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It appears that Finn Balor is awakening The Demon for WrestleMania.
The very first WWE Universal Champion appears to be resurrecting his dark side against Edge for their Hell in a Cell match this weekend. In a taped promo during tonight's Monday Night Raw, Balor spoke about his "demons" in a warning to his opponent. The segment ended with a flash of lightning and an image of Balor's trademark Demon makeup.
Edge is expected to bring his "Brood" look to the match as well, complete with a rumored appearance from the leader of his former faction, Gangrel. The entrances alone could steal the show.
However, we've seen this "Brood" version of Edge way more recently. First at Day One back in January of 2022 in his match against The Miz. Then, as part of his return at SummerSlam later that year, when he sought revenge against his former Judgment Day teammates.
When did we last see 'The Demon' Finn Balor?
It's been nearly two years since we've seen the Demon King in the ring. And that last time? It was a doozy.
Finn Balor brought the bodypaint out at Extreme Rules 2021, where he challenged WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns for the title. Balor had recently returned to the main roster following an extremely successful second run in NXT. Not only were fans excited to see him finally get a championship match, but to see his fan-favorite persona return.
Near the end of their match, both Finn Balor and Roman Reigns found themselves laid out on the floor. Suddenly, the arena was bathed in red light and the opening heartbeat-like chords of Balor's theme music erupted out of the P.A. system. Balor began to convulse - then leapt to his feet. He tossed Reigns back into the ring, seeming ready to claim the title.
He perched on the top turnbuckle, ready for the Coup de Grâce - only to have the top rope mysteriously snap off the buckle, seemingly on its own. A bewildered Reigns managed to cover Balor and retain his championship.
Since that show, Finn formed a temporary Bullet Club reunion with A.J. Styles before taking over leadership of Judgment Day. This will be the first time in his WWE career that he'll portray the "Demon King" as a heel.
