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WWE Universal Championship announced for Raw, No.1 contenders revealed

By Wade Sheridan
NXT newcomer Finn Balor during his Raw debut Monday as become the No. 1 contender for the newly announced WWE Universal Championship. Photo courtesy of WWE/Twitter
1 of 2 | NXT newcomer Finn Balor during his Raw debut Monday as become the No. 1 contender for the newly announced WWE Universal Championship. Photo courtesy of WWE/Twitter

PITTSBURGH, July 26 (UPI) -- WWE Raw showrunners Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley have announced a new world title for the red brand entitled the WWE Universal Championship.

The announcement came following Smackdown Live's Dean Ambrose retaining his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against his former Shield partners Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at Battleground. The victory ensured that the WWE title would remain on Tuesday nights leaving Raw without a world champion.

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As McMahon blamed Reigns, who had just returned from a 30-day suspension for the loss, the commissioner announced that Rollins would be named one of the new No. 1 contenders for the Universal Championship that will be up for grabs at SummerSlam.

The second No. 1 contender was determined through a set of Fatal 4-Way matches that were won by Reigns and NXT newcomer Finn Balor who was making his Raw debut.

Balor and Reigns then collided in order to determine who would meet Rollins in a match where Balor just wouldn't quit no matter what Reigns threw at him.

Both men, spent from their previous bouts, put it all on the line, but in an upset Balor turned things around by hitting Reigns with his top-rope finishing maneuver the Coup de Grace for the three count.

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As Reigns walked towards the locker room, he gave a post-match interview in which he wished Raw's newest member good luck in his match against Rollins. "I hope Finn Balor beats Seth Rollins for that WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam because when he does, I want him again."

SummerSlam is set to take place Aug. 21.

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