Add as a preferred source on Google Finn Balor says he’s more ready for another world title run now than he was in 2016.
Balor went over Seth Rollins at WWE SummerSlam 2016 to become the first-ever Universal Champion, but was forced to relinquish the title on Raw the next night after suffering a right shoulder injury.
That remains Balor’s only main roster world title reign. He came up short challenging Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam in 2023, then against CM Punk for the same title at Elimination Chamber in Chicago earlier this year.
Speaking with Marco Ercole for Corriere dello Sport ahead of SummerSlam, Balor said the last 10 years have given him more confidence and discipline in and out of the ring.
“I think in 2016, I was very wide-eyed, bushy-tailed, excited about the future, but very inexperienced, and perhaps not as confident as I am today.
I feel like over the last 10 years I’ve gotten to grow, not only as a performer inside the ring, but also outside the ring. I feel like I have more self-belief in myself, I have more discipline, and I have 10 years of experience of ups and downs and having to learn many, many different lessons, facing the top performers all over the world over the past 10 years.
If anything, I feel better physically, I feel better mentally, I feel more focused and I feel more prepared to be world champion.”
Balor is back in the world title mix at SummerSlam, where he faces Sami Zayn in a No. 1 Contender’s match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
He punched his ticket by pinning Damian Priest in a Fatal Four-Way over Priest, Trick Williams and Royce Keys on the July 24 SmackDown.
The winner gets the next shot at the Undisputed WWE Title, which CM Punk defends against Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam.
Balor said he has no preference between Punk and Rhodes for a potential title match.