'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Wrestling Observer Radio discussed the potential Royal Rumble match plans following the Survivor Series pay-per-view and indicated that the planned match between 'The Beast Incarnate' Brock Lesnar and 'The Demon' Finn Balor were all but cancelled, as Vince McMahon doesn't believe Balor is over enough to face Lesnar.
In case you didn't know...
It's been a weird couple of months for the former "Prince Devitt" with his booking in the WWE of late being inconsistent, to say the least. At TLC 2017 Balor picked up a star-making victory over "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles but was squashed by Kane on the following Monday Night RAW.
He was then one of the first four men eliminated from the Survivor Series main event, accomplishing very little in the match.
The heart of the matter
Whilst we had already reported at the end of October that the WWE was having second thoughts on the Balor vs Lesnar match at the Royal Rumble, it now appears that the company have completely cooled on the idea of the match.
Dave Meltzer, from Wrestling Observer Radio, revealed that the recent booking of Finn Balor indicates that Vince McMahon as soured on the Royal Rumble main event plans, because Balor isn't 'over' enough, hence the recent booking for the Superstar.
What's next?
Finn Balor has hit back at these claims on Twitter, taking a shot at Meltzer's suggestion that Vince McMahon doesn't think he's 'over' enough.
However, if Balor truly isn't being considered to face Lesnar now, it seems that the WWE is struggling to find a replacement, as Meltzer goes on to suggest that the WWE don't want to feed someone important to "The Beast".
Author's take
Personally, I think a Finn Balor vs Brock Lesnar match would be every bit as good and special as the Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles match at Survivor Series, and if Vince McMahon can't see that then it's a crying shame! Besides, maybe if he wasn't booked so randomly, he'd be more over.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
