Finn Balor’s Demon alter ego could be making its return at WrestleMania 42, with the long-awaited showdown between Balor and Dominik Mysterio now appearing to be on the cards for April.
The Judgment Day turned on Balor on the March 9 edition of Raw after Dominik Mysterio blamed him for the loss of the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. During the segment, Balor told Mysterio that his father Rey had been right to call him a spoiled brat, prompting Mysterio to shove him. JD McDonagh, Liv Morgan, and Raquel Rodriguez then joined in on a four-on-one beatdown, ending Balor’s run as the group’s longest-serving member.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the split and the match between the two had been planned well in advance. “Balor vs Dominik Mysterio was way back scheduled for SummerSlam, and then the decision was made that the Judgment Day direction was still hot and not to make that change until later,” Meltzer reported. “At that time the plan for SummerSlam was for Balor to do the Demon gimmick. Whether that happens here we don’t know, but that was the plan last year.”
According to Cory Hays of Bodyslam, the Mysterio match was delayed because of injuries, with the company wanting all major members of the faction to be active before pulling the trigger on Balor’s exit. Hays further reported that WWE want Balor to perform as the Demon for the Mysterio match at WrestleMania 42.
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The Demon is a character Balor developed during his time in NXT and carried into his early years on the main roster, using elaborate full-body face paint and a distinct entrance for some of his most high-profile bouts. Balor himself acknowledged in 2020 that the persona had not quite connected the way he had hoped on the main roster. He revived it for his Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns at Extreme Rules 2022 and made his most recent appearance as the Demon at WrestleMania 39, where he faced Edge’s Brood version inside Hell in a Cell.
In a recent interview, Balor addressed the subject of the Demon’s return, saying the timing has to be right. “It’s really more than just paint,” Balor said. “It’s a mental state. It really is an alter ego for me, and it’s something that I need to tap into. It’s something that I like to do, something that I certainly want to do again. But like with the music, timing is everything, and the timing has to be right.”
With Balor now a babyface heading into WrestleMania season and Mysterio holding the AAA Mega Championship, the stage is set for one of the more personal feuds on the card. Whether or not the Demon makes its official return remains unconfirmed, but all current reports point toward WWE being eager to bring the character back for the biggest show of the year.
WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
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