10 Booking Steps Leading Finn Bálor To WWE Title

3. An Extreme Rematch

AJ Styles Finn Balor
WWE.com

The heel turn leaves Shane McMahon with no option but to book Bálor Vs. Styles in an Extreme Rules rematch at the titular pay-per-view.

This is a showcase match for the Bálor heel character which, as long-term fans of New Japan Pro Wrestling are aware, is a superb act. Bálor as Prince Devitt was a quality heel. Passive aggressive, full of bluster, and a despicable bully, Bálor contradicted like a gangster the rule that the most natural performers are extensions of their real-life selves. Clearly one of wrestling's nice guys, Devitt nonetheless must have an inner demon - or at least must be an incredible actor. The WWE Demon translated even on NXT as a brilliant but hollow marketing exercise. There is precedent to make the fantastical credible in the heel role.

The match at Extreme Rules is, as more or less guaranteed, a violent masterpiece as exciting in content as rich as it is in the character department. Doubling as a #1 Contender's bout - to fill the plot hole and reinforce the turn, Bálor storyline injures Crews - there can be but one result: Bálor pins Styles with a chair-assisted Coup de Grâce to rise to the main event, in the heel role, almost as quickly as he did donning the white hat.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!