The second Mixed Match Challenge, which wraps up this week, has felt like one replacement after another, ever since Alexa Bliss was pulled from the tournament due to injury on the day it started. Since then Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, AJ Styles, and Braun Strowman have all left the tournament for similar reasons, although I’m pretty sure AJ Styles only left for kayfabe reasons, because it would have looked weird if he’d been beaten up The New Daniel Bryan, and then immediately teamed up with Charlotte Flair like everything was fine. Anyway, there’s one more replacement to report, as Finn Bálor has been officially removed from the Mixed Match Challenge, as announced on Monday Night Raw.
Finn beat-down at the hands of Drew McIntyre last Monday was given as the reason from his absence from Raw and his removal from the tournament. However, it was clear that something else was probably going on. As reported on 411Mania, Finn went on tour to South America after last week’s Raw. He took part in a triple threat against McIntyre and Ziggler in Santiago, Chile on Wednesday, but was suddenly sent home Thursday.
According to PWInsider, Finn wasn’t injured in Chile, but he did come down with an unspecified illness, from which he’s now recovering. He is currently expected to face Drew McIntyre at TLC this Sunday, as planned.
As for the Mixed Match Challenge, Bayley will be joined in the semifinals (and perhaps the finals at TLC) by Apollo Crews.
