This Week in Wrestling 2019 Week 4

Brian Damage

It’s Saturday so time for the latest installment of ’This Week in Wrestling’, the 4th of 2019. Today, Brian talks about the rise and fall and rise again of Finn Balor and shares all the best wrestling content of the week.

The Ballad of Balor
Brian

Fergal Devitt was an international superstar before he set foot into the WWE. Devitt had been a champion all over the world in places like Europe and Japan. He, like Kenny Omega is now, was a hotly sought after free agent. When Devitt signed with WWE, he changed his name to Finn Balor and was assigned to NXT. Balor was an instant success in the developmental territory winning the NXT championship twice and also co winning the first ever ‘Dusty Rhodes tag team Classic’ with Samoa Joe.

It only seemed natural that Finn Balor would take that success down in NXT and become an even bigger star on the main roster with Monday Night Raw. Initially, that is exactly what transpired as Balor defeated Seth Rollins to become the first ever WWE Universal heavyweight champion. His victory would be shortlived as a shoulder injury during that match forced him to vacate the title less than 24 hours later. Ever since then, it has been an uphill battle for the half man / half demon character.

After returning from shoulder surgery, Balor had to once again prove himself to WWE management and the main roster fans who never really got to embrace him. He was mired in the lower to mid card for the company and had a few unmemorable feuds with the likes of Bray Wyatt and Baron Corbin. It was reported that Vince McMahon wasn’t convinced that Balor was main event material. This was a man who main evented places all over the globe, was the leader of the Bullet Club in New Japan and yet…wasn’t ready for WWE’s main event.

Fast forward to the end of 2018 and WWE ratings and attendance started to decline. Vince McMahon decided to “shake things up” and take the company in a new direction. New opportunities for stars that have been passed by and overlooked. One of those given a new lease on life was none other than Finn Balor. In what was seen as a bold and brash move, Braun Strowman was removed from the Royal Rumble main event.

In his place was put Finn Balor who defeated the one and only John Cena to become the new number one contender for the Universal title. A title that Finn Balor never lost. What happens from here is anyone’s guess. The WWE has been playing it off as a David vs Goliath type match making Balor the true underdog. Whether or not he can defeat Brock Lesnar who represents the old way of WWE doing things is up in the air.

What is does show is that Vince and the WWE are ready and willing to change and I have to give them credit for that. It all depends how they book this match. If Balor gets destroyed in a matter of minutes …it will all just be a cover and show that WWE never was interested in doing things out of the box. If Balor can somehow win and beat Brock Lesnar…then it is a true new beginning for this company and a welcome one at that.

Finn Balor was always ready for the spotlight and the main event…it was just WWE ready and willing to pull the trigger on his push. The 2019 Royal Rumble is the first leg on the road to Wrestlemania, but will it be a new path that they travel on or take the road that is more of the same. Finn Balor is the key in all of this and whatever happens, will determine to me at least…what changes are they really willing to make.

Picture Gallery
Brian

Do you remember the Ultimate Warrior comic book?