The NXT Five: Analysing and grading their WWE careers

#3 Finn Balor

Finn Balor reinvented himself as the "Demon"

Key quote from WWE.com interview: “I was really just a boy [before NJPW] and I became a man in New Japan in eight years. It came to a point where I could stay the rest of my career there and have the security of a job or I could step into the great unknown that is WWE and challenge myself. And that’s what I decided to do.”

NXT career: Finn Balor’s 2015 award victories (Male Competitor of the Year and Overall Competitor of the Year) say it all. The Irishman is the longest-reigning NXT champion of all time (292 days) and he will always be known as one of the leading Superstars who helped the brand get to the next level just as it was taking off.

WWE career: Balor became the first Universal champion at SummerSlam 2016 but he was forced to relinquish the title due to a shoulder injury. Since returning in April 2017, his relative success on Raw – he is often in the main event – hasn’t transitioned to PPV, where he usually finds himself in non-title matches lower down the card.

WWE future: The future is bright for Balor. He still has lots to achieve in WWE but, at the age of 37, there is no reason why he cannot go on to become a multiple-time champion on Raw and SmackDown Live.

Verdict: Whether he’s the “Demon” or plain old Finn, Balor appeals to every section of the audience. Has he reached the level that fans hoped for when he was called up from NXT? Not quite, but he’s still only been on the main roster for a combined 18 months, so there’s plenty of time for titles and main events in the future.

Grade: A-