What happened at SummerSlam 2016 that changed Finn Balor's career in WWE?

Finn Balor was on top of the world until a fateful night in 2016 when an unfortunate injury altered his career trajectory in WWE.

On August 21, Balor defeated Seth Rollins at SummerSlam '16 to become the first Universal Champion in WWE. But he was forced to relinquish his title 22 hours later on RAW due to an injury he sustained in his bout against The Architect the previous night.

And then, things were never the same...

But everything that night and the moments leading up to it must be revised to fully understand its impact on The Prince's battle against the odds. A wrestling story that perfectly captures the magnitude of perfect timing when skilled professionals pour their blood, sweat, and tears to add entertainment to sports.

Seven years ago, Finn Balor walked into the main roster on the back of a successful run in NXT during the brand's black-and-gold era. Triple H did a phenomenal job booking The Prince as royalty on his former show.

Balor was the fifth overall pick in the WWE Draft that year and debuted on the July 25 edition of RAW. It was also his birthday that night, and he received a massive push as a deserving present.

Finn Balor defeated Roman Reigns to book his spot in the match to crown the inaugural Universal Champion in WWE. He then locked horns with Seth Rollins for the big prize at SummerSlam in an instant classic.

The WWE Universe was invested in the match right from the start, with many hoping to see Balor lift the title against the then-top heel.

However, a spot during the match saw Rollins lift Balor, intending to powerbomb him onto the barricade. Unfortunately, Balor was not prepared just yet, and his elbow was still positioned behind him with his right hand still raised.

He couldn't move his arm back into the correct position and immediately dislocated his shoulder upon impact. But that's not all.

This spot transpired close to the four and half minute mark into the match. Finn Balor went on to wrestle for another 16 minutes to deliver one of the best matches WWE matches of the year.

Balor confirmed his injury the next night on RAW and relinquished the title before bidding a teary-eyed farewell to the red brand for the next nine months.

As cruel as it may seem, WWE never invested in pushing Finn Balor to the same heights after that injury. He was always kept on the sidelines despite being one of the best talents on the entire roster.

Many speculated that Vince McMahon did not see a conventional WWE Superstar in him. If true, it was a massive mistake for two reasons. Balor was one of the hottest acts on NXT when Triple H booked him, especially when he returned as a heel for his second run on the brand.

Second, it was criminal to doubt the potential and genius of a man who created the faction that would eventually make the biggest competition for WWE that Vince McMahon had seen in decades.

Finn Balor has arguably seen the creative team butcher his credibility on multiple occasions. Whether it was him being squashed by 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt or The Demon King's loss against Roman Reigns over a broken rope, a lot has gone wrong for the former world champion who never lost his title.

Balor will challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank 2023. It is certainly wrong to blame Rollins for what happened seven years ago. In contrast, it is understandable to blame the WWE creative team for not booking a talented wrestler appropriately.

But this is, without a doubt, Finn Balor's story to write, and he deserves to say it from his perspective.