Finn Balor returns at WWE Live event in Buffalo (Video)

Out of action since August, Finn Balor made his return to the ring on Friday night at a WWE Live event in Buffalo, NY

Finn Balor seemed as if he was going to be shot to the moon from a booking standpoint immediately upon getting called up to the main roster. Not only was he taken as a top-five pick in the WWE Draft, but he was immediately given an opportunity to win the newly minted WWE Universal Championship. All he had to do was defeat Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. Balor accomplished that, hoisting the red belt high above his head.

Unfortunately for him, his reign would be short-lived. It was revealed the next night that he’d suffered a shoulder injury and was forced to relinquish the belt just as soon as he’d won it. That was in August and, following surgery to repair the injury, Finn Balor had been on the shelf since then.

That all changed on Friday night. No, SmackDown didn’t move back to Friday nights. At a WWE Live show in Buffalo, NY, the main event was a six-man tag team match. As the faces awaited their third partner, the smoke began filling the Titantron. Sure enough, that led to Balor coming out to an absolutely massive pop:

It feels pretty safe to say that Finn Balor is still very, very over with the fans—or at least the WWE fans in Buffalo.

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What’s interesting, of course, is the timing of Balor’s return. Just shy of three weeks out from WrestleMania 33, you have to wonder if The Demon King is going to be involved. Or perhaps they’ll wait and bring him back out on TV for the RAW after WrestleMania. Regardless of their plans, though, it’s fantastic to see him back in the fold. He’s been sorely missed.