10 Things Everybody Got Wrong About WWE In 2016
5. Finn Balor Didn't Take The Main Roster By Storm
Finn Balor was the NXT Champion and the face of the brand heading into 2016, but that status was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, he was hugely popular and gave NXT a good dose of credibility. On the other, it was argued that the then-34-year-old was wasting his time in development.
Everyone expected that in 2016, he'd finally get a shot on the main roster, and that he'd step up to the plate and knock it out of the park. In fact, they were almost right. In the WWE draft, Balor (who had recently lost the belt to Samoa Joe) was taken fifth overall by Raw, heralding that he would be a major player. On his first show on the roster, he cleanly beat Roman Reigns to qualify for the Universal Title match at SummerSlam.
When the event rolled around, Balor delivered - he had a great match with Seth Rollins and came out victorious. In under a month, he had gone from developmental star to World Champion.
The bright future would have to wait, though. During the course of the match with Rollins, a powerbomb into the guardrail tore Balor's rotator cuff and would require surgery. The very next evening on Raw, he was forced to relinquish the championship. He's been on the shelf since.
Balor should be back by WrestleMania, and he should have a great 2017, but anything can happen.