Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin: Passing the Time or Moving Forward?

Finn Balor lost to Baron Corbin on the July 30 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw. The match was a return bout from Extreme Rules, which Balor won. Now that Corbin has the edge, many fans are likely asking what happens next.

But many are also asking why these two are still feuding. It’s not that Corbin can’t deliver in the ring because he most definitely can. Corbin has been criticized for his lack of personality in the past and for his attitude backstage. But his work between the ropes is not really in question. Fans know he can go. So where is he going?

For that matter, where is Finn going? Corbin is a solid opponent for anyone in WWE and Balor can have a great match with anyone despite the skill level. They do match up well and their matches thus far have been good.

But Corbin is not the same guy he was before. Baron is now Constable Corbin. He’s the storyline mole for Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon. Whenever something goes wrong or when Raw General Manager Kurt Angle has his hands full, Corbin grabs the phone and rats out his boss. Corbin is in a position of authority on Raw and thus far, he‘s Stephanie McMahon‘s favorite employee. So why is he working the talent?

The fact is Corbin’s role is not the corporate position that fans have seen before. Corbin may be dressed for the occasion but he’s really just a WWE Superstar and that means he’s going to keep wrestling. So does this mean that he will come out of the Constable role soon and be in contention for the Intercontinental Championship?

While that is a possibility, WWE has made no moves in that direction. Corbin is acting as hired muscle for a Commissioner that is not around. He seems to have no agenda other than sucking up to his boss and making Angle’s life miserable. So maybe he’s just in this feud so Balor has something to do.

How many fans predicted that Balor would be in a position that he has to work a guy on a tier below him in order to stay busy? Corbin is no pushover but he’s indeed not on Finn’s level when it comes to main event experience.

Balor could win the Universal Championship again right now and the company would have plenty to work with. He’s a legitimate top guy and a credible alternative to Roman Reigns. It’s not about moving too soon with Finn, it’s about giving the best talents the best opportunities. Balor has what it takes to swim with the big fish. But instead, he’s treading water.

But perhaps Balor is the one moving toward the Intercontinental Championship. Dolph Ziggler is a great heel and great heels are good for business against great babyfaces. Balor versus Ziggler could be a rivalry that heats up in a very short amount of time.

Seth Rollins is working toward becoming Intercontinental champion once again and rightfully so. Seth is arguably the best hand on Raw and he’s definitely the hottest talent on the red brand. But he’s already been distracted by Drew McIntyre. How long until he’s so distracted that someone else slides in to face Dolph in a new feud?

That someone is Finn Balor. It’s a good bit of booking and it‘s logical. All of the work Balor is doing right now is nothing more than occupying his time until Ziggler and Rollins are done. Fans would go for it and it would get over. So maybe that’s the plan. If not, then what is?

Is it possible that WWE really doesn’t have anything for Finn Balor right now? Is Raw so top heavy that Balor is not needed on that level after all? He’s proved he can get over without much support from the company. But he’s also apparently happy with whatever role WWE gives him.

Finn Balor is apparently not losing sleep over the way he’s been booked and why should he? He’s working for the biggest pro wrestling company in the world. He’s regularly featured on TV and pay-per-view. Finn is a WWE mainstay and he’s one of the most popular Superstars on the roster. Why worry about championships or main event matches, for that matter?

However the fans are genuinely concerned because they want the best for him. WWE sought the audience’s approval on Balor when he came up from NXT. The audience gave its approval. They emotionally invested in Finn, which means they care about what happens to him. Of course they want to see Balor succeed.

But first Balor must finish up with Corbin. It’s unknown where the feud goes from here and smart money is on another match between the two at SummerSlam on August 19. Nothing has been officially announced but it does seem that it’s not over yet, whether fans care about it or not.

Of course if the feud had a real purpose, then maybe the crowd would buy in a bit more. There’s just no way to know what WWE has in mind with this feud. Maybe Finn Balor versus Baron Corbin is indeed a way for both guys to just pass the time. Or maybe something big is just over the horizon. Fans are certainly ready to know the answer.