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Finn Balor won his first ever Intercontinental Championship at Elimination Chamber last night. He defeated Bobby Lashley and his "hype" man Lio Rush to win the iconic title.
Balor's victory in the Intercontinental Championship marks a first championship win for the Irish superstar in over two and a half years. Balor was crowned the first-ever Universal Champion in August 2016 but had to relinquish the title just the very next night.
Hopefully, Finn Balor gets a good solid run with the belt this time around, and gets to display his stylish persona. Balor is an exceptional athlete and wrestler, but has failed to rise on the main roster ever since his main-roster return in April 2017.
We look at five different opponents who could line-up to face the newest Intercontinental Champion!
#5 Elias
Elias and Finn Balor had a mini-feud last year, in which Elias surprisingly trumped over Balor. Elias is one of the hottest acts on RAW currently, and recently turned heel at Royal Rumble event.
Elias has yet to win a single title on the main-roster, even though its been two years since he debuted on the main roster. Elias has excelled in his role, and has found success with his guitarist gimmick.
Elias's short lived run as a babyface was also well-recieved, but he shockingly turned heel last month. Elias and Balor could produce some great matches, and it will give Elias a deserved shot at the championship.
Elias is a heel magnet, and Finn Balor will become a better babyface feuding with the Drifter. Even a feud between these two culminating in a win for Elias would not be shocking, as Elias is due for a title run sooner rather than later
#4 Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre and Finn Balor have crossed paths before in WWE, and have produced a delightful encounter. The two former NXT champions have clashed during the disastrous Corbin and Friends vs. Corbin's Haters feud during the abysmal period of RAW last year.
Drew McIntyre should have ideally won the title from Seth Rollins and embarked on a journey towards the Universal Championship. However, WWE decided to align Drew with Corbin and lower the credibility of the Scottish Psychopath.
Drew McIntyre is once-in-a-lifetime superstar. He has the looks, the charisma, the in-ring skills and the talent to become one of the greatest in WWE.
#3 Lio Rush
A very left-field option in this list, Lio Rush is by no means a below par talent in the ring. Lio Rush has wrestled extensively on the indies and was fast-tracked onto the main roster due to his charming yet annoying presence.
WWE protected Bobby Lashley quite well by having Lio Rush take the pin in the matchup at Elimination Chamber. Rush could retaliate and go after the title himself. Although Rush is not as big as Lashley, he can quite certainly hold his own in the ring.
#2 Ethan Carter III
The police are still looking for EC1 and EC2, but in meantime, WWE must unleash EC3 on the main roster. The NXT talent which debuted last December is yet to find a proper brand for themselves.
However, RAW's singles division will greatly benefit by acquiring the services of Ethan Carter III. EC3 is one of the finest promos in the business and is no slouch in the ring either. WWE messed up his introduction by having him feature in 50-50 booking against Dean Ambrose.
However, EC3 is an embodiment of what Vince McMahon and creative look for in a superstar. EC3 and Balor can create magical matches and give the WWE Universe something to cheer for!
The former TNA superstar will look to create an instant impact by taking down the inaugural Universal Champion.
#1 Bray Wyatt
Remember the dreaded Wyatt v Balor feud from 2017? The one in which Wyatt cross-dressed as Sister Abigail for some reason? The thing is, that feud never got any real closure!
Bray Wyatt took ill and was replaced in his matchup by none other than AJ Styles. WWE never mentioned Balor-Wyatt feud again and it was silently dropped.
Imagine Balor delivering a heartfelt promo after winning the title, lights go out and Wyatt shows up! It would be the perfect moment to bring the former WWE Champion who has been shockingly been M.I.A for half a year now.
Bray Wyatt is a great talent who has been grossly misused by WWE. He needs to regain his momentum and become the Eater of Worlds once again!
Who would you like to see face off against Finn Balor? Sound off in the comments below!
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