Number ten and number nine could have easily been switched, but the Bray Wyatt performance at the Royal Rumble during the middle of the emotionally gripping Daniel Bryan saga was arguably more memorable because we had not yet seen Bray's potential realized before then. When Wyatt debuted, he was thrust into situations where he clearly showed that he could talk, but never gave any indication that he was much of an in-ring performer. Thus, his match with Bryan was somewhat expected to be more of the same of what we had already seen - solid stuff but nothing to write home about. A twenty-minute match that some instantly called the "greatest match in Royal Rumble history" later and Wyatt had arrived. Bryan, of course, held up his end of the bargain, with the crowd completely engaged to see how he was going to overcome the odds and grasp the brass ring. What he really provided, though, was a chance for Wyatt to showcase the depth of his character opposite a legitimate top tier player in WWE. Programs with Kane and Miz had not afforded such a mentally complex persona to thrive. Bryan's style in WWE is rapid fire intensity. We couldn't be sure what Wyatt's style actually was until put in a feature length match with Bryan. Turns it out that Bray has quite a bit of high octane gas in his tank, too. He is arguably the most physical wrestler in WWE right now. Against Bryan, he showed the potential to be one of the most uniquely gifted wrestlers to come along in years.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
