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If you've been a fan of WWE for any length of time, you can see where every feud is leading long before the match is actually confirmed. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Finn Balor and The Fiend will wage war at SummerSlam.
The Fiend is obviously Bray Wyatt's demonic persona, something he has unleashed upon the WWE Universe following the creepy vignettes from the Firefly Fun House. A match against Balor's 'Demon King' persona would have been ideal if you consider the two supernatural characters.
And yet, it has been reported by renowned pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer that Balor will not be 'The Demon' when he faces Wyatt at SummerSlam this year. Why wouldn't WWE want to book this dream clash at their second-biggest pay-per-view event?
I will try and attempt to answer this question with this article.
#3 Bray Wyatt is certain to win this particular clash
It would make absolutely no sense for WWE to build Bray Wyatt into this sadistic monster and then have him lose to Finn Balor. And while we may fault WWE's creative process in a lot of things, it is almost a certainty that they won't do this with Bray Wyatt. The very fact that he had the kind of creative freedom that he did is indicative of the fact that WWE has big plans for the Firefly Fun House.
Now, The Demon character has never lost in the main roster, thus far. And one assumes that this streak will continue for a while now, at least. This is the reason why The Demon didn't face Lesnar, during the Universal Championship clash.
This is precisely why Wyatt won't be The Demon at SummerSlam. He's almost guaranteed to lose.
#2 A readymade feud for when Finn Balor returns
What makes WWE programming unique is the ability to tell stories over time! This allows fans to immerse themselves in the character arc of a Superstar, through the ups and downs. Finn Balor could be crushed as himself during his match but could return even stronger as The Demon.
Honestly, this is a feud that could potentially take place at a stage like WrestleMania, depending on just how soon Finn Balor chooses to return to action again. We have seen matches between Balor and Wyatt before, but none with this much build and sheer anticipation. The two men have chemistry and could easily steal the show at WrestleMania.
But this match could also happen at a smaller stage like say, Survivor Series or even the next Saudi Arabia show if everything goes right. Whatever the case may be, it's a story for the ages.
Special mention: Too many appearances in too little time
The whole charm of the Demon King character lies in the fact that it does not make an appearance regularly. Therefore, if you consider the fact that Balor was The Demon at WrestleMania against Lashley and then at Super ShowDown again, you know that having the Demon appear at SummerSlam would have been overkill.
Having the Demon show up is also generally a giveaway that Balor is going to win the match. It generally happens at the end of a long feud, like in the case with Bobby Lashley or Baron Corbin at SummerSlam last year.
While I can't be certain, this could have been a concern for WWE. You know that an overdose of something can ruin the fan experience.
And if you want an example for how that is the case, look no further than Roman Reigns and how the crowd rejected him.
#1 May overshadow Wyatt's character
It has been said on more than one occasion that Bray Wyatt should have been the successor to The Undertaker, the 'Phenom' of this generation. Unfortunately for him, none of his runs have panned out in the manner that we'd assumed they would, and he lost his sizzle and steam on more than one occasion.
Finn Balor was the Intercontinental Champion until recently when he lost the title to Shinsuke Nakamura. Wyatt hasn't been on television, as an active competitor, since his run as Matt Hardy's tag team partner.
Suffice to say, the need of the hour is for Bray Wyatt to be the center of attention and not Finn Balor, who is already a pretty established star. WWE and Vince McMahon will want Bray Wyatt to succeed, to rise to prominence and pose a threat to the roster.
Maybe even defeat 'The Demon' down the line.
