Seth Rollins beat Finn Balor at WWE SummerSlam 2023

Seth Rollins defeated Finn Balor with (unintentional) help from Damian Priest, whose Money in the Bank briefcase was used as a weapon by Rollins. In a wild match, Rollins secured the victory after hitting the curb stomp on the briefcase, further tearing apart at the Judgment Day in what could have been its finest hour.

Balor as WWE world heavyweight champion would have completed a Judgment Day Royal Flush, where every member of the stable holds a championship. A Balor win would have also set the stage for what could be yet another epic long-term soap opera, of paranoia, mistrust and, ultimately, betrayal. This template led to record ratings on SmackDown through the Bloodline, and WWE had similar ingredients in place to recreate this dynamic on Monday nights with the Judgment Day.

Given all the damage done to the still-prestigious Money in the Bank briefcase through Austin Theory’s failed cash-in, WWE now had the chance to more than make up for it with Raw’s answer to the Bloodline.

“I 100% think that we could [have a long-term storyline similar to the Bloodline],” said Ripley.

“I think we could outdo the Bloodline, too. I think we can take over and prove why we are the most dominant force in the WWE. At the end of the day, they might be blood, but we’re family.”

Balor did not even get to defend the WWE Universal Championship when he won the title in 2016. Balor’s legitimate injury in that infamous match, by way of a Seth Rollins Buckle Bomb, was the focal part of their storyline. In fact, the Rollins vs. Balor match was filled with callbacks to their 2016 Universal Championship match at SummerSlam. Balor painted the word “seven” on his right shoulder, while Rollins wore remnants of his ring gear he wore when he injured Balor. Not only did Balor work over Rollins’ arm, but he also used a buckle bomb into the barricade.

In the end, WWE opted to stick with the status quo as Rollins prevailed while the Judgment Day continues to fall apart.