5 highs and lows of "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt's debut year
Bray Wyatt's run in WWE has been a fascinating one. The third-generation Superstar has gone through several character changes during his decade-long run in the company.
From being a young rookie on NXT, back when it was a reality show, to becoming one of the most feared Superstars in the company, Bray Wyatt has done it all.
The Rotunda-family scion debuted more than a decade ago, in 2010, as part of The Nexus. Bray Wyatt's career in WWE has been a story of two halves. The first half includes his run as Husky Harris in 'The Nexus' and his metamorphosis into Wyatt.
Bray Wyatt's cult-figure gimmick drew widespread applause from critics and fans. But, the company's booking of Wyatt during this time wasn't inspiring. Despite being featured in several high-profile feuds against the likes of John Cena, Roman Reigns, and The UnderTaker, Wyatt would always end up on the losing side.
The year 2018 was a tumultuous one for Bray Wyatt, both personally and professionally. After his tag team partner Matt Hardy took time off due to injury, Wyatt was off TV for an extended period.
Following WrestleMania 35, WWE started airing vignettes depicting characters that would later become a part of The Firefly Funhouse.
The segments, and Bray Wyatt's makeover, garnered a lot of praise from all circles. As weeks went by, it became apparent that these segments were much more than a children's show. Wyatt then introduced his alter-ego, which he would refer to as "The Fiend".
After months of anticipation, "The Fiend' finally made his in-ring debut against Finn Balor at SummerSlam 2019. While the match between the duo was a one-sided affair, Bray Wyatt's new theme and the overall presentation of "The Fiend" was extremely well-received.
With "The Fiend" clocking in more than a year since his in-ring debut, here are some of the highs and lows that Bray Wyatt's alter ego has been through so far:
#5 High - "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt feuds against Daniel Bryan
One of the most underrated feuds of 2019 was the battle between Daniel Bryan and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt over the WWE Universal Championship.
After capturing the Universal Championship from Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel, "The Fiend" would then attack Daniel Bryan on the November 8th, 2019 episode of SmackDown. It would lead to Bryan challenging Bray Wyatt's demonic alter-ego for the Universal Championship at Survivor Series.
In an intense back and forth match, "The Fiend" would kick out of Bryan's signature running knee. The finish of the match saw Bray Wyatt choking Bryan out with the Mandible Claw, which led to a win via pinfall.
Following their intense match at Survivor Series, Bray Wyatt would then challenge Bryan to a re-match. Bryan would accept the challenge, however, as he started the Yes chants, Wyatt would attack and rip out his hair and beard.
Following the attack, Bryan was taken off TV for a few weeks. Meanwhile, Bray Wyatt began feuding with The Miz. The duo clashed in a non-title match at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs.
Bray Wyatt would defeat the A-Lister with a Sister Abigail. Following the bout, the lights went out and a hooded figure made his way to the ring before hitting Wyatt with a running knee. He would then reveal himself to be Daniel Bryan.
Bryan would defeat The Miz and King Corbin on the December 27th, 2019 episode of SmackDown to earn a shot at the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble.
Bryan and Bray Wyatt clashed once again, this time in a Strap match, at the 2020 Royal Rumble. Much like their previous encounter, this one too managed to surpass fan expectations. After an intense back and forth, Wyatt was able to put Bryan down again, thereby ending their feud.