3 Reasons why Roxanne Perez turned on Finn Balor on WWE RAW before Backlash 2026

”
], { type: “text/html” }
);
const iframe = document.createElement(“iframe”);
iframe.src = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
iframe.style.cssText = “width:100%;height:100%;border:0;”;
container.appendChild(iframe);
attachIframeMessageListener(iframe);
}
const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, obs) => {
const entry = entries[0];
if (entry.isIntersecting) {
obs.unobserve(entry.target);
requestIdleCallback(() => {
initWidget(entry.target);
}, {
timeout: 200
});
}
}, {
root: null,
rootMargin: “300px 0px”,
threshold: 0.01
});
requestIdleCallback(() => {
$all(“.nl-inline-form-container”).forEach((c) => {
observer.observe(c);
});
});
})();

Tonight, on RAW before Backlash, Balor faced JD McDonagh again, and the rest of the faction members were at the ringside. The closing moments of the match saw Liv Morgan throw the bell hammer to Perez, and The Prodigy wasted no time using it against the former world champion, leading to JD McDonagh taking the victory.

This move showed where Perez’s loyalties lie heading into Tampa. The turn shocked the audience, and in this article, we will explore three reasons why Roxanne Perez turned on Finn Balor on WWE RAW before Backlash.

#3. To make The Judgment Day believe she’s on their side

The most immediate reason for the betrayal could be survival and status. Perez did not turn on Balor out of genuine loyalty; instead, she turned on him to buy herself time.

Liv Morgan confronted Roxanne Perez backstage on tonight’s edition of RAW. The former demanded to know why she had to watch the show’s broadcast stream to learn that Balor had been in their clubhouse, and why Perez had not immediately reported the visit.

The Prodigy told Morgan she had already handled it by telling Balor to ‘get out and never come back.’ However, the WWE Women’s World Champion was not satisfied and forced Perez to promise twice that she would never keep secrets from The Judgment Day ‘family’ again.

That backstage exchange was the entire context for the hammer shot on Finn. Perez walked to the ringside during the Finn Balor vs. JD McDonagh match, carrying the weight of fractured trust within the group. Morgan had already made it clear that Perez’s loyalty was under scrutiny. Hitting Balor in front of the entire group was the most visible declaration of allegiance. It closed the conversation Morgan started backstage.

The faction now has its answer, and Perez has bought herself the freedom to operate from within the group without further suspicion, at least until WWE Backlash is over.

#2. Roxanne Perez is done taking advice from Finn Balor

Perez has spent months being portrayed as a student in The Judgment Day, with Balor acting as her unofficial mentor. Perez explained that Balor recruited her because he saw her NXT accomplishments (276 days as WWE NXT Women’s Champion across two reigns) and believed she was the right person to strengthen the women’s side of the group in the absence of Liv Morgan.

Perez is 24 years old and has one of the most accomplished NXT resumes in recent history. The Prodigy has been on the main roster long enough to no longer need anyone’s hand-holding. Balor walking into her space to tell her who to trust and who to be suspicious of is the kind of move that might have irritated Perez, who is trying to establish her own identity.

The Prodigy viewed Finn’s warnings as an attempt to hold her back. By striking the former WWE Universal Champion, Roxanne sent a clear message that she is no longer the ‘rookie’ who needs a veteran’s guidance.

#1. Repaying Finn Balor for turning his back on The Judgment Day on WWE RAW

Finn Balor was kicked out of The Judgment Day on the March 9 edition of WWE RAW, after he stopped JD McDonagh from interfering in Dominik Mysterio’s Intercontinental Championship match, costing Dom the title to Penta.

From Perez’s and every current Judgment Day member’s perspective, Balor made a decision that damaged the entire group’s championship standing. He chose his own moral code over the faction’s success. The group has not forgotten it.

Perez was brought in by Balor. She owes her main roster platform to his endorsement. But that does not extend to protecting a man who chose to sabotage them.

The hammer shot was not just an act of loyalty to The Judgment Day. It was The Prodigy’s punishment for Balor’s betrayal of the “family” she now calls home.

`;
if (index == 3 && isOpera) {
storyHTML += `

`;
}
recommendedArticlesContainer.innerHTML += storyHTML;
});
}
}
function getStoryActionHTML(story, storyTitle, permalink) {
if (shouldHidePostActions) return “”;
return `

`;
}
function recommendedArticles() {
var baseUrl = “https://cf-gotham.sportskeeda.com/recommendations/post/3-reasons-roxanne-perez-turned-finn-balor-wwe-raw-backlash-2026?lang=en&category=wwe”;
pureJSAjaxGet(baseUrl, function(data) {
renderRecommendedArticles(data);
if (isOpera) {
renderOperaFeedAd();
}
}, function() {}, false);
}
var options = {
root: null,
rootMargin: “0px 0px 70% 0px”,
threshold: 0.1
};
var observer = new IntersectionObserver(function (entries) {
entries.forEach(function (entry) {
if (entry.isIntersecting) {
recommendedArticles();
observer.unobserve(entry.target);
}
});
}, options);
var targetElement;
if (showAlsoReadSection && !showAlsoReadSectionV2) {
targetElement = document.querySelector(‘.also-read-articles-container’);
} else {
targetElement = document.querySelector(‘.recommended-posts’);
}
if (targetElement) {
observer.observe(targetElement);
}
function renderOperaFeedAd() {
var operaFeedArticleAd = $(“.opera-article-feed-ad”);
if (!operaFeedArticleAd) {
return;
}
var firstScript= document.createElement(‘script’);
firstScript.setAttribute(“type”, “text/javascript”);
firstScript.setAttribute(“src”, “https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1883810847636355”);
firstScript.setAttribute(“async”, true);
firstScript.setAttribute(“crossorigin”, “anonymous”);
operaFeedArticleAd.appendChild(firstScript);
operaFeedArticleAd.innerHTML += `

`;
var secondScript = document.createElement(‘script’);
var secondScriptCode=””;
try {
secondScript.appendChild(document.createTextNode(secondScriptCode));
operaFeedArticleAd.appendChild(secondScript);
} catch (e) {
console.error(e);
}
}
})();

Fetching more content…