Finn Bálor has responded to the spot that took attention away from WWE Monday Night RAW in Belfast. The January 19, 2026, episode was an extra special night for the Judgment Day star. RAW took place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, near to Bálor’s hometown of Bray – famous for penning Irish classics “Danny Boy” and ballad “The Cockles of my heart”.
Entrance Timing Mishap
The former Universal Champion made his entrance using his classic theme music. However, fans quickly noticed something felt off during the routine.
Bálor missed the timing of his signature entrance taunt. The moment spread rapidly across social media platforms.
One fan on X, formerly Twitter, joked, “Unc forgot how to do his old entrance.” The clip gained traction within minutes. Many fans speculated about nerves or rust.
Crowd Noise Explanation
Bálor later explained the situation directly on camera. The WWE crowd reaction was simply overwhelming.“Can’t even hear the music,” Bálor said.
He repeated, “can’t even hear the music.”
The noise inside the arena drowned out his entrance cues. The explanation quickly silenced most criticism. Fans praised the passionate Belfast crowd.
On the same night, Bálor wrestled in a high-profile title match. He competed against CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The bout headlined the Belfast edition of RAW.
It marked Bálor’s first world title match in quite some time. He delivered a strong and emotional performance.Despite the effort, he came up short.
Punk secured the win with a late GTS. The move ended Bálor’s championship hopes.
After the match, Punk showed visible respect. He offered Bálor his flowers inside the ring. Bálor lingered near ringside afterward.
The moment sparked speculation among fans. Some believe WWE is teasing a babyface turn. Such a shift would be significant for Bálor.
He has been a heel for several years. His run with Judgment Day defined that era.
Bálor is no stranger to championship success. The individual went on to become inaugural Universal Champion in 2016. He beat Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. He had to vacate the title the next evening due to injury. Since then, world title success has eluded him.
He did find gold in NXT. Bálor captured the NXT Championship twice.He also won multiple tag titles in Judgment Day.
A redemption arc may finally be approaching.
