Balrog and The One Ring

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

It's possible the Balrog in question might have had a chance against Sauron. While I don't have his Letters to hand, I recall Tolkien saying that the only being who had a chance to defeat Sauron in personal combat while using the One Ring was a Maia, Gandalf. Might that Balrog, also a former Maia, have a similar chance?

I think so.

There are a number of parallels between the Gandalf vs. Sauron question and Balrog vs. Sauron. In both contests the Ring would still be a part of Sauron and attempting to get back to him. However, Sauron had spent much of himself and was greatly diminished from his former power whereas Gandalf and the Balrog were not.

The biggest difference being that Gandalf and the Balrog did face off and Gandalf won that one, so perhaps the Balrog was not quite on that level.