WWE TLC 2016: 10 Awesome Moments
9. Bray Wyatt's First Belt
It’s often said that Bray Wyatt is the kind of wrestler who doesn’t need championships, and that his aura and mystique trump everything else. While this was certainly true in his early days, Bray’s character has been greatly diminish by years of poor booking, and at this point in his career, he’s crying-out for legitimacy. His cult following remains, but Wyatt has largely been presented as an uncompetitive grappler over the past few years, and for a guy who’s supposed to be one of WWE’s most imposing characters, that’s a problem.
Fortunately, the past month has been very kind to him. Randy Orton’s induction into the Wyatt Family has given Bray a dangerous new ally, and he looked like a killer while picking-up the decisive pinfall in Survivor Series’ men’s Raw vs. SmackDown match. Last night saw him cap it off by defeating Heath Slater & Rhyno to become a WWE champion for the first time since re-debuting in 2013, and it was long overdue.
Slater & Rhyno had a fun run, but they can’t compete with Bray & Randy’s star power. Their run as champions should work wonders for the fledgling division’s reputation, and for Bray, it’s great to finally see him wearing gold. Whatever the future brings, here’s hoping TLC 2016 was a real turning point for his in-ring fortunes.