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Finn Balor Says It Doesn’t Bother Him That Fans Want to See Xavier Woods Win King of the Ring

October 20, 2021 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
WWE Crown Jewel Xavier Woods, FInn Balor Image Credit: WWE

– Finn Balor appeared on WWE’s The Bump today to preview his King of the Ring finals match against Xavier Woods. The match is set for tomorrow at WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Balor on his physical condition: “[I’m] physically 100 percent. Obviously, [I won] two very important matches: Cesaro and Sami Zayn, two incredible competitors [who’ve] proven it [in the] ring time and time again. But for me, I’ve kind of made my career on this side of the tournament. In Japan, I was very successful in these types of knockout tournaments, and I’m hoping to continue that run here in WWE and become King of the Ring.”

On Xavier Woods being the sentimental fan favorite: “No, it doesn’t bother me at al. Of course, it’s a big deal for Woods, and it’s a big deal for me, too. It should be; it’s the King of the Ring. It’s a tournament that’s hugely prestigious in the history of WWE. It was probably one of the turning points of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s career. It sent him off with incredible momentum, and that’s what I hope to do tomorrow before I switch to the Raw brand.”

Finn Balor on beating Xavier Woods in a dark match on Raw when he was NXT Champion: “Let me tell you this story. I’m the NXT Champion. I’m at Raw because we’re going on a European tour the next day. And I’m going to represent NXT. I’m sitting in the locker room, in my biz-cas (business casual attire), and it’s 7:20, and they need a dark match to go on at 7:40. Somebody comes into the locker room and says, ‘Hey, Finn, you’re up at 7:40. You’ve got a dark match.’ I think it’s a joke, so I throw my gear on. I don’t even tie my laces. I say I’m going to play along with this little rib that they’re playing on me. When I got to Gorilla, my music started playing, and Woods was there. They were like, ‘Oh, yeah, you’re wrestling Woods.’ Who won in three minutes? Finn Balor.”