In an attempt to vanquish his foe, Wyatt called upon a ghostly presence. He "transformed" into a female phantom, and Balor had a new version of his demon persona raring to go to counteract that.

But medical issues necessitated a sudden change, and the WWE called upon SmackDown's Styles. 

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Balor vs. Styles proved to be light-years ahead of what The Demon vs. Sister Abigail would have been. The two high-octane performers composed a fluid, electric clash. It saw both men mix aerial attacks and mat wrestling well. 

And eventually, the Irishman powered past the former WWE champ in a thriller.

The critics applauded the effort. PWInsider's Dave Scherer wrote: "Hey Vince, did you see how the fans just went crazy for this? Give us what we want, and you will sell a lot more WWE Network subscriptions."  

El Ligero had high praise for the match, too:

This was the best Balor has looked since his SummerSlam clash with Seth Rollins last year. This was a case of two top-notch wrestlers pushing and bettering each other. A dream match arrived unexpectedly and did not disappoint.

And this was all done with zero build on TV and no story leading up to the action. It's easy to imagine them topping this contest with the benefit of more hype, personal issues and promos preceding it.

No one can be blamed for dreaming of a rematch even before the welts on Balor and Styles' chests heal.

SiriusXM host Sam Roberts is among those who wanted more of this collision: 

Balor, for one, is ready to oblige. "The world needs to see AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor II," he said in a post-TLC backstage interview.

The WWE has to book this. The excitement surrounding this showdown says as much. The excellence that unfolded on Sunday makes it clear Balor vs. Styles must be revisited despite both men being a part of opposite brands. 

The Nov. 19 Survivor Series would be a great place to deliver chapter two of this matchup thanks to its Raw-against-SmackDown theme. WrestleMania 34 could then host the rubber match. 

Credit: WWE.com

Fans clearly loved what they saw at TLC and would welcome more of the same. It's a no-brainer to tap into that again. The bigger the stage, the better.

Of all the countless pairings of warriors that the WWE puts together, few have the kind of spark that Balor vs. Styles did.

Circumstance forced the WWE to pit these Superstars against each other, and it couldn't have worked out better. The audience was engaged, buzzing, entranced. The next step is to capitalize on all of that.