Former Universal Champion was “light years ahead” of everybody in WWE Creative, says Vince Russo (Exclusive)

The WWE Universal Championship lasted for eight years in the company after it was first introduced in 2016. The title didn't see many holders as only eight separate wrestlers held the title, but they were some of the biggest names in the company. One such star was the former leader of the Wyatt Family, Bray Wyatt.

The former Universal Champion held the title for 124 days across two reigns, but they weren't particularly memorable ones. Wyatt was one of the best creative minds that WWE possessed among its in-ring talent, and his eerie character was long seen as the successor to The Undertaker.

Speaking about the three-time WWE World Champion during Legion of RAW on Sportskeeda WrestleBinge, Vince Russo was in awe of Wyatt. He claimed that Bray was 'lightyears ahead' of anyone in the WWE creative team and that his release in 2021 was equivalent to if the New York Yankees cut Aaron Judge right now.

"Watching that documentary, and listening to Triple H, it tells you everything you need to know. The WWE letting Bray Wyatt go, is the equivalent of the Yankees cutting Aaron Judge right now. I swear to God, I'm watching this and the minute we don't know what to do with somebody, because Bray Wyatt was so was light years ahead of ahead of them when it came to creative bro, like they were at a third grade level. This guy had a doctorate in psychology and character and storyline. I mean, it was unbelievable to me. And as soon as you get that, what do you get? [Bray] became difficult to work with," Russo said. [36:21 onwards]

R-Truth wanted to 'kill' former WWE writer. More details HERE

Bray Wyatt was one of the most loved superstars on the roster. His release in 2021 came as a massive shock to everyone and his eventual return in 2022 was met with widespread joy. It all proved to be short-lived, though, as Wyatt passed away in his sleep on August 24, 2023, aged just 36.

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About the author

Faiz is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He is a BBA graduate who is passionate about sports and wants to make a career in that field. This passion led to a postgraduate degree in Journalism, which helped him pivot into becoming a sports writer. When writing, he puts the utmost importance on accuracy and thorough research.

Faiz has six years of work experience across four companies. He started his career with Zomato and then moved to Amazon. He shifted to becoming a football writer at TV9 Digital and is now with Sportskeeda. He covered the Wrestling Xtreme Mania event in Gurgaon in 2025, where he had the opportunity to interview Raj The Maharaja, fka Jinder Mahal. At the same event, he also got quick interviews with former WWE Superstar Dijak and Japanese Joshi legend Emi Sakura.

When it comes to his favourite wrestlers, Faiz has two names in mind. He loved to watch Triple H before the current WWE CCO retired, and he is a huge fan of Roman Reigns. Being a loyal fan since the Tribal Chief's SHIELD days, Faiz credits Roman's mic skills and unmatched in-ring storytelling for his mega success. When he was young, one in-ring story left a lasting impression on his mind and eventually got him hooked on WWE. That match was Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24. Apart from that, he is also a fan of RAW.

When Faiz is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to keep up with other sports. He is an avid cricket and football fan, a huge gamer, and loves playing some RPGs on the PlayStation.

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Edited by Rahul Madurawe