While Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton will likely be the last show of the night, this bout for the new Universal Championship is the real main event. For most of 2015, both of these men were the champions of their shows. Seth Rollins held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for 220 days, and Finn Bálor was NXT Champion for 292 days. Both men are fantastic wrestlers, and this should be a fantastic match.
SummerSlam Preview: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Bálor
The WWE Universe was shocked when Finn Bálor was the third superstar taken by Monday Night Raw in the first round of the WWE draft. While Bálor was a favorite to be drafted, nobody expected him to be taken before the likes of Roman Reigns or John Cena.
The next week, WWE kept the surprises coming as they had Bálor pin Reigns and Rusev in his first night on Raw to earn a title show with Seth Rollins. Hardcore fans of the independent wrestling scene were ecstatic to see these two men face off. While they’ve never wrestled, Bálor and Rollins are legends on the independent scene. Seth Rollins was the face of Ring of Honor as Tyler Black and Bálor made his name in New Japan Pro Wrestling as Prince Devitt.
Whichever wrestler wins this match will be named the WWE’s very first Universal Champion. The Universal Championship is going to be the main title on Monday Night Raw, the flagship show, and it’s unlikely that the first champion will be a transitional one.
Seth Rollins
As established, Rollins is used to being a champion. In the eyes of many WWE fans, Rollins is still the face of the company. He’s an exceptional worker with a fantastic look, and while Bálor struggles on the microphone, Rollins can help sell the match. Rollins’ microphone work has improved drastically over the last year, and he can manipulate a crowd however he pleases.
Rollins is a fantastic wrestler, and no matter what he’s doing, he does great work. However, it’s time to let somebody else be the champion. Rollins will have several championship runs with the WWE, but sadly he won’t be the first Universal Champion.
Finn Bálor
If the WWE had a “Rookie of the Year” award, Finn Bálor would be the obvious favorite. Bálor is an outstanding worker. His feuds with Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe in NXT are legendary. He’s in amazing shape, and assuming he’s given a fair run, he’ll become one of the WWE’s biggest stars in no time at all.
If Bálor loses to Rollins in his first pay per view match, it would hurt his push. While Bálor isn’t going to go on a Goldberg-esque winning streak to start his career, it would be extremely helpful if he started his career with a big push.
While Bálor is known for his in-ring ability, perhaps the thing fans love most about him is his Demon alter-ego. For big pay per views, Bálor applies a ton of makeup and body paint to transform into the demon. Bálor’s presence as the demon is hypnotizing. In NXT, Demon Bálor only lost one match, in a cage, against Samoa Joe.
If Demon Bálor at SummerSlam and loses right away, it loses it’s magic. Demon Bálor should be nigh unbeatable, especially when a title is on the line. Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor should put on an exceptional match, but ultimately, Bálor must become the first Universal Champion.
Bullet Club For Life?
As most fans know, the stable known as The Club in WWE is an extension of New Japan’s Bullet Club. What they might not know is that Finn Bálor started the faction back in 2013. When Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows signed with the company earlier this year, it was actually assumed that they would join Bálor and form the Bálor Club. With AJ Styles, the current leader of The Club, on SmackDown Live! and The Club on Monday Night Raw, it only makes sense that the trio has a reunion. If Gallows and Anderson were to turn on Styles at SummerSlam, they might come to assist Bálor.
Main Photo: WWE.com
