15 Ups & 13 Downs For WWE In 2017

3. Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton

WWE WrestleMania 33 Bray Wyatt Randy Orton Maggots
WWE.com

2017's worst WWE feud started hot. Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton's union made both feel genuinely fresh and exciting for the first time in years, but the wheels soon came off in spectacular fashion, with 'The Viper's' burning of Sister Abigail's burial ground a real WrestleCrap moment.

Things soon devolved into complete and utter hokum, with babbling Bray at his most cringe-worthy, and Orton's detached personality slipping into a familiarly bland, insipid gear.

They wrestled a ghastly match at WrestleMania 33. Wyatt projected maggots and cockroaches onto the apron midway through a bout that had happened out like a textbook house show sludge-fest, but was still defeated by Orton, crushing his supernatural aura completely. It felt as though the feud couldn't get any worse, but it did. Payback 2017 served fans an almighty s*** sandwich in the House Of Horrors, which Bray won, but only through Jinder Mahal's interference.

For presenting both participants in their worst possible forms, delivering two of 2017's most soul-destroying matches, and dragging the WWE Title down to crushing new lows, the Wyatt vs. Orton feud deserves to be ranked among the modern era's worst creative offerings.

Advertisement
Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.