Why I Love Wrestling: Finn Balor

Wrestling is a show. It is theatre. The wrestlers are athletes sure, but they are mostly actors who do their own stunts. There is a lot that goes into making a successful wrestler. Wrestlers must have a look, in ring skill, mic skill, presence, and the ever elusive “it” factor. However, not every successful wrestler has had every piece of the puzzle. If a guy can’t talk, give him a manager. If a guy lacks presence, fluff up the positives and give him a cool entrance and some catchy music. Bad look, put him in a mask or a costume. Very few manage to capture that theatricality in totality.

There are some who are the total package. The Undertaker. Shawn Michaels. Mick Foley. These are legends in the wrestling world. These are must see TV talents. And while there is a bright future for Pro Wrestling on the indies and WWE’s minor league NXT, the one closest to total package status is Finn Balor.

Finn Balor is not a new wrestler. He competed for many years in his native Ireland and most notably Japan. There he went by the name Prince Devitt. This match, from relatively early on in his career, shows a good wrestler on the verge of becoming great.

The in ring skill is there. The mic skills, although they aren’t on display, are developing. The look is there, and he has a presence. The “it” however, is missing. Had he stayed on this course he would have had a successful career. His discovery of body paint, yes really, has put him on the path to legendary status. The key is that it is a sometimes thing, a big show thing.

(entrance starts at 2:00)

These are awesome. But they are just a bit off.


finn balor r-evolution entrance by CelticSnake

And there it is. The music, the paint, the movement, the timing, everything is amazing. This guy has it all. He will be the guy everyone looks forward to on PPV’s because of his entrances. The sky is the limit and I cannot wait to see how he gets there.

Dan Ryan

Dan Ryan was once the most feared and respected luchador in the world until the "Great DDT Disaster of '85" where Dan unfortunately DDT'd his opponent so hard into the ground that he opened a gate to the underworld that let unholy things into this world. After that, Dan refused to wrestle anymore but he's found new life writing and talking about his favorite hobbies here at Geekade. He pens the weekly Why I Love Wrestling series, co-hosts The Stone Age Gamer Podcast, expertly pairs video games with beer, and much, much more. Dan is a personality that Geekade simply would not be the same without.

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