10 Wresting Title Reigns That Were Ruined By Injury
7. Finn Bálor (WWE Universal Championship)
The most recent example of a wrestler vacating their championship through injury came this very week. Finn Bálor had worked long and hard to be crowned WWE Universal Champion, having earned a spot in the company after a glittering stint in NJPW. 2014 saw him rise to prominence in NXT, 2015 was the year he became NXT Champion, and by the time he left in 2016, Bálor was the brand’s longest-reigning champion and an iconic figure at Full Sail University.
Bálor featured highly in WWE’s 2016 Draft, and became WWE’s first ever Universal Champion less than a month after his Raw debut. It was the ultimate vindication for a man who’d dedicated his life to becoming one of the best pro-wrestlers on the planet, but the reign wasn’t to last: Bálor injured his shoulder during his SummerSlam match with Seth Rollins, and looks set to miss up to six months of action.
It’s a crippling blow for Bálor, who’d just been minted as Raw’s biggest babyface. His place in history as the first Universal Champion is forever secured, but that will be of little consolation to the Demon King. The Irishman did a great job of putting on a brave face while addressing the fans on Raw this week, and his emotion was there for all to see. Here’s hoping he makes a speedy recovery, and resumes his role as one of Raw’s leading lights upon returning.