7 Reasons Why Bray Wyatt Shouldn't Wrestle On TV Until WrestleMania 32
5. His Style Of Wrestling Rarely Lends Itself To "Death-Defying Highspot Matches"
Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt put on a wrestling clinic at the 2014 Royal Rumble. It's a testament to Daniel Bryan figuring out how to make his style work within Wyatt's (and not the other way around) that made it work. Bray Wyatt understands in-ring psychology at a deeper level than most anyone else in the company. Currently, WWE's a "moves and death defying highspots"-driven brand. People aren't necessarily excelling at "telling compelling stories" as they are at "having competitive matches." There's worth to both sides of the argument as to which is better. Death defying highspot-driven matches are especially fun when guys like Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Neville are attempting to make their star rise in WWE. As for Bray Wyatt, he's content to be more visually captivating and grab a hold and be almost arrogantly certain that you're going to watch. The mayhem only comes when required and it makes sense for him. The pacing is different, which for WWE is a hard sell when guys are flipping, diving and killing themselves on a weekly basis. If more wrestlers were willing to do what Bryan did at the Royal Rumble, then, yeah, it might be a different story. But clearly when even John Cena is pulling out the Amazing Red's Code Red powerbomb, this isn't likely to happen anytime soon. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Whereas WWE's a comma right now, Bray Wyatt's a period. He stands out, but not in a good way.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.