The Disturbing Truth Behind The Fiend

"Heal"? More like, "Hurt!"

By Michael Sidgwick /

WWE.com

‘WWE buries the Fiend character during second match,’ reads like a down-voted SquaredCircle comment, but that’s what happened.

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At Hell In A Cell, WWE infamously portrayed the Fiend as an invincible killer who lost, more or less, or was at least incapacitated by a regular old wrestling finishing move. He endured several weapon shots, too, but so too do at least two ‘Superstars’ on every other pay-per-view. The Fiend no-sold much of Seth’s onslaught, but did lay on his back, for what seemed like an eternity, in a scene drawn out by a toxic din.

It was astonishing, in that you could almost feel the character slip away from the clutches of hope, and for reference, Humberto Carrillo brought more of an offensive fight to Rollins on this week’s RAW. This horror movie layout jarred with the psychology of pro wrestling to the point of irreconcilable farce. It wasn’t a gun that rendered the Fiend unable to defend himself; it was the same Curb Stomp Braun Strowman had bantered off at Clash of Champions, the same chair shots that Attitude Era fans—the only fans, far fewer in number, that make up WWE’s base—can’t take seriously as a match-ender, much less a life-ender.

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Imagine Michael Myers selling a suplex from Laurie Strode, and honestly, you’re not that far away.

WWE failed the Fiend during that match—and minutes before.

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