When did Finn Balor last wrestle on WWE SmackDown?
Finn Balor is back.
The latest episode of WWE Smackdown proved to be a blockbuster one. After almost a whole year, we got the privilege of seeing a live crowd for a weekly WWE show again. It was a really emotional moment for the wrestling community, and WWE did everything possible to make it memorable.
There were some mind-blowing matchups on the show, including a high-profile tag team contest between Team Roman and Team Edge. However, the biggest talking point coming out of Smackdown was the surprising re-debut of Finn Balor.
Yes, guys, The Prince is now officially a part of the blue brand! His arrival has already heated things up on Friday Night Smackdown.
But this isn't Finn's Smackdown debut, as assumed by a section of the WWE Universe. Balor has competed on Smackdown before as well. Yesterday, he returned to the blue brand once again.
So, what happened the last time Finn Balor was on Smackdown? When did he debut there? How long did his run on the blue brand last? In this article, let's find the answers to these questions by revisiting Finn Balor's previous run on WWE Smackdown.
When did Finn Balor last wrestle on WWE SmackDown?
Finn Balor captured the WWE Intercontinental Championship for the second time in his career by defeating Bobby Lashley at WWE WrestleMania 35.
Two weeks after this historic win, Finn Balor's run on WWE RAW came to an end. He was moved to WWE Smackdown as part of the WWE Superstar Shakeup, thus bidding goodbye to the red brand.
He arrived on WWE Smackdown on 16th April 2019, facing Mustafa Ali in a highly competitive match. After a hard-fought battle, the champ successfully took down his challenger. With this victory, Balor sent a loud and clear message to the Smackdown roster.
The Prince then went on to have some compelling feuds with the likes of Andrade (now Andrade El Idolo), Shinsuke Nakamura and Bray Wyatt. His feud with Andrade continued for several matches with Balor coming out on top each time.
The former two-time NXT champion also competed in the 2018 Money In the Bank Ladder match but failed to capture the briefcase. After a decent three-month reign, Balor dropped the Intercontinental title to Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE Extreme Rules.
After this feud, The Prince found himself in a rivalry with The Fiend Bray Wyatt, who had come to settle some previous scores. Their feud was quite bizarre, all thanks to Bray Wyatt's twisted mind games.
After weeks of verbal exchanges, the duo finally met each other at WWE SummerSlam. Fans were expecting Balor to summon The Demon for this battle against The Fiend. Unfortunately, The Demon did not show up, which later proved to be fatal for Balor.
The Fiend absolutely dismantled Balor in this match. The former Universal Champion used almost every weapon in his arsenal against The Fiend. Unfortunately, none of his strategies came in handy against this new and improved version of Bray Wyatt.
In the end, Wyatt applied a Mandible Claw on Balor and finished him for good. Through the victory, Wyatt also ended Finn Balor's undefeated streak at the SummerSlam pay-per-view.
It proved to be The Prince's last main-roster match, as he went on a two-month hiatus soon after. He ultimately returned to WWE NXT, which remained his home for the next two years.
Finn Balor wreaked havoc on WWE Smackdown this week
Sami Zayn arrived on WWE Smackdown this week with the hope of getting the WWE Universe on his side for his battle against injustice. However, his message to the WWE Universe was rudely interrupted by Finn Balor.
The crowd went crazy at the sight of seeing Finn Balor in a Smackdown ring again. Sami Zayn did not like the interruption and quickly went for a sneak attack on the former Universal Champion. However, Balor was well prepared for Zayn's attack. He laid Sami out with a few great moves, including his beloved finisher, the Coup de Grace.
Who would you like to see as Finn Balor's first opponent on WWE Smackdown? Sound off in the comments below.