Will Finn Balor Return At The Royal Rumble?

In recent weeks, there has been a ton of speculation Finn Balor, and a possible return at the 2017 Royal Rumble. Earlier this week, Balor told ESPN that he would probably return at the event if Vince McMahon asked him to, but for now, his target return date is WrestleMania 33.

“You know, that’s obviously a huge rumor, and I would never be one to fuel the rumor mills,” said Balor regarding the Royal Rumble return rumor. “But to be a surprise entrant in the Rumble would be a huge moment for me. I’m sure it would create quite a buzz. If the day of the Royal Rumble Vince McMahon says, ‘You got your gear with you?’ then I’m sure I’ll be around.”

After he underwent shoulder surgery in late-August, doctors told Balor that the prognosis for his return was six months, which means that he’ll likely return in late-February or early-March, just in time for the build to WrestleMania 33. But, it’s not out of the ordinary to see a wrestler return from injury sooner than expected, which is why fans believe/hope that the Demon King will return during the Royal Rumble match.

While a Balor return at the Royal Rumble shouldn’t be ruled out, Cageside Seats reported on Wednesday that he won’t return at the event.

If Balor does return at the Rumble, he’ll return to the ring one month ahead of schedule. But, he could risk re-injuring himself if he returns to action too soon, so it’s probably safe to assume that he’ll wait until either February or March to return.

As for what’s on the table for Balor at WrestleMania 33, we really don’t know. When he relinquished the Universal Championship prior to his surgery, WWE teased a rematch with Seth Rollins. But, it looks like Rollins is headed towards a match with Triple H next spring.

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=HfMLpch28-Y

Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho are both potential opponents for Balor, but it does appear that KO and Y2J will be working a singles match at the event. Of course, they could add Balor to the match and make it a three way, but that seems unlikely.

Is it possible that they could do a brand vs. brand match between Balor and AJ Styles? Sure. As of right now, Styles doesn’t have an obvious WrestleMania opponent, and a match with Balor is something that hardcore wrestling fans have been dying to see.

When do you think Finn Balor will return? Who do you think he’ll be in the ring with at WrestleMania 33? Let us know in the comments section below, and be sure to visit our official Facebook page for all the latest WWE news and rumors!