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At the outset, I'd like to thank JaanzMaan for the image that I've used in this article as the cover image. It is through his testimony and that of others on Twitter, that I'm able to piece together some kind of narrative with regard to what went down at WWE Calgary.
Seth Rollins and The Fiend, his Hell in a Cell opponent, faced off against one another in Calgary. Their match had The Fiend no-sell the Curb Stomp and more importantly, apply the Mandible Claw to Rollins before the lights went out and Rollins was forced to retreat.
So, why is WWE giving away what is essentially a dream match at a Live Event? The answer is really simple if you think about it, ladies and gentlemen.
Cheers to Abhilash Mendhe who wrote up an account of what went down during the match, which I'm going to use as a reference piece.
#5 A preview outside the cell
What we do know for sure is that the Universal Championship will be defended inside Hell in a Cell. This match was a preview of sorts of what to expect in the match considering that it was not in the structure. So, in a sense, nothing was actually given away per se during the match.
It's a strange thing indeed that the first televised appearance between these two men will take part inside Hell in a Cell. For those who were not in attendance and do not necessarily follow Live Event results, this will be The Fiend's first appearance since SummerSlam. What some of you may not know is that The Fiend even competed at MSG in a dark match against the B-Team.
This was the appetizer. Hell in a Cell will be the main course.
#4 Match practice for The Fiend AKA Bray Wyatt
Ring rust is a very real thing and especially in the professional wrestling world, it is a very dangerous thing because the health and safety of your opponent are in your hands. Bray Wyatt has not really wrestled a full match since WWE SummerSlam, except for a squash at MSG. Bray Wyatt is in the main event of a pay-per-view event and one has to assume that this is a match that will last a while.
We saw how The Undertaker and Goldberg struggled to even put on the semblance of a match when they met in Saudi Arabia. Bray Wyatt is much younger, and I'm assuming a lot more in tune with what is required from him during the match, but honestly, a little bit of (the bubbly) practice does not hurt anyone and I mean that quite literally. Even if a bit of charm is lost by giving away a dream match beforehand, at least it prepares you for what should be a barbaric affair at WWE Hell in a Cell 2019.
While the 'muscleman dance' is a great way to stay in shape, it's not necessarily match practice at all.
#3 Showcasing The Fiend as the favorite to win
The thing about a supernatural character is that he/she should always have the upper hand in a wrestling contest, because of the ability to tap into the forces of darkness, and from a non-kayfabe standpoint, for the audience in attendance to take the character seriously. Seth Rollins may be the Universal Champion and the top guy in the business, but he's been running around scared of The Fiend.
The fact that it took multiple Curb Stomps to fell Bray Wyatt should essentially make things very interesting. Even though he is not a monster in the purest sense of the word, Wyatt is being booked as a monster.
Bray Wyatt used to be known as the 'Eater of Pins' once upon a time because of the fact that he used to lose far more matches than he won. But this looks set to change in the current incarnation because it is clear that he will be protected and treated as a special attraction hereon.
Plus, let's be honest here, dear reader. There was no result as such in the match, despite the fact that it'll officially go down as a DQ, so WWE technically had nothing to lose.
#2 The Fiend is a draw for Live Events
These days we see a great portion of the audience area tarped off when it comes to Live Events. The fact of the matter is that WWE RAW and SmackDown Live aren't necessarily as popular as they used to be back in the Attitude and the Ruthless Aggression Eras. There aren't draws like John Cena, The Undertaker, and even CM Punk regularly competing anymore, and The Fiend is the closest thing to a draw on WWE RAW.
Simply put, putting The Fiend in a live event will ensure that a lot more tickets get sold and also, that everyone who's coming has a great experience, and goes back and talks about the event to their kids. Pitting him against the man who is essentially the face of the company is a great idea in a sense because here you have your two biggest stars battling it out.
I don't know how many more Live Events The Fiend will be a part of going forward, but making him a usual fixture may not necessarily be the smartest idea to keep his character special. But none can dispute the fact that he's the most interesting thing in WWE right now and hence, a draw.
#1 To potentially test their chemistry out
It is not uncommon for WWE Superstars to test out their chemistry before they collide in a pay-per-view match somewhere down the line. A recent example of the same would be when Dolph Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura took each other on in several WWE dark matches before they met at WWE Backlash and Nakamura defeated Ziggler.
Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan would also wrestle many times in WWE in the 90s, but wouldn't actually have a pay-per-view match until they went to WCW. The fact of the matter is that sometimes the chemistry clicks and the performers realize that they have something special, while at other times it doesn't and plans thereby change.
If the two men discover that they can work very well with one another, this is a program that can extend for many months at a stretch. If they instead discover that their matches are duds (you judge for yourself from the video linked right above), WWE could potentially pull out the rug from under their feet and the program could end prematurely, right after Hell in a Cell.
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