Tag: Finn Balor

WWE SmackDown live results: Last Time is Now first round concludes

Posted on by Marc Quill

The Last Time is Now tournament to find John Cena’s final opponent rolls on as part of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Denver, Colorado.

In the final two first-round bouts, Carmelo Hayes battles The Vision’s Bronson Reed while Penta takes on Finn Balor. The winner of Hayes vs. Reed will move on to face Gunther on this Monday’s Raw while Solo Sikoa awaits the winner of Penta vs. Balor at a date to be announced.

We’ll also find out how WWE plans to move forward with Sheamus having to withdraw from the tournament due to injury.

On their website, WWE is hyping fallout from this past Monday’s show-ending brawl on Raw that included Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk and the other combatants for the men’s WarGames match at Survivor Series.

The final members for the women’s WarGames match at next weekend’s Survivor Series will also be confirmed tonight.

After weeks of back and forth conflict, DIY and Fraxiom finally get to settle their score in tag team action.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.

**********

– Over a live shot of the University of Colorado stadium and the school’s football mascot posing, we’re welcomed to the show by the voice of Michael Cole. We then see the requisite shots of Penta, Finn Balor, as well as Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair arriving. This then segued into a recap of the goings-on in the men’s WarGames and the new additions to the match happening next week.

The Vision open SmackDown

After the recap, we saw the three members of The Vision’s WarGames team: Logan Paul, Bronson Reed, and Bron Breakker. They were accompanied by Paul Heyman, who started with his usual opening spiel. He then said that at WarGames, five of the crowd’s heroes would be locked inside a double cage where Breakker would “take a bite out of every one of their asses”. They’d be also locked in a double cage where they’d be Tsunami’d over and over again by the “Original Tribal Thief”, Bronson Reed. These five superstars would learn that you’d need an evil and violent strategy to win WarGames, which led to Heyman giving the mic to Logan Paul.

Before Paul could get far, he was interrupted by The Usos, Jimmy and Jey. With a mic in hand, Jey said that nobody wanted to hear what Paul wanted to say. Heyman interjected by saying that Jey pissed off Logan, as well as stating that he created The Bloodline was to make sure that nobody would have to live on the streets. Heyman also pointed out that the one thing he taught them in The Bloodline was the numbers game as he counted the Vision members in the ring.

Jimmy noted that they weren’t showing up to this fight alone, as the sounds of Cody Rhodes’ theme heralded the seeming arrival of the Undisputed WWE Champion. However, he never showed up as the Titantron cut to Drew McIntyre emerging from Rhodes’ bus, leaving behind the champion beaten down. The Usos ran down to check on him.

An okay start to the show, with the McIntyre bus attack on Rhodes, but I’m thinking that this feud is getting a bit stale seeing as while McIntyre gets the upper hand in the attacks, he just ends up losing when it matters, which doesn’t help his standing at all. It kinda feels like they’re going through the motions.

**********

U.S. Title Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. J.D. McDonagh

Dragunov and McDonagh locked up to kick off the match as their standoff reached the corner. After McDonagh chopped at Dragunov, he was met with a hard boot to the face by the U.S. Champion. Dragunov knocked McDonagh loopy with an enzuigiri to the head but couldn’t connect with a suplex as he was chopped in the chest against the ropes. McDonagh gained the upper hand by throwing the champion hard into the middle rope, which sent him outside as we took a break at this early juncture of the match.

Live action resumed as McDonagh pummeled away at Dragunov with hard strikes to the face, as well as the Kawada-styled kicks. Dragunov answered with chops to McDanagh, followed by the Constantine Special, as both men struggled to get themselves back up. Once McDonagh and Dragunov got back up, they traded strikes until the U.S. Champion connected with a set of German suplexes that kept McDonagh down and out. Dragunov smashed the back of McDonagh’s head with repeated elbow strikes as he then nailed a nice suplex.

As Dragunov tried for another Constantine Special, McDonagh turned that into a standing Spanish Fly for the near-fall. McDonagh escaped a suplex as he then sent himself and Dragunov out of the ring with a nasty-looking suplex as the match headed into its second commercial break.

The match continued from the break as Dragunov nailed a superplex on McDonagh. Upon impact, McDonagh grabbed at Dragunov’s hair and countered into a brainbuster for an incredibly close near-fall. McDonagh headed to the top rope and missed on a moonsault, which opened him up to a big boot from Dragunov, followed by the standing uranage. Dragunov’s attempt at Torpedo Moscow was intercepted by a running knee from the Irishman, and the challenger took advantage with an incredible moonsault. One, two…. NO!

As both men got themselves up, Dragunov connected with the Torpedo Moscow after absorbing a headbutt from McDonagh. One powerbomb and H-Bomb later, and Dragunov picked up the victory in this hard-fought battle.

Ilja Dragunov def. J.D. McDonagh via pinfall to retain the United States Championship

These U.S. Title Open Challenge matches have remained the highlight of SmackDown for consecutive weeks now and this one was no exception. McDonagh and Dragunov battered the heck out of each other and we got a fantastic match out of it. Incredible way to kick things off in terms of in-ring action.

**********

– After a recap of Charlotte Flair deciding to join the WarGames skirmish on Raw, we saw Flair and Alexa Bliss walking to an unmarked door. The door opened to reveal Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY inside as Bliss left Flair to have a chat with Ripley to work out whatever issues they may have. SKY left soon after as Ripley and Flair stared down one another, presumably getting ready to have that chat.

– Nick Aldis wasn’t able to give an update on Cody Rhodes after what happened as he confronted The Vision about it. Mr. Aldis told Paul Heyman that Drew McIntyre was still persona non grata even after being named to The Vision’s WarGames team. Heyman said that he’d respect Aldis’s request as McIntyre was apparently not at the building after what happened earlier.

– We got more clips of the University of Colorado’s football team as it was mentioned that Bill Goldberg’s son, Gage Goldberg, was a player for the Buffaloes.

– Backstage, Ilja Dragunov was walking, licking his wounds after his U.S. Title match as Tama Tonga silently stared him down before walking off. Tommasso Ciampa then confronted Dragunov and told the champion that he was lucky that he and Johnny Gargano were busy with Fraxiom, because he’d be holding the title instead. Dragunov rebutted by calling Ciampa a “jackass”.

Last Time Is Now Tournament First Round Qualifier: Carmelo Hayes (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Bronson Reed

Michael Cole gave his condolences to legendary commentator Bob Caudle at the start of the match.

In the ring, Reed easily took down Hayes with a fierce running chop, as he continued the attack in the corner. Reed taunted Hayes, followed by another hard running chop and a headbutt on his downed foe. Reed attempted a powerbomb, but Hayes turned that into a powerbomb for a two-count. Hayes maintained the attack with a springboard DDT, followed by a dropkick to the outside. The Vision’s Logan Paul and Bron Breakker ran out from the back as we took a break in the action.

We returned from the break as Reed applied a resthold on Hayes, having gained the upper hand during the commercial break. Hayes fought out of the hold, but got dropped with a back suplex by Reed for the two-count. Reed tried for another back suplex, but Hayes landed on his feet. As Breakker created a distraction, Paul pulled at Hayes’ feet to give his fellow Vision member an assist. Hayes avoided a senton from Reed and rolled him up for the near-fall.

Hayes stunned Reed with a running knee, followed by the flying clothesline. With Reed trapped in between the middle rope, he was blasted by a leg drop by Hayes. A DDT on to the hardest part of the ring by Hayes was followed by a frog splash on the gargantuan Reed for a near-fall. Hayes’ First 48 was countered into a World’s Strongest Slam, followed by the senton. Reed headed up top for the Tsunami, but Hayes rolled out at the last minute to avoid calamity.

Hayes hit Reed with the First 48 as he then leapt at the three members of The Vision at ringside. Back in the ring, Hayes leapt from the top rope and hit a nice DDT, but that wasn’t enough to pick up the victory. Hayes went up top once again, but missed Nothin’ But Net, as he instead was cracked with a hard lariat by Reed.

Outside the ring, Breakker was setting up Hayes for the super spear, but the Usos interrupted and fought with Breakker and Paul. With the referee still distracted, Cody Rhodes emerged from the crowd and hit Reed with a Cross Rhodes that left him out cold. The referee began his count as Reed struggled to get himself back up. Reed was ultimately unable to reach the ring by the count of ten, which gave Hayes the victory.

After the match, Rhodes took the microphone and said that he no longer wants to be done with Drew McIntyre because of what he did. Rhodes called out each member of The Vision, as he then turned his attention to Paul Heyman, stating that he’ll beat his guys (“you build them and I’ll beat them!”) Rhodes then said that WarGames was his birthright and that he’d see Heyman at San Diego.

Carmelo Hayes def. Bronson Reed via countout

This was an good match and a good showing for Hayes. The inevitable WarGames-adjacent events helped keep things exciting, and did their job of setting up Hayes vs. Gunther on Raw this coming Monday.

**********

– Chelsea Green was fretting about her championship celebration, as she confided with Alba Fyre that maybe she shouldn’t be holding this celebration. As Green called herself the “Greatest Women’s Champion Ever”, Jade Cargill confronted her and took exception to that bold claim.

– Sami Zayn was with Rey Fenix, The Motor City Machine Guns, and Shinsuke Nakamura and had remarks ahead of the big five-man elimination tag match against The M.F.T.s next week on SmackDown. Zayn said that his team was an international assembly of the best wrestlers as he put Fenix, the MCMGs, and Nakamura over.

#DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommasso Ciampa) vs. Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer & Axiom)

Fraxiom started off fast as they stunned both Gargano and Ciampa with their fast-paced tandem offense. At ringside, both #DIY members were left shelled by consecutive dives to the outside by Fraxiom. Back in the ring, Frazer hit a splash on Ciampa, but Gargano broke up the pin as he then took out Axiom of the equation. Gargano was now the legal man and continued the attack on Frazer, who countered a back suplex by landing on his feet. Ciampa pulled Frazer out and threw him against the steps, as he and Gargano did their self-pats on the back. We took a break at this point in time.

The match returned from break as Frazer sped things up as only he could with a running moonsault on Gargano for the near-fall. Frazer made the climb to the top rope with Gargano stunned, but he missed on the splash. This opened him up to a Shatter Machine from #DIY for an incredibly close near-fall. Frazer had his knees clipped by Ciampa, but he was able to make the tag to Axiom. A dive from the top from the masked star was met by a hard knee to the face from Ciampa, as #DIY connected with a nice double team move. Frazer managed to break the pin up with a splash.

On the top rope, Axiom connected with an avalanche Spanish Fly, while Frazer flew from the top to take out Ciampa. In the ensuing fracas, Candice LeRae got on the apron and took off Axiom’s mask, which allowed Gargano to get in a sneaky victory for #DIY.

#DIY def. Fraxiom via pinfall

Some solid tag team action to keep up the excellent in-ring action we’ve had so far tonight. If there’s one good thing about the rumored return to three hours for SmackDown, it should be the added focus on the tag division to fill the time, and they deserve that bigger spotlight.

**********

– We got a video of Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley’s conversation, where it simply boiled down to the two acknowledging that they could trust one another for WarGames.

Last Time Is Now Tournament First Round Qualifier: Finn Balor vs. Penta

Balor tried to attack Penta as he was still posturing in the ring, but was cut off at the pass instead as the match got underway here. Balor attacked Penta in the corner, but was met with a hurricanrana, followed by the elevated dropkick in the corner by the fearless masked man.

Penta slammed Balor with a slingblade, as he hit a nice dive over the top rope on his foe to take us into the commercial break.

After the break, we returned on Penta landing a crossbody on Balor as both men tried to get themselves back up on their feet. Balor got to his feet first and teed away on Penta in the corner with a series of punches. However, Penta started to gained some steam with repeated clotheslines, then the superkick on a prone Balor against the middle turnbuckle. Penta tried to hit the Penta Driver, but Balor turned that into a Final Cut for the two-count.

Balor kicked away at Penta, but got a pair of hard chops for his troubles. Penta then hit a modified Muscle Buster on Balor for the close two. Penta pulled at Balor’s arm with his signature armbreaker, but he got rolled up for the near fall. Balor hit the Slingblade, then the shotgun dropkick, which was the final setup for the Coup de Grace. Penta escaped and connected with a variation on his Penta Driver. One, two…. NO!

Balor pushed Penta into the corner, but he found himself in the crosshairs for the Mexican Destroyer as Penta picked up the victory to advance in the Last Time is Now Tournament.

Penta def. Finn Balor via pinfall

A great match to cap off the in-ring action on tonight’s SmackDown, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the matches on tonight’s show. Penta and Balor work together so well, which made this match a fun one.

**********

– Cole and Graves ran down the remaining spots for the Last Time is Now tournament as they mentioned Sheamus’s shoulder injury, which forced him out of the tournament, revealing that a mystery opponent will face LA Knight in the LTiN quarterfinals in place of the injured Sheamus.

Women’s WarGames Match face off

The team of Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, IYO SKY, and Rhea Ripley were out as a united front ahead of next week’s Survivor Series: WarGames.

Ripley had the microphone first and said that she could hear what the Denver crowd was chanting for. She said at MSG, the Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend didn’t realize how united they were at that moment in time, and when going into war, she wanted to make sure she’d be going to war with the right people. Ripley pointed out her best friend IYO SKY, someone who would keep fighting even if they went down swinging. Ripley then turned her attention to Bliss and Flair, people who weren’t the best of friends with her, but they could trust people. However, that was only four people, as she introduced the fifth member of their WarGames teams: AJ Lee.

As AJ made her entrance, the heel women attacked Rhea’s team in the ring. Becky Lynch ambushed AJ as she was making her way to the ring. The battle was heating up in the ring, as the heel WarGames team had the upper hand in the ensuing skirmish. The Levesque & Fitting producer credits were up as the heel WarGames team stood tall.

**********

Kind of a standard WarGames setup ending for a surprisingly great SmackDown, but I suppose they had to get that out of the way, even if the setup of adding Lynch and AJ into the mix seemed a bit forced. Even with that, I was pleasantly surprised at how good the in-ring action was this week, which carried a lot of the show this week.

The U.S. Open Challenge, as usual, stood out the most, but the other matches on the night were enjoyable in their own right, which helped make this episode a lot better than previous weeks. However, the big downside that does put a damper on things was how the SmackDown women’s division seemed to be sidelined, especially in favor of the WarGames build.

Jade Cargill, the current Women’s Champion, only got a fifteen-second cameo, and the planned Chelsea Green segment (which likely would’ve involved Giulia crashing the party) got bumped off the show altogether. On top of all that, there was no women’s match on the show. That is a huge disappointment and does not shake off the notion of how poorly booked the SmackDown women’s division is as a whole. This is an issue that’s been a nagging one and something that the women’s WarGames build cannot hide.

Three title matches announced for WWE Raw next week

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has booked a slate of title matches for next week’s episode of Raw.

– After impressing last week with a countout victory over Becky Lynch, Maxxine Dupri will face off against Lynch once again — this time with the Women’s Intercontinental Championship on the line. Dupri did an interview on Raw today thanking the fans for how much they’ve supported her. She called last week the biggest win of her career, then revealed the news that she’s getting a title shot against Lynch in her hometown of Sacramento, California.

– The men’s Intercontinental title will also be defended in a rematch next week with Dominik Mysterio taking on Rusev. In their title match two weeks ago, Dominik cheated by hitting a low blow behind the referee’s back. Dominik then cheated again in his successful defense against Penta today, using the ring bell hammer as a weapon.

– The third championship bout for next week is a World Tag Team title match with AJ Styles & Dragon Lee challenging Finn Balor & JD McDonagh. Dominik accidentally set up the title defense for his Judgment Day stablemates when, in a backstage segment, he complained that he’s the only champion on Raw who has to defend their title every week.

– Along with all that, Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer will be in non-title action against Roxanne Perez.

WWE Raw (Monday, October 20) —

  • Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch defends against Maxxine Dupri
  • Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio defends against Rusev
  • World Tag Team Champions Finn Balor & JD McDonagh defend against AJ Styles & Dragon Lee
  • Non-title match: Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer vs. Roxanne Perez

Finn Balor thanks NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi: ‘You’ve had an incredible career’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Finn Balor expressed huge gratitude toward his former NJPW colleague Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Tanahashi — one of the greatest wrestlers in NJPW history — will retire from the ring at the Tokyo Dome in January 2026. Balor told Tokyo Sports that he would love to face Tanahashi one more time, though he does not expect to be Tanahashi’s final opponent.

“That would be awesome, but I’m not that lucky,” Balor said about potentially facing Tanahashi in his retirement match.

“But I want to take this opportunity to say something to Mr. Tanahashi. You’ve had an incredible career. Thank you for being so good to the foreign wrestlers in New Japan. Mr. [Takashi] Iizuka, Mr. [Jushin Thunder] Liger, Mr. [Yuji] Nagata — everyone was so warm. Having teammates like family supporting me helped me adapt quickly to the ring’s harshness. Living in a distant country where you don’t speak the language is scary. But New Japan welcomed me with open arms. I’ll always be grateful.”

Balor rose to international prominence while competing for NJPW as Prince Devitt in the 2000s and 2010s. He is looking forward to heading back to Japan next month for two WWE house shows.

“Performing in Japan is always a joy and an honor. Japanese pro wrestling fans are the best in the world. They show respect, are well-studied, and passionate,” Balor said. “Plus, you can’t fool Japanese fans. They spot a bad wrestler immediately. I feel my age now, and my style is different from my NJPW days. But I want to show the high level of skill I had during my time in Japan. I want to deliver the same passion and energy.”

The WWE live events are being held at Sumo Hall in Tokyo on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18.

As president of NJPW, Tanahashi will remain a key figure behind the scenes after his in-ring retirement. He was first appointed to that role in December 2023.

Multiple names from the past appear during WWE NXT Homecoming

Posted on by Bryan Rose

It was a homecoming for many NXT stars of the past.

During Tuesday’s show at Full Sail University, multiple former NXT stars made an appearance. The first surprise was after the WWE Women’s Tag Team title match. Zol Ruca and Zaria were arguing about the finish of last week’s number one contender’s match when Laney Reid and Candace LeRae interrupted. Shayna Baszler then showed up and said she made history in NXT by being the longest-reigning champion. She told Sol and Zaria to fix it and apologize as they’ll get everything they want if they do.

Later, The Miz made a surprise appearance. He attacked Johnny Gargano on the outside giving him the skull crashing finale. He then threw him into the ring and helped Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams score the victory over DIY, continuing his SmackDown storyline with Hayes.

Other NXT stars from the past including Damien Priest, Sami Zayn, Montez Ford, Bobby Roode, and Finn Balor all made appearances. Priest and Zayn gave pep talks to Tavion Heights and Je’Von Evans respectively, while Montez Ford met with Darkstate. Bobby Roode meanwhile had an encounter with Joe Hendry.

After Lexis King gave a speech running down the old era of NXT and Myles Borne, he was met by a returning Finn Balor, who came out to his old theme and entrance. Borne entered the ring and took out King while Balor delivered the coup de gras.

WWE releases new Finn Balor merchandise after memorable Triplemania moment

Posted on by Ian Carey

Wrestling is really into puppets at the moment.

Last night at Triplemania, Finn Balor debuted a new demon-inspired puppet named Demonito during an in-ring moment with Mr. Iguana and his plush iguana doll, La Yesca.

JBL was on commentary as Balor unveiled the puppet and shouted, “It’s him, it’s him, he’s here! Oh my God, run for the exits! Demonito, it’s Demonito! We’re all doomed!”

Balor then used Demonito to rip La Yesca off of Iguana’s hand. This led to Nino Hamburguesa offering Balor and Demonito some hamburgers before Iguana got back involved in the match.

WWE has since released a replica version of Demonito on WWE Shop for the price of $99.99 USD.

“Made of a super soft plush material, this Finn Balor “Demonito” Replica Plush Puppet will make the perfect gift for any fan of the WWE Universe! Bring home a piece of the ring with this figure of one of the world’s finest Superstars.”

Demonito joins La Yesca, Lilly, Charly (Charlotte Flair’s doll), and Harley Cameron’s mini Mone as puppets currently active in wrestling.

Judgment Day six-person tag match set for AAA Triplemania

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Finn Balor, JD McDonagh & Raquel Rodriguez of The Judgment Day are heading to Mexico City for a six-person tag match at Triplemania.

WWE posted a Spanish-language promo today setting up that Judgment Day will battle Mr. Iguana, Nino Hamburguesa & Lola Vice at the Saturday, August 16 event. The show is airing live on WWE’s YouTube channel in both English and Spanish.

Triplemania will be a big night for Judgment Day, who also have Dominik Mysterio competing in the main event. That main event is a four-way bout with El Hijo del Vikingo defending the AAA Mega Championship against Dominik, Dragon Lee, and El Grande Americano.

Vice — former MMA fighter Valerie Loureda — competes in NXT and has also regularly been working AAA dates to gain experience. One of her AAA partners here — Mr. Iguana — has made multiple appearances for WWE since his breakout performance at Worlds Collide.

This is the first Triplemania event since WWE announced its acquisition of AAA. An appearance by Rey Mysterio is set for the show, with him inducting Konnan into the Lucha Libre AAA Hall of Fame. It’s also been confirmed that there will be a street fight with Angel & Berto defending the AAA Tag Team titles against Psycho Clown & Pagano.

Finn Balor & JD McDonagh win World Tag Team titles on WWE Raw

Posted on by Bryan Rose

New World Tag Team Champions have been crowned.

Finn Balor and JD McDonagh regained the World Tag Team titles on Raw, defeating The New Day to win the titles for a second time. The finish had Kofi Kingston go for a plancha on the outside, but missed, allowing Balor to hit a slingblade. After McDonagh hit Woods with a moonsault, Balor followed with the coup de grace off the top rope for the win.

After the match Balor, McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio celebrated their win on the outside, holding their titles as fireworks went off.

Balor & McDonagh won the titles for the first time last year, defeating the Awesome Truth. They lost to the War Raiders on the December 16 edition of Raw, who carried them until WrestleMania 41 when they lost to The New Day.

The Judgment Day has seen some changes in recent weeks with the release of Carlito and the absence of Liv Morgan, who is recovering from shoulder surgery after an injury suffered in the ring earlier this month. He’s invited Roxanne Perez into the group, who has quickly made friends with Raquel Rodriguez and are now recogized as the Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Finn Bálor: Demon, Height, Tattoos and more

Posted on by Jake Skudder

Finn Bálor, born Fergal Devitt, is one of WWE’s most tenured current stars on the main roster, known for his athletic quality, enigmatic persona, and striking body art. Whether he’s competing as his regular self or he’s ‘transforming’ into the fearsome Demon for a PLE show, Bálor consistently delivers.

FieldDetails
Full NameFergal Devitt
Ring NameFinn Bálor
NicknamesThe Demon King, The Prince, The Real Rock ‘n’ Rolla
Date of BirthJuly 25, 1981
HometownBray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Height5’11” (180 cm)
Weight190 lbs (86 kg)
NationalityIrish
Billed FromBray, County Wicklow, Ireland
Trainer(s)Andre Baker, Johnny Moss, New Japan Dojo
DebutNovember 23, 2001

Finn Balor Demon

The Demon is Bálor’s dark alter ego, characterised by elaborate body paint and a more aggressive in-ring style. This persona debuted in WWE NXT and quickly became a fan favourite, often reserved for high-stakes matches.

However, Bálor has used the Demon persona sparingly in recent years. He explained that it became a “crutch” and felt he was trying to please too many people rather than himself.

Finn Balor Height

WWE officially lists Finn Bálor’s height as 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm). However, various sources suggest his actual height is closer to 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm). This slight discrepancy is common in professional wrestling, where billed heights often differ from real measurements.

What Tattoos does Finn Balor have?

In recent years, Bálor has expanded his collection of tattoos, each carrying personal significance. Notable designs include:

  • A rising sun on his left triceps.
  • A symbolic arm sleeve extending from his wrist to elbow.
  • An astronaut on his left hand.
  • Cartoon-style images of a T-Rex, cactus, and dove.
  • Wedding coordinates on the back of his arm.

Early Life & Background

Fergal Devitt, known globally as Finn Bálor, began his wrestling journey in Ireland before honing his craft in the UK and Japan. In New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), he gained prominence as Prince Devitt, capturing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship three times and founding the Bullet Club faction.

Wrestling Career

Debut Information

TypeDate
Pro Wrestling DebutNovember 23, 2001
WWE NXT DebutSeptember 25, 2014
WWE Main Roster DebutJuly 25, 2016

Championships & Achievements

Championship/TitleNumber of Reigns
WWE Universal Championship1 (Inaugural Champion)
WWE Intercontinental Championship2
WWE United States Championship1
NXT Championship2
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship2 (with Damian Priest)
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship2 (with Damian Priest)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship3
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship6 (with Ryusuke Taguchi)
NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship1
Best of the Super Juniors2 (2010, 2013)
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic2015 (with Samoa Joe)

Promotions Worked With

PromotionYears Active
WWE2014–present
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)2006–2014
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)2010–2013
NWA UK Hammerlock2002–2006
Various Independent Promotions2001–2006

Wrestling Style & Moves

CategoryMoves
Wrestling StyleHigh-flying, technical, and striking-based with a blend of Japanese strong style and European technical wrestling
Signature MovesShotgun Dropkick, Sling Blade, Pele Kick, 1916 (lifting inverted DDT)
Finishing MovesCoup de Grâce (Diving Double Foot Stomp), 1916 (Brainbuster variation)

Entrance Theme

Theme NameArtist
“Catch Your Breath”CFO$

Notable Rivalries

OpponentRivalry Highlights
Seth RollinsBattled for the inaugural Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2016
Bray WyattEngaged in a supernatural feud, culminating in matches as “The Demon” vs. “The Fiend”
AJ StylesFaced off in a dream match at TLC 2017, showcasing mutual respect
Damian PriestFormer allies in The Judgment Day turned rivals, leading to intense confrontations
EdgeFeuded over leadership of The Judgment Day, including a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania 39

Finn Bálor: Stats at a Glance

AttributeData
Ring NameFinn Bálor
NicknamesThe Demon King, The Prince, The Real Rock ‘n’ Rolla
Height5’11” (180 cm)
Weight190 lbs (86 kg)
Finishing MovesCoup de Grâce, 1916
Signature MovesShotgun Dropkick, Sling Blade, Pele Kick
Theme Music“Catch Your Breath” by CFO$
Championships1× Universal Champion, 2× Intercontinental Champion, 1× United States Champion, 2× NXT Champion, 2× Raw Tag Team Champion, 2× SmackDown Tag Team Champion
WWE DebutSeptember 25, 2014 (NXT)
Promotions WorkedWWE, NJPW, CMLL, NWA UK Hammerlock, Various Independent Promotions

AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor set for next WWE Raw

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Two former leaders of Bullet Club will square off in a singles match on the Monday, May 12 WWE Raw.

AJ Styles will take on Finn Balor on next week’s Raw in a match set up with a backstage segment on this week’s show. Styles entered The Judgment Day locker room to declare his intention to take the Intercontinental title from Dominik Mysterio, then Mysterio told Balor to handle his dirty work for him. Balor agreed, but not before teasing further dissension with Mysterio.

Balor and Styles both led the NJPW Bullet Club faction during their time with the promotion in the 2010s.

Two more matches are also on tap for next week’s Raw.

After losing the World Tag Team titles to The New Day at WrestleMania, Erik and Ivar of The War Raiders will look to get back on track as they face Julius Creed and Brutus Creed of American Made.

Women’s Word Champion IYO SKY will also be in action next week as she teams with Rhea Ripley against Roxanne Perez and Giulia.

The WWE Raw lineup for May 12 is listed below.

WWE Raw, Monday, May 12 —

  • AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor
  • The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) vs. American Made (Julius Creed and Brutus Creed)
  • IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez and Giulia

WWE Raw live results: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: February 17, 2025
Location: Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC 

********** 

The Big Takeaway —

Raw was capped off by an excellent main event, which saw Seth Rollins beat Finn Bálor to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber. Rollins will join John Cena, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, and Logan Paul in Toronto. 

Roxanne Perez beat Raquel Rodriguez to qualify for the Women’s Chamber thanks to a distraction by Bianca Belair and Naomi. Belair and Naomi will defend their tag titles against Liv Morgan and Rodriguez next week. 

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will have an unsanctioned match in Toronto. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Seth Rollins, Finn Bálor, Roxanne Perez, Judgment Day, Ivy Nile with the Creed Brothers, and Dakota Kai were shown arriving. 

AJ Styles arrived in a Chevy NASCAR, driven by Daytona 500 winner William Byron. 

Michael Cole welcomed Pat Acfee back from vacation. Cole said McAfee was out of the country, and McAfee told him that he was not out of the country, he was in Puerto Rico. 

There was a video package for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. They both agreed that they had to fight, and Owens laid the challenge down for Elimination Chamber in Toronto. 

Sami Zayn segment 

Sami Zayn entered. The fans chanted for him. He said it’s been a tough couple of weeks so that was nice to hear. He’s had time to think about his history with himself and Owens. He couldn’t think of any two other wrestlers in history whose careers have been tied so closely together. (Zayn sold his neck as he spoke.) 

In a story that long, there would be betrayal, forgiving and forgetting. However, there was no forgiving and forgetting Owens this time. Owens tried to end his career. The problem for Owens was that he did not get the job done. Zayn wouldn’t pretend his neck was 100%, but he had enough for a fight. Zayn would see Owens in Toronto. 

Adam Pearce interrupted. He knew everyone wanted the match, but everyone in charge (Nick Aldis, Pearce, the board, and medical) had already told Zayn the answer was no. Pearce told him the answer was still no. The crowd booed. Zayn would not take ‘no’ for an answer and would not leave the ring until he was given the match. 

Pearce said he couldn’t sanction a match between them. If they had an unsanctioned match, Owens could do whatever he wanted. He could wrap a chair around Zayn’s head or piledrive him over and over and there was nothing WWE could do about it. Even if Zayn won, he would still lose. He warned Zayn this could be the last fight of his career. Pearce asked if he understood what that (an unsanctioned match) meant. 

Zayn marched out of the ring to answer Pearce to his face. Zayn said he knew what it meant. He could wrap a chair around Owens’ head or piledrive him on his head. Zayn told him to give him the match. Pearce agreed and made it an unsanctioned match. 

********

Judgment Day met in the back. Dominik was worried about Bianca Belair and Naomi coming after Liv Morgan, but Morgan wasn’t worried about it. Morgan said she was proud of Dom lately. Dom wished Finn Bálor saw it that way. He wanted to add a new member, but Bálor refused. 

Bálor joined them at this moment. He was confident he would beat Seth Rollins tonight and said it would be embarrassing if Raquel Rodriguez lost to Perez tonight. She told him to handle his own business and she would handle hers. Bálor was cool with that. Before leaving, he reiterated to Dom that there would be no new members. 

********

Vic Joseph ran down Bayley’s hectic schedule over the past week, including her participation in the NBA Celebrity game. Bayley then joined him for an interview and said she would win the Chamber. (They couldn’t have given her today off?)

(Joseph was filling in for Jackie Redmond. They didn’t say why she was absent because she’s at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, which is on right now.) 

********

Cole announced a sold-out crowd of 15,280. He also announced Michelle McCool’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction. 

AJ Styles defeated Dominik Mysterio (w/Carlito) (8:54) 

The announcers mentioned that Styles was a former TNA World Champion and X Division Champion. 

Styles was about to put Dom away with a Phenomenal forearm early in the match, but Clarito tripped him as Dom distracted the ref. Dom hit a suicide dive to lead to break. Dom hit three amigos and a 619 but missed a frog splash. Styles fought back with a clothesline, forearm, corner clothesline, and neckbreaker. 

Carlito tried to get in the ring, but Styles kicked the middle rope into his crotch and knocked him off the apron. The ref just stood idly by. Dom tried to use the distraction to his advantage, but Styles caught him with a Styles Clash for the pinfall win. 

— Bron Breakker tried to spear an unsuspecting Styles, but Styles dodged it and Breakker speared Dom by mistake. Styles hit an enziguri and tossed Bron out of the ring. Bron was pissed that Styles got the better of him, so he ripped off his shirt and chucked it into the ring but Styles caught it effortlessly. (I don’t know if that was planned or not, but it was timed perfectly.) Bron grabbed his title and left. 

********

The Creed Brothers bragged about what they did to the War Raiders last week (attacking them with the belts). Ivy Nile reminded them that they didn’t win the titles, and they promised Chad Gable that they would all be champions when he returned. Nile planned on beating Dakota Kai tonight to earn an IC title shot. 

Kai walked by and Nile told her that her Cinderella story would end tonight. Kai said many women bigger than Nile tried to take her down before. She planned on earning her IC title rematch tonight. 

Rugby player Aaron Woods was shown in the crowd. 

Lyra Valkyria entered to watch the upcoming match at ringside. 

Dakota Kai defeated Ivy Nile to become the number one contender for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (6:45) 

Nile briefly worked over Kai’s previously injured leg, but Kai came back with running boots and a Kai-ropractor for two. Nile powerbombed her out of the corner. Kai kind of no-sold that and tried a counter, but Nile caught her in an ankle lock. Kai got a rope break, and the two exchanged strikes. 

Nile hit a German suplex, but Kai reversed a second one into a cradle for two. Nile applied an ankle lock again, but Kai used the ropes to escape and hit a curb stomp (with Nile draped over the ropes). Kai followed with GTK for the pinfall win. 

This match was alright, but it didn’t help that the crowd was dead. 

********

McAfee interviewed Austin Theory and Grayson Waller during a break. 

******** 

Gunther/Jey Uso segment 

Gunther was on the concourse surrounded by fans who were Yeeting, mimicking Jey Uso’s entrance. Gunther entered through the crowd and did Jey’s pose, but the crowd did not participate with him. He called it a simple gesture for simple people. 

He understood why Jey felt comfortable in the crowd because he was a simple guy himself. He understood why the fans didn’t appreciate him (Gunther) because his performances in the ring were like performing Shakespeare for a dog. He was the best wrestler in this company and was tired of wrestling people who couldn’t lace his boots. 

He thought he could beat some sense into Jey, but because of the fans Yeeting along, that gave him a false sense of confidence and now Jey was digging his own grave. The crowd started Yeeting, so he told them to shut up and noted how badly it smelled in the stands. 

He reminded them that the match would not happen in the crowd but in the ring, and he would outclass Jey. Jey’s blood would be on the hands of the fans. He wanted them to be honest and asked if they really thought Jey could win. The crowd chanted, “We want Jey,” before he finished his question. 

Gunther decided to ask a professional instead and climbed the announce desk. He asked Cole and McAfee for their supposedly unbiased, professional opinion. McAfee didn’t want to answer, but Gunther chucked the microphone at him. Cole warned McAfee to be careful. McAfree responded, “Yeah, I hope he can beat you at WrestleMania.” 

Gunther didn’t like that answer, so he began stepping closer to McAfee until Jey’s music hit. Jey entered through the stage, but three referees stopped him. Jey ran by them and attacked Gunther in the ring. This led to a pull-apart brawl with officials getting between them. Jey got the better of it and sent Gunther out of the ring. Jey led the fans along with his chant. 

This was a strong segment. Gunther was great here. 

********

Cathy Kelley asked Morgan and Rodriguez about the footage that implicated them in Jade Cargill’s attack. Morgan said the footage doesn’t show them doing anything. Morgan said they didn’t have time for this, and Rodriguez would squish Perez like a bug tonight. Kelley tried pressing them on Cargill, but they blew her off. Kelley was annoyed and said, “Thanks so much for giving us nothing.” 

********

During a break, Jey walked through the back and was approached by the New Day. Kofi Kingston said nobody knew what he was going through more than he did as a former tag team wrestler going for a singles world title at WrestleMania. Xavier Woods said they hoped he lost at Mania. They laughed. Jey said KofiMania never would have happened if The Usos hadn’t forfeited. Jey said New Day sucks, and he left. Pete Dunne walked by, and Woods “mistakenly” called him Butch. Dunne also told them that they suck. 

Various celebrities whose names I didn’t write down were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

Penta defeated Pete Dunne (10:06) 

Penta kicked Dunne right in the face, but Dunne responded with a dropkick. Dunne pretty much immediately took control and began working over Penta’s extremities until Penta came back with a Codebreaker. However, Dunne snapped his fingers to take over. 

Ludwig Kaiser entered to watch as they went to break. Penta came back with a superkick and flying crossbody, but Dunne cut him off with another dropkick. (This was almost a repeat of what happened earlier, perhaps because they knew they were in commercials.) 

Penta fought back after the break with a DVD variation, but Dunne responded with a sit-out powerbomb for two. They traded kicks until Penta hit a Canadian Destroyer. Kaiser distracted Penta, which allowed Dunne to cut off his dive attempt. Dunne applied a cradle while holding the tights for two. 

Penta chucked Dunne into Kaiser to knock him off the apron, and Penta followed with Penta Driver on Dunne for the pinfall win. The crowd popped for the win and they were into Penta all match. 

(This was fine, I guess, but the finishing sequence was too similar to the Styles/Dom match.) 

— Kaiser attacked Penta after the match, but Dunne was pissed at Kaiser, so he yanked him out of the ring. They traded right hands until Penta wiped them both out with a flip dive. 

********

Kelley interviewed Jey Uso. She asked about people’s doubts about him. Jey was fired up. He said people kept doubting him, but he was standing there as the Royal Rumble winner. He would shock the world again by beating Gunther and becoming the champion. 

They showed clips of Bayley playing in the NBA Celebrity game. McAfee joked that this was the only positive thing about NBA All-Star. 

There was a Roxanne Perez video package. 

6’4” Vic Joseph interviewed 5’6” Dakota Kai while standing in the crowd. She wanted to prove that all the work was worth it and planned on walking out as IC champion next week. 

There was a War Raiders video package. They warned the Creed Brothers that they made the worst mistake of their lives last week, and the next time they fought, it would be war. 

*******

Elimination Chamber qualifier: Roxanne Perez defeated Raquel Rodriguez (w/Liv Morgan) (7:30) 

Rodriguez used her size and power advantage over Perez. Perez slapped Rodriguez twice, which just pissed her off, so she launched Perez into the ring post. Rodriguez caught Perez in a guillotine and spun her around and around (a spot that could get over if she keeps doing it). 

Perez chop-blocked her, hit a running uppercut and applied a rollup for two. Rodriguez caught Perez out of the air and hit a fallaway slam, followed by an elbow drop for two. Perez avoided a tackle, and Rodriguez went shoulder-first into the post. Perez followed with consecutive dives, a DDT and a springboard moonsault for two. Rodriguez blocked a Pop Rox attempt and hit a big boot for two. 

Belair and Naomi entered to Belair’s music, and they attacked Morgan. This distracted Rodriguez, so Perez hit Pop Rox for the pinfall win. (Despite Perez being a heel, Cole said she was on a Cinderella run.) 

— Belair and Naomi tried to attack Morgan again after the match, but Rodriguez pulled her to safety. 

(The crowd was quiet because this was a match between two heels, but they popped for Perez getting the win. They worked well together, but Perez was on the wrong end of a beat-down for much of the match.) 

********

Seth Rollins told Kelley he planned on beating Bálor tonight. 

After Rollins left, Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) had a message to share. Kross thought Jey and Rollins were both delusional. (Jey for thinking he could beat Gunther, and Rollins for thinking he could win the Chamber.) Zayn was, too, but Kross still had hope for him. Kross said Zayn knew that there was always time to “turn” things around. 

********

There was an IYO SKY video package. 

The New Day segment 

They aired a replay of New Day attacking Rey Mysterio last week. Woods wished him well. The crowd booed them, so Woods told them to shut up. He couldn’t believe the fans were mad about what they said to their own friend Big E when they told him to keep his lazy ass at home. They were mad about what they did to Rey Mysterio, a guy who sucked the life out of every new, fresh-faced luchador in the company. 

Kingston said the fans put Rey on a pedestal, but he had more title wins than Rey had. Kingston had been in WWE longer than Rey, and Kingston never left the company as Rey did. If anyone should be the locker room leader, it should be Kingston. 

He said it could have been a lot worse for Rey, and the fans should be thankful that they showed mercy. They could have given him the Old Yeller treatment, but instead, they gave him some extra time he could spend with his wife. Woods said the fans should be thanking them. 

LWO interrupted. Dragon Lee called Rey the greatest luchador of all time, and what New Day did was unforgivable. He said New Day sucks, and they ran down to attack them. It was a three-on-two beatdown by the babyfaces over the heels. LWO knocked New Day out of the ring, and Dragon Lee was about to go for a dive, but New Day sprinted away to safety. 

********

Next week on Raw: 

  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Dakota Kai for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship 
  • Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s Tag Team Championships 

Belair and Naomi cut a quick promo about the tag title match. They also spoke about the Chamber and the possibility of facing either Rhea Ripley or Iyo Sky at WrestleMania. 

********

Elimination Chamber qualifier: Seth Rollins defeated Finn Bálor (18:47) 

Bálor attacked Rollins before the match. The ref checked on Rollins, who told him to start the match. Bálor was all over him and hit a Pedigree for nearfall about a minute into the match. (This was one of those Pedigrees where he didn’t let go of his opponent’s arms at all.) Rollins avoided a Coup de Grace, but Bálor remained in control until Rollins fought back and hit a suicide dive. 

Bálor avoided a stomp and hit a slingblade, but Rollins kicked his leg out of his leg to take over. Bálor tried fighting back but Rollins dropped him knee-first onto the announce desk. Rollins tried to stomp Bálor’s head onto the steel steps, but Bálor avoided it. Bálor shoved him into the ring post and dropped him on the steps. Bálor targeted his midsection during a break. 

Rollins fought back, and they exchanged strikes until Bálor hit a Pelé kick. Rollins fought back with chops (as the crowd randomly started waving their phone flashlights). Rollins hit a DDT and Lionsault for two. Rollins followed later with a buckle bomb, but Bálor got his knees up on a frog splash attempt and transitioned into a cradle for a nearfall. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” 

Bálor hit consecutive slingblades, but Rollins caught his dropkick attempt and applied a Sharpshooter. Bálor almost got a rope break, so Rollins let go and hit a Pedigree for an extreme nearfall. This was really a three-count, but Bálor kicked out late. The crowd thought it was over, so they chanted, “Ref, you suck.” Rollins gave him a DX crotch chop. 

Rollins went for a superplex, but Bálor dropped him onto the top rope and hit a Coup de Grace for a nearfall. They traded counters until Bálor applied a crossface. Rollins slipped out and hit a curb stomp for the pinfall win. (Rollins shook hands with the ref after the match.) 

This was an excellent match. It was so good that it felt like Rollins accomplished something by beating Bálor. The crowd got more and more into it as it went, and some people were screaming by the end of it.

WWE Raw live results: Street fight, Penta debuts, Women’s IC finals

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: January 13, 2025
Location: The Shark Tank (SAP Center) in San Jose, California 

********** 

The Big Takeaway —

CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre declared for the men’s Royal Rumble, while Nia Jax declared for the women’s Rumble. Rollins and McIntyre will wrestle next week on Raw. 

Penta debuted with a win that was played up throughout the show. Lyra Valkyria is the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion, Jey Uso will challenge Gunther for a world title match at SNME, and Damian Priest beat Finn Bálor in the main event. 

**********

Show Recap — 

Raw opened with a drone shot of the Shark Tank in San Jose, showing the sold-out crowd. There was a video package of Raw’s debut on Netflix last week. 

CM Punk arrived just in time through the loading dock in a black Chevrolet Tahoe. The camera followed him through Gorilla and into the arena. (Punk embraced fans in the front row, put on a kid’s Jey Uso shades and made the “Yeet” gesture.) 

The crowd loudly chanted for Punk as he took it all in. He told the fans that the chants did his heart good. Punk acknowledged all the firefighters and first responders throughout the great state of California, as well as everyone helping from other states, and Canada and Mexico. The crowd cheered. 

Punk spoke about his win over Seth Rollins. He had a lot on his mind and a lot on his plate, but Rollins was no longer one of them. The Royal Rumble didn’t go well for him last year, thanks to his triceps. It was his dream to win the Rumble, but that was taken away. 

Punk mentioned that John Cena declared for the Rumble, but he was declaring for the Rumble, too. Punk planned on throwing out 29 other men and winning the Rumble. He told them to play his song, but Rollins’ music played instead. Punk acted (overacted) annoyed. 

Rollins was cheered. He removed his shades to reveal a black eye. The crowd then chanted for Punk. Punk noticed the black eye and moved in for a closer look. 

Rollins reiterated what he had said before. Win, lose or draw, he planned on being on Raw. If he didn’t show up when times were hard, that wouldn’t be him, that would be Punk. Rollins said he’d rather be the worst version of himself than be any version of Punk. 

Rollins said he has lost a lot of matches, including at WrestleMania, but last week’s was the worst of his career. He has never been more disappointed in himself to underestimate Punk and lose on the biggest stage of his career. The only way to make up for it was to take Punk’s dream and flush it down the toilet. Rollins planned on winning the Rumble. 

Drew McIntyre interrupted. McIntyre referred to one of them as more disgusting and selfish than ever. Punk said the last time McIntyre stood in the ring with him, he was in tears, covered in blood and begging for his life. If McIntyre wanted to step in the ring with him again, it would take more than 15 stitches to close the wound. 

McIntyre said he wasn’t talking to Punk. He was talking to Rollins. Rollins extended him the same invitation. McIntyre said they were both so alike. 

McIntyre said Rollins was all talk. He talked about being a leader, but he was nowhere to be found during Tribal Combat because he was too concerned with his own match—which he lost anyway. He called Rollins pathetic. Rollins said he didn’t have patience for this. 

Punk didn’t either and was ready to fight with either of them. McIntyre teased a triple threat but backed down to the dismay of the crowd. McIntyre said there were more important things going on. McIntyre again spoke about Roman Reigns and said he would be the reluctant hero. McIntyre declared for the Rumble so he could get his hands on the title before Reigns could. 

******** 

Damian Priest, Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh, Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky, and Lyra Valkyria were shown arriving earlier. 

******** 

Penta defeated Chad Gable (13:25) 

Penta entered as Gable’s surprise opponent, and Michael Cole called it the worst-kept secret in the business. 

They had a WWE-style match. They went back and forth early on, Gable got the heat, Penta came back, and they traded big moves until Penta got the win. 

Penta wore black, white and red. He went to do the zero miedo taunt right away, but Gable cut it off. They had a back-and-forth exchange, which led to a “Penta” chant. Penta messed up a springboard leg drop and set up for a dive, but Gable cut him off and hit a suplex. 

Penta came back with a superkick and corner handstand into a dropkick. Gable ducked a right hand and gave Penta a German suplex on the apron. Gable smashed his leg against the ring post and continued to work his leg over. The crowd gave Gable “You suck” chants. 

Penta avoided a diving headbutt and hit a superkick, but Gable cut him off again, suplexing him into the turnbuckles. Penta came back with a slingblade, flip dive and backstabber for two. Gable responded with a German suplex for two. 

Penta came back with a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. Gable took an amazing bump on the destroyer, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome.” Penta did the zero miedo taunt before kicking Gable in the head, but Gable hit a dragon screw and applied an ankle lock. 

Penta got out of it and hit The Sacrifice (hammerlock into an armbreaker) and Penta Driver for the pinfall win. 

— Jackie Redmond interviewed Penta post-match. He thanked her and the fans. He called this his new home. He said everyone had been waiting for this, but the truth was, he had been waiting for this moment. He spoke in Spanish and shouted out his family in the front row (some of whom were in tears). This was a new era in WWE, but this was the Penta new era. The crowd cheered. 

It certainly wasn’t perfect, but I would call this a successful debut in the end. The crowd was behind him. 

(I have the ad-free feed, so the match continued through whatever break they took. It was sort of odd seeing the heat last as long as it did, even though it was a normal amount of time, because it normally occurs during a four-minute commercial break. So it felt like a longer heat sequence, even if it wasn’t.) 

******** 

Judgment Day met in the back. Finn Bálor sarcastically told Liv Morgan that she would be champion again. Morgan said she was at least successful at taking a piece of Rhea Ripley with her. Dominik showed up, so Bálor let them sort their issues out. 

Dom had flowers and tried to explain what happened last week. Morgan acted like she wasn’t upset and told him to go grab her bags and have the valet ready for later. Morgan tossed the flowers to Carlito. She left with Raquel Rdoriguez. Dom was blissfully unaware and told Bálor everything was good. He offered Bálor his help in tonight’s street fight. Bálor told him to worry about his girl and to go get her bags. 

*******

Cathy Kelley interviewed PCF. They said what they did to Kairi Sane was a message to everyone in the division, including anyone considering moving over via the transfer portal. They each wanted to become the IC champion. 

Daniel Cormier and Bron Breakker were shown in the crowd. 

******** 

Sheamus defeated Ludwig Kaiser (8:48) 

This went to break early on, which took us to the top of the hour. 

Kaiser grabbed a shillelagh, but Sheamus nailed a knee strike for two. Kaiser cut him off and went back on offence, but Sheamus nailed a Brogue Kick for the pinfall win. 

— Sheamus saw Bron Breakker in the crowd, and they went face-to-face. Bron shoved him but a referee got between them before it could escalate. 

********

Kelley asked Rollins about McIntyre (the two men have a match next week). Rollins owed him one for WrestleMania and said next week would be fun. 

Sami Zayn approached Rollins and offered an ear if he wanted to talk following his tough loss. Rollins said last week was rough for him, but it was great for Zayn. His boy Reigns got the Ula Fala back. Zayn helped him last week just like he did at WarGames. Rollins wondered if Zayn would keep helping Reigns until he won the title—or if he would help himself. 

********

Redmond interviewed McDonagh and Carlito and asked about the tension growing between Morgan and Bálor. McDonagh called her a spin doctor like the rest of the media. Redmond wasn’t trying to cause drama and asked about Dom being in the doghouse. McDonagh dismissed her again, and Carlito acted like he couldn’t hear her questions. (This may have just been a segment during commercials because it felt very pointless.) 

********

A disgruntled Karrion Kross informed Miz that the Wyatt Sicks had been moved to Smackdown. Kross hoped Miz had nothing to do with it. 

Zayn approached and asked if Adam Pearce was in his office. Kross said he overheard what Zayn said earlier. Kross and Miz joked about the idea of Zayn winning another title. Zayn said Miz had been Kross’ lackey lately, and nobody was even thinking about him. 

Miz reminded Zayn that he’s been world champion twice, which is two more times than Zayn. Zayn said had a few things to discuss with Pearce, and now one of those things was to get a match against Miz tonight. (Kross made sure Miz knew he was on his own against Zayn.) 

******* 

Oba Femi was shown in the crowd. 

********

Gunther and Jey Uso segment 

Gunther entered in a suit with his world title belt. He was impressed with the spectacle of last week’s show, but “when it comes to the performance in the ring, I was less impressed.” Aside from him, he wished they had a roster that could fulfill his high expectations. Everyone fought over drama like who was “the head of the table” or “best in the world,” but the only thing that mattered was the World Heavyweight Championship. 

Jey Uso entered (wearing a San Jose Sharks Yeet shirt) to a big reaction. Jey said McIntyre and the Bloodline were behind him now, and he wanted a title match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. 

Gunther said he knew he wouldn’t hold the title forever, but Jey wouldn’t be the guy to take it. They wrestled twice over the IC title, and Gunther beat him both times. Gunther knew what Jey was capable of and it was a lot less than him. Jey was entertaining, but Gunther would expose him as a really talented tag team wrestler. “Main event” was a nickname to Jey, but it was where Gunther belonged. A match at SNME sounded good to him, but he advised Jey to consider his choice. Gunther left the ring. 

Jey said everything Gunther said was true. Jey spoke about all the doubters, and he admitted he was scared to do it alone but he woke up every morning trying to earn respect. So at SNME, Gunther would respect Jey when he beat his ass for the world title. Jey led the crowd in chanting, “Yeet.” Gunther was amused. 

Jey was good here. 

(Cole said Jey winning the world title would be his first singles championship in WWE, which is incorrect.) 

********

There was a good video package for Lyra Valkyria and Dakota Kai. 

Kelley interviewed Bayley in front of her hometown crowd (during an ad break). Bayley spoke about how much this building meant to her. She put over Penta and spoke about her title match against Tiffany Stratton on Friday. She also put over Valkyria and Kai (despite their history). She poked fun at Cole and had the fans yell, “Michael Cole’s an idiot.” 

******** 

Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai to become the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion (8:31) 

Valkyria gave Kai a vertical suplex off the apron to the floor, which got a good reaction (this led to an early break). Kai fought back after the break, hitting a running boot in the corner and flipping backstabber for two. Valkyria blocked GTK and hit a running sit-out powerbomb for two. Valkyria followed with an axe kick off the ropes for two. 

Kai responded with a scorpion kick, diving foot stomp, and GTK, but Valkyria rolled out of the ring before Kai could make a cover. Valkyria dodged a running boot and hit a slingblade (Kai landed right on top of her). Valkyria followed with Nightwing for the pinfall win. 

— Pearce and Kai each raised Valkyria’s hand post-match. Valkyria posed with the title belt as fireworks went off. 

(This was fairly good for the time they had, but it felt rushed. Based on the pace they were going, you could see the result coming once Kai failed to get a cover after her finisher.) 

********

Kelley interviewed New Day (during a break). They were pissed at Rey Mysterio, and Kofi Kingston said his mother still won’t talk to him. Xavier Woods said they would return to action next week and Kingston told everyone to be careful what they wish for. Kelley was about to follow up, but Woods told her that they were out of time. 

******** 

Sami Zayn defeated The Miz (4:08) 

They had a basic match until Zayn killed Miz with a Helluva Kick, followed by a Blue Thunder Bomb for the pinfall. 

(Cole yelled out, “Folks, Sami Zayn just got a win with the Blue Thunder Bomb!” It’s good Zayn won with his secondary finisher, but we could’ve done without Cole yelling about it.) 

******** 

Two title matches were made official for SNME on January 25th: 

  • Gunther vs. Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship 
  • Bron Breakker vs. Sheamus for the Intercontinental Championship 

******* 

Rhea Ripley segment

Ripley entered to a strong reaction, and she declared, “Mami is back on top!” She knew she sounded like a broken record to some, but she wanted to remind those who forgot that she was Rhea bloody Ripley. She was “one of” the most dominant women in WWE, and she was once again the Women’s World Champion. (She probably misspoke there.) 

Nia Jax interrupted. She was loudly booed. She informed us that she would win the Rumble and would take whatever title she wanted. Stratton and Ripley might think they’re on top, but Jax was the only woman on top of the division. Jax had a few words for Bayley, who was still in the crowd, so she jumped the barricade and entered the ring. 

Bayley confronted Jax. She said this wasn’t her show, but this was her city. She called Jax a “big, ol’ dumb idiot,” so Jax shoved her down. Ripley headbutted Jax, so Jax headbutted her to the ground. Bayley and Ripley worked together to dump Jax from the ring. 

Bayley was about to grab Ripley’s title belt for her, but Ripley grabbed it instead. They hugged, but Bayley stared at the belt as Ripley held it up. 

******** 

Next week on Raw in Dallas: 

  • The New Day return to action 
  • JBL appears 
  • Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre 

******** 

There was a video package for tonight’s street fight. Priest entered for the main event at about 10:10 pm ET. 

During a break, Redmond put over Penta’s win and interviewed Rey Mysterio. Rey said he’s known Penta for a long time, and WWE was his true home. Rey also had a few words for New Day. 

********

Street Fight: Damian Priest defeated Finn Bálor (17:15) 

Priest entered with a kendo stick. Bálor’s music hit for his entrance, but he attacked Priest from behind with a kendo stick. (The ref saw this coming and called for the match to start even though Priest was about to be attacked from behind.) 

Priest fought him off anyway, and they battled near the announce table as the crowd chanted, “We want tables.” Priest gave him a flatliner onto the table and chucked him over it. Priest grabbed a table from under the ring, but Bálor attacked him, and they fought into the crowd. Bálor hit Priest with a trash can, but Priest fought back and hit him hard over the head with the trash can. 

There was a great spot where Priest gave Bálor a falcon arrow off some equipment boxes (about 10-15 rows up) through some tables. Officials checked on both men as they went to break. The crowd’s applause turned to booing when they brought out a stretcher for Bálor (because they thought the match might be called off.) 

Medics put a soft brace around Bálor’s neck and placed him on the stretcher as Priest gingerly made his way to the ring. Pearce, Carlito and McDonagh checked on Bálor. 

Back from break, Priest ran out of the ring to attack Carlito and McDonagh. Priest hammered away at the helpless Bálor. (Bálor was out of it and was tied down.) Priest untied Bálor from the stretcher, rolled it down the ramp and it collided with the side of the ring—and Bálor rolled right off the stretcher and into the ring. 

McDonagh and Carlito attacked Priest to help their friend, who was still in a neck brace. McDonagh gave Priest a moonsault. They helped Bálor to his feet and onto the top rope. Bálor ripped the brace off and hit a Coup de Grace for two. 

Carlito and McDonagh set up a table, but the War Raiders ran down to take them out. 

Bálor hit a slingblade while still selling his neck. Bálor hit Priest repeatedly with a steel chair. He placed Priest seated on a chair and wrapped a chair around his neck. He looked for redemption for Priest trying to kill him, but Priest avoided his dropkick attempt and hit South of Heaven for a nearfall. 

Priest tried a Razor’s Edge through a table outside the ring, but Bálor slipped out of it. Bálor placed Priest on a table and hit a Coup de Grace through it. Priest responded by driving Bálor through the barricade. 

Priest hit a Razor’s Edge through a table and hit a South of Heaven in the ring for the pinfall win. Priest posed for the crowd as the show ended.

(The show wound up being about 2 hours and 35 minutes, about 30 minutes shorter than last week’s debut. 

Paul Levesque and Lee Fitting’s names were shown again as executive producers.)

Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor street fight set for next WWE Raw

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Damian Priest and Finn Balor will run it back in a street fight on the January 13 WWE Raw.

WWE has revealed four matches and/or segments for Raw in its second week on Netflix on January 13, including Priest vs. Balor in a street fight. The bout is a continuation of the extended feud that has played out between Priest and his former Judgment Day comrade in Balor that has included a one-on-one meeting between the two at Bad Blood in October, as well as both taking part in a triple threat World title match on Saturday Night’s Main Event last month.

Also announced, Chad Gable will take on a mystery opponent, expected to be the debuting Penta. A vignette aired for the former Penta El Zero Miedo on Monday’s Netflix premiere, seemingly confirming that the luchador will simply be known as “Penta.” Penta’s debut was originally announced for this week’s show.

In another segment first planned for this week’s Raw, the finals of the tournament to crown the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Championship will take place, with Lyra Valkyria taking on Dakota Kai.

After making his return and attacking Ludwig Kaiser on last week’s show, Sheamus vs. Kaiser is also set for next week.

The Monday, January 13 WWE Raw lineup:

  • Street fight: Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor
  • Chad Gable vs. TBA (believed to be the debuting Penta)
  • Women’s Intercontinental title tournament finals: Lyra Valkyria vs. Dakota Kai
  • Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser

War Raiders win World Tag Team titles on WWE Raw

Posted on by Bryan Rose

War Raiders have won the gold.

Ivar & Erik defeated Finn Balor and JD McDonagh in the main event of Raw on Monday to win the titles for a second time. The finish had Balor looking to use a steel chair, attempting to grab one on the outside. However, Damian Priest grabbed the chair from ringside, causing a distraction as Balor went back to the ring. That allowed the War Raiders to hit the War Machine on Balor for the win. The duo celebrated with a big pyro celebration to close out the show.

The War Raiders previously earned a World Tag Team title match on the November 25 edition of Raw thanks to interference by Judgment Day. On last week’s episode, Adam Pearce told Balor & McDonagh that the War Raiders would get another shot at the titles, but this time their fellow teammates would be barred from ringside.

After Balor interfered in his World Heavyweight title match at Survivor Series, Gunther challenged Balor to a match at Saturday Night’s Main Event, putting the title on the line. After Balor laid out both Priest and Gunther, Priest was added to the title match that saw Gunther retain after pinning Balor with a powerbomb.

Damian Priest added to World Heavyweight title match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Damian Priest will get another shot at the World Heavyweight title.

After an opening segment that saw Balor standing tall over both Priest and Gunther, Raw GM Adam Pearce told Balor that the World Heavyweight title match would now be a three-way. Balor said that was fine as it would be more satisfying when he beat both men.

As Finn Balor and The Judgement Day were looking to attack Gunther on Raw, Priest came out and took out the rest of Judgment Day before throwing Balor into the ring, where both he and Gunther attacked him. However, the two quickly went after one another, giving Balor the opportunity to retaliate, finishing with the coup de grace on Priest.

Sami Zayn will also be in action this Saturday, taking on Drew McIntyre. After McIntyre made his return by attacking Zayn at the end of last week’s Raw, Zayn issued the challenge on this week’s show, saying he wanted to end this quickly. As Zayn headed up the rampway, he was jumped by McIntyre, who continued beating Zayn until officials stepped in.

The lineup for Saturday Night’s Main Event:

  • Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defends against Kevin Owens
  • World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defends against Finn Balor and Damian Priest
  • Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan defends against IYO SKY
  • Sami Zayn vs. Drew McIntyre
  • WWE Women’s United States title tournament finals

Wrestling Weekly: Drew McIntyre returns to WWE, AEW Continental Classic update

Posted on by Victor Sosa

Image: WWE

On a new Wrestling Weekly, we talk about where WWE is headed after a newsworthy Survivor Series and the return of Drew McIntyre. We also look at AEW’s Continental Classic and some good matches happening on Rampage and Collision.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click here to listen (sub needed)