Finn Balor Reacts After Huge Win Leads To WWE SummerSlam Match
Finn Balor picked up a huge victory on SmackDown, which will set him up for a big match at WWE SummerSlam.
The WWE SummerSlam PLE is just seven days away, with Night One taking place on Saturday, August 1st, and it will conclude on Sunday, August 2nd, with all of it taking place at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
At WWE SmackDown in Oakland, an angry Sami Zayn complained to Raw GM Adam Pearce (who was filling in on SmackDown as GM as well) about how he deserves a rematch for the WWE Title that he lost earlier this month.
During their discussion, Zayn made valid points about how Cody Rhodes was given a WWE Title match against champion CM Punk at SummerSlam even though Zayn beat Rhodes for the title. To try to silence Zayn, Pearce said Zayn would be in a WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Match at SummerSlam against the winner of a 4-way match later in the show. Zayn begrudgingly agreed to the situation.
Finn Balor Wins Chaotic WWE SmackDown Main Event To Qualify For SummerSlam Match
In the main event of SmackDown in Oakland, the United States Champion Trick Williams faced off against Royce Keys, Finn Balor and Damian Priest, who is one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions with R-Truth.
Late in the match, Priest hit South of Heaven on Trick, but it was only enough for a two count because Keys broke up the pin. After Keys hit a spinebuster called The Ultimate Spinebuster on Priest, it only got a two count because Jacob Fatu pulled Keys out of the ring. There are no disqualifications in a 4-way match, so Fatu continued to attack Keys by hitting a running hip attack against the barricade.
Since Priest was battered after the Keys attack, Finn Balor took advantage against his former Judgment Day ally. Balor hit a Slingblade and shotgun dropkick on Priest. Right after that, Balor went up top and hit a Coup de Grace double foot stomp on Priest for the pinfall win.
That means that at SummerSlam, Finn Balor will face Sami Zayn at SummerSlam with the winner getting a WWE Title match at some point after SummerSlam.
Earlier in the show, Balor talked about his SummerSlam history since he won the Universal Title in 2016 in a match that also saw him injure his shoulder and give up the title the next day.
In a post on X/Twitter, Finn Balor shared his excitement after the big win.
The last 10 years have been the adventure of a lifetime. Bálor Club, thank you for always sticking with me, I hear you, and WE ARE SO CLOSE #summerslam #LetsGoBalor
The last 10 years have been the adventure of a lifetime.
Bálor Club, thank you for always sticking with me, I hear you, and WE ARE SO CLOSE #summerslam #LetsGoBalor pic.twitter.com/3VdVArVNc4— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) July 25, 2026
The next WWE PLE is SummerSlam on August 1 & 2 from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here’s the lineup so far:
* WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
* Undisputed WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
* Hell in a Cell Match: Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar
* Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo Sky
* Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Chad Gable
* LA Knight, Royce Keys & Solo Sikoa vs. The Usos – Jimmy & Jey Uso and Jacob Fatu
* Gunther vs. Nick Aldis
* WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Sami Zayn vs. Finn Balor
* Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill vs. Chelsea Green vs. Charlotte Flair vs. ???
* Danhausen vs. Dominik Mysterio
* United States Championship: Trick Williams (c) vs. Baron Corbin
* The Bella Twins – Nikki & Brie Bella and Paige vs. Fatal Influence – Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid
You can watch SummerSlam, a special two-night event, STREAMING LIVE on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan in the United States and on Netflix internationally.