Finn Balor Talks WWE Originally Repeatedly Shooting Down LGBTQ WrestleMania 34 Entrance
As previously noted, Finn Balor was in London, visiting WWE's new UK Performance Center, and while he was there, he took the time for an interview with Inside The Ropes. Among the topics discussed, Balor went into detail about his LGBTQ-inclusive entrance at WrestleMania 34, and explained how difficult it had been getting his idea approved. Balor later mentions how he's grateful the entrance was delayed because it ended up being prolonged until WrestleMania season.
As you can see in the tweet below, Balor's entrance at WrestleMania was plentiful with rainbows, an adopted symbol of the LGBTQ community. Balor entered the arena from the stage as numerous member of the LGBTQ community cheered alongside him. Balor explained that this representation was something he had wanted to do for a long time, however, getting it approved from WWE management was a drawn-out process that hadn't gained any traction until Stephanie McMahon heard about the idea.
"That was something I honestly believed in for a very long time," Balor began, "and I had pitched, and pitched, and pitched to a lot of different departments in WWE and it had been shot down, and shot down, and shot down, and it wasn't until Stephanie [McMahon] got wind of the idea that it all started to fall in to place. It's easier for a message to come down the line of command than it is to go up the line of command."
Balor believes that things ultimately worked out for the better, because instead of the entrance premiering somewhere like RAW or a house show, he was able to present it on the grandest platform WWE has to offer – WrestleMania.
"That was something I've believed in for a very long time," Balor explained. "And obviously, the way it worked out, it was perfect timing that it just happened to be the biggest match of my career that I got to launch it. I think it was meant to be, I'm a big believer in the universe and everything kinda working out exactly the way the way it was supposed to be. I'm sure if I had that idea like a year before, it would have been on RAW or a house show, or something, and me doing it at WrestleMania is even cooler."
LIVE NOW: @FinnBalor is here! @WrestleMania 34 kicks-off with the Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match! #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/G9dnHFTwUY
? WWE Australia (@WWEAustralia) April 8, 2018
You can listen to the full interview in the video above. If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Inside The Ropes with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.