10 Ways Triple H's WWE Dream Became A Complete Nightmare

Ah yes, the moment that captured fans’ imaginations and let them dream about what was truly possible in a WWE without guardrails but with all their incredible resources.

The entire Bray Wyatt return was masterfully crafted, starting with just a simple song playing during dark segments and commercial breaks, then slowly leaking into WWE programming to the point that it became one of the most sought-out segments on TV. Everyone became a sleuth trying to decipher all the layers of clues, richly piled on top of one another, hidden in plain sight and ultimately leading to Wyatt’s triumphant return at Extreme Rules.

Then came the promos. Then came Uncle Howdy. And then came the Mtn. Dew Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble, which still is Wyatt’s only televised match since returning.

The Wyatt return is a case where the anticipation and build far exceeded anything that came after. Once Bray began cutting his promos, you started seeing diminishing returns, to the point where the Pitch Black match was derided.

It was ambitious, and WWE absolutely was right to go for it, but Triple H’s gamble didn’t pay off, and what was supposed to be one of his biggest re-signings produced a TV and viral phenomenon for a couple months before disappearing entirely from television for the past four-plus months.