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WWE Superstar Finn Balor’s heel turn was probably the biggest highlight of this week in the pro-wrestling business. This much-awaited turn was executed in the closing moments of NXT when Balor attacked former NXT Champion, Johnny Gargano.
Tommaso Ciampa believed that his best friend Gargano and Balor had his back during his confrontation with The Undisputed Era.
Unfortunately for him, Balor revealed his not-so-friendly intentions by brutalizing Gargano whereas The Undisputed Era laid down a vicious attack on Ciampa.
Balor is expected to engage in a long feud with Gargano and if booked well, this heel turn might establish the Irish Superstar as one of the best villains in the history of the Black and Golden brand.
In this article, we take a look at things that WWE must do with ‘heel’ Balor and mistakes that they must avoid.
#5 Must do – Extended run as a heel
Finn Balor’s evil side has not been utilised to its full potential in WWE. In fact, someone as charismatic as him was reduced to the mid-card level on the main roster.
But fans who are aware of his run as a member of Bullet Club can vouch for his incredible performance as a heel. NXT has the perfect opportunity to book Balor as a no-nonsense heel who has immense calibre.
Balor’s long run as a heel will help the company in creating new and interesting feuds on NXT. Moreover, it will allow him to get more creative in his rivalries and help him bring something fresh to the table every week.
He has been a babyface for years. Hence, his heel-turn should at least last seven to eight months during which he can elevate the entire roster via good storylines. Balor has said that his future is his past. He is prepared to relive his glory days as a heel and allowing him to take his time with this new persona will be best for business.
They can also include an angle wihere Triple H is involved. They both share a good equation outside the ring and can come together for legendary narrations.
#5 Must avoid – Immediate call-up to the main roster
There’s no denying that NXT is the only WWE brand that does justice to Finn Balor’s character. His return to the Black and Golden brand took the Internet by storm and the only thing that gained more attention than his return was his heel-turn.
Although Balor was involved in good segments on the main roster, there was only a handful of those that helped him climb higher in the locker-room hierarchy. But hopefully, that won’t happen on NXT.
Now that he is a heel, Balor needs multiple interesting feuds to establish his dominance in the locker room. He is an amazing wrestler and deserves a better chance at showcasing his in-ring skills. But if he is immediately called up to the main roster, this fresh aspect of his character will quickly lose its charm.
Therefore, WWE must avoid bringing him to RAW and SmackDown immediately. He has a better chance of doing something new on NXT and the WWE Universe will appreciate the brand new version of his character if they see him initiating brawls at his ‘home’.
#4 Must do – No alliances
Finn Balor’s shocking heel turn opened new doors of possibilities for his future bookings. But none of those doors should open to an immediate alliance with anyone on the roster.
Balor has enjoyed the attention of the WWE Universe ever since his first run on NXT. But over the last few years, we have seen the fans slowly overlooking his potential as bad booking often portrays him in a weaker light.
But now that he is a heel, Balor has a shot at convincing the fans that he can survive on his own. If he immediately forms an alliance with anyone on the roster, the next set of events will be predictable.
If you saw the closing moments of last night’s show, you must have seen the reaction of the crowd. Within five minutes, the fans went from chanting ‘We want Balor’ to gasping in disbelief when he attacked Johnny Gargano. This shows the impact that this heel-turn had on the viewers.
Once he is forced into an alliance, it will add a bit of weakness to his character. Hence, his heel turn should consist of him standing all by himself until another shocking series of events leads to an NXT Superstar unexpectedly backing Balor.
#4 Must avoid – Weak booking
This is an extension of my previous point. Finn Balor’s heel turn will meet a disastrous end if he is once again booked as someone who takes up larger-than-life challenges but fails on the big occasions.
Although Balor is a heel, he is one of the best competitors in the promotion. If he fails in beating the babyfaces over and over again, his heel turn would eventually become pointless.
Instead, Balor should be booked in long-term feuds with top NXT Superstars where he is portrayed as an equally strong contender. WWE can also have him rely on dirty tactics to win matches but they must ensure that it makes him look smart, and not weak.
The creatives can involve Balor in unexpected segments where he has a monumental influence on the result. This move will help fetch more heat towards his character and allow the creatives to script unforeseen storylines in the process.
#3 Must do – Feud with top Superstars
Finn Balor is a credible WWE Superstar who has earned the respect of a lot of fans. He is extremely over with the crowd and the WWE Universe enjoys watching him perform inside the squared circle. Thus, a feud with him helps opponents gain more attention from the pro-wrestling fans.
Although NXT enjoys a dedicated fan base, it doesn’t enjoy the perks of a large audience. In my opinion, NXT is the best brand in WWE but it still has a long way to go before it experiences the popularity that RAW and SmackDown witness weekly.
Hence, booking epic feuds between Finn Balor and top NXT Superstars such as Tomasso Ciampa, Adam Cole, Matt Riddle, etc. will allow the brand to garner more attention. His feud with Johnny Gargano has already got the pro-wrestling world buzzing. Needless to say, their match has the potential of tearing the house down at Takeover.
The likes of Ciampa or Gargano going one-on-one against Balor will definitely spark excitement among the fans. The more they book such intimidating rivalries, the more people will tune in to watch NXT on Wednesday nights.
Also Read -- 5 best opponents for 'Heel' Finn Balor in WWE NXT
#3 Must avoid – Rushing him into the title picture
Although having Finn Balor feud with top NXT Superstars will fetch a lot of attention, WWE must wait for a while before including him in the title picture.
Before Balor can get his hands on the gold, he needs to establish himself as a credible heel. He gets enough attention even with no title around his waist. Hence, WWE can capitalize on it and successfully narrate interesting storylines without including the title.
In his absence, there are several other Superstars who have clawed their way to the top. It would be slightly unfair to overlook their hard work in the light of a returning Superstar.
Before pushing Balor into the title picture, WWE must ensure that he is the most deserving Superstar for the top prize of the brand. Following that, the creatives can have a heel as a champion, one that won't be easy to overcome.
#2 Must do – Smartly introduce Demon King
Finn Balor’s ‘Demon King’ has the potential to become one of the greatest characters in WWE history. Currently, Balor has no evident association with his alter-ego. And it is wonderful to see him maintain a much-needed distance from his other persona.
However, at some point, WWE would want to bring back the ‘Demon King’. If and when the creatives decide to do that, they need to ensure that his current in-ring character isn’t compromised.
As a heel, Balor is bound to lose against top babyfaces. At some point, he will start looking weak after taking multiple losses. That would be the perfect time to introduce ‘Demon King’ which will become a bigger challenge for his rivals.
After all, the only thing better than heel Balor is a heel ‘Demon King’. It would be interesting to see how he uses his alter-ego to turn every story in his favor. This move will allow NXT to keep Balor’s in-ring credibility intact while also introducing the biggest weapon in his arsenal.
#2 Must avoid – Underestimating his mic skills
A huge section of the WWE Universe is still unaware of Finn Balor’s mic skills. Their ignorance is understandable, courtesy of their limited exposure to promos in which he actually talks.
However, if you turn the pages of Balor’s history in pro-wrestling, you will come across a period when he was known as ‘Prince Dewitt’ and was a member of the infamous Bullet Club. He has cut incredible promos alongside the likes of Karl Anderson, coming across as a ruthless heel.
Thus, it would be a huge mistake if NXT restricts him on the mic after his heel turn. They should let him cut more promos, even if they are short. Balor will definitely use this opportunity to remind the WWE fans that they are wrong in underestimating his mic skills.
It would also be an added factor in Balor’s changed personality that NXT hope to showcase in the coming weeks.
#1 Must do – Leadership feud with respect to The Undisputed Era
When Finn Balor was heading backstage after brutalizing Johnny Gargano, all four members of The Undisputed Era held up their stable’s sign across their chests. Although Balor didn’t do the same, it was hinted that he may join The Undisputed Era in the future.
When Balor finally joins the stable, it will account for one of the most iconic moments in NXT. But there will be tension between him and Adam Cole with respect to the leadership of the stable.
Irrespective of the winner, this Balor-Cole leadership feud is bound to become one of the defining moments of the Black and Golden brand.
I would even entertain the possibility of the entire Undisputed Era turning on Balor. Following that, The OC (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows) might come to his rescue and initiate a one-off feud with The Undisputed Era.
Can you imagine how epic it would be to witness these two teams lock horns at WarGames?
#1 Must avoid – Turning him into a ‘White Meat’ Babyface
After a long and eventful run as a heel, Finn Balor will eventually turn face and it will be just as surprising. However, this time WWE must avoid turning him into a silly babyface.
Take a look at the current WWE Universal Champion, Seth Rollins. ‘The Architect’ was an incredible heel. But ever since he turned into a babyface, his character started becoming less and less exciting with each passing week. Even today, there are several fans desperately waiting for Rollins to turn heel once again.
When Balor turned heel this week, the majority of the WWE Universe hailed it as the best heel turn since that of Rollins. It would be disheartening to see Balor’s impressive heel run meet the same fate as that of the Beastslayer’s current in-ring character. Hence, WWE must strictly avoid turning him into a ‘white meat’ babyface.
Instead, the creatives must book him like Kevin Owens who is smart enough to make the best use of opportunities to advance his position on the roster. Even as a babyface, Balor should be turned into someone who is unpredictable and will always choose the side that is in his best interest.
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