12 WWE SummerSlam 2019 Impulse Reactions

2. Finn Bálor Vs. Bray Wyatt

The Fiend
WWE.com

An article entitled Impulse Reactions perhaps does Bray Wyatt's Fiend quite the disservice - the only impulse reactions were the ones shared by Finn Bálor when the lights came on; shock, awe and disbelief.

Everything in the execution of the new gimmick was just about perfect. Wyatt's path to the ring wasn't ever captured with any certainty by the cameras, as if this bizarre creature couldn't be boxed in to that of a mere mortal. His selling of any physical damage was completely absorbed and absolved by the horrifying mask covering his face. His exit was cinematically framed as if he was returning back to the pit of human nightmares from whence he came. The only callback to his older self came in the form of the creepy as f*ck new lantern, housed inside a deceased effigy of his former gimmick.

Finn Bálor never stood a chance, but outside of his immaculate new all-white attire, this wasn't his night to shine anyway. The Fiend came, saw and kicked *ss, finishing Finn with a Mandible Claw in a devastating denouement. Fitting that this took place in the home of the NBA Champions - this was a slam dunk.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett