WWE: Finn Balor Reveals Hopeful Return Date

12/14/2016 01:53 pm EST

Monday Night RAW was supposed to look a bit different when the flagship brand drafted superstar Finn Balor in the midst of the brand split, but an unfortunate set of injuries forced the standout to the sidelines for a long rehab process. Now the superstar is hopeful he might be able to return to the ring sooner than expected, but even the conservative end of his prediction is a good sign.

Balor was interviewed on the Gorilla Position podcast, and he had a positive outlook on when he could return (via Inquisitr).

"The shoulder is feeling good. The target and goal the whole time since the accident happened has been WrestleMania, and that hasn't changed. There's a possibility I may be ready a week or two before that, but as of now the target is WrestleMania."

Some were hopeful that he might be a surprise entrant in the upcoming Royal Rumble, but Balor pretty much nixes those hopes. Still, even a week or two early is a big deal, as it would give the writers time to insert him into some sort of match at WrestleMania with at least a little buildup.

That said, he does plant the small seed of hope that he will indeed pop up at Royal Rumble, crediting the power of positive thinking.

I really believe in the power of positive thinking and the collective power of people's thoughts spawning something into becoming reality. So if everyone does believe I can win the Royal Rumble, then I guess it's not impossible."

Having Balor back in time for WrestleMania would be a great way to kick off the next year of storylines, but don't count him out of the Rumble just yet.

MORE WWE: Jerry Lawler Reveals Why He Is No Longer On TV / Randy Orton Compares The Locker Room Of Today To When He Started / Hulk Hogan Receives His Gawker Settlement / Stone Cold Opens Up On How Much Beer He Drank In The Ring / Kofi Kingston Addresses Criticism Over Posting #BlackExcellence Photo

Roadblock airs on the WWE Network on December 18.

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.