Opinion: Finn Balor's heel turn was a good move
On the latest edition of Monday Night RAW, Finn Balor sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe by joining The Judgment Day, the same faction he lost to one night ago in a Mixed Tag Team Match. He has now ousted Edge, the mastermind behind the stable.
Alongside Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley, Balor viciously assaulted the Hall of Famer before Priest ended the attack with a skull-shattering Con-Chair-To.
Who’s smiling now? https://t.co/7Im9LKhVV5
Following the events that transpired on RAW, Edge is now officially out of the same stable he created and is internally listed as a babyface on the roster. Likewise, Finn Balor has now become the leader of The Judgment Day and has turned heel for the first time on the main roster.
According to the latest reports, the recent changes to the faction are directly associated with the direction WWE wants it to take. The powers-that-be want The Judgment Day to take "a supernatural route," a creative direction Edge opposed.
Regardless of the motives, Finn Balor's heel turn was a great booking decision that should do wonders for everyone in the long run.
The character change has given Finn Balor a much-needed boost
Prior to his inclusion in AJ Styles' program with The Judgment Day, The Prince had no clear-cut creative direction and was steadily treading water on RAW.
After a short, meaningless reign with the United States Championship, Finn Balor dropped the title to the up-start Theory. His reign was far from impressive and disappointed his fans immensely; WWE clearly had no long-term plans for the former NXT Champion.
While his second main roster run has not been a total bust, it has failed to live up to the exceedingly high expectations attached initially. The Irishman played second-fiddle to John Cena and Roman Reigns last summer.
The Demon re-emerged only to lose in controversial and shocking fashion to the Tribal Chief. Upon his failed Universal Championship pursuits, he was needlessly kept off television without any logical storyline explanation.
Furthermore, Finn Balor was relegated to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and sat out of WrestleMania 38 as the reigning US Champion.
The sudden heel turn breathes life into his character and adds an extra layer of intrigue and complexity. The NXT fan-base has seen the dark side of Finn Balor, but the casual, main-roster fan is yet to witness the villain that dwells inside the Prince. As a member of The Judgment Day, the first-ever Universal Champion can finally make his presence felt on the main roster and put everyone on notice.
The heel turn has opened up a multitude of exciting opportunities and storylines
The Rated-R Superstar will definitely be upset with the actions of Finn Balor and his once-loyal comrades. While he may be written off television for now, Edge will return to seek revenge and set things straight with The Judgment Day.
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@FinnBalor #WWERaw https://t.co/GozxZnPd4q
AJ Styles and Liv Morgan may also not approve of Finn Balor's actions. Together, the trio stood up to Edge, Ripley and Priest. The Prince did not just betray the WWE Universe, but he also betrayed Styles and Morgan, with whom he had formed a make-shift alliance. Given that the Phenomenal One has been a thorn in the stable's side since the beginning, Styles has some unfinished business to handle. It is important to note that Styles did have his head busted open at Hell in a Cell, and any future plans for him may be on hold for now.
Several superstars can battle Balor and his teammates. Bobby Lashley, Mustafa Ali, The Street Profits, and Ezekiel would prove to be solid opponents for The Judgment Day. Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura may be pre-occupied with the Bloodline, but they can shift their focus to RAW's most dominant stable.
The future seems to be particularly bright for Finn Balor, who seems to have found his footing on the RAW roster again. While it is difficult to say with certainty, the heel turn is likely to play out with all involved in the long-term.