Finn Bálor’s time on WWE RAW is officially over as he will now be a part of the Friday Night SmackDown roster moving forward.
During the June 1, 2026 episode of Monday Night RAW, WWE announced that Bálor has been traded to Friday Night SmackDown. The move comes after weeks of tension involving Bálor, JD McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio following the breakup of their alliance.
Bálor last competed as a member of the RAW roster on the May 18 edition of the show, where he defeated JD McDonagh. Since then, the rivalry between the former Judgment Day members has continued to escalate. Following news of the trade, Byron Saxton asked JD McDonagh for his reaction to Bálor leaving RAW. JD did not hold back.
“I can speak for The Judgment Day—Finn, goodbye, good riddance, you will not be missed! You say he was traded, right? I say he ran away because he knows if he stuck around on Raw, we’d end his career.”
The move also helps explain Bálor’s place in the updated King of the Ring tournament bracket. He is currently scheduled to compete in a first-round Fatal 4-Way match against Royce Keys, LA Knight, and Jey Uso as WWE continues building toward Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.
Moving Bálor to SmackDown opens up a fresh set of rivalries and opportunities while also creating distance from the ongoing issues with Judgment Day on RAW. At the same time, JD McDonagh’s comments make it clear that the bad blood between the former allies has not disappeared.
With King of the Ring now underway and a brand change officially in place, Finn Bálor’s next chapter in WWE will begin on Friday nights. Whether that leads to tournament success or another collision with his former Judgment Day partners remains to be seen.
What do you think about WWE trading Finn Bálor to SmackDown? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.