5 reasons Finn Balor should face Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble

WWE needs to book this match. Finn Balor never got a shot at winning back the title he never lost.

The Royal Rumble is one of the most exciting pay-per-views on the calendar. The chaotic nature of the Rumble match is the main selling point, but the fact that it signifies the start of Wrestlemania season is its most exciting element. This is the event where new storylines are birthed and year-defining feuds are initiated.

In our lifetimes we’ve experienced dream matches that we’ll never forget. Stone Cold vs. The Rock, Hulk Hogan vs. the Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart and John Cena vs. The Rock have all encaptured and defined a generation. Now it’s time to create new memories and dream matches, starting with Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble.

Here are 5 reasons why Finn Balor should face Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble.

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#5 Finn Balor deserves a championship match

Finn Balor is a former WWE NXT Champion

Lest we forget, Finn Balor was the first ever WWE Universal Champion. That’s an achievement that can never be taken away from him. The fact that the Demon beat both Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins within one month of debuting on the main roster shows us how much faith the WWE had in him at the time.

One long-term injury shouldn’t erase all that hope, it should, in fact, reinvigorate it. Since returning to the WWE, Balor hasn’t received a single championship opportunity and being a main event level talent, that shouldn’t be the case. Finn Balor is the answer to the WWE’s declining popularity, whether he wins the belt or not, Balor vs. Lesnar is the best untouched match the WWE can offer today.

If you don't believe me, just ask the fans. Because this WWE poll suggests everybody wants to see this match:

#4 The Rumble is in Philly

The 2015 edition of the Royal Rumble was held in Philadelphia

For those who don't know, the 2018 edition of the Royal Rumble will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Notorious for its boisterous crowds, Philly has always been one of the best places to hold a WWE event. As John Cena once famously said ‘the louder the crowd, the greater the match.’ The reception of a match is often determined by how loud a crowd is and Finn Balor often gets the loudest crowd reaction of anyone on the roster.

There’s no other superstar besides AJ Styles that’ll get a louder reaction than Balor for facing the Beast. But we’ve already seen the Phenomenal One put on a wrestling clinic with Lesnar, so now it’s the Irishman’s turn to raise the roof. And knowing that Philly crowd, the decibel levels will be extremely high for this once in a lifetime match.

#3 Fresh match-ups

The WWE Universe doesn't want to see this match again

In order to combat declining viewership and record low ratings, the WWE must give us fresh match-ups in high-profile situations. To be frank, the fans are bored of seeing the same faces in the same main event matches, they want new guys to get opportunities to show their worth. Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar is a match that the WWE Universe have wanted to see ever since the Irishman arrived in the WWE.

The match may have a David vs. Goliath feel about it, but Balor is one of the few small men in the WWE that has a large presence. On top of that, he has the skillset to discombobulate any superstar he faces, regardless of their size. That’s what makes this match-up feel surprisingly realistic, as both competitors have the legitimate skills to put the other on the shelf.

#2 Legitimises the new era

Finn Balor won the Universal Championship on his debut PPV

Finn Balor going toe to toe with the Beast at the Rumble and taking him to his limits, not only legitimises Finn Balor, it certifies the entire new era. Brock Lesnar is one of the most recognisable names to ever come out of the WWE and it’s time for that star power to be used efficiently.

It’s time the Universal Champion starts giving younger wrestlers a much-needed rub. For all intensive purposes, Finn Balor is viewed as the leader of the new era, he’s the man that’s supposedly going to break Vince McMahon’s ‘bodybuilder’ preference. A match with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble is the perfect way to initiate that quest.

#1 Guaranteed 5-star bout

Finn Balor is one of the best in-ring performers in the world

As we saw at Survivor Series, when you put the physically dominant Brock Lesnar in a ring with a high-flying athlete, fireworks emerge. The Beast has been branded as a German suplex machine who’s only victorious in the ring because of his physical attributes. However, what people forget is, Lesnar has an amateur wrestling background, meaning he can grapple with the best of them. As for Finn, his wrestling skills don’t have to be highlighted, he’s one of the best in-ring performers in the world.

So, what do you get when you fuse these two anomalies into one match? A 5-star outing. In a time where the quality of matches has been severely watered down, the WWE is in desperate need of a match of the year contender at the first PPV of 2018.