10 Next Big Things In Wrestling That Totally Flopped

2. Bray Wyatt

Vladimir Kozlov
WWE.com

What is left to write about Bray Wyatt? People celebrated his succumbing to a serious "communicable disease" with glee, for it meant he was spared the embarrassment of dressing up in drag to dress up a programme as dead as Sister Abigail at TLC 2017.

Wyatt debuted on the main roster with much fanfare; he was a new, interesting, and unique presence unlike the hordes of normal, mere mortal wrestlers populating WWE. His entrance was spectacular. The delivery of his promos was captivating enough to obscure the gibberish. His matches, after an ominous, lumbering start opposite Kane, were superb - particularly those contested with Daniel Bryan and, right at the last, John Cena...

...all of which was rendered moot when he continued to eat pin after pin, which drove the point home: Wyatt wasn't a cult leader; he was a charlatan whose brand of bullsh*t reeked after months and years of losing programmes, and having the gall to present himself as a major storyline threat. Imagine James Ellsworth putting forth his WWE Heavyweight title credentials. That is closer to home than Wyatt is to Universal Title contention.

It's hard to make the argument that Wyatt's supernatural schtick is anachronistic within the context of a less cartoonish modern day pro wrestling landscape. Fans want to follow his cult. They hold their smart phones aloft when he makes his entrance - and then despair when he routinely fails to deliver on his promises.

Creative has contrived to take the next Undertaker and turn him into the next Vampiro.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!