What You Didn’t See with Finn Balor After January 19 WWE RAW Went Off The Air

The January 19, 2026 edition of WWE RAW at The SSE Arena in Belfast was more than just another night on the road—it was a homecoming for Finn Bálor. While he came up short in the main event against CM Punk in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match, it was what happened after the show went off the air that truly defined the night.

WWE has released footage of Bálor addressing the Belfast crowd, and the moment has quickly become one of the most heartfelt highlights of the year. The crowd was already emotional after singing The Cranberries’ “Zombie” during the match. But after the final bell, Bálor stayed in the ring to speak directly to his people. He started by giving his opponent full credit: Bálor then paused as fans continued singing and chanting, visibly soaking in the atmosphere. He continued with clear emotion in his voice:

“First of all, ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for CM Punk.”

“I just want to say that I've… I feel very privileged to be here tonight.”

The arena erupted again. Then, in a statement that immediately struck a chord with longtime fans, Bálor put the entire moment into perspective.

“I've done a lot in my 25-year career in this business, and tonight is, without question, the most memorable night of my career so far.”

The crowd responded with thunderous applause, followed by another round of singing. Then Bálor got personal, sharing a moment that had nothing to do with titles or wins—just family.

“You know, I don't get to come home very often. And this week was very special because yesterday, for the first time in almost 15 years, I got to celebrate my mother's birthday with her.”

That led to one of the most wholesome WWE moments in recent memory. Bálor encouraged the fans to help him celebrate.

“So maybe we can all sing her a belated happy birthday. Her name is Leonie. So let's go.”

The crowd obliged, singing a full chorus of “Happy Birthday” to Leonie Bálor, led by her son inside the ring. After the birthday celebration, Bálor once again addressed the magnitude of the night and what it meant to perform on Irish soil. As fans continued to sing and chant his name, Bálor closed with a final message:

“To get to do this on home turf… on our island… in front of my family, in front of my people… I wanna say from the bottom of my heart, go raibh míle maith agat.”

“You know what, it’s true what they say—there is no place like home. Thank you very much, Belfast!”

The crowd roared as Bálor left the ring, not with a title, but with a moment he said he’ll never forget.

What did you think of Finn Bálor’s speech in Belfast? Should WWE capitalize on this momentum and give him another title shot soon? Share your thoughts in the comments.