The WWE Universal Championship Redemption for Finn Balor

Sarah lays out the best thing to come from Raw this past Monday. Finn Balor is back in the main event picture, let’s see what she thinks about it!

It has been a long two, plus years for Finn Balor and his fans of the Balor Club when it comes to the WWE Universal Championship.  Even though Balor lays claim to being the first Universal Champion, an ill-fated shoulder injury would force him to relinquish the belt as the injury sidelined him for several months.

In turn, it seemed that the plans for the future would take a backseat for Balor.  He was sent to the back of the line time and time again.  Frustration is evident, and Balor made that perfectly clear on this past Raw.

“I am a little tired of always being left out of these types of conversations.”  He stated, pertaining to the Universal Championship picture.

He’s not wrong.  If anything, Balor is owed that chance at redemption on the main roster.  His world-renowned success speaks for itself in addition to his successful run in NXT.  If fans needed a reminder, tune in to this past weekend’s NXT UK Takeover Blackpool.  Forget the surprise factor; the ovation for Balor was tremendous in terms of respect that he’s earned over the years.

Photo: WWE

Balor’s redemption hasn’t come easy, and Monday was just another obstacle for the former Champion.  CEO Vince McMahon automatically casts Balor as the underdog, setting forth what’s to come for him.  No time was wasted in that fact, as Balor had not one, but two grueling matches to earn the Universal Championship match – something he never technically lost to begin with.

The underdog success is how great stories are told, but when the opponent is Brock Lesnar it is anything but.  Lesnar has been damn near unstoppable since his WWE return seven years prior.  Everyone has tried and failed from The Undertaker to Roman Reigns.  Sure, Reigns was able to defeat Lesnar at last year’s WrestleMania, but it took him the better part of three years to get there.

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So what makes the case for Balor seem that the writing is on the wall for him to get where he was supposed to be three years prior?  Not only does his backstory write itself, but with Braun Strowman out of the Championship equation it presents a grand idea.

Strowman undoubtedly has unfinished business with the Beast Incarnate.  Does this mean that he will find a way to cost Lesnar the Championship at the Royal Rumble?  Never say never in this case, but if Strowman is on the quest to take him down then why not take away the one thing that seems to be dear to him?  Not only does he get back at Lesnar, but at the same time, it drives the two to meet at WrestleMania, which isn’t a consolation prize considering Strowman’s injury status.

This is not to say that Balor can’t win the Championship on his own.  It’s a pro wrestling David vs. Goliath with the veteran Balor taking on one of WWE’s greatest success stories.  Balor has plenty of experience with his past battles, so the believable factor would heavily come to play on his end.  Say if Strowman did provide the distraction, Balor can’t be blamed for taking advantage of the situation.  Look at what he has had to overcome since his return to Raw.

But with Strowman having building tension with Baron Corbin, and Balor would need an opponent for WrestleMania post-Rumble, it leaves the idea up in the air.  There’s still the Royal Rumble itself in addition to anything can happen between now and two weeks from now.  WWE has done stranger things, however with Strowman recovering from his elbow injury in addition to Reigns’ long absence, the time seems right to pull the trigger on what Balor can be in the company.