AJ Styles and John Cena are making serious headlines right now. The same can be said of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. WWE’s brand split will lead the way for the New Era in the company, while SmackDown going live will surely be best for business.
But while everyone’s talking about the current state of the WWE, no one is really talking all that much about its absentee Superstars. Chief among them is Bray Wyatt, and right now the question of where his fate lies must be asked.
Bray is an absolute highlight in the roster, but it’s unclear whether anyone in the company really knows how to use him. He’s a master on the mic, and his character is more complex than anything WWE has put on TV since Mankind.
The Eater of Worlds is such a huge nickname, and it’s a fitting one for such a unique character. Bray Wyatt is on his own plane of existence, and everyone that’s he ever shared the screen with looks small by comparison. Bray should have been a top draw from the moment he first opened his mouth, and fans should be getting ready for a top tier main event spot to be filled on his return.
But instead fans are likely wondering what WWE is going to do with him. The fact that this is even happening must be a bizarre riddle for fans, one that everybody seems unable to decipher. How did things go south for Bray? How has he existed for this long in WWE without true main event direction?
There are many questions surrounding Bray, but there never seem to be any answers. This is typical of WWE, mostly due to the number of talents that fall by the wayside due to bad booking and overall lack of planning.
However this is a guy that’s ready to go as soon as he comes back. He doesn’t need a script. He doesn’t need his hand held. All Bray needs is a mic in an empty ring, and he can make magic. When he speaks, fans listen and when he’s done, they wait for him to act. But even though he’s got the talking down, it’s the action that needs a bit of work.
Why WWE ever let a talent like this wonder around aimlessly for so long is indeed a mystery. It seems he’s always done everything asked of him and there have rarely ever been any rumored problems with him in the locker room. All Wyatt wanted was the opportunity, so when he saw it, he grabbed it by the throat. WWE gave him a platform, and he took full advantage of it.
Bray did the one thing that so many guys before him could not do. He did the one thing that so many guys after him could not do, and those guys are now out of WWE. Bray connected. He connected with the audience, and he got over. The gimmick that shouldn’t have worked not only worked, it worked better than anyone could have ever imagined.
A creepy backwoods cult leader managed to convince arenas full of fans that he was cool. He did it everywhere he went. He did it all over the world. He did it so often that live crowds actually lit up the darkness with their smart phones, as he came down to the ring. Fans were supposed to hate Bray Wyatt but that was never the case.
Despite how many times Bray or his family attacked a top babyface, fans still popped for him. But why? Why does the WWE faithful continue to support the guy they’re supposed to hate, the guy that was built to be bad and rule over the company like an evil spirit haunting terrified victims?
The answer is simple. Fans respect Bray. They look at him and they know that he’s the one behind the character. He’s the one that’s making it all work. The darkness, the lantern, the rocking chair, it’s all just decoration for the gimmick. Without Bray at the controls, there is no gimmick.
Wyatt wanted it, and he made it work. He makes it work every time. Bray has connected on such a deep level with fans that they’re actually invested in his ability to succeed in WWE. Like Cesaro before him, Bray is a talent that fans believe should get a break because they want to see him on TV. He’s just so entertaining, and he’s worked so hard to earn his spot in the company. But will he finally get a real shot at something substantial in the WWE?
The brand split is the best chance Bray has perhaps ever had. All of the talk surrounding WWE’s New Era has led to this move, and Bray must be included in those future plans. The company needs all of its talents on board here, because there are a lot of spots to fill on the rosters.
What better Superstar to feature on the roster than Bray? He’s ready-made for success, and all he needs is the right direction so he can get to the top. It has to work this time. Bray has earned it and should get more than he’s gotten so far. Fans know it. And hopefully the WWE knows it as well.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Sportskeeda. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
