“The very first time I ever saw Bray Wyatt walk to the ring, with that mesmerizing music and that brilliant entrance—I knew this guy was absolutely unique. He was special . . . there was nobody else like him. Having worked with him for many years, there’s no way that you couldn’t compare him to Taker. The only thing that was missing was that physical presence, and that was clearly replaced by a personality and a look that was created by a genius . . . Bray Wyatt.” – Vince Russo, Former Head Writer For WWE, August 2015.
The Wyatt Family should be one of the WWE’s most sacred and protected acts. At a time where the WWE is severley lacking in main eventers on the main roster, especially with the injury sustained by Seth Rollins, the Wyatt Family should be a top priority. However, the Wyatt Family could very well be in store for a Survivor Series which will see any hope for true stardom crushed. As two members of the group are set to clash with the “Brothers of Destruction” Undertaker and Kane, could losing to the legendary tag team spell the beginning of the end for the Wyatts?
Maybe I shouldn’t be too worried about the Wyatts suffering from losing one match at Survivor Series. I shouldn’t be treating this match as if it’s boom or bust for the Wyatts. I really shouldn’t as they’re in one of the high-profile matches of Survivor Series against the Undertaker of all people. However, keep in mind that Bray Wyatt is coming off losing a feud to Roman Reigns. It’s not like he came off that feud badly or that he lost to such a weaker opponent. Roman Reigns is the favourite to win the WWE World Championship at Survivor Series and Bray followed up fighting Roman by going against the Undertaker. That’s pretty big and did help Bray recover from the loss to Roman a little.
As much as the Undertaker feud has helped Bray coming off the feud with Roman, it could also be a huge hindrance to Bray’s chances of ever becoming a star. In order to become a star, you must prove that you belong among them. If Bray does fight at Survivor Series and loses again to the Undertaker, to casual fans this will mean that Bray is not a character worth investing in. Having a great character will only get you so far in WWE just like putting on great matches will only get you so far. If you don’t pick up the wins against main event stars, then your chances of becoming a main eventer yourself will be severely crippled.
Bray Wyatt should already be a main eventer in his own right. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan should be top upper mid-card talent fighting for the Intercontinental, US and possibly the WWE World title. I’ll get on to Braun later but after two years, none of them have came close to the main event title picture with the exception of Bray. The thought that Bray’s never had a singles main event title feud in the two years he’s been on the main roster is simply mind-blowing. He’s got the character for it. He’s got the size for it. He’s got the mic skills for it. He’s got the group for it. The only thing he lacks is the credibility for it. Luke Harper actually has the credibility to fight for the upper mid-card titles, being a former Intercontinental Champion in his own right and he’s not even the leader! Bray’s biggest flaw for someone wanting to break into the main-event is that he lacks the big wins to brag about and shove down our throats.
Look at Seth Rollins. He was the first man to cash in Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania, he successfully defended the WWE World title against Brock Lesnar and Sting and he even beat John Cena to become the only man to hold the WWE World and US titles at the same time. Those are some big bragging rights for him to talk about. He can also claim to have never been beaten for the WWE World title when he gets back. In comparison, what can Bray claim? He beat Daniel Bryan and The Shield in the space of two months? He won feuds against Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho? Whoopie Doo.
Even if he did beat Bryan and the Shield (who were both really hot at the time) he still lost to John Cena a month later at Wrestlemania 30, which was actually main-evented by Daniel Bryan! Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose weren’t exactly top main event talent as those two guys have lost a lot of feuds. None of the victories Bray’s ever gotten have been special. If he’d beaten the right people, maybe he’s got something to go with. If he’d beaten John Cena at Wrestlemania, all of those other victories would have lead to something bigger and would have lead to something more. If Bray Wyatt at least made the final two of the 2015 Royal Rumble and won a big match at Wrestlemania 31, that could have lead to the “New Face of Fear” nickname actually having some legitimacy.
The point is, wins and losses are crucial to the success or failure of a wrestler. Wins and losses are crucial to the success or failure of a MMA fighter. Ronda Rousey must be devastated after losing to Holly Holm in the weekend because that unbeaten run meant so much. Imagine how much the Wyatt Family will be hurt if they lose at Survivor Series.
A lot of you may argue that Undertaker and Kane needs the win after losing to Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins respectively at Hell in a Cell and my response is absolutely not. Out of the two groups, who has the most to lose? If anything, I’d argue that Undertaker would be helped more for his Wrestlemania 32 match by losing to the Wyatts. The Wyatts would be helped more by beating Undertaker and Kane. That’s the credibility factor that could make the Wyatts going into Wrestlemania. They would have beaten the Brothers of Destruction. That’s huge for the entire stable no matter which of them beat Taker and Kane. Why bother doing this match to elevate two veterans when you could easily elevate four future stars? Harper and Rowan could be further along and could go for the tag titles again. Bray could find his way into a main event feud, where he should be. The only one in the group that is in the position that he should be is Braun Strowman. Braun’s been the monster that WWE want him to be. He’s not got the greatest in-ring abilities but he’s got the track record and the size that could make him a star. Every member of the group has the potential to be the star. They just need that big win and it’s got to be against the Brothers of Destruction.
The thing is WWE could have easily picked two other men to go up against the Brothers of Destruction and it wouldn’t have been much of an issue. If Undertaker and Kane beat Sheamus and King Barrett for example, at least Sheamus and Barrett would get the rub from stepping in the ring with the Undertaker in the Dead Man’s 25th anniversary match so it would actually do them more good. Maybe I would probably complain that they beat Mr Money In The Bank Sheamus but I wouldn’t be too annoyed. The difference is that WWE is clearly intent on pushing Bray and the Wyatt Family with the way his feud with Roman wrapped up and the fact that him and Roman were pretty much even leading into Hell in a Cell. If that’s the case then surely they can’t have been brought into to face Undertaker and Kane… just to lose to them. Bray’s already been in the ring with the Undertaker (as well as Harper and Strowman in a house show) so the “rub” would be very ineffective if he were to lose. If the Wyatt Family win, then this would be the win they’d need to truly shine.
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