In the latest edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Finn Balor contested in a fatal-four-way match for the first round of the 2026 WWE King of the Ring tournament. A few weeks back, WWE shifted Balor to SmackDown with reports claiming that the company wants to give him a fresh start after the Judgment Day storyline.
Fans were excited to see Balor participate in this high-profile tournament, hoping he might finally be pushed as the single star in WWE. However, all hopes were dashed when the former Universal Champion lost on SmackDown and was eliminated from the King of the Ring tournament.
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In this article, we will discuss three reasons why Finn Balor is out of KOTR this year.
#3. WWE is not planning to give him an immediate push
Though Balor has moved to SmackDown, his loss in the first round of KOTR signifies that WWE might not be planning to give Finn an imminent push as the single star.
The company may likely build him in the mid-card division. Later, he might be promoted to the main-event scenario and eventually earn an Undisputed Championship match.
The former Judgment Day member moving to the blue brand appears like a long-term plan to get him back as the main-event star. Having no immediate plans to push could be a probable reason why he lost in the KOTR first-round match.
#2. Jey Uso vs Cody Rhodes is the current SummerSlam plan
The winner of the King of the Ring tournament will earn a World title match. The match will ideally take place at SummerSlam 2026. With Jey Uso’s victory over Finn Balor, LA Knight, and Royce Keys, it seems that the Triple H creative regime is planning the YEET Master vs. Cody Rhodes at the Biggest Party of the Summer.
The Stamford-based promotion has already dropped considerable hints for this potential showdown. To execute these creative plans, WWE had no option but to eliminate Finn Balor from the King of the Ring tournament.
So, this might be another possible explanation for Balor’s loss on the blue brand.
#1. Triple H might have different plans for Balor
WWE SummerSlam is considered one of the biggest shows in the Sports Entertainment juggernaut. Not only the World title matches, but WWE also plans some high-profile feuds and great storylines for the mid-card titles.
There is a chance Triple H may want Finn Balor to either be a part of the mid-card division or the United States Championship feud. Balor’s inclusion will surely generate more buzz for the US title match as fans will pray for the wrestler’s victory in that showdown.
So, to escalate the mid-card division on SmackDown, the Chief Content Officer might have strategically eliminated the former Universal Champion from KOTR. It’s crucial to note that the veteran star wasn’t pinned in this fatal-four-way match and eventually got protected.
With this, the company can easily book Finn Balor in a United States Championship feud for the Biggest Party of the Summer. Rest, it remains to be seen what plans the TKO-led promotion has in store for the former Judgment Day member.
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Edited by Babylona Bora