Hot Take: The Perfect WWE Inaugural World Heavyweight Champ Isn't Rollins or Rhodes

WWE could take the safe route with its revived World Heavyweight Championship and play to fans' expectations by having Seth Rollins or Cody Rhodes as the inaugural winner.

But safe doesn't mean great—Finn Bálor should be the guy.

Plenty of fans might've read that and felt their jaws touch their toes. But it wasn't too long ago that Bálor was the guy and an unfortunate injury derailed that train, only for it to never get put back on track.

So why not now?

Something as prestigious as the World Heavyweight Championship deserves a great story. It might feel like a runner-up trophy because nobody on the roster can manage to beat Roman Reigns, but it doesn't have to settle into predictable events and match that feel.

After all, Rollins has been just fine without a title for a long time now, and he'll undoubtedly get his shine soon enough. Spectacle matches with the likes of Logan Paul (with Omos...not so much) remain viable ways for him to spend his time.

And Rhodes...just don't. He can't return to WWE, cite wanting to win the title his father never won, fail in that pursuit, then just shrug it off and go win something else. There's a long building-him-up story here that will feel more earned when Rhodes does finally beat Reigns, but having him win some other secondary title in the meantime would diminish pretty much everything.

The Bálor option is more attractive because it gives meaning to a supposed secondary title. Both Superstar and belt could have their images rehabbed together to the point of prestige for both. Fans would get some nice storylines while one of the best factions and things going in pro wrestling—The Judgment Day—remains front and center in title programs.

WWE viewed Bálor as the top guy in 2016 during his unforgettable rise to becoming the first-ever universal champion before the injury. Odds are they feel the same now despite erratic booking, especially with no top title to pursue. It's pretty clear with yet another bit of merchandise that he's a big numbers-mover still.

Bálor is believable in the ring with anyone, but a title program could undo some serious damage. If he doesn't want to use the Demon alter ego at all...perfect. But if he does, this could be a way to rehab that too, given the character's shockingly silly loss to a turnbuckle against Reigns in 2021, then the inexplicable loss to Edge at 'Mania in its big return.

Demon or not, there could be some fun things at play with this idea. Maybe the WWE draft splits up Judgment Day. Or maybe stablemates like Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio turn on Bálor, helping move him into a babyface role again (this would avoid the heels-as-top-champs problem).

Bálor certainly appears to have made his intentions clear:

Rhodes, Rollins or any other Superstar who eventually gets the title will have some interesting stories to tell, of course. But there's nothing as organic or built-up as the Judgment Day-Bálor situation and the number of different directions it could go.

And if not, Bálor has already had one incredible meeting with Rhodes in the ring recently, and rematches with Rollins—callbacks to that epic clash for the inaugural universal title—will be a ton of fun, too.

His taking on challengers like Drew McIntyre and whoever else ends up on his brand will make for a captivating title scene, especially while those around the title have to steer clear of Reigns on the opposite brand.

With factions hot in WWE right now, there are few Superstars on the planet more well versed in forming them or making them work, too. Who is to say Bálor doesn't revive other factions if he splits with Judgment Day, too?

There are just too many positives to say "no thanks" on a Bálor win-and-run. This has merely glossed over that he's one of the most interesting and unique in-ring workers in any company—and a strong worker on the mic, too.

If we're being realistic, Bálor's Demon was the OG "should've beat Reigns" talking point long before McIntyre in the UK, Sami Zayn in Montreal and Rhodes at 'Mania. He's in that conversation for a reason and a fitting inaugural champion once more.

Bálor is the perfect marriage of being overdue for a win, a nice usage of the title and shock value that doesn't align often, making him the obvious pick over more anticipated names.