– Former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor recently Tweeted about receiving several “electric shocks” and asked how former WWE Champion The Rock deals with it on a daily basis. “The Great One” responded:
I have received more than 20 static electric shocks today… can’t imagine how @TheRock makes it through the day! #MostElectrifyingMan
It’s tough but you gotta take it day by day my friend and just embrace the ??. Keep kickin’ ass & stayin’ focused. You’re doing great ?? https://t.co/LeCOOqqscj
– Ring Of Honor has announced Dalton Castle’s first challenger for the ROH World Heavyweight Title. Castle will defend his strap against Punishment Martinez at their International TV Taping on January 20th:
Ring of Honor Wrestling International Television Taping
Local Time: Saturday, Jan 20, 2018 06:00pm CST
Nashville Municipal Auditorium
417 4th Ave N
Nashville, Tennessee 37201
ALREADY SIGNED
ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD CHAMPION DALTON CASTLE vs. PUNISHMENT MARTINEZ
MATT TAVEN vs. “THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE” CODY
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (ALEX SHELLEY & CHRIS SABIN) vs. BEST FRIENDS (BERETTA & CHUCKIE T.)
ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
ROH WORLD SIX-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS ADAM PAGE & THE YOUNG BUCKS vs. SOCAL UNCENSORED (CHRISTOPHER DANIELS, FRANKIE KAZARIAN, & SCORPIO SKY)
The WWE’s Mixed Match Challenge will kick off in two weeks on January 16th on Facebook Watch, and Monday Night RAW’s second team for the tournament has just been announced. The team of Finn Balor and Sasha Banks has now been announced for the tournament; joining teams such as Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair from SmackDown Live, and Braun Strowman & Alexa Bliss from RAW as well.
Above is a video in which Sasha Banks and Finn Balor find out they’ll be teaming together, and below is WWE’s official announcement of the team:
Finn Bálor & Sasha Banks to join forces at WWE Mixed Match Challenge
Raw General Manager Kurt Angle has revealed that Finn Bálor will team with Sasha Banks at WWE Mixed Match Challenge, a bold dream team that could definitely make the difference for Team Raw in the unprecedented tournament on Facebook Watch.
Whether competing in the history-making WWE Iron Man Match against Bayley in NXT or inside Hell in a Cell against Charlotte Flair, the innovative Banks is the very definition of a trailblazer. With the distinction of being the first-ever Universal Champion and the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history, Bálor is definitely cut from the same cloth as the four-time Raw Women’s Champion.
Add to the mix their larger-than-life personas and you have a fierce combination capable of taking any team to task in the Mixed Match Challenge.
Together, Bálor and Banks will compete in an innovative Facebook Watch exclusive tournament, where unlikely male-female WWE Superstar pairings will attempt to win $100,000 for their charity.
Check back with WWE.com to learn other #WWEMMC combinations as they become available. Follow WWE Mixed Match Challenge on Facebook for updates, and find out how you can impact the show’s matchups, stipulations and more along the way. WWE Mixed Match Challenge begins Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 10 ET/7 PT, exclusively on Facebook Watch.
– On last night’s episode of Monday Night RAW former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor declared he would be entering the 2018 Royal Rumble match. He then went on to team up with former Bullet Club members Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows to defeat The Miztourage (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) and Elias in Six Mat Tag Team action.
“The Demon King” took to Twitter afterwards to comment on his Royal Rumble declaration, sending a message to current Universal Title holder Brock Lesnar:
– WWE Shop has released a new T-Shirt for Curt Hawkins in which they highlight his ridiculous losing streak. Hawkins’ streak went to 0-150 during last Thursday’s WWE live event in Hartford, Connecticut. Hawkins Tweeted out the following:
Tonight’s WWE RAW saw several Superstars confirmed for the women’s and the men’s Royal Rumble matches that will take place later this month.
Bayley, Sasha Banks, Paige, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville were confirmed for the first-ever women’s match while Finn Balor was confirmed for the men’s Rumble match.
Below is the updated card for the Royal Rumble, which takes place on January 28th from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, coming out of tonight’s RAW:
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
John Cena, Elias, Finn Balor, Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, TBA
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Asuka, Naomi, Ruby Riott, Natalya, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Paige, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, TBA
Triple Threat for the WWE Universal Title
Kane vs. Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar
WWE United States Title Tournament Finals
Bobby Roode or Zack Ryder or Mojo Rawley vs. Jinder Mahal or Xavier Woods or Aiden English
With Matt Hardy successfully bringing his Broken persona to WWE, the veteran sat down with his brother Jeff, and Finn Balor on Table for 3. The short clip below provides an introduction to the round-table interview which can be found the WWE Network.
The interview also contains Balor and Jeff Hardy discussing their use of face/body paint in the ring (transcribed by WrestlingInc.):
“It’s very hard to explain, but it’s almost like putting on a mask protects you from people’s judgments and lets you completely flow freely, like, with all your aggression and our animosity against anything. And I think everyone, deep down, has insecurities issues, especially in this business. And I find that maybe getting to hide behind the paint, so to speak, kind of protects you from those insecurities and helps me channel a different side of my personality that isn’t always available to me.”
Finn continued by describing how the mask surprised him in ways that he hadn’t previously thought about.
“I didn’t realize how much the paint was going to affect how I moved and how I walked. And it wasn’t something that consciously happened. It was because the first time I’d done it was a Tokyo Dome show, I want to say in 2013-14, and I walked out there and I was a completely different person. I hadn’t rehearsed anything, planned anything, but I remember walking to the ring almost in a limp and I was like, ‘why the hell am I limping?’ It was almost as though the paint took control and it changes the direction your mind moves in.”
Jeff also provides his own view on his use of body paint, agreeing with Finn about the freedom that it allows.
“Every time I paint my face, I’ve always thought of it as my alien skin, the reptilian inside me that makes me different. When I think of aliens, I think of the skin, like, the abstract piece I do on my face, it doesn’t matter. I’m just in such a free zone. I’m just so at peace with myself when I’m doing it. And then, when I do the deal when I close my eyes, and take a picture, I go, ‘tonight, that is my canvas. My face is my canvas.’ Then, I get that, man. You go out there and you’re just more somehow, like, because you’re not your normal self. And to me, it just feels artistically free to express yourself and don’t have a care in the world about what anybody else is thinking! And so, I would be, on purpose, I would be real messy, a lot of the time, with neon, glow-in-the-dark paint. Even after I’d paint my face, I’d go smear it all over my hands and give people confidence not to care at that point in time and just have faith and confidence in yourself and just roll with it.”
The golden nugget of this interview comes in the form of Finn’s aspirations for the future. Balor explains that he wants to evolve, much in the same way that the Hardys have, with the goal of a new alter ego in the next 5-10 years.
“Obviously, seeing [the Hardys] continue to evolve the last 25 years, that inspires me to keep evolving my character. And I’m quite happy with how I’m doing at the moment, but I’m always trying to push myself to create something new and I think my main goal going forward over the next 5, 10 years would be maybe create another alter ego like you guys have.”
As a bonus to an already eye opening interview, Jeff Hardy hinted at the “inevitable” match-up between The Enigma and The Demon:
“I’ve heard it a lot, man, and people are kind of waiting to see us, like, ‘I can’t wait to see ‘The Enigma’ and ‘The Demon’ in the ring at the same time’ with painted up faces. Hopefully, that’s inevitable, so we’ll see.”
– We previously noted that Rolling Stone named The Miz their 2017 WWE Wrestler Of The Year. The Miz recently Tweeted out his reaction to the news, taking a shot at WWE Intercontinental Champion Roman Reigns in the process (who defeated Miz for the strap on RAW last month):
– England’s Tottenham Hotspur football club posted a video of midfielder Mousa Dembele engaging in a joke battle with WWE Superstar Finn Balor. Check it out below:
– As seen on this past Monday’s special Christmas Day episode of Monday Night RAW, Jason Jordan and Seth Rollins defeated The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro) to win the RAW Tag Team Championships. Jordan stepped in as a partner for “The Architect” after Dean Ambrose was forced to be sidelined for several months due to a bicep injury.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that aside from Jordan, former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor was also considered to step in for Ambrose as well. In the end WWE creative decided to continue their push of Jordan and gave him the top babyface role instead.
– Cesaro celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday and Sheamus took to Twitter to post a few pictures of their celebration. It looks like a cake fight took place between the now-former RAW Tag Team Champions:
WWE NXT Superstar Hideo Itami made his main roster debut on tonight’s RAW from Providence, Rhode Island. Itami was set to make his main roster debut this week on WWE 205 Live but he was called up a night earlier than expected.
The debut came after Finn Balor lost a 2-on-1 Handicap Match to Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel by disqualification. Axel and Dallas double teamed Balor after the match until Itami made the save. Itami and Balor then cleared the ring and stood tall as the show went to commercial. The show returned from commercial to a tag match, which was won by Balor and Itami. The finish saw Itami hit the GTS on Axel for the pin.
It was confirmed that Itami will still appear on Tuesday’s WWE 205 Live from Newark, NJ.
Below are photos and video of Itami on tonight’s RAW:
– A brand new ‘Table For 3’ episode will air on the WWE Network tonight following Monday Night RAW. Tonight’s participants will be former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor and former RAW Tag Team Champions The Hardys. Here’s WWE’s official description for the episode:
“Finn Balor and The Hardys discuss the motivations behind their most extreme personas and share personal tales of their paths to WWE.”
– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley took to Twitter to praise WWE Champion AJ Styles and SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions The Usos for their performances at Clash Of Champions last night:
– For the past several weeks jokes have been made from Finn Balor about being “over” after rumors of Vince McMahon canceling a planned Brock Lesnar vs. Balor match at the Royal Rumble because Vince doesn’t think Balor is “over” enough. Now WWE is selling a shirt that says “Balor Club – Forever,” with some letters highlighted in red in which they spell the word “over.” Check it out:
– triple j posted a video of WWE Superstar John Cena testing out his voice acting skills by trying to do the voices of various characters such as Shrek, Marge from The Simpsons, and many more. Check it out:
205 Live has not been the major success that WWE had envisioned, there are a multitude of reasons that the Cruiserweight show has drawn poorly; the time slot behind Smackdown Live, the lack of genuinely intriguing storytelling and the poor promotional efforts from the company being just a small cluster. Many have suggested that WWE cut it’s losses and look to redistribute the Cruiserweight stars amongst the RAW & Smackdown brands, but with the recent announcement of 205 Live touring shows it is clear that WWE do not want to put this project to bed just yet. So, who could WWE bring into the ‘purple brand’ to attempt to revitalise and boost the programme? We’ll take a look at three names now.
Hideo Itami
Hideo Itami
This is basically cheating…Hideo Itami has been confirmed for 205 Live but I wanted to highlight how the switch massively helps both Hideo and the Cruiserweight show. Itami has been flagging on NXT for an extremely long time and his presence on the de-facto ‘developmental brand’ no longer carries the weight of a major independent star who can shift ticket sales. When Hideo is transitioned to 205 Live (and essentially RAW) then he can be repositioned as an absolute killer amongst the more high flying elements of the show because fans from his KENTA days will tell you he can be absolutely brutal, vicious and devastating inside the ring when the time calls. Whilst Hideo may not necessarily attract the numbers that WWE would be looking for he will be a welcome asset, the prospect of Itami against Gulak, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa is more than exciting and perhaps he can lend a certain in ring credibility that the show (and title) are perhaps looking for.
Finn Balor
Finn Balor
It’s quite incredible to consider where both Hideo and Balor are at this point in their careers, with Finn debuting in NXT to team with the already somewhat established Hideo. That being said a move to 205 Live for the Irish star would be seen by a large majority as a step down, but what needs to be considered is how and where Finn could be used on RAW in the foreseeable future. A rumored nixing of the Universal Title match against Brock Lesnar due to Vince McMahon believing Finn wasn’t ‘over’ has seen Finn referencing and mocking this idea on social media…but realistically what can Finn do between now and next year’s Wrestlemania? There’s certainly opportunities for Finn on RAW but how much of a benefit would Balor be as a temporary star on 205 Live? I really believe that you would see a rise in interest and he would generate a buzz around a completely stagnant show. It wouldn’t be for long and I wouldn’t advocate him winning the Cruiserweight title but a nice run against some of the better in ring stars on 205 Live could do wonders for that show.
Chad Gable
Chad Gable
Last and certainly not least would be Chad Gable. Gable’s isn’t a name that I have heard suggested for 205 Live but at 92kg (202 pounds) he certainly could be on the roster. Whilst his run with Shelton Benjamin has been entertaining within the Smackdown Live Tag Division there does need to be time to transition the former Olympic athlete into singles competition. Instead of possibly getting lost in the shuffle of the Smackdown mid card why not give Chad a run amongst the Cruiserweights? Gable’s unique style would set him apart from other performers on the roster and he could mesh well with the likes of Jack Gallagher (who himself has not had the chance to truly shine), Noam Dar and funnily enough Enzo Amore. Chad has a charisma and ability on the microphone that the other two performers suggested actually lack, his original stint in NXT alongside Jason Jordan garnered praise and comparisons to a young Kurt Angle. Gable has a great sense of timing, humour and could trade off well against Enzo in his own wheelhouse.
Who would you like to see brought over to 205 Live? Let us know in the comments
– Before facing Kane in a match during the main event of this week’s episode of Raw, Finn Balor cut a promo on the Big Red Monster which didn’t air due to a commercial break. Below is the unseen footage of Balor calling out Kane for a match from the show:
– Former Cruiserweight Champion TJP has been kept off TV for a while now which has left people wondering about his status. Many speculate that he may have suffered an injury since he had appeared on crutches during the August 15th episode of 205 Live.
However, Dave Meltzer revealed on Wrestling Observer Radio that the former Champion is not injured and he has been away from WWE Programming because writers have nothing for him to do.
Last week Roman Reigns defeated The Miz to capture the Intercontinental Championship in the main event of Monday Night RAW. Shortly after the victory “The Big Dog” claimed that he’d be holding open challenges to defend his newly acquired title:
Wherever I am, consider it My Yard. So if you want my title… …all you have to do is step up. #Rawpic.twitter.com/jjJaklC5fF
It turns out that two RAW stars have already seemingly accepted that challenge, as they took to Twitter to respond to Reigns. The son of RAW General Manager Kurt Angle, Jason Jordan, posted the following video in which he accepts Reigns’ open challenge:
– As we noted before a report suggested that Vince McMahon has cooled down on the idea of pushing Finn Balor because the Boss thinks that he is not ‘over enough’.
Balor had referenced this report about him in one of his recent tweets and he has once again commented on these speculations indirectly through the following tweet:
Cena last appeared on WWE Programming during the recent Survivor Series PPV and he is expected to work on a number of Live Events right after Christmas. No word yet on when the Leader Of Cenation will make his on-screen return to the company.
– There is a rumor going around that WWE has instructed ring announcer Greg Hamilton to stop adding a pause after he says, “one fall” during his match introductions. Even though the “one fall” bit has become a staple of his routine, the belief is that WWE officials only want the ring announcers focusing on getting the wrestlers over, not themselves.
– After pinning John Cena at Survivor Series during the RAW vs. SmackDown team elimination match, RAW General Manager Kurt Angle is teasing a potential singles match with the 16-time world champion.
Responding to a photo of Angle and Cena from Survivor Series with the caption, “Things always come full circle,” Angle tweeted:
“Full circle. Nobody can deny these two are among the very best. Question is, will it occur again in a one on one??? We will see. @JohnCenahttps://t.co/zxBBzhofz4
– Earlier this week, Dave Meltzer reported that Vince McMahon decided to scrap the planned Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor match at the Royal Rumble because Balor is not ‘over’ enough to be a believable challenger to Lesnar.
Balor tweeted the following on Wednesday, emphasizing the letters O-V-E-R in “forever.”
The long-rumored Brock Lesnar vs. Finn Balor feud won’t be happening. For months, there have been reports that Balor was lined up to be Brock Lesnar’s next big challenger. The match was tentatively planned for January’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, but Dave Meltzer reports that Vince McMahon made the call on Monday morning to go in a different direction.
In the main event of Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, Balor was the first member of Team RAW to be eliminated. Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio,
“Vince McMahon felt that Finn Balor wasn’t over enough. I think obviously he decided even before, with how that match was laid out. Finn Balor wasn’t put in that match to shine.”
The following night on RAW, Balor lost clean to Samoa Joe, getting choked out by Joe’s Coquina Clutch. If it wasn’t clear after Survivor Series that Balor wasn’t being protected for a Universal title feud, it was pretty clear after RAW.
Balor is still one of the top stars on RAW and one of the best workers in the company. He was WWE’s first Universal Champion and has a built-in storyline to be a contender for that title. Balor was injured by Seth Rollins in the very match he won to become champion at SummerSlam 2016 and was forced to surrender the gold the following night on RAW. Unfortunately, the decision has been made that Balor is not a credible opponent for Lesnar at this time.
WWE has yet to decide who will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at the Rumble, which takes place on January 28th from Philadelphia.
New Japan Pro Wrestling have been releasing a number of high profile bouts from their back catalogue for free on YouTube over the past couple of months. The company’s latest free to view contest is the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match between Kazuchika Okada and Finn Balor (then Prince Devitt) from 2013.
The match is essential viewing for any WWE fan that has never seen Balor outside of his NXT/WWE run. As the first leader of the now world wide phenomenon that is the Bullet Club Balor would work as a vicious heel character, he would dissect his opponents and cheat using his stablemates in Gallows, Anderson and Bad Luck Fale to draw the ire of the traditional Japanese fans.
Check out the match below:
Kazuchika Okada vs Prince Devitt IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH?July 20, 2013? NJPW Free Match of the Week. https://t.co/Nzv6JWIvGA
WWE Superstar Finn Balor recently did an interview with Ringside Collectibles at Ringside Fest 2017 to discuss a number of professional wrestling topics. “The Demon King” cleared up a longstanding rumor that he had an accident in his trunks during his NXT TakeOver: Dallas match against Samoa Joe, and who he’d like to have a match with at WrestleMania. Here are the highlights:
The longstanding rumor that he had an accident in his trunks during his NXT Title defense against Samoa Joe at NXT TakeOver: Dallas:
“I want to tell everyone, there was a rumor that went around that I pooped my pants in that match,” he explained, “but it was actually the sweat on the baby blue trunks… So when Joe picked me up for the Muscle Buster and faced the hard cam, my butt was facing directly at the hard cam and everyone goes, ‘Oh my God, Finn’s pooped his pants!’ But it was just sweat, and maybe a little bit of Joe’s blood because I busted him open that day, too.”
His dream WrestleMania match:
“There’s a lot of people I would love to face… Triple H, Undertaker, AJ Styles. Either one of them, singles, one-on-one. Listen, I could wrestle eight matches at WrestleMania if I wanted to. I’m fit.”
WWE’s latest PPV offering Survivor Series is just over a week away and following the events of RAW and Smackdown the card has been changed dramatically, arguably for the better.
One of the marquee matches on the card is the 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series Elimination match between Team RAW and Team Smackdown. On the face of it this is a star studded bout and it throws up opportunities for some in ring confrontations that we haven’t seen in years.
One thing however that isn’t being discussed is best summed up in a tweet I read earlier this week:
Randy Orton is the youngest in Team SD. 37 years old.
Now, looking at the match from an overarching standpoint you can clearly see that (relatively) recently promoted NXT stars Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe and Jason Jordan are in this bout, which is a bonus and a clear indication that the WWE is looking to promote newer stars on both sides of their brand split…but while Shinsuke, Bobby and Joe are new to the WWE fan base they are in the later stages of their career.
The fact that Jason Jordan is the only performer in this bout still in his twenties should be of concern to WWE, it is pivotal for the company to be constantly evolving and to be looking for ‘the next big thing’….which leads me to the main event.
AJ Styles vs Brock Lesnar is a top drawer match, no doubt about it. When it was announced that Brock would be facing Jinder Mahal in the Survivor Series main event it saw a fairly tepid response from the WWE faithful and on paper AJ is certainly a better foe for Brock on the 19th. But what is important to remember is the fact that both AJ and Brock are now both 40 years old, Jinder Mahal is 31.
I completely understand that Jinder did not set the world alight when he held the WWE Championship, and I can appreciate that while AJ may be 40 he could feasibly still perform at a top level for at least another 4-5 years. What concerns me as a longtime WWE fan is the fact that they are just not building younger stars and are now starting to purely rely on independent performers who they can cherry pick from the worldwide scene to plug the gap.
When you look at the current crop of ‘homegrown’ top level WWE performers, I’m talking John Cena, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle, you have to consider the age at which they debuted on television:
John Cena – Smackdown June 27th 2002: 25 Years Old
Kurt Angle – Heat March 7th 1999: 30 Years Old
Brock Lesnar – RAW March 18th 2002: 24 Years Old
Randy Orton – Smackdown April 25th 2002: 22 Years Old
Compare this to the recently promoted top stars of RAW and Smackdown and you have a real disparity there. I might be unfair in my assessment, I am comparing today’s crop of stars to one of the most unique and stacked group of performers from the old OVW territory back in the early 2000s…however the issue is truly evident when you take this final point into consideration:
In the 5-on-5 match, who is the one performer that seems out of place and hasn’t been given the same push as the others? If you said Jason Jordan then we’re on the same wave length. Jordan is a younger talent that needs to be built in this match, otherwise what is the point?
You may completely disagree with me, or you may agree that the ageing main event roster is a bubble that will eventually burst and cause a tremendous ripple effect on the WWE product…either way I want to hear from you in the comments.
Finn Balor recently spoke with Ringside Collectibles at Ringside Fest 2017 where the former Universal Champion talked about his recent match with AJ Styles and more. Below are some of the highlights from his latest interview:
His match with AJ Styles at the recent TLC PPV:
“That was cool. Me and AJ had kind of like, avoided each other our whole careers. AJ is someone that I’ve always looked up to and I’ve admired his work for a long time, but for many reasons we were always kind of in the wrong place at the right time. This was the first time we’ve ever had the chance to properly lock up and have a match, it was a cool experience for me, Just feeling the energy in the building that night was probably the coolest thing like when we both stood in the ring together for the first time, that was a real cool moment to be a part of. AJ is ‘The Phenomenal One,’ I found out firsthand and hopefully we can do it again.”
Which stars he would like to add to his faction:
“Actually, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Obviously, someone who’s been my right-hand for my entire career, at least recent career since he came to America the first time, is Karl Anderson, who I don’t go anywhere without. So I’d definitely have Karl Anderson. Luke Gallows, probably the most underrated big man in the game, Here’s the kicker: I would add in The Authors Of Pain. Who’s gonna mess with me then? I could just stand in the front and I can have Karl Anderson here, Gallows here, The Authors Of Pain on each side. Kane’s not gonna mess with me then (laughs).”
Apart from this Balor also said that he hopes to face AJ Styles again in future. You can check out the full interview of Finn Balor in the video below:
RAW Superstar Finn Balor spoke with Sky Sports over the weekend during WWE’s ongoing tour of the United Kingdom and expressed his desire for the company to host a ‘major’ pay-per-view event in the UK.
“I love the idea of doing international pay-per-views and I don’t see why we should be anchored, so to speak, to the United States,” Balor said.
“The fans here deserve a pay-per-view in the United Kingdom. They haven’t had one since 1992 and that one went down as one of the greatest pay-per-views in WWE history.
“Why it hasn’t been done since then is beyond me. People above me will make excuses about how it’s not financially beneficial to the company but I think there are more important things beyond the bottom line and that’s giving the fans what they want at any cost.
Balor added that WWE talent is also on board with hosting a PPV from the UK, despite the logistical difficulties presented by the Greenwich Mean time zone.
– On tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler will be taking on Bobby Roode in a 2 of 3 Falls Match. The winner will earn a spot on the Survivor Series SmackDown Live team. Ziggler took to Twitter to comment on the match:
On last night’s (Mon. October 23, 2017) episode of Monday Night RAW, former WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor accepted Kane’s open challenge after attacking The Shield and AJ Styles. To many fans’ surprise, Kane wound up winning the match after hitting Balor with three Chokeslams. WWE seems to be building Kane up for a feud with “The Monster Among Men” Braun Strowman.
Per a report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, after asking around backstage at WWE it seems as though those who usually defend Vince McMahon’s decisions had no explanation as to why Kane went over on Balor:
“There is no explanation, there is no defense, he [Vince] just whiffed”
Meltzer was critical of WWE’s decision himself, questioning why Kane had to go over on Balor of all people available in the locker room. This slows down Balor’s momentum as he approaches a likely feud with Brock Lesnar in a few months.
The Miz is currently tied up in a feud with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose’s makeshift Shield which featured Kurt Angle in an explosive TLC main event that saw Braun Strowman leave in a dumpster truck. On the following RAW, Rollins and Ambrose took on the Intercontinental Champion’s team with SmackDown Live’s AJ Styles filling in for the absent Roman Reigns.
Unfortunately, the IC title itself is yet again being misused and lacking in development or growth. The positive aspect is that The Miz is a great heel and has done some fantastic work on Miz TV and with Kurt Angle on the build up to Sunday’s TLC, however he hasn’t taken his title anywhere and it has become stale, predictable, and boring.
The card for Survivor Series has been announced, and it seems that the IC title isn’t going anywhere as a match up between The Miz and Baron Corbin is set to feature alongside all other respective title champions. So, in no particular order, here are 5 superstars who would elevate the Intercontinental Championship after Survivor Series:
Finn Balor
Finn Balor has been floating in the WWE Universe for too long. He needs something to solidify himself and provide a purpose. Finn is also a prime example of a superstar who could be deemed “above” the level of the IC title, therefore enabling him to raise it up.
It is clear that the WWE creative team rate Finn; he is a former NXT Champion, and was the first Universal Champion. Unfortunately he has had to deal with injuries which resulted in him taking a back seat to everyone else. Apart from being stuck in a feud with Bray Wyatt, which started when Bray moved to RAW in April! That’s almost a 6 month on and off feud.
After a 4* match against AJ Styles at TLC it is clear that Finn Balor would give the Intercontinental Championship the boost it so desperately needs.
Bray Wyatt
In complete and direct contrast to Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt would without a doubt turn the IC title on it’s head. Bray had a brief stint as WWE Champion which ended all too suddenly against Randy Orton at WrestleMania.
Since moving to RAW, Bray has been lacking direction and specific purpose while working on and off with Finn. Furthermore, the Eater of Worlds has been struck with a viral illness that kept him away from his match with The Demon at TLC. On his return, Bray could certainly provide an alternative approach to being Intercontinental Champion, almost the complete opposite to The Miz’s shiny Hollywood appearance.
I’m not going to add Sister Abigail as a separate entrant on this list, but it’s worth mentioning that Bray’s alter-ego could also be used effectively in the Intercontinental scene. Imagine having Sister Abigail featured on Miz TV during the build up to Bray’s reign. Absolutely bizarre.
Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy could open up the Intercontinental Championship to new avenues. He would be perfect as a transitional champion to enable other superstars to get involved in the title picture.
Matt has already revealed that a change is coming to his WWE character, so why not use this opportunity to bring some change to the IC title as well?
It has been noted previously that Jeff Hardy is more valuable to WWE in terms of champion material but while his brother is recovering from surgery, Matt could be the perfect superstar to bring new life to the Intercontinental Championship.
Check out his match against Braun Strowman and the Torando DDT he worked in against The Monster Among Men.
Jason Jordan
Jason Jordan should have won the IC title from The Miz when the opportunity was there. Unfortunately the explosive athlete that was given a huge push as Kurt Angle’s son has now faded into the mid card territory. If Jordan could transfer his brute strength into a heel position, he could easily dominate in the ring.
Check out what he was able to do with the likes of John Cena. Of course there was only going to be 1 winner, but Jordan was still able to demonstrate his pure talent.
Samoa Joe
It is important to note that Samoa Joe is due back soon – very soon. Before encountering knee problems, Joe was facing the likes of Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, and Roman Reigns. Therefore it is easy to see how The Destroyer could pose a legitimate dominance over the Intercontinental Championship scene as he builds himself back up into the unstoppable force demonstrated here:
Although Samoa Joe managed to get a rare clean win over Roman Reigns, Wrestlemania speculation is to have the Big Dog take on Brock Lesnar, which means Joe will be looking for an angle of his own.
Like most of the names on this list, it seems like some superstars would be demoted to working the Intercontinental Championship, however it’s all about raising the title beyond that of its current position. While Samoa Joe appears to have WWE Champion and Universal Champion in his future, he would also make a fantastic dominant Intercontinental Champion too.
Finn Balor and AJ Styles stole the show at Sunday night’s WWE Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view. In the battle of the former Bullet Club leaders, The Demon got the victory in a match that we will almost certainly see again at some point down the road.
Styles was filling in for Bray Wyatt, who was forced to withdraw from the contest due to medical issues. As such, there was essentially no storyline buildup prior to them stepping in the ring together. NXT General Manager William Regal addressed that dynamic, stating that no angles are necessary to have a great match.
“When wrestlers say ‘Ah, but we had a cold match, no story etc’ I always say that of coarse you’ve got a story. You have to beat that person across the ring from you or you can’t feed yourself. Anything else you got to work with is a bonus….
That match was a perfect example of two competitors trying to win. Please remember, at the end of the day we are portraying Professional Fighters and your job is to win.”
Backstage at TLC, Finn Balor made it clear he’d like to face AJ Styles again.
