For the first time since his comeback, The Demon fights someone other than Vampiro, and someone who isn't involved in the storyline at all, although it will end up circling right back to the actual story arc.
On July 5, 2000 episode of WCW Thunder, The Demon is suppose to fight Big Vito - a caricature of a stereotypical East Coast Italian, sort of a Jersey Shore guy, who's gimmick is using weapons such as sticks, chairs and garbage can lids.
Big Vito, who looks and talks like some cartoon goons, stumbles upon The Demon's sarcophagus somewhere backstage in the hall. He assumes that The Demon is inside, which would actually be cool because it would have been a nice Vampirish angle, and call him out. The Demon is behind him and the fight starts backstage for quite a while until it moves to the ring.
While they're fighting, and The Demon has an upper hand, Vampiro comes out with a shovel and of course hits The Demon in the head, helping Big Bubba, I mean Big Vito win.
Since it's a so called hardcore match, meaning no disqualification, that kind of thing is allowed. Vito cautiously leaves the ring and that leaves Vampiro talking to the unconscious Demon.
Vampiro tells Demon that tonight he will let him live, but on Birthday Bash it'll be a different story. This is the last show and encounter before their fight on Bash at the Beach 2000 payperview
Next: Chapter 35: The Demon vs Vampiro at a Graveyard - July 9, 2000