Bray Wyatt feels broken in WWE — and here’s how to fix it
certainly didn’t take long for Wyatt to lose his luster, and there may be only one way to save him after a number of missteps.
Wyatt, who was released by WWE in July 2021, was one of wrestling’s biggest free agents.
He then got the hero’s red carpet rolled out for his return to the company with an innovative “White Rabbit” trail of QR code clues, videos and more.
His actual return at Extreme Rules was impeccably done and felt like a major deal.
His first promo appeared like we were getting a more authentic Wyatt with less of the masks and smoke and mirrors.
For a while, the mystery of Uncle Howdy was enough of a hook as it seemed like Wyatt may have a supernatural equal — most likely his real-life brother Bo Dallas — to deal with.
But then it went on, and on, and on for three-plus weeks in segments where L.A. Knight came off as the star of the story.
It concluded in a short and sometimes cringe, glow-in-the-dark “Mountain Dew Pitch Black” match at the Royal Rumble that at best was a spectacle.
The finish was the butt of some jokes when Uncle Howdy’s leap onto Knight missed so badly — but it was likely just to make the whole stunt and pyro work properly.
Now it is WrestleMania season, and Wyatt — with Uncle Howdy by his side — calls out the winner of the Brock Lesnar-Bobby Lashley match at Elimination Chamber.
The All Mighty only won because Lesnar got disqualified for a low blow, as if The Beast wanted no part of a match with Wyatt.
Then a Fightful Select report came out that Lesnar had turned down a match with Wyatt at WrestleMania.
Which, true or not, having that narrative out there is a terrible look for Wyatt.
So now we are left with Wyatt and Lashley in an awkward, forced, cold program that feels like one of the least important on a loaded WrestleMania card.
Uncle Howdy has gone from potential scary big man to Wyatt’s foot soldier who looked pretty feeble after getting speared by Lashley.
Maybe getting a win over a former WWE champion will help Wyatt in the long run, but right now these segments have become confusing, can-miss TV.
At least L.A. Knight could find himself in a match for the Intercontinental championship at WrestleMania and feels like he is gaining momentum.
I personally had a hope, after how good the “White Rabbit” stuff was, that we would see something new and innovative from Wyatt this time around. Instead, so far, it’s been more of the same: more masks, more supernatural smoke and mirrors, more Firefly Funhouse segments and confusing drips of narrative to only take your eyes off the fact that there isn’t any actual wrestling from him or Howdy.
We can give it time, but it’s been five months, and we have gotten little of substance and one TV match.
Honestly, the best way to fix it all could be to reveal Howdy as Dallas and let those two tell a very real, emotional story as brothers.
Wyatt has been often labeled a genius, but at what point does it become clear that what he and WWE are doing right now could be the least attuned to what makes wrestling truly work?
Wyatt’s issue has always been getting his stories to a satisfying finish in the ring.
We can’t even get him in the ring right now.
Bray Wyatt feels broken, and it’s time he and WWE fix that.
