Finn Balor
Fergal Devitt (born 25 March 1981) is an Irish professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Finn Bálor. He is a member of The Judgment Day. He is also well known by his former ring name Prince Devitt.
Finn Bálor | |
---|---|
![]() Bálor at WrestleMania 31 Axxess in March 2015 | |
Born | Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland | 25 March 1981
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | C.T.U Ranger Red (II) Fergal Devitt Finn Bálor Pegasus Kid (II) Prince Devitt The Demon |
Billed height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Billed weight | 86 kg (190 lb) |
Billed from | Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland |
Trained by | NWA UK Hammerlock Andre Baker Johnny Moss Jon Ryan New Japan Inoki Dojo |
Debut | 2000 |
Devitt is previously known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). During his time there, he was a three-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, holding the title with Minoru twice and with Ryusuke Taguchi four times. Devitt was also the winner of the Be st of the Super Juniors tournament twice in 2010 and 2013. With New Japan's working promotion with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), he made appearances for them and won the NWA World Historic Middleweight Champion once. Devitt was the leader of the Bullet Club stable.
Devitt signed with WWE's NXT in 2014. He started using his current name. Bálor won the NXT Championship twice. He held the title the first time for 292 days. This was the longest time anyone had been champion until Adam Cole broke the record on 19 March 2020. During his time in NXT, Bálor became the first co-winner of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. His partner was Samoa Joe. Shortly after going to the main roster, Bálor became the first wrestler in WWE history to win a world title at their first pay-per-view. He was the second Irish world champion in WWE (after Sheamus). Balor is the quickest wrestler in WWE history to win a world title at 27 days after joining the main roster. He became the first WWE Universal Champion at SummerSlam 2016. Bálor is also a two-time Intercontinental Champion, a one-time United States Champion, and a two-time Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion with Damian Priest with both the Raw Tag Team Championship and SmackDown Tag Team Championship..
WWE (2014–present)
changeNXT
changeOn 28 July 2014, WWE said that they had signed Devitt to a contract and that he would join NXT that same day.[1]
On September 24, 2014, it was announced that his new ring name would be Finn Bálor. This name comes from the Irish mythological figures Fionn mac Cumhaill and Balor. Balor is Gaelic for "Demon King".[2][3]
In wrestling
change- Finishing moves
- As Finn Bálor
- Coup de grace (Diving double leg foot stomp)[4]
- As Prince Devitt
- Bloody Sunday (Lifting single underhook DDT, he sometimes did it from the top rope)
- Brainbuster
- Devitt's End (High-angle Fujiwara armbar)
- Prince's Throne (Fireman's carry double knee gutbuster)
- Reverse Bloody Sunday (Lifting inverted DDT)
- Shingata Prince's Throne (Overhead gutwrench backbreaker rack dropped into a double knee gutbuster)[5]
- As Finn Bálor
- Signature moves
- Airplane spin
- Diving double foot stomp, sometimes to a tree of woe hung opponent[6]
- Dreamcast (Jumping corkscrew roundhouse kick)[7]
- Overhead kick
- Somersault suicide senton
- With Ryusuke Taguchi
- Double team finishing moves
- Black Hole Vacation (Elevated double chickenwing by Taguchi dropped into a double knee gutbuster by Devitt)
- Black Sunday (Chickenwing facebuster (Taguchi) / Single underhook DDT (Devitt) combination)
- Moon Landing (Powerbomb (Taguchi) / Double knee backbreaker (Devitt) combination)[8]
- Double team finishing moves
- Nicknames
- Entrance themes
- "Jump (DJ Power Mix)" by Eskimo (NJPW; 2006)
- "When the Sun Goes Down" by Arctic Monkeys (NJPW; 2007)
- "You're the Best" by Joe Esposito[12] (NJPW; 2008–2013)
- "Real Rock n Rolla" by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW; 2013–2014)[13]
- "Last Chance Saloon" by Deviant and Naive Ted[14] (NJPW; 2013–2014; used while a part of Bullet Club)
- "Real Rock 'n Rolla (Breaking Point) (Tokyo Dome ver.)" by Yonosuke Kitamura (NJPW; 2014)[15]
- "Catch Your Breath" by CFO$ (WWE; 2014–2022)[16]
- "I AM DANGER" by Def Rebel (WWE; 2022–present)[17]
Championships and accomplishments
change- American Wrestling Roadshow
- Wrestling.Ie Championship (1 time)[18]
- Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- NWA World Historic Middleweight Championship (1 time)[19]
- Insane Championship Wrestling
- ICW Zero-G Championship (1 time)[20]
- Kaientai Dojo
- Best Tag Team Match (2010) with Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Makoto Oishi and Shiori Asahi on 17 April[21]
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times)[22]
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Minoru (2) and Ryusuke Taguchi (4)[23]
- Best of the Super Juniors (2010, 2013)[24][25]
- J Sports Crown Openweight 6 Man Tag Tournament (2010, 2011) – with Ryusuke Taguchi and Hirooki Goto[26][27][28]
- New York Post
- Faction of the Year (2023) as part of The Judgment Day[29]
- NWA UK Hammerlock
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Faction of the Year (2023) as part of The Judgment Day
- Ranked No. 3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2016[32]
- Revolution Pro Wrestling
- Rolling Stone
- NXT Star of the Year (2015)[35]
- Tokyo Sports
- Best Bout Award (2010) with Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi on 11 October[36]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- WWE
- WWE Universal Championship (1 time, first)[39][40]
- NXT Championship (2 times)[41]
- WWE Intercontinental Championship (2 times)[42]
- WWE United States Championship (1 time)[43]
- World Tag Team Championship[a] (3 times, current) – with Damian Priest (2), and JD McDonagh (1, current)[44]
- WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship[b] (2 times) – with Damian Priest[45]
- 17th Grand Slam Champion (under current format; 24th overall)
- Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic (2015) – with Samoa Joe[46]
- NXT Championship #1 Contender's Tournament (2015)[47]
- Slammy Award (1 time)
- Faction of the Year (2024) – as a member of The Judgment Day
- NXT Year-End Award (3 times)[48]
Footnotes
changeReferences
change- ↑ "WWE signs Fergal Devitt to NXT". WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-06-16. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "NXT GM William Regal comments on Finn Bálor's NXT debut". WWE. YouTube. Retrieved 2014-11-16.
- ↑ "Details Behind Prince Devitt's New WWE Persona". WWE. Retrieved 2014-11-16.
- ↑ "NXT: Neville gives Zayn another big loss". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2014-12-13.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "NJPW "Best of the Super Juniors 2009" 6/14/09 report". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "Rising Sun Soliloquy Newsletter #33 – New Japan – Results – NJPW, 7/10/09 (SXW)". WrestleView. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "NJPW 40th anniversary Tour Best of the Super Jr. XIX ~The door to the glory~". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "Resolution '09". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "『Super Jr.』参戦選手決定! 全日本から "レンタル移籍"のBushi、ロウ・キー、そしてドラゲーの"超・鳥人"Pacが初参戦!!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "『Super Jr.』出場メンバー決定!! DDTからケニー・オメガ! ドラゲーからリコシェ! CMLLのティタンも再来日!!". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "吉野家Presents Kizuna Road 2013". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "プリンス・デヴィット". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "プリンス・デヴィット". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "Last Chance Saloon (Bullet Club Theme)". DeviantandNaiveTed.Bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "待望の第3弾! 12月10日(水)発売「NJPWグレイテストミュージックIII」の収録内容が遂に決定!!". New Japn Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ↑ "WWE NXT: Catch Your Breath (Finn Bálor) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
- ↑ "WWE: I AM DANGER (Finn Bálor) - def rebel on iTunes". Retrieved 2024-01-12.
- ↑ Johnson, Mike (30 January 2014). "Prince Devitt-WWE update". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ↑ Salazar López, Alexis A. (31 March 2012). "Viernes 30 de Marzo '12". Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ↑ Johnson, Mike (31 March 2014). "Prince Devitt comments on his wrestling future". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ↑ "K-Award'11受賞結果". Kaientai Dojo (in Japanese). Livedoor. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- ↑ "Jr. Heavy weight class". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "Jr. Heavy tag weight class". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 September 2011.
- ↑ "(Results) New Japan, 6/13/10". Strong Style Spirit. 13 June 2010. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ↑ "Best of the Super Jr. XX". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ↑ "「このチームでメキシコに行こう!」6人タッグ王者・後藤&田口&デヴィットの"Apollo555"誕生!!". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ↑ "(Results) New Japan, 6/30/10". Strong Style Spirit. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
- ↑ "「J Sports Crown」 ~無差別級6人タッグトーナメント~". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 June 2011.
- ↑ Staszewski, Joseph (26 December 2023). "The Post's 2023 pro wrestling awards". New York Post. Archived from the original on 27 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ↑ "Fergal Devitt profile". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ↑ "Fergal Devitt – Bio". NWA Pro – Australia. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
- ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2016". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ↑ Meltzer, Dave (17 November 2012). "Sat. update: Great TV show, WWE multiple releases, Austin talks WWE Hall of Fame, Best night for Bellator, PPV predictions, NWA Hall of Fame, James Storm headlines benefit show, Devitt takes another title". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ↑ "British Cruiserweight Champion History". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ↑ "WWE Wrestler(s) of the Year". Rolling Stone. 14 December 2015. Archived from the original on 15 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- ↑ "2010 Tokyo Sports awards – New Japan involvement". Strong Style Spirit. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ↑ Stoughton, Derek (22 March 2019). "2018 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Revealed". Wrestling Rumors. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ↑ "BONUS SHOW: Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards". Post Wrestling. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ↑ Werner, Barry (21 August 2016). "Finn Balor captures first WWE Universal championship". Fox Sports. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
- ↑ "WWE Universal Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ "NXT Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ "WWE Intercontinental Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ "WWE United States Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ "WWE Raw Tag Team Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ "WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
- ↑ Howell, Nolan (7 October 2015). "Bayley is the Iron Woman against Banks at NXT TakeOver: Respect". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
- ↑ James, Justin (11 February 2015). "James's WWE NXT Takeover report 2/11: Zayn vs. Owens NXT Title match, Women's Title semi-main event, Neville vs. Balor, Itaml; Overall Reax". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
- ↑ WWE.com Staff. "The first-ever NXT Year-End Awards will be presented Jan. 13 at 8/7 C on WWE Network". WWE. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Zimmerman, Zack. "1/13 Zim's WWE NXT Live Coverage: Battle Royal to determine Bayley's next challenger for the NXT Women's Championship, Dash and Dawson vs. The Ascension, plus Elias Sampson and Tommaso Ciampa in action". prowrestling.net. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ WWE.com Staff (30 December 2020). "2020 NXT Year-End Award Winners". World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
Other websites
change- WWE profile
- New Japan Pro Wrestling profile (in Japanese)
- Finn Balor on Twitter