Bray Wyatt has reinvented himself as the Fiend.
Time waits for no man - this includes WWE superstars - even the Undertaker.
With the phenom deep into the twilight of his career, wrestling fans have long wondered who will be the spiritual successor to the dead man.
Someone able to bring supernatural elements to WWE storytelling, but be so committed to the role that it comes off as believable.
Finn Balor and his demon persona have potential. The aura Balor has when wrestling as the demon comes off as otherworldly and each time he dons the face paint it feels like a special event. However, much like a lot of the things within the WWE, the use of the demon on the main roster has somewhat watered down the character.
They had a chance to really put over the power of the demon with Balor’s short-lived Universal Championship feud with Brock Lesnar earlier this year, but instead of having demon Finn slay the beast and really push Balor to the moon, they chose to save the demon for a WrestleMania squash of Bobby Lashley.
Aleister Black has the dark, gothic look needed to portray a character in the same vein as the Undertaker, but he seems to have found his niche as a guy who just wants to fight. Adding a supernatural element to his character could be damaging to his future, which once we get past this whole “knock on my door” gimmick, shines bright.
Aleister Black at the WWE house show last Saturday
Bringing us to the curious case of Bray Wyatt.
Making an impact immediately upon his arrival to the main roster, Wyatt with his cult leader persona was a breath of fresh air within WWE. Over time, through his feuds, he started implementing supernatural aspects to his character.
The biggest difference between Wyatt’s initial run and the Undertaker was the Undertaker did his talking in the ring and dominated all who crossed his path. Bray, on the other hand, talked a big game, delivering some of the best promos, but ultimately fell short in the ring.
Being able to talk the talk but not walk the walk, damaged his aura and kept him from developing into what many thought he would be, the Undertaker’s heir apparent.
However, Bray Wyatt’s current persona as the Fiend has given WWE their golden ticket to finding an Undertaker type character for a new generation.
Seeing the Fiend this past Saturday at a WWE house show, gave me firsthand experience and even greater appreciation to what Bray Wyatt is currently doing with his character.
The Fiend applying the mandible claw to the Miz
Nothing I’ve experienced in pro wrestling has come close to watching the Undertaker enter an arena, that is until last Saturday when the Fiend made his presence felt. The crowd’s anticipation was palpable, it didn’t matter your age, you were desperate to see the Fiend.
One of the best parts about the Fiend has been the effect he has had on his opponents. The fact that Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and Daniel Bryan have all changed their persona after crossing paths with the Fiend cannot be a coincidence, it’s WWE at their best when it comes to all-encompassing storytelling.
Adding even more depth to Bray Wyatt’s Jeckyl and Hyde incarnation is the Firefly Fun House host we see conducting his promos. Seeing this version of Wyatt wrestle against the Miz at TLC was such a contrast to the Fiend that the live audience wasn’t sure how to react. But, even with the uncertain response, all eyes were fixated on Bray Wyatt.
Having both versions of Bray Wyatt available to feud with other wrestlers opens so many doors of opportunity for creative storytelling and will help keep the Fiend unique enough that it may, in fact, grow into this generation's version of the Undertaker.
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