Finn Balor – real name Fergal Devitt – has had a rough year, but he remains one of the best wrestlers in both WWE and the world. Here are five facts you should know about the Demon King.
1. He Founded His Own Wrestling Promotion at Age 20
Balor made his pro wrestling debut in 2000 at age 18 for NWA UK Hammerlock and quickly began touring throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Noticing a severe lack of pro wrestling promotions in his home country, in 2002 he and Paul Tracey founded NWA Ireland. They also opened a school where many future stars were trained, including inaugural WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch.
2. He Once Aspired to Be a Pro Footballer
While growing up in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, Balor played Gaelic football, which is similar to rugby. He excelled in the sport and planned on going pro, but once he realized that there wasn’t much of a market for Gaelic football outside Ireland he switched to pro wrestling. It was a good decision, to be sure.
3. He Has A Black Belt In Submission Wrestling
Balor isn’t just a student of the squared circle – he also has a background in martial arts. In fact, Balor has a first-degree black belt from the IBF UK in the art of submission wrestling. Perhaps it’s time he added a submission finisher to his already stacked arsenal?
4. He Founded Bullet Club
Balor didn’t just found his own wrestling promotion – he also founded what is arguably the most prolific pro wrestling stable in the world. Bullet Club was officially formed in May 2013 when Balor – under the ring name Prince Devitt – turned on his partner Ryusuke Taguchi and teamed up with Karl Anderson, Tama Tonga, and Bad Luck Fale to form a villainous group of “gaijin,” or foreign, wrestlers. Balor remained the leader of the group until he left NJPW for WWE in 2014, and the stable has since expanded to include the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, A.J. Styles, and Cody Rhodes, among others.
5. His Demon King Character Helps Bring Him Out of His Shell
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6lpArMuFs4]
An avid comic book fan, Balor often wore body paint inspired by some of his favorite characters. But it wasn’t until he joined WWE that he learned to use the body paint to create his own character. Thus the “Demon King” was born, and Balor said that the paint helps him to break out of his naturally introverted shell when he performs:
Here’s the thing: I’m really shy. People won’t believe this, but I don’t really like being the center of attention. I don’t like when everyone is looking at me. I don’t do well in social environments. I could never understand how I could perform in front of people, but still be this shy, introverted person. When I started using the paint, I felt that it was almost a way to hide my true identity. It gave me more confidence to be myself and let go and live in the moment. That really is what the paint is to me. It helps me just forget about Fergal, the guy I really am, and lets me turn into Finn. It lets me flow in the moment and be creative and artistic and open. It lets me be free in the ring. That’s what “The Demon” does for me.
Balor is certainly one of my favorite wrestlers on the WWE roster. I hope it’s sooner rather than later that he wins back the Universal Championship he was forced to surrender nearly one year ago.
Do you like Finn Balor? What do you hope he accomplishes in his WWE career? Share your thoughts and comments below!
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