dragons and balrogs

[the phantom]

Remember, balrogs can be hurt by weapons, it's just that the wielder of the weapon has to be very powerful in body and spirit, and even if he succeeds in killing it, will surely die in the process. Ecthelion and Glorfindel, who were not angelic beings but elven lords of Gondolin, both slew Balrogs. As a matter of fact, Ecthelion slew Gothmog, the lord of the Balrogs. Both of these elves slew Balrogs in a straight up fight, where as Bard slew Smaug and Turin slew Glaurung because of good timing and fortune. Smaug wasn't focusing on Bard, and Glaurung didn't see Turin because he came from a ravine underneath him, so to my knowledge, no one has ever killed a dragon in a straight up fight, one on one, with the dragon actually being aware of his enemy.