His appearance on the Major League Soccer All-Star Game broadcast last night (July 31) was an early taste of the cross-promotion Fox plans to do between WWE and their non-scripted sports properties when SmackDown makes it premiere on the broadcast network Fri., Oct. 4.
Finn Bálor represented The ’E by talking about his favorite football team, ignoring Alexi Lalas’ logical question about “The Demon” (one wrestling fans have been asking for years), and providing sound strategy to Maurice Edu for countering a high knee. Rob Stone snuck a key sports entertainment selling point into this playful exchange, too, though.
See, Rob’s wife has a question about Finn’s abs...
Who's ready for SmackDown?! @WWE superstar and soccer superfan @FinnBalor joins our #MLSAllStar pregame show to talk Tottenham, his alter ego, and gives @MauriceEdu some advice for next time he runs into the Bella Twins
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2019
WWE SmackDown is coming to FOX on October 4! pic.twitter.com/iEqzjmhq7R
Jokes aside (not that I’m 100% joking - wrestlers’ looks are a big reason why we tune in), Bálor makes a great spokesperson here. He’s knowledgeable about the subject at hand and completely charming. He may have picked up a few new viewers for SmackDown... if anybody’s watching the MLS All-Star Game, that is.