Newly crowned WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor has been diagnosed with a torn shoulder labrum and will be sidelined from the ring for six-months. Due to this ‘The Demon King’ will be forced to vacate his title according to RAW GM Mick Foley and WWE on Twitter:
Due to his injury, @StephMcMahon and I jointly accept @FinnBalor relinquishing of the @WWE Universal Championship. #Raw
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) August 22, 2016
Due to injury, @FinnBalor relinquishes the Universal Title to kick off @WWE #RAW LIVE at 8/7c on @USA_Network! pic.twitter.com/5MtCrzotbl
— WWE (@WWE) August 22, 2016
The official statement from the WWE can be read here:
Inaugural WWE Universal Champion Finn Bálor suffered an injury to his right shoulder against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam and will relinquish his title tonight on Raw as a result, WWE.com can confirm.
The injury came in the course of Bálor and Rollins’ match to determine which Superstar would become the first WWE Universal Champion, specifically when Bálor absorbed a running powerbomb to the barricade at the hands of The Architect.
“He hit the wall during the match, dislocated his shoulder and was able to put it back in himself in a split second,” said ringside physician Dr. Chris Robinson. Bálor was able to finish the match, but Dr. Robinson noted that an MRI yielded results earlier today showing “a possible labrum tear.”
The champion is currently scheduled to receive a surgical consult that will determine the extent of Bálor’s injury and what his recovery time will be. If surgery and rehab are required, Robinson said, Bálor could be facing a recovery time of “anywhere from four to six months.”
Raw General Manager Mick Foley tweeted that he and Commissioner Stephanie McMahon would “accept” Bálor’s forfeiture of his championship tonight on Raw.