Finally, someone in the WWE woke up and put on a match displaying some of the best storytelling and ring psychology we’ve seen in a while. In fact, all the brand championship matches did a good job of this, but there was something special about the psychology of Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman’s MITB Universal Championship Match.
Not the norm
For the last few years, we’ve been force fed matches that more closely resemble video game style quality instead of storytelling. In video games, it’s all about us winning. In the ring, it’s supposed to be about the wrestlers telling a story through their actions. They’re supposed to hold us spellbound and help us suspend disbelief. As Bret Hart once said (paraphrasing), we may know the wrestling’s not real, but we’re invested in the characters enough that we care.
Let’s allow that last part sink in for a second.
For a while now, we haven’t been invested in the characters. Not like we used to. The archives of the WWE network have allowed us to revisit older matches and events and it’s put a giant spotlight on the weaknesses and omissions of today’s stars.
Some of those same were in previous wrestlers, but they managed to work around them by putting on great matches or cut a promo that just sang.
We weren’t getting either, and whether that was due to the wrestlers or how they were/are allowed to express themselves is up for debate.
Return of ring psychology
It’s no secret I’m a Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman fan. But what they did was what the WWE needed to happen.
Bray Wyatt, not the Fiend, faced Strowman because Wyatt wanted to bring Strowman back into his circle. The Fiend is the dark side of Wyatt’s character that comes out to avenge a wrong. It’s a simple enough twist that’s often overlooked. In fact, it should’ve been Wyatt that lost to Goldberg and not the Fiend, but that was a WWE creative fail.
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
Near the end of the match, Strowman put on his old Wyatt Family mask and tricked Wyatt into believing he was returning to the flock. This followed Wyatt’s hesitation to finish the match previously, and Strowman used the diversion to stomp on the mask and powerslam Wyatt for the win.
It shows that Strowman knows Wyatt as well as Wyatt knows him, and it bodes well for their feud going forward. I said previously that this should go to SummerSlam or Survivor Series, and if handled right, it can do that and be one of the most rewarding storylines of the year.
They had us in the palm of their hands at the end, and it would’ve been awesome to hear the crowd’s reaction had they not had to perform in an empty arena. Unfortunately, there’s not more that can be done about that at this time.
This also flips the switch to what will Wyatt do next.
He’s been injured and beaten, but is it time for the Fiend to come out, or will Wyatt continue to try to bring Strowman back into the fold?
Let’s not forget that the Fiend took out Strowman without remorse while tormenting Seth Rollins, so this could also be part of Strowman’s current story arc. Maybe one of revenge or redemption himself for that moment.
Between the two of them, we have the opportunity to see a classic rivalry similar to theatrical and psychological tones like an Undertaker and Jake Roberts feud. Both individuals would be representations of their own trauma, wins, or failures, and it’d allow them to exorcize their demons.
This is, if it’s done right and WWE creative (ie Vince McMahon) doesn’t hurry it along for the sake of someone else.
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