WWE may have run into the same issue it had prior to its brand split in July – stagnation with storylines.
After watching the most recent pay-per-view for the blue brand, No Mercy, I am left feeling the company that wanted something fresh and innovative is trapped in the cycle of producing the same matches over and over again.
I'm also left wondering what the plan for Bray Wyatt is moving forward. WWE's most cryptic character is trapped in a mid-card situation he cannot get out of right now.
While placing the "Eater of Worlds" in a program with Randy Orton is the best move for both the competitors and the company right now, it does not place the former Husky Harris any closer to title contention. This might be the company's biggest flaw – not taking advantage of the most well-rounded performer on his roster.
In years past, when wrestling mattered, characters had a backstory, had some mystery to them, and fans knew them for their personalities. If anything, Wyatt is a throwback. He resonates well with fans my age because he embodies the same traits that made Kevin Sullivan, Adrienne Street, and Raven so popular.
There isn't a single person, male or female, on the current roster for both the red and blue brand that comes close. What WWE plans to do about the situation is still a mystery because he hasn't been placed in the main event picture. That must change.
If the McMahons want to move forward in this new era, they must take a step back and re-evaluate what professional wrestling was in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Wyatt is the perfect fit for that kind of role - helping define this new era.
It appears Luke Harper will have some hand in the current program with Orton moving forward. I suspect Wyatt will be part of this mainly because the company has no other place for him at the present time. But nonetheless there has to be a time in the near future when everything becomes "real" and Wyatt becomes a serious threat to one of the company titles.
Here are five possible ways to book Wyatt following No Mercy.
Keep him where he is:
The shame of this is that a feud like this one is third or fourth on WWE’s conscience. If this were three years ago, Orton and Wyatt would be a main event in waiting. Now, it is a blip on the radar. Thank the brand split and bad booking for this one. Orton needs Wyatt and vice versa.
How will the connection with Harper – who showed up on Sunday night – lead to bigger things? Will someone from the back come forward and help Orton in the fight?
Dolph Ziggler
Since Ziggler saved his job and won the Intercontinental Title on Sunday night, I suspect there could be an angle here to explore. The Miz is still very much a part of this program, but WWE needs to plan for a decent run for the former World Champion.
Ziggler is a five-time Intercontinental Champion, which really means nothing until now. Does a challenge from Wyatt make sense if Orton is tied up with Harper and in a pinch, can Orton and Ziggler coexist to battle the family?
Tag titles:
This is where things can get a bit murky. The blue brand’s title scene is solid but not spectacular. The team of Rhyno and Heath Slater beat The Usos at No Mercy – for what reason I do not know. The heel turn by the twins should have led to tag team gold, but this is not the case.
There are good teams that should keep things interesting. Adding Wyatt and Harper to the mix might add a bit more excitement – especially if they were to claim the belts for themselves.
WWE World Title match
This is where repetition is a bad thing. Wyatt has been to the top of the mountain in matches with both John Cena and Dean Ambrose. There is some interest there to see what would happen should either man claim the championship from AJ Styles. Styles, on the other hand, hasn’t come face to face with either Wyatt or Harper.
Would this mean a babyface turn? Could two heels coexist in a title match? I like the idea of a Cena-Wyatt rebirth for some reason. After he wins the 16th title in his career, maybe it would time to re-examine this feud.
Brock Lesnar
This is still the feud we would love to see. While it has been teased forever and Goldberg is on his way back to the company, will this ever happen? It has WrestleMania 33 written all over it. Wyatt’s cryptic messages and the banter back and forth with Paul Heyman may be better than the match itself.
But lost in all of this is the fact the Wyatt Family eliminated Lesnar from the Royal Rumble and it hasn’t been discussed again. Just like Undertaker had to come back to take care of unfinished business, doesn’t this feud do the same thing?
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