WWE Rumors: Will Finn Balor Be The Undertaker’s ‘WrestleMania 33’ Opponent?


Contrary to what was originally planned, The Undertaker and John Cena won’t be facing off in WWE’s “grandest stage of them all.” Reports from earlier this week suggest that Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 opponent will be a wrestler from Monday Night RAW, but not Braun Strowman as once rumored. And while speculation tends to vary, there just may be a chance that RAW wrestler may be the potentially returning Finn Balor.

Just a few days ago, pundits were still expecting Undertaker vs. John Cena to be one of the confirmed matches for WrestleMania 33, joining Seth Rollins vs. Triple H, Big Show vs. Shaquille O’Neal, and Bill Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar among the matches that are almost as good as confirmed. But as we’ve seen so many times before in the world of wrestling, a few days could make a world of difference, and plans can easily change on a dime. That was what happened when WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had apparently changed his mind on ‘Taker vs. Cena for reasons that still don’t seem very clear.

In fact, it appears as if it’s not just the obvious choice for Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 opponent that’s out of the picture, but also the most likely alternative in case the ‘Taker vs. Cena plans fall through. On Saturday, Forbes quoted the Wrestling Observer Newsletter report that explained McMahon’s change in plans, which also includes removing a possible ‘Taker vs. Strowman match, with the shot of Braun watching Undertaker announce his entry in this month’s Royal Rumble match a possible red herring.

“The proposed Undertaker vs. John Cena match is off the boards. Vince McMahon changed his mind on the match.

“Undertaker right now is not scheduled to challenge for either title on the show. He did appear on the 1/9 RAW show, after first arriving on SmackDown, because when he was on SmackDown, it was to build for him to face Cena. Now he will face someone on the RAW roster. There was a tease of Braun Strowman on RAW, but it will not be Strowman as things stand right now.”

WrestleZone added that these changes also include removing The Undertaker from title contention, may it be for the Universal Championship or the WWE World Championship.

In its own analysis of the above Wrestling Observer report, WrestlingNews.co wrote that this could mean The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 opponent will be Roman Reigns “by process of elimination.” Aside from considering the almost-confirmed matches featuring Rollins, Goldberg, and Lesnar, that report took into account the high probability that “best friends” Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens will break up and feud leading into a ‘Mania match, and also didn’t discount the chances of Reigns vs. Strowman happening at the event instead. But it didn’t mention another man who, until now, was looking like a dark horse as a possible Undertaker opponent at WrestleMania – Finn Balor, who has been out of action since late-August due to a torn labrum.

Finn Balor underwent shoulder surgery on August 24, 2016, and was expected then to be out for 4-6 months. [Image by WWE]

According to Forbes, a healthy Balor makes sense as The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 opponent, given the possibility ‘Taker won’t be fighting for a title, and the good chances of Reigns winning the Universal Championship from Owens at Royal Rumble. But if Balor isn’t cleared to return at ‘Mania, the publication hinted at some other possibilities, including one that may involve Reigns, with or without the Universal Championship on the line.

“Just looking at rest of the RAW roster, there isn’t a single name that stands out as a potential Undertaker opponent, unless Finn Balor is back in time for WrestleMania. You would still have to think that Reigns is the most likely (whether he wins the title or not) or that Undertaker will indeed end up facing a SmackDown star after all, perhaps someone like Dean Ambrose or Baron Corbin.”

The Inquisitr wrote late last month that Finn Balor’s recovery from surgery has been going well, and that while he likely won’t be back in time for the Royal Rumble, he’s making good time despite some earlier setbacks. As such, he has solid odds of returning in a couple months or so, and if you consider that Finn’s “Demon King” persona is a dark character in its own right, he just could be the RAW Superstar WWE has in mind as The Undertaker’s WrestleMania 33 opponent.

[Featured Image by WWE]

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