WWE portray the Wyatt Family as heels, you know the typical ‘bad guy’ intent on ruining things for the perceived ‘good guy’. However the Wyatt’s are far from heels, they maybe pushed that way on TV every week, but they don’t come across like that. Yes, they look dominant on TV and in segments, but when push comes to shove the Wyatt’s always crash and burn. The Wyatt’s in 2016 are no more than a child’s scary dream, they may appear frightening, but they mean no harm.
When the original trio of Bray, Erik & Luke rose to fame in NXT they were over more than a lot of stars on the main roster. The Wyatt’s were dominant, scary and successful, no one stood in their way. They left NXT on a wave of momentum, destined for greater things in the WWE, the gimmick was like no other before it, they were unique. In NXT they were the cool villains, their music, look, promos and ring style won over the audience, shrouded in mystery the Wyatt Family were the next big thing. When the Wyatt’s left the promotion in Spring of 2013 ,they promised to then bring down the machine and start a new world. Big words from Bray Wyatt.
Their foray into WWE didn’t start off as many thought it would, saddled with the veteran Kane their feud and subsequent match at Summerslam was not well received. The men who had promised change were struggling to get started. With Bray as their charismatic leader the family moved on, one thing that did keep the interest of people was Bray’s exceptional promo skills. With just a few words the ‘Eater of Worlds’ would have you hypnotised, everyone would soon be ‘Following The Buzzards’. To round off 2013 the Wyatt’s became embroiled in a feud with CM Punk & Daniel Bryan, which culminated in a tag match at the Survivor Series. The Wyatt’s continued to feud with Bryan, they faced him at TLC in a 3-on-1 handicap match and then in December Bryan finally gave into the Wyatt’s and joined the family.
The Wyatt’s early 2014 feud with Bryan propelled him to superstardom, his turn on the family inside a steel cage made a magical Raw moment. It set Bryan up for and allowed Bray and the Wyatt’s to make John Cena their next target. Sandwiched in between the Wrestlemania showdown with the Family went toe to toe with the Shield. At the Elimination Chamber PPV the Wyatt’s vs the Shield was the match of the night and a potential match of the year, all six men tore the house down that night and deservedly so. The Wyatt’s feud with John Cena continued in Wrestlemania and beyond, Bray faced Cena twice more in the coming months. At the Payback PPV Cena convincingly defeated Bray and the feud ended. After all the hype, promises and statements from Bray and his family they just came across as a faction that couldn’t get it done. Momentum crushed.
The summer of 2014 was even more embarrassing for the Wyatt Family, they were basically jobbed out to Chris Jericho at Battleground and then by John Cena on multiple episodes of Raw. An act with massive potential were all of a sudden becoming an after thought. In the Autumn WWE made the mistake of splitting the family, only Vince knows why, the Wyatt’s who still had so much more to offer were being scrapped after only a year on the main roster. What made the decision even stranger was the fact that the Wyatt’s were well received by the WWE universe and could, if given time, become fan favourites. Luke Harper & Erik Rowan also made a formidable tag team, in the late spring, early summer of 2104 they had clashed with the Uso’s in a respectable series of matches. In 2014 the WWE had only scratched the surface of what the family could do.
The Wyatt Family went their separate way with little success, so much so that in 2015 they were reformed. The reformation of the group featured a new member, and he made his debut on Raw in August, the huge 6ft’8 Braun Strowman joined the family, he was their ‘Black Sheep’. The Wyatt’s then went on to feud with the ‘Brothers of Destruction’ the Undertaker & Kane, this was kick started by the Wyatt’s attacking and kidnapping the Taker following his loss to Brock Lesnar at Hell in a Cell. In the week’s after Bray made his intentions clear, he was the new phenom of the WWE and he would be harvesting the souls of the Undertaker & Kane. The intrigue with this feud and the possibility that Bray and the family could become huge stars was a real, this feud caught the attention of the wrestling world. However following the scheduled tag match at the Survivor Series event, the Wyatt’s were once more left laying on the mat. They were laid to waste by both Undertaker & Kane in a one sided jobber match. The WWE were slowly killing one of their best gimmicks.
2015 was a disastrous year for all four members, badly booked, badly marketed and left to rot, the Wyatt’s were down and out. Not even a Christmas feud with the Dudley’s, Tommy Dreamer or Rhyno could salvage the mess WWE had made. The feud received good feedback following a eight man tag at TLC but the damage had already been done, to the fans they were all talk and no trousers, when it came to it they just couldn’t get it done when it mattered. As 2016 begins the Wyatt’s have declared their entry in the Royal Rumble match, on the January 11th episode of Raw they were confronted by new faction the ‘Social Outcasts’. Then most interestingly and also on the same episode of Raw they Wyatt’s refused to partake in the ‘One vs All’ match against Roman Reigns. During the post match beating of Reigns the family neglected to get involved, they stood at ringside as the events unfolded.
It’s those actions that lead me to write this article, if the Wyatt’s were a super heel stable wouldn’t they have also rushed the ring and attacked Roman? Just like the other ‘bad guys’ shouldn’t they have joined in at the bidding of the McMahon’s? Plus Bray and the family have a long rich history with Roman Reigns. Their actions or lack of spoke a thousand words, straight away it made me question their intentions going forward into the Rumble and Wrestlemania. The option to turn the Wyatt’s face is there, it would create fresh scenarios and storylines and hopefully bag them a credible win.
The signs are there for all to see, adored in NXT, cheered for in WWE and loved due to their entrance being supremely crowd pleasing, makes the Wyatt’s high on the list to turn. Bray’s rant about bringing down the machine leads him straight into conflict with the McMahon’s, if he is to change the world doesn’t he start there? Since the breakdown of the Shield WWE have been crying out for the next face super stable to come along, with the Wyatt’s already on the roster they don’t have to look far. WWE were able to market the Undertaker, Kane and Mankind as faces, three superstars who resemble each member of the Wyatt family. With the career of Sting surely over and the Undertaker in the deep winter of his career the WWE need a new Phenom, a mysterious intriguing character(s) capable of continuing their legacy.
The time has come for the Wyatt’s to become the superstars they are destined to be, with the Royal Rumble fast approaching and Wrestlemania right around the corner- the time is right. Many rumours are circulating about who Bray should face at the show of shows, be it Brock Lesnar or Kevin Owens, this time Bray and the family have to grab the opportunity and not let go. If WWE want the Wyatt’s to achieve what I think they can the trigger needs to be pulled now, Undertaker, Stone Cold, Rock, HBK and many more got over because of wins and that is something that Bray and the Wyatt’s need to go forward.
I like many others all over the world want to ‘Follow the Buzzards’………….WWE, will you let us?
@Ciaran_1986
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