Assuming Bray Wyatt is still the WWE Champion after Wrestlemania 33, it's imperative that SmackDown keeps the Eater of World's momentum going. There is no time for the blue brand to show signs of a Wrestlemania hangover, they have to keep up the pressure on their Monday night rivals.
There's no doubt that SmackDown has the talent available to produce compelling storylines, it's just about how the WWE match up the wrestlers and package the show that counts. The Era of Wyatt needs to be as memorable as possible, for that to happen Bray needs worthy dance partners to raise the bar on Tuesday nights.
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Here are five opponents Bray Wyatt should face after Wrestlemania 33.
#5 Luke Harper
Surely this rivalry writes itself?
Former Wyatt family brethren, now arch enemies with a goal of being the best. Luke Harper over the past few weeks has become one of the main selling points of SmackDown Live. The scruffy looking 6-footer is fast becoming a top guy on the blue brand and it's only a matter of time before Harper comes for the gold.
Bray Wyatt vs. Luke Harper is a match that has been almost five years in the making. Harper taking on his master in a street fight allows both of them to express their craziness and take out their frustrations of the past five years. How epic would that be?
#4 Dolph Ziggler
For those who doubt the relevance and importance of Dolph Ziggler in today's market, never ever forget that this man is the most consistent worker in the WWE today. For night after night & year after year, Dolph Ziggler has repeatedly stolen the show and taken the showmanship of sports entertainment to new heights.
Instead of using him as the star he is, the WWE has repeatedly buried the Show Off with loss after loss and continuous sub-par feuds.
However, despite the awful booking, Ziggler has maintained his place on the blue brand as one of the better performers. A series between him and Wyatt would not only remind fans how good Ziggler truly is, it would bring out the best of Wyatt's wrestling ability.
It takes two to tango and if the WWE is serious about presenting Wyatt in a new light, it's time to let the fans view Bray as the excellent wrestler he is.
#3 AJ Styles
The Phenomenal One looks set to lock horns with the boss's son, Shane McMahon at Wrestlemania 33. Many feel Styles should forever be going for the WWE title but a match with a McMahon is as high profile as it gets. This is the right move for Styles as long as he wins and progresses on to bigger things after ‘Mania.
At the Elimination Chamber, Wyatt pinned Styles to win his first ever WWE championship. The two clearly have magic together and could easily produce a storied rivalry to carry the blue brand into Summerslam.
Styles is a guy who can literally do no wrong in the ring, he's the Shawn Michaels of this generation, the man who doesn't know how to have a bad match. This is the kind of competition Bray needs to be in the ring with, to not only excite the WWE universe but to elevate his status in the company.
#2 John Cena
Last week on SmackDownLive the WWE's franchise player put over another aspiring top talent in Bray Wyatt. Over the past two years, Cena has put over Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose, AJ Styles & now Bray Wyatt, twice. When Cena cleanly puts over a wrestler, they instantly become a star.
His rub is that powerful that it transcends the average style of WWE booking.
After Wrestlemania, Wyatt needs to truly step up to the plate and go toe-to-toe with the face of the company. To truly get over with fans you don't just need good booking, you need to work with wrestlers that the casual crowd care about.
If Bray were to work a few dates with the 16x world champion, it not only legitimises his reign as the top Champion but it cements his status as a main event talent. It only makes sense to give Wyatt the most high profile of opponents to help establish him.
#1 Baron Corbin
The Lone Wolf has risen to main event status on SmackDown in the past few months. Not only has he closed out the show on several occasions, he's also pinned the likes of AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler. He's on the rise and a WWE title feud after Wrestlemania is just what the doctor ordered.
Baron Corbin vs. Bray Wyatt would be a sadistic WWE fan’s dream match. As well as pushing each other to the limits of the pain barrier, Corbin & Wyatt would produce amazing bouts at a lightning quick pace.
The dark & twisted nature of their characters also gives the WWE an array of booking options for their feud. With Extreme Rules possibly coming up after Wrestlemania, it would be amazing to see the two lock horns in a No DQ or Steel Cage match, just imagine the chaos.
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