Ranking WWE's First Ever NXT Class - From Worst To Best

7. Bray Wyatt

NXT Roster 2012
WWE.com

When a performer passes away there’s an understandable tendency to brush aside the lows to focus on the highs in tributes, but with the late Bray Wyatt this was an altogether trickier process.

Not that much of the fault lay at the feet of the ‘Eater Of Worlds’ of course. WWE failed his character, his endeavour and his vision on more than one occasion, and one only need look at the NXT launch of the persona to show how smoothly things could have gone for the gimmick. Husky Harris was gone for good when Wyatt landed, and no matter how warped the various incarnations of the persona became on the main roster, the foundations laid in his black-and-gold run ensured that all of his biggest moments would forever be preserved in amber.

His legacy will only be enhanced as the years pass, too. A WWE Champion, a headliner, a storyline driver and a monstrous merch-mover, his efforts made him a beloved figure amongst his base, and the Fiend aesthetic alone secured him a spot as one of the most visually striking characters ever crafted.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 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. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, 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