Has The Time Come To Reevaluate Finn Bálor’s Role in WWE?

Finn Bálor is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE. Every week, Bálor does his work on Monday Night Raw and every week, fans wait to see him climb the ladder in Vince McMahon’s company. 

But of course that climb has yet to happen. Many fans are wondering why, especially since Monday Night Raw has been struggling over the past few weeks. That fact was pointed out on Raw by Seth Rollins, which means that WWE is fully aware of the problem. But rather than give the program a shot in the arm, Raw continues on, business as usual. So has the time come to reevaluate Finn Bálor’s role in WWE?

It seems like a simplistic point of view and perhaps it is. After all, one man surely is not the answer to solving Raw’s problems. But every time fans debate the future of WWE, Finn’s name immediately comes up. Assuming that moving him up right now would automatically repair the damage done on Raw is naive at best. The majority of the WWE faithful surely understands that. However it doesn’t mean that the subject should be closed.

The biggest reason for that is the routine that has manifested on Raw. That routine has become painfully routine, as the entire program has been handed to Baron Corbin. Each week, Baron runs the babyface roster into the ground and he does it with the help of Drew McIntyre, as well as Bobby Lashley. The trio has wreaked havoc so often that Monday Night Raw just too predictable to handle. 

Watch Finn versus Jinder Mahal on Raw:

Finn Bálor vs. Jinder Mahal: Raw, Dec. 3, 2018

It’s not that fans haven’t seen this before of course. WWE has a habit of handing the reins to heel corporate authority figures. Then the company sits back and watches the program burn. It doesn’t last forever and when it finally ends, babyfaces typically come out on top. Rollins actually got the upper hand against Corbin on the December 10 edition of Raw. So yes, fans are well aware of just how much the company loves running this angle. The Corbin situation wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.

But the problem here is the amount of time that goes by in between. What begins as just a storyline tends to last forever. Repetitiveness is the key for WWE, mostly because telling a story takes time. That much is understandable. But when the heels win every week, fans grow restless. 

They need a win. They need to see the protagonists succeed, to finally have their moment in the sun. But it goes much further than just wanting to see the hero win. It’s about bringing balance to the program. Monday Night Raw is far from balanced. That’s where Finn Bálor comes in.

It seems like a plausible move to elevate Finn and it’s one that should have happened a long time ago. Bálor is more than ready for the responsibility and he’s proven that he can handle any challenge thrown at him. Of course, Finn is in the spotlight and he has been used on TV over the past several weeks. But instead of coming out as a winner, he’s usually fed to the heels. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that WWE is down on Finn, the truth is that he’s capable of so much more.

Watch Balor vs Corbin and McIntyre on Raw:

Finn Bálor vs. Baron Corbin & Drew McIntyre - 1-on-2 Handicap Match: Raw, Nov. 26, 2018

The babyface contingent of Raw must gain some ground at some point. Finn could be the man that finally does just that. But it’s not just Raw’s current sate that needs attention. The red brand’s main event scene needs to be addressed as well. This is precisely where Finn Bálor could make the biggest impact.

Roman Reigns is still out of action and even his harshest critics wish him well. They want to see him return to WWE sooner rather than later. The same is true of Braun Strowman, who is booked for TLC on December 16. Strowman was arguably the top babyface on Raw before he was injured. But the likelihood of him taking Raw’s top guy mantle is perhaps slim, mostly due to rumors that the company is hesitant about moving forward with him. Rollins has his hands full with Dean Ambrose and that’s likely not changing any time soon.

Finn Bálor is the right man for the job right now. He’s doing well in his role as a featured babyface. But the time has come to feature him in the main event. The company’s top titleholder needs a great opponent and Finn perfectly fits the bill. So is it possible that fans could see Brock Lesnar defend the WWE Universal Championship against Finn Bálor?

Lesnar has faced every type of challenger. From hardcore brawlers like Dean Ambrose and Samoa Joe, to ring technicians like AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan. From legends like John Cena and Goldberg to icons like Triple H and The Undertaker. One by one, Brock faced them all and one by one, he took them all down. But he’s never faced anyone quite like Finn Bálor. That’s especially true of The Demon.

Watch Paul Heyman respect Finn Balor:

Paul Heyman places Finn Bálor above the rest for Extreme Rules Fatal 5-Way: Raw, May 22, 2017

The Demon is much more than just a dark character. He represents the intense side of Finn, the side that continues to fight despite the odds. Bálor draws an otherworldly energy from The Demon as he enters a new state of mind when he wears the paint. For some Superstars, The Demon persona would be a gimmick and nothing more. But for Finn, The Demon is part of him. When he’s under The Demon’s spell, he can do anything.

But could he beat Brock Lesnar? Therein lays the issue. Lesnar jobs for no one in the end. The last man to get an unanswered win against Lesnar was Reigns. Roman fought for the duration of his main event career in WWE to beat Brock. It was not an overnight crusade. Reigns finally stayed The Beast and firmly established himself as the man in WWE. But if that was ultimately not his career path, then would he indeed have ever defeated Brock Lesnar?

What makes anyone believe that Finn could be the man to step into the ring with Brock Lesnar and beat The Beast? Would Brock dismantle Finn, just as he’s done with everyone else? Or would WWE finally give Bálor the kind of rub that would truly send him through the stratosphere of the company? 

The truth is that this is the perfect time to move forward with Finn. He’s not just a fill-in babyface and he’s not just a short term solution. Finn is a world class talent and he should be used as such. WWE needs a legitimate babyface to take Raw back for the fans. But WWE also needs a new challenger for Brock Lesnar. Finn Bálor can fill both of those needs. Whether or not WWE agrees with that sentiment remains to be seen.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live