SmackDown Star Addresses Undisputed WWE Championship #1 Contender’s Match: ‘We Are So Close’

WWE

Finn Balor has commented on potentially challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship, after being confirmed for a #1 contender’s match at SummerSlam.

The July 24 SmackDown episode saw Finn Balor defeat Damian Priest, Trick Williams and Royce Keys in a four-way match.

With this victory, it has officially been announced that Balor will face Sami Zayn at SummerSlam to determine the #1 contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Finn Balor has now taken to Twitter to address his SmackDown victory, and his SummerSlam opportunity.

Thanking his fans for sticking with him over the years, Balor wrote:

The last 10 years have been the adventure of a lifetime. Bálor Club, thank you for always sticking with me, I hear you, and WE ARE SO CLOSE #summerslam #LetsGoBalor

Finn Balor has had a less-than-satisfying relationship with WWE’s world titles over the years.

He became the inaugural Universal Champion at SummerSlam 2016, just three matches into his main roster run following his NXT call-up.

His title reign was cut drastically short however, with Balor relinquishing the gold on the following night’s Raw episode after having suffered a shoulder injury during the title match.

Balor challenged for the Universal Championship on several occasions following this, but was never able to win back the title.

His most recent Universal Title challenge left many fans scratching their heads, with Balor only losing to Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules 2021 due to Reigns capitalising following the ring turnbuckle breaking under Balor’s feet.

Finn Balor has challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship a number of times since its re-introduction in 2023, first at that year’s Money in the Bank event, against Seth Rollins.

He has never held this title, most recently challenging CM Punk for the gold at Elimination Chamber in February.

This 2015-era NXT dream match is a tough one to call, as it can be argued that both Balor and Zayn deserve shots at the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Many fans have called for Balor to receive his previously rumored singles push. Despite Balor viewing his short Universal Title reign as a success story, there is definitely an appetite within the WWE fanbase for a lengthy Finn Balor world championship reign.

Meanwhile, many fans are hopeful that Sami Zayn will remain in the main event picture, following his Undisputed WWE Championship reign ending after just nine days at the hands of CM Punk in early-July.

The winner of this match will challenge either CM Punk or Cody Rhodes for the gold, with Punk vs Rhodes previously confirmed for the biggest party of the sumemr.

The last 10 years have been the adventure of a lifetime.
Bálor Club, thank you for always sticking with me, I hear you, and WE ARE SO CLOSE #summerslam #LetsGoBalor pic.twitter.com/3VdVArVNc4

— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) July 25, 2026

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• wwe
• SummerSlam
• Sami Zayn
• Finn Balor
• champion

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