Tag: Finn Balor

Finn Balor discusses future in boxing or cagefighting

Posted on by Vincent Verhei

New Japan Best of the Super Juniors winner. NXT Championship. First-ever WWE Universal Championship. Finn Balor’s credentials in pro wrestling are long and storied. Is he thinking about stepping into other sports to add to his trophy case?

Balor was asked about the possibility of boxing or cagefighting during a press conference to promote Zuffa Boxing 10, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland, this August. 

“Well, obviously I have the upmost respect for the gentlemen that are up here beside me,” Balor said. “I wouldn’t take it lightly stepping in the ring with some of the boxers, or the cage with the fighters. They’re very disciplined guys, they know exactly what they’re doing. I’d rather stay exactly in my lane in WWE, thank you very much.” 

Balor, who grew up just down the road in Bray, County Wicklow, was at the press conference on behalf of WWE, which like Zuffa is a subsidiary of TKO. 

Balor, age 44, has never had a boxing or mixed martial arts match. He’s not a complete novice in fighting—he did earn a black belt in IBF submission wrestling from the late Andre Baker. 

Zuffa Boxing 10 airs on August 8 at 3Arena in Dublin and will stream live on Paramount+. The main event will pit Aaron McKenna (from Monaghan, Ireland) against Italy’s Etinosa Oliha for the Zuffa middleweight championship.

Finn Balor lists potential SmackDown rivals following WWE brand switch 

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Finn Balor has already laid the groundwork for a list of potential opponents on WWE SmackDown. 

During Raw, it was announced that he was officially traded to SmackDown. Balor shared a list of names from the brand deciding who to call a friend or rival. He listed Shinsuke Nakamura, Tama Tonga, Sami Zayn, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, R-Truth, Gunther, Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes. 

Balor’s history with Tonga dates back to their tenure on NJPW in 2013. Balor led the Bullet Club faction alongside Tonga, Kenny Omega, Karl Anderson and more. Tonga was one of the earliest recruits in the team who became more established under Balor’s guidance. 

After issues with The Judgment Day reached its peak, Balor was kicked out of the group in March. This led to a Street Fight match with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania. However, his former teammates – Priest and Ripley are on SmackDown which could lead to a revisited rivalry or alliance. 

Balor also challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk earlier this year. And with Rhodes making his list, it raises the possibility of an Undisputed WWE Championship pursuit. 

https://x.com/FinnBalor/status/2061836783281639883

WWE confirms Raw wrestler ‘traded’ to SmackDown

Posted on by Joseph Currier

We now have official confirmation that Finn Balor is a member of the WWE SmackDown roster.

When the King of the Ring 2026 bracket was unveiled, Balor was curiously listed as a member of the SmackDown brand. That was addressed during today’s Raw in Turin, Italy, where WWE stated that Balor has been “traded” to SmackDown. The announcement was made during a commercial break segment where Byron Saxton was interviewing Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonough.

It wasn’t stated if Raw will be receiving a SmackDown wrestler in return for Balor.

Balor was formerly a member of Judgment Day before splitting off from the faction and turning babyface. Joining SmackDown moves Balor away from that Judgment Day story and into a new direction.

Finn Balor in WWE King of the Ring —

Balor’s first-round match in King of the Ring will pit him against Jey Uso, LA Knight, and Royce Keys. The winner advances to face either Seth Rollins, Je’Von Evans, Talla Tonga, or Ricky Saints in the semifinals.

Oba Femi is the only wrestler to have advanced in the tournament so far, winning a fatal four-way match on Raw today.

The winner of King of the Ring earns a World Championship shot at SummerSlam. On SmackDown, Cody Rhodes currently holds the Undisputed WWE title.

Daily Update: Jim Ross, Finn Balor, Jelly Roll

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • Ted Turner’s legacy in sports
  • The history of pro wrestling on the Turner Networks
  • The skyrocketing success and rapid decline of WCW
  • The television heyday of Georgia Championship Wrestling
  • How Ted Turner first got involved in pro wrestling
  • Why Vince McMahon hated Ted Turner and how irrational it was at times
  • The local TV business in the early 70s
  • The 1972-74 Atlanta wrestling war, how it started and ended
  • The start of Gordon Solie and Tony Schiavone on TBS
  • The growth of TBS
  • The launching of CNN
  • How Vince McMahon got on TBS
  • Why McMahon and Turner had issues during their year working together
  • The role Jim Barnett played
  • The death of Mid South Wrestling
  • The death of Jim Crockett Promotions
  • The death of WCW
  • How Barnett manipulated the Crocketts getting on TBS
  • Vince McMahon’s cable power plays and Turner’s reactions
  • The signing of Hulk Hogan and rise of Eric Bischoff
  • Hall, Nash and Bret Hart come to WCW
  • How Bischoff nearly purchased WCW and how it fell through
  • A reprint of a 2001 article on the closing of WCW that Ted Turner himself read and praised
  • Reaction to the death of WCW
  • Numerous people react to the death
  • The tribute on AEW television
  • His exploits in other sports
  • Rupert Murdoch, Ric Flair, Jane Fonda, Tony Khan and others in sports comment on Turner’s death
  • Turner’s life after he lost control of the networks
  • His charitable work
  • Update on Tanea “Rebel” Brooks
  • A first look at how UFC is performing and its revenue driven vs. expense for Paramount
  • WWE cuts continue and are looked at
  • A crazy note about the income of just four of TKO’s top executives and how it compares to the pay for UFC and WWE athletes. This is absolutely shocking
  • Nick Khan’s new contract with TKO
  • Why so many cuts were made this year and more notes on the pay cuts
  • New Day bid farewell
  • WWE & UFC first quarter financials looked at
  • More talk regarding Middle East shows, Zuffa Boxing, and complaints regarding WWE and UFC
  • Backlash preview, business notes and odds
  • Notes on AEW Double or Nothing
  • New Japan Dontaku coverage
  • Nico Ali Walsh on Nick Khan’s testimony before Congress
  • NOAH big show notes
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings from the pro wrestling and MMA shows this past week
  • Fantastica Mania Mexico
  • CMLL vs. MLW at Arena Mexico notes
  • Grande Americano vs. Grande Americano
  • Lots of injury updates
  • Who in AEW was set for a major push that is now on hold
  • Champion Carnival down to final four
  • Cuatrero convicted in domestic violence case involving Stephanie Vaquer
  • Raja Jackson case coming to a close
  • Former WWE wrestler murder case makes pub again
  • Worldwide YouTuber numbers
  • Dana White talks McGregor’s return
  • Notes on Roman Reigns and his schedule
  • When did Nick Khan learn Vince McMahon was being investigate for sex trafficking
  • Janel Grant gets more public
  • Notes from WWE’s television contracts

This Week’s Back Issue

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Thursday Update

Finn Balor WWE Demon
Finn Balor competes at WWE WrestleMania 42. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • Finn Balor told Stephanie McMahon that, while he loves Japan, he doesn’t think he wants to wrestle there full-time again before the end of his career:
    • I always kind of imagined myself going back to Japan to finish my career in Japan. I didn’t want to leave Japan, but I kind of wanted to roll the dice with WWE and give it a try. And like, if I had a year at NXT and then it didn’t work out, I would have happily went back to Japan.
    • I like how everything [in Japan] is just exactly as you see it. There’s no bullsh*t. Like, people are straight with you. It’s ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. Everything’s clean, organized. Maybe I was immune to the politics because I didn’t speak the language so good. So I was kind of ignorant to that stuff, you know? And obviously, when you look back on any time, romantically, you always kind of hold that up.
    • I fell in love with Japan, but I don’t want to go back to wrestling in Japan, I don’t think. I’d love to go back to Japan and spend time there. When we go back with WWE, it’s absolutely incredible. To perform for WWE in Japan, that’s the dream.
    • Maybe we can set up an NXT Japan. [Triple H] might need a right-hand man to run it. Me and Shinsuke [Nakamura] I think would do a good job over there, right? God, that would be incredible. Go back to my dojo training days.
  • DJ Bootleg Kev shared that his friend Jelly Roll was “very self aware” that fans would not like him getting involved in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton WrestleMania 42 story:
    • I’m pretty comfortable in saying this. I’m really close to Jelly Roll — he was very self aware that he was being pushed into a storyline that he probably didn’t need to be pushed into. And he was pushing, he was being very vocal about wanting to be involved in a storyline that is still playing out currently that was more comedic.
    • And he was like, ‘Guys, if you put me into this thing, I promise you it’s going to cook. It’s going to f**k.’ I was there at SmackDown in Phoenix and I heard him having these convos with certain people at WWE. And they still decided to – and, look, if you’re him, you’re like, ‘Hey man, if you’re going to push me into the main event of WrestleMania, I’m not going to say no. But I don’t think people are going to [like it].’ And then to me it wasn’t even him so much, the McAfee thing was like – it was just weird. It just made no sense.
  • US Weekly asked Cody Rhodes how he would feel about his daughters Liberty and Leilani becoming wrestlers:
    • I would say the same thing my dad said, which was cool. ‘You can go into it, but you have to be the best.’ And that’s easier said than done, but I think they could certainly do it, those two.
  • Jimmy Hart, Diamond Dallas Page, and Fallon Henley have recorded interviews for future episodes of Rhodes’ “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast.
  • DDP posted some photos from WWE Headquarters after spending the day there yesterday for the podcast.
  • Jake Paul claimed that TKO has “major beef” with him over the back and forth he’s gotten into with UFC boss Dana White:
    • From my side, I’m just having fun. And the fact that one of the biggest organizations in the world, the TKO Group, has this major beef with me – they won’t even let me be in my brother’s WWE matches because they hate me so much. And so it’s pretty wild how much under their skin we are. And to me, yeah, it’s just been a fun journey. I enjoy sh*t talk. I like when people make fun of me. I’m easy to make fun of. You know, I’m able to make fun of myself, so the beef to me is just fun and entertaining for everybody.
  • Gunther shared a video working out in the gym with Ilja Dragunov.
  • Italian YouTuber Enry Lazza has an interview with Gunther.
  • Sami Zayn appeared on Huge Pop! with Donnie DaSilva and Jimmy Korderas.
  • Ethan Page was the guest on Complex’s Graps podcast this week.

Other Wrestling

  • On his Grilling JR podcast, Jim Ross said he plans on being in New York for AEW Double or Nothing on May 24:
    • I tell ya, AEW’s TV shows, and I know people expect us to ballyhoo it, to put it over – it’s easy to put it over when it’s good. And their TVs lately have been very good. And what they’re doing with Darby, they’re not doing anything more important on their television than featuring Darby Allin and letting us support him and get behind him and all that stuff. So he’s very resilient, and I like his approach a lot. So we’ll see how that materializes over the next few weeks. I plan on being in New York in a couple of weeks. And I’m excited about this card. It’s loaded, man. It’s got some good sh*t on it.
  • During an interview with Bootleg Kev, Swerve Strickland recalled seeing WWE star Oba Femi at the gym and telling Femi that, if it were up to him, Femi’s debut would have been winning the WWE Championship:
    • I met Oba at the gym and I said, ‘If I had the pen, your debut would be winning that belt.’ I was close because his debut was against Cody. And [Femi] was like, ‘How did you do this, man?’ I was like, ‘I just call it how I see it, it’s you, bro.’
  • Strickland gave his thoughts on influencers/celebrities crossing over into pro wrestling:
    • There’s a time and a place for it, for sure. Once again, it always comes back to the connection to the fan base. Like, how much have you connected with the fan base to warrant your level of involvement in said space in wrestling? You always got to listen to the fan base. They’re going to tell you what they’re receiving well. 
    • They’re like children, they cry when they’re getting something they don’t want. Or they’re going to cry when they want something. And then you feed it to them and they’re going to be like, ‘Oh, that satisfied me. You answered what I was [looking for].’ It’s the same way. They’re going to tell you when they don’t like it or they’re not digesting it well.
  • While looking ahead to his Best of the Super Juniors matchups, Jun Kasai gave his thoughts on Nick Wayne:
    • Yeah, we’ve been in GCW together and we’ve talked a bit. He’s younger than my son! If I lose to him, how can I look my own boy in the eye? [laughs]. But he really is a prodigy. You have this young protege and an average old vet. But even though I’m average, what I have in spades is passion. That’s what I’ve had for 28 years. That’s hard to beat.
  • Kasai, who is known for being a death match wrestler, described his BOSJ inclusion as a win-win:
    • I mean, if you eat your favorite food every day of the week and eventually you get sick of it. So for a misfit toy like myself to be in a top flight tournament for BOSJ it’s different for the tournament, and it’s different for me. So it’s win win.
  • After suffering a knee injury last September, CMLL wrestler Zandokan Jr. is set to return in La Copa Junior 2026. 
  • The Battleground Podcast interviewed AJ Francis.
  • ESPN published a feature story on Ronda Rousey ahead of her MMA return.

Finn Balor admits WWE promos still make him nervous, recalls Paul Heyman’s advice 

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Finn Balor is not fond of wrestling promos and he admitted that years of focusing on in-ring capabilities left him uncomfortable on the mic. 

Speaking with Stephanie McMahon on What’s Your Story? Podcast which was taped before WrestleMania 42, Balor discussed his demeanor to not talk much. He reflected on honing his mic skills in WWE given his extensive background focused on wrestling. 

“That’s another thing that’s been really difficult for me in my career is that trash talking and I’m not willing to sacrifice my dignity to say these things that I don’t mean right, because, and again, I know it would be better. I feel like I got to this position being myself, so I shouldn’t change that ever. And I kind of, I started in England where it was mostly based on mat wrestling. And then I went to Japan and it was based on strong style wrestling. It was not promos.”

“The first time I actually had to do a promo was when I came to NXT. And I remember being so nervous because the NXT tape and I had to come out and say ‘I’m Finn Balor and I’m the future.’ And I remember being so nervous having to remember that line because that becomes acting when I’m wrestling, I’m not acting right.I’m in flow. I’m just going with my emotions, following what I believe is right in my heart to do. But as soon as the speaking part started, that was a real learning curve.”

Balor expressed his improvement on promos during his nearly 12 year WWE run. He credited Paul Heyman’s advice on bettering his mic skills. 

“And one thing I’ve kind of only started to learn recently, and I’ll credit Paul Heyman with this, because he said you got to treat your promos like your matches, like you’re not nervous going into your match. You don’t know every move you’re going to do. You’re just flowing and you’re there and you’re in that state. But your promos, you’re trying to memorize every word.That’s not how you execute your matches.That’s not how you should execute your promos. So recently I’ve kind of been taking that more on board.”

Balor had built up a wrestling career prominently at NJPW before signing with WWE to compete on their NXT brand in 2014. A couple of years later he was moved to the main roster where he became the inaugural Universal Champion. However, he was forced to relinquish the title barely a day later due to a shoulder injury.

Balor was associated with The Judgment Day from 2022 until February this year. The group double crossed him for not assisting the team with their collective goals.  He also competed twice for the World Heavyweight Championship earlier this year. 

Seven WWE stars who deserve a major push | Opinion 

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

WWE WrestleMania 42 crowned new champions while also setting directions for future storytelling. 

The Raw after Mania saw three new members added to the main roster in Sol Ruca, Ethan Page and Joe Hendry. While the first two competed in their first matches on the brand to showcase their skills, Hendry debuted on Raw live tonight with a live concert.

However, several other talents from the current roster could emerge as the new faces of the company this year if booked effectively. 

Royce Keys

Keys made his SmackDown debut on April 10 against Berto, whom he defeated within minutes. Prior to this, he was competing in dark matches which he later revealed was intentional to familiarize himself with both his new home and new audiences. 

He won the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal on SmackDown before WrestleMania. It’s barely the tip of the iceberg for Keys’ WWE run and with WrestleMania 42 behind them, the page has officially turned over for new talents to make their mark. 

Despite competing in just three matches so far, Keys has the potential to transition from promising newcomer in WWE to top card contender. A gradual boost and development over random surges of top tier matches could help establish him as a dominant force on the roster. 

Je’Von Evans

Evans is already a fan favorite for his energetic approach and in-ring agility. 

During his short time on NXT, Evans faced Randy Orton which displayed his readiness for the main roster, and that also displayed the faith WWE officials in his run.

Evans was officially added to Raw in January and has since competed in marquee matches featuring top names of the industry. He also made his WrestleMania debut competing in the ladder match for the Intercontinental Title.

Carmelo Hayes

Hayes gained fans’ sympathy after losing the United States title in an abrupt manner to Sami Zayn barely a couple of weeks before WrestleMania 42 — a show Hayes didn’t wrestle at. While he seemed to be fairing well, the rushed title loss established himself as champion. The lack of prolonged payoff left fans feeling the title reign was cut short before it could fully develop. 

Regardless of the setback, Hayes has received support from the WWE fanbase. A natural direction to solidify the buzz around him would be to put him against his former NXT ally/foe Trick Williams for the title.

If handled correctly, Williams vs. Hayes on the main roster could evolve into a top tier WWE rivalry in the long run. 

Jordynne Grace

Grace built a rapport with fans when she debuted at the 2024 Royal Rumble while holding the TNA Knockouts Championship at the time.

Earlier this year, she was one of the many stars officially called up to SmackDown. She was briefly in pursuit of the WWE Women’s Championship, feuding with Jade Cargill. It didn’t turn out to be much though as Cargill was already in the plans to face Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. 

With more consistent exposure and some big wins, Grace could both be positioned as a strong contender and emerge as a top name in the women’s division. 

Finn Balor

Balor’s grit as a competitor was overshadowed by the Judgment Day, but his exit from the group gives him more leeway to prove himself as a strong World title contender again. He already brought back his former entrance theme, The Demon, and his signature look from a decade ago.

Despite losing two World Heavyweight Championship matches to CM Punk, Balor’s resume still remains strong to regain his glory days from nearly a decade ago. 

Also, given how WWE has been riding the nostalgia wave with returns and reviving gimmicks, Balor’s push once again to the top of the roster feels like a natural move, especially considering he was the inaugural Universal Champion at SummerSlam 2016. 

Giulia

Giulia walked into WWE with an extensive career in Stardom and NJPW. However, that momentum was diminished shortly after her main roster move.

She competed in NXT for a year, won the Women’s title, and was also the winner of the Iron Survivor Challenge in 2024. With this groundwork, her main roster transition made sense, but the results haven’t been what even she would probably say she expected.

She has already proven her versatility to stand out on the main roster, so with proper booking and long-term presentation, Giulia could be demonstrated as a dominant opponent in the women’s division. 

Tama Tonga

Last month, Tonga expressed displeasure at Solo Sikoa stealing Uncle Howdy’s lantern amid The MFTs feud with Wyatt Sicks. He has continued to question Sikoa’s leadership on a few occasions and the latter’s patience seems to be wearing thin.

Tonga debuted in WWE in April 2024, attacking Jimmy Uso to secure an alliance with Sikoa. 

He has the capacity to be a strong contender on his own and an exit from the faction could make for deeper storytelling, a developed character arc, and targeting the U.S. Title to kick off a singles run. 

Finn Balor posts image of busted up lip following WWE Raw match

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Finn Balor faced JD McDonagh in a singles match on the WWE Raw after Mania. During the bout, Balor’s lip was busted up, leaving him bloodied. 

Balor returned to his trimmed beard look and brought back his signature wrestling gear. He shared an Instagram post with a series of images from Raw and revealed the nasty lip trauma suffered during the match which required stitches. He captioned the post ‘We are so back’, referencing the old version of Balor has officially made a WWE comeback. 

At WWE WrestleMania, his Demon persona made an appearance for the first time in three years, and defeated Dominik Mysterio in a Street Fight match.

Balor was kicked out of The Judgment Day in March. There were numerous issues that led to the eventual split. The group’s frustration at his inability to capture the World Championship and refusing to assist Mysterio retain the Intercontinental Title against Penta on the March 2 episode of Raw, were key contributions. 

McDonagh, who was once Balor’s pupil in his wrestling school in Ireland, also turned his back which led to the Raw match. He also competed at WrestleMania 42 in a ladder match for the Intercontinental TItle which Penta retained. 

After Balor’s victory on Raw, Mysterio attacked him from behind indicating that their rivalry is far from over.

Randy Orton wants a feud with Finn Balor before his career is over

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Randy Orton recently opened up about his desire to have a feud with Finn Balor.

In a recent interview with The Schmo before WWE WrestleMania 42, Orton opened up about his intentions of feuding with Finn Balor before finishing his in-ring career.

“Finn Balor to me, I’ve been in the ring with him, but I’ve never had a singles match, let alone a feud. I would love to be able to say that I did by the end of my career. I think Finn Balor is an amazing talent. There’s nobody smoother than him.”

In a career spanning over two decades, Orton never faced Balor in a singles match, although the two have shared the ring multiple times. Recently, speaking on the same interview, Orton had also emphasized the importance of wrestling house shows to build chemistry between first-time opponents.

Orton, 46, is nearing the dusk of his career and revealed having just four years left in his WWE contract.

WWE Raw notes: Demon Finn Balor heading to WrestleMania 42, Asuka calls out IYO SKY

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Update:

WWE on social media confirmed Demon Finn Balor will face Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania:

Original story:

Notes from Monday’s Raw in Houston.

Finn Balor was originally set to face former Judgment Day associate and protege JD McDonagh. However he was jumped backstage by McDonagh and his WrestleMania opponent Dominik Mysterio, leaving him reeling. Later backstage, Balor congratulated JD and Dominik on the beating. He hoped they could play nice, but Balor declared that playtime was now over. He hinted showing Mysterio a side of him that he’s never seen before.

“A side that I buried a long time ago,” he added. “A side that I felt was gone forever. You’ve awoken it. It’s back. And at WrestleMania, it’s coming for you.” 

Balor is likely suggesting he will bring back his Demon persona at WrestleMania. The last time he did was at WrestleMania 39, when he lost to Edge in a Hell in a Cell match.

Meanwhile, Asuka cut a promo calling out her former friend IYO SKY. She accused SKY of being selfish and tearing everyone apart, including trying to wedge herself between Asuka and Kairi Sane. Asuka said she came to WWE to pave the way for SKY and Kairi and sacrificed everything to give them opportunities. She now realizes she loved her too much and she took advantage of her kindness. SKY must pay, Asuka declared, and will teach her one final lesson in the ring.

Finn Balor ‘pictured spending his whole career in Japan’ before joining WWE

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

A former WWE Universal and NXT Champion, Finn Balor, recently opened up and reflected on his thoughts on leaving NJPW for WWE.

An NJPW veteran and often known as the inaugural leader of Bullet Club, Balor left NJPW in 2014 to begin a fresh career in WWE NXT. Speaking on Talk’n Shop Live, Balor recalled how he had pictured spending his entire career in Japan before starting with WWE.

“I think what we had in Bullet Club when I was there was a real special time. Leaving when it was that hot was kind of bittersweet. I had known for a long time that I wanted to move on, but it’s always bittersweet. And I cried, obviously, leaving New Japan. That was super emotional.

“I kind of always pictured my whole career in Japan up until that point. I just really wanted to roll the dice in WWE and give it one try. And if it’s gonna be a year, it’s gonna be a year, whatever, and then go back to Japan,” Balor said.

At NJPW, Balor was a 3-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, 6-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, and even won the 2010 and 2013 editions of Best of the Super Juniors. He jumped ships to WWE in 2014 and has remained a vital part of the promotion since then.

Finn Balor was ‘blown away’ by AJ Styles’ retirement decision

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

Former Universal Champion Finn Balor has revealed his “blown away” reaction to AJ Styles’ retirement news from last year.

Earlier this year at Royal Rumble 2026, Styles retired from pro-wrestling after losing to Gunther. Speaking on Talk’n Shop Live, Balor opened up and revealed his initial reaction to Styles’ retirement decision.

“AJ [Styles] had told me he was thinking about retiring in 2026. And in my brain, that was like, ‘Oh, okay. That’s Survivor Series.’ And then I think we’re walking out of a RAW taping in Germany two weeks before his actual retirement, and we’re walking out onto the bus,” Balor shared. “I said, ‘You’re working Gunther soon?’ He goes, ‘Yes. Think it might be the last one.’ I was like, ‘For real?’ He goes, ‘Yeah.’ Whoa. Holy cow. I was blown away.

“I must say I’m super happy for him to be able to step away with his general health. No major injuries so to speak. I know he’s a little banged up, like we all are, but to step away on his terms and be with his family, that’s such a beautiful thing. I wish him the best, and I’m sure I’ll be seeing him pretty soon.”

Styles, now retired from in-ring action, currently works as a talent scout for WWE, while Balor is scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

IC title ladder match leads list of new WWE WrestleMania 42 matches

Posted on by Vincent Verhei

The WWE announced a bevy of new matches for WrestleMania tonight on Monday Night Raw.

The most prominent of those matches will see Penta defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match. After defending his title against Kofi Kingston, Penta himself announced the match in an in-ring promo. Later in the evening, Je’Von Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh were announced as competitors.

Finn Balor also announced his match for Mania. In a video package, Balor recapped how he took Dominik Mysterio under his wing in the Judgment Day, only for Mysterio to turn on him. He vowed to destroy Mysterio at Mania.

Finally, a four-way tag match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship was announced, with Lash Legend & Nia Jax defending the titles against Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, the Bellas, and Lyra Valkyria & Bayley.

Earlier in the show, Gunther vs. Seth Rollins had been announced as well.

WrestleMania 42 takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Tickets are available here.

WWE WrestleMania 42 card — 

  • World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk defends against Roman Reigns
  • Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defends against Randy Orton 
  • WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill defends against Rhea Ripley 
  • Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer defends against Liv Morgan 
  • Women’s Intercontinental title: AJ Lee defends against Becky Lynch
  • WWE United States title: Sami Zayn defends against Trick Williams
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team titles: Nia Jax & Lash Legend defend against Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair, The Bella Twins, and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria
  • Ladder match for Intercontinental title: Penta defends against Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Je’Von Evans, and Rusev
  • Unsanctioned: Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu
  • Seth Rollins vs. Gunther
  • Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
  • Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor

Karl Anderson praises Dominik Mysterio, comments on Finn Balor’s Judgment Day exit

Posted on by Rosanne Raphael

Dominik Mysterio’s WWE glow-up has drawn praise from The Good Brothers. 

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were special guests on TMZ’s Inside The Ring. Anderson perceived Mysterio as a World Champion in the initial years of touring in WWE. 

Anderson said:

“Dominik is, I’ve said it even back then, you know, when he first started, I wasn’t sure when he was a baby face and he was just getting moving. But then when we worked with him in The Judgment Day, dude, we got on the road with him. We were doing live events with him and it was like immediately then though. That was man, I can’t believe it now, that’s four years ago. I said, ‘Dude, Dom’s a future World Champion, and there’s no way he’s not going to be.’”

Anderson pointed out how the young Mysterio always eagerly listened and put into effect the advice he received backstage to hone his wrestling abilities. 

“He’s too good. He’s too smart. He’s too respectful. He listens. He takes advice and actually does it. You know, he doesn’t just take the advice and just have it go one ear (out the other). He actually listens and and changes and does what he’s told and and practice and, puts to practice what he hears.It’s amazing to watch Dom what he’s turned into.” 

Gallows added how Mysterio complemented his heel turn with the strong reaction and backlash from fans. 

“Dom’s a pro-wrestling sponge. And the beautiful thing about him was watching that heel turn. And you don’t know how people are going to be when they’re young and they’re getting booed, but talk about somebody who learned to bask in the heat, live the heat, get more heat, have unbelievable, can’t talk on the microphone level booing and heat. It’s incredible, man. And kudos to him.”

Anderson added about Finn Balor’s exit from The Judgment Day and wished it was done earlier. 

“I wish he (Finn Balor) could’ve left the Judgment Day earlier and I wish we could have had a really fun run together at some point obviously. Finn’s a top, top, tippy top guy, and this is his moment. I hope he gets a chance to be the World Heavyweight Champion, and he gets to be heel Finn Balor at the top, a heel champion Finn Balor at the top.” 

The Good Brothers feuded with The Judgment Day in 2022. They aligned with a returning Michin to deal with their Rhea Ripley problem after she slammed Gallows in a viral WWE moment on an edition of Raw in October that year. 

JD McDonagh explains WWE Raw betrayal of Finn Balor

Posted on by Joseph Currier

JD McDonagh has offered an explanation for why he betrayed Finn Balor on WWE Raw.

On the road to WrestleMania, a big angle played out on Monday night with Judgment Day attacking Balor and kicking him out of the group. It initially appeared like McDonagh was trying to cool the situation between Balor and Dominik Mysterio. But when Balor charged at Mysterio, McDonagh dropped him with a clotheline.

McDonagh sent out an in-character tweet last night blaming Balor’s ego for why tensions had been brewing within Judgment Day. He chose to side with his “family” in Judgment Day over his friend Balor.

“You lied to all of us for months. You got an ego. You wanted to be the leader. You played games,” McDonagh wrote. “That’s never been what the Judgment Day has been about. You used to know that.

“Judgment Day is my family and if anybody dares to try to step on any of them, you get stomped out.”

With both being from Ireland, Balor has legitimately been a long-time mentor to McDonagh. They worked together on-screen with two World Tag Team title reigns during their time in Judgment Day.

Last night’s angle ended with Mysterio, McDonagh, Liv Morgan, and Raquel Rodriguez standing tall after Balor was laid out with a steel chair. It would appear to be setting up Balor vs. Mysterio in some form at WrestleMania 42, though plans for the match have not been officially announced.

WOR: RAW live, WrestleMania build, Vengeance Day, White House UFC

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including tons of notes on the new AEW streaming service, Double or Nothing ticket sales, Orton vs. Cody and the WrestleMania build, Vengeance Day recap, New Japan Cup and CMLL notes, tons of MMA news including the UFC White House card, the RAW report for the show Bryan attended live, and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: MyAEW streaming service to launch outside US & Canada, Double or Nothing early tickets sales
13:19: WWE Wrestlemania 42 plans keep changing, NXT Vengeance Day recap
28:45: NJPW Cup update, CMLL notes
35:38: Ratings notes, boxing & MMA notes on ESPN/MVPW, UFC White House card reactions
56:01: WWE Raw recap

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