In a recent NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers, a young fan wearing a Jimmy Butler jersey participated in a game.
The goal was to identify a WWE Superstar based on the emoji presented on the Kaseya Center’s jumbotron.
The emojis showed a smiling devil, an oni mask, and the Irish flag.
Clearly, this was in reference to Finn Balor, a current member of the Judgement Day who used to wrestle with a demon persona.
After he said Balor’s name, the former WWE Champion came from behind and surprised the young fan.
“I am one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, Finn Bálor,” Bálor said on the Kaseya Center’s Instagram channel. “And you can come and see all of WWE live at the Kaseya Center live on Dec. 29.”
This stunt was soon followed by a report from WrestleVotes that Bálor will likely get a “sustained singles push” in 2025.
“As we approach the 10th anniversary of Finn Balor in WWE, sources tell us he’s solidified himself as a true locker room leader over the past year or so,” WrestleVotes said. “In addition, we are told to expect a sustained singles push for Finn as we head into 2025.”
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Finn Balor in WWE, sources tell us he’s solidified himself as a true locker room leader over the past year or so. In addition, we are told to expect a sustained singles push for Finn as we head into 2025.
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) December 5, 2024
Given what we have seen from Bálor recently, this makes sense. He is currently set to challenge Gunther for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec. 14.
Bálor began his professional wrestling career in 2001 and quickly became a fixture at the National Wrestling Alliance where he trained and wrestled the likes of Karl Anderson, Bryan Danielson, and Jordan Devlin.
In 2006, Bálor moved to New Japan Pro-Wrestling under the ring name Prince Devitt and was part of multiple stables and tag teams.
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Bálor’s most famous stable at NJPW was Bullet Club, which he led alongside Anderson, Bad Luck Fale, and Tama Tonga.
The group would eventually contain other iconic members, including Kenny Omega, Tanga Loa, Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and many, many more.
Bullet Club has gone on to become one of the most successful wrestling stables of all time, winning championships in AEW, Ring of Honor, DDT Pro-Wrestling, NJPW, National Wrestling Alliance, and more.
In 2014, Bálor joined WWE under the NXT brand and soon won the NXT Championship at The Beast in the East on July 4, 2015. He would wind up holding the NXT Championship two times for a total of 504 days, more than anyone else in history.
Now, Bálor is a constant of the WWE main roster and has won multiple titles, including the inaugural WWE Universal Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice, the WWE United States Championship once, and five tag team championships.
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