There is a lot of buzz surrounding Finn Balor after he shockingly was booked to lose his NXT Championship.
The NXT Superstar lost to Samoa Joe at a live event in Lowell, Mass., on Thursday night, ending his 292-day reign as NXT Champion. Balor had held the belt since Beast in the East in Tokyo on July 4.
Now that he is no longer the champion of the WWE's minor leagues, many pundits expect the man formerly known as Prince Devitt to make his main roster debut in the WWE. If he does end up coming up to the big leagues, here are three possible first opponents for Balor.
1) Kevin Owens
The former WWE Intercontinental Champion makes the most sense based on their rich history, which includes a high-profile rivalry in NXT. Owens and Balor had some great battles on the brand, and it would be a treat for fans who don't watch NXT to see these two combatants battle it out. Balor and Owens helped steal the show in a Ladder Match at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn in August, and if they bring that sort of energy to the main roster, it could do wonders for both of them.
Owens furthered the speculation that Balor was on his way to the main roster by tweeting he'd see him soon:
@wwebalor See you soon, buddy.
— Kevin Owens (@FightOwensFight) April 22, 2016
2) AJ Styles
This would be a scintillating rivalry on the main roster. The WWE has hinted at "The Phenomenal One" teaming up with newcomers Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows to form the Bullet Club in the WWE. One potential alternative could see Balor join the duo instead, formulating the Balor Club. He could then lead the trio into a program with Styles, their former friend, and one that could potentially lead to some Match of the Year candidates.
3) Chris Jericho
"Y2J" is always a great candidate as a bridge rivalry for newcomers that have deep backgrounds. Though his loss to Fandango at WrestleMania is much-maligned, Jericho's feud with Styles was a great way to transition "The Phenomenal One" into the WWE. Styles came with a lot of expectations, and working with a veteran like Jericho helped him adapt. The WWE could do the same by having Balor strike up a feud with Jericho upon arrival.
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