When was the last time Finn Balor used his demon alter-ego?
It was 27 months ago on June 7th, 2019. Finn Balor's last match as The Demon was at Super ShowDown 2019 in Saudi Arabia against now-released WWE star Andrade.
It was Finn Balor's second appearance as The Demon in 2019 and his last one as well. After losing the Intercontinental Championship to Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor would eventually make the jump back to NXT.
In the entirety of his NXT run between 2019 and 2021, Finn Balor didn't use his Demon alter ego at all. Before his NXT title defense against Karrion Kross at NXT Takeover: Stand and Deliver, Finn Balor admitted that he feels returning to The Demon persona would be a step back in his career:
"For me in this moment in my career, I feel like The Demon would be a step back. I feel like right now with my ring work as The Prince I feel very comfortable, I feel very controlled, I feel very confident, and I feel that’s the direction I have to go at TakeOver,” revealed Balor.
On the September 3rd episode of SmackDown, Roman Reigns defeated Finn Balor to retain the Universal Championship. Post-match, a red flash occurred in the arena momentarily, with Reigns looking perplexed. This teased the return of "The Demon" Finn Balor.
Is The Demon persona a crutch or a gift for Finn Balor?
There are two sides of the argument. We can understand Finn Balor's point of view when he said that The Demon was more of a crutch than anything. However, on the WWE main roster, there is far more emphasis on marketability than NXT.
That is reportedly one of the reasons why WWE gave Karrion Kross medieval-like gear on RAW. For WWE, merchandise sales play a big role in revenue and they feel they need to make stars as marketable as possible.
Although this is entirely speculation, WWE is possibly bringing back The Demon persona without Finn Balor asking for it to be brought back. The company seems to prioritize making characters that will cater to merchandising and marketing opportunities far more than NXT does.
It's about selling toys and having unique characters that will resonate with their target audience, which will in turn open up more revenue streams in the long run. The Demon is far more marketable than Finn Balor, which could explain why WWE may want to see The Prince adorned with the paint once again.
Do you think Finn Balor should revert to The Demon persona? Would you rather he be The Prince? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!