Bray Wyatt hasn’t been seen in WWE since losing to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 37, more than a year ago. Many within the wrestling community were shocked on 31st July 2021, when Bray Wyatt was released by the company, with budget cuts cited as the reason why he was let go.
Since then, his absence has left a huge hole in the WWE. The Eater of Worlds has one of the most creative minds in the wrestling business and “The Fiend” was one of the most popular characters in the company, which made his departure even more baffling. Wyatt has stuck to being a free agent for the time being.
However, with Vince McMahon out of the picture, could Triple H be looking to bring back his former NXT protege or will Wyatt debut in All Elite Wrestling instead? Here are 3 reasons why Bray Wyatt should return to WWE and 2 reasons why he should go to AEW?
#5. Why Bray Wyatt should return to WWE - Unfinished business within the company
Bray Wyatt spent twelve years with WWE prior to his release, working all the way from FCW to being the main event superstar. During this time, he has had many monikers, including Husky Harris, Axl Mulligan, and The Fiend.
While he achieved much success as the leader of the Wyatt Family and reinvented himself as The Fiend, he arguably did not live up to the potential that many fans knew he was capable of, either due to poor bookings or the creative's decision.
However, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T took to his Hall of Fame podcast to state that Bray still has so much more to do, the legendary wrestler said:
"I probably want to get Bray Wyatt back in the fold. Just because Bray was such an enigma, he was off on his own island, but I feel like so much could have been done with Bray Wyatt that wasn't and he definitely would be one," said the legend. [47:45 to 48:07]
If Wyatt were to return to WWE, he would have a point to prove that he is deserving of the faith and belief that fans still have in his talents.
#4. Why Bray Wyatt should join AEW - Tons of potential dream matches
After spending his entire career under the WWE banner, Bray Wyatt might want to seek greener pastures away from the sports entertainment juggernaut. Perhaps he would consider following in his late friend Brodie Lee's footsteps and making the jump to AEW.
There, he would have a brand new roster to work with and the potential for dream matches is mouth-watering. Imagine a supernatural rivalry with Malakai Black. Both wrestlers draw on dark elements similar to Wyatt and would make for natural rivals.
Alternatively, Wyatt could also take over the Dark Order faction and shape it in his image as a tribute to his late friend. There are also other potential dream matches with The Elite and a chance to face an old rival in Jon Moxley, which harkens back to their Wyatt Family vs. The Shield days.
#3. Why Bray Wyatt should return to WWE - Triple H is now in charge of creative
The Wyatt Family was a huge part of NXT in the early years, thanks to Triple H. The Game is a huge fan of Bray Wyatt and recognizes the amazing mic skills and natural charisma that he possesses. It was in the former black and gold brand that he developed his cult leader gimmick, which went on to garner much success on the main roster.
Unfortunately, Vince McMahon mishandled Wyatt's character to the point where it had to go away and he had to reinvent himself as The Fiend. He would then go on to lose to Seth Rollins and Goldberg in a puzzling fashion, ruining him beyond repair.
Now that The Game is in charge of the creative, he could help undo years of bad bookings and reestablish Bray Wyatt as a major player in WWE. He will most certainly be treated like a top star where he can start fresh and get involved in storylines with new faces like Riddle, Theory, and Gunther, etc.
#2. Why Bray Wyatt should join AEW - More creative freedom
During a recent interview on WFAN's Moose & Maggie Show, Tony Khan was asked about Windham Rotunda, aka Bray Wyatt, potentially joining his company and he had this to say:
"He’s a great wrestler, and I have to be honest, we haven’t talked at all," said Tony Khan. "I’ve known him in personal life, but in reality, we haven’t talked. But you never know." (H/T PWInsider)
Tony Khan is a big believer in letting talent take ownership of their characters and promos, which sounds like heaven to the ears of someone like Wyatt.
The fact that Bray was able to thrive in a stifling WWE environment would make wrestling fans even more excited to see him fully unleash his creative freedom in liberating surroundings such as AEW.
#1. Why Bray Wyatt should return to WWE - Lack of bonafide main event talents
WWE is suffering from a lack of top-level main event stars right now. Apart from Roman Reigns and The Bloodline plus Brock Lesnar, there are not many other talents who could believably step in to take part in the absolute top programs.
This is where Wyatt's return could help fill the void left behind by a raft of unfortunate injuries and limited main event stars. With the likes of Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton currently injured, Wyatt could step in tomorrow to kickstart a championship storyline against The Tribal Chief.
As a former world champion, he is beloved by WWE fans. Whether he returns as a heel or a babyface, he can excel in either role and could be seen as a legitimate threat to Roman's reign.