Discover the enigmatic world of Irish pro-wrestler and leader of Judgement Day, Finn Bálor. Learn about his background achievements and future in the WWE.
With WrestleMania 39 just around the corner and three Irish hopefuls looking to make a mark on wrestling’s flagship event of the year, we take a closer look at Irish WWE superstar Finn Bálor.
Finn Bálor, also known as The Demon or Prince Devitt, is a professional wrestler from Ireland who is currently signed to WWE. He is a former Universal Champion and has been one of the top stars in WWE for several years.
The early years – the man behind the body paint
Born Fergal Devitt, the high-flying Irish wrestler hails from Bray, Co. Wicklow and before he decided on a career in pro wrestling, he played GAA and soccer in his native county.
While growing up, he enjoyed watching WWF (now WWE) and lists Shawn Michaels and the British Bulldog amongst his early inspirations in the sport.
Before the WWE picked up Devitt, he trained and learned his trade in Japan under top promoters New Japan Wrestling. There he held the Junior Heavyweight and Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles.
Finn Bálor was by then best known for his high-flying athletic style and his charismatic persona, which made him popular among wrestling fans in Japan. His popularity caught the eye of the WWE, where he soon became a fan favourite.
Finn Bálor can get the crowd in their feet thanks to his elaborate ring entrances and unique body paint inspired by the demons in Irish mythology. The ring name Finn Balor is also an amalgamation of Irish mythological giant Finn McCool and folklore god Balor.
His rise to the top – Bálor in the WWE
Throughout his career, Finn Bálor has won and has held the WWE Intercontinental Championship, US Championship, and NXT Championship. He has also been a part of some of the most memorable moments in recent WWE history.
Most notably, he became the first wrestler in WWE history to win a world title in their pay-per-view debut. That made Balor only the second-ever Irish world champion in WWE (after Sheamus).
He also became the quickest wrestler in WWE history to win a world title, becoming the inaugural WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2016 just 27 days following his main roster debut.
Bálor currently plays a heel on the WWE brand RAW and leads Judgement Day. His stable of goths includes Dominik Mysterio – son of legend Rey – Rhea Ripley, and The Archer of Infamy, Damien Priest.
WrestleMania 39 and beyond – what the future holds for Bálor and his stable
In recent months Bálor has had notable storylines with WWE legends Edge and Rey Mysterio. WWE stalwart Edge was originally a partner of Finn’s and the founder of Judgement Day. However, things quickly turned sour as he was kicked out of his own stable.
Furthermore, at Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Bálor was integral in making Dominik Mysterio turn on his father and on tag team partner Edge. This was a twist even the most in-tune wrestling fans could not have predicted.
As mentioned, the two stars have been at odds with one another for many months now. Their most memorable one-on-one encounter came at the Extreme Rules last October when Finn beat The Rated-R Superstar in an “I Quit” match.
Bálor and his stablemates will no doubt continue to cause a stir and feature in more gripping drama in the world of professional wrestling.
Perhaps one day, he might face undisputed heavyweight and WWE Champion Roman Reigns, although the latter is currently involved in a family feud-type storyline.
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