Finn Balor Says WWE Hall Of Famer “Had A Profound Impact” On His Career
Finn Balor and Edge were part of one of the most personal rivalries in recent WWE history but despite the bloodshed and brutality, Balor says he’s still grateful to the WWE Hall of Famer.
Speaking on the WWE After The Bell podcast Finn Balor discussed his admiration for Edge and says he was a fan of how the star conducted himself following his original retirement in 2011:
“I’ve been a huge admirer of Edge, not only as a performer but as a person for his whole career. We became close many, many years ago. When he retired, I was personally disappointed for the fact that I’d thought I’d missed out on that opportunity to possibly someday share a ring with him. I always admired how he transitioned out of pro wrestling so gracefully, and I thought ‘If someday I’m gonna retire from this business, I wanna do it the same way Edge has done it.’
“A lot of people don’t transition out of the business as gracefully or with as much dignity as he returned the first time, and for that, I respect and admire him. On top of that, for him to have the opportunity to come back, that spark that had been extinguished was reignited on the thought, ‘Oh, maybe this match will happen, maybe there is a possibility that I’ll get to share the ring with him.’”
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Thankfully for all concerned, Edge did make it back into a wrestling ring in 2020 and since then he has been involved in a huge feud with Finn Balor after the Irish star conspired with Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley to kick him out of The Judgment Day. Despite the battles that ensued since Balor thinks there’s still much to be thankful to Edge for:
“Fast foward three years, and all of the sudden, I’m almost in an eight-month program with someone I’ve looked up to for many many years, in and outside of the ring. Despite the rivalry or the disagreements or the fourteen staples, there’s still a mutual respect, certainly from my end, I hope from Edge’s end.
“He started something in the Judgment Day that has certainly had a profound impact on my career, Damian’s career, Rhea’s career, and Dominik’s career. If not just for him starting the Judgment Day, there’s a lot to be grateful to Edge for.”
There may be the seeds of dissension starting to sprout in The Judgment Day after Finn Balor took his eye off Seth Rollins at the wrong moment at Money In The Bank, costing him the World Heavyweight Championship. The distraction to Balor came in the form of Damian Priest who earlier in the night was crowned Senor Money In The Bank.