4 indications that Triple H has given up on Uncle Howdy
Uncle Howdy's return to WWE was a highly-anticipated moment following WrestleMania 40. It brought back an intriguing character that was in flux after the unfortunate passing of his real-life brother, Bray Wyatt.
After a subsequent release and re-signing after Wyatt's death, seeds were planted for a return. The comeback coincided with the remnants of a group Wyatt was originally going to lead.
While The Wyatt Sicks burst onto the scene to upend parts of RAW, the handling under Triple H has been wildly inconsistent. With other angles taking up more focus, The Game could have given up on Uncle Howdy for the next four reasons.
#4. No PLEs for The Wyatt Sicks
The Wyatt Sicks have been around since the teases began in the late spring. In that time, the group had three matches and Uncle Howdy competed in one singles contest (against Chad Gable).
Bad Blood was the seventh premium live event to take place since WrestleMania XL. Part of the reason for not being included could be due to the size of smaller PLEs throughout the year.
Triple H has stuck to five-card matches with most events including titles or top feuds from RAW and SmackDown. Officials also try to keep one or two big matches to sell episodes of the red and blue brands respectively.
Uncle Howdy's feuds have been saved for these shows. This booking strategy affects about 75% of the roster outside of champions. Some titleholders like the mid-card and tag team champions haven't been regularly booked this year on PLEs.
#3. The lack of an apparent long-term direction for Uncle Howdy
WWE often plans ahead for a good deal of its angles. The top storylines like those involving The Bloodline, The Judgment Day, and CM Punk/Drew McIntyre have been planned out for months, and in some cases, even years.
Uncle Howdy and The Wyatt Sicks have a mission statement - making those who turned on family pay - but other than that, they have no long-term direction. Do they covet gold? Will they ever? Are they satisfied with doling out what the group perceives as justice?
Chasing a championship allows bookers to plan things out. If the group was building up to a bigger target down the road, they could leave subtle clues warning that star before unleashing the dogs.
#2. The group is barely on TV
Vanishing from TV usually happens when a star or faction isn't immersed in a weekly feud. The Wyatt Sicks were introduced via pre-taped videos and followed those up with one of the most memorable debuts in WWE history.
After a consistent presence following the debut, the group has appeared almost as many times in those videos as they have live on RAW. That's how they've been kept relevant over the last few weeks.
With the switch to a two-hour format, they may be used even less. RAW has four champions and occasionally five when Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill need a random challenge.
#1. The group has been pitted against mid-carders
When The Shield debuted, they attacked John Cena and Ryback. Both stars were in the middle of challenging then-champion CM Punk in a title match. Who they attacked meant that the group was to be taken seriously.
It's why The Pure Fusion Collective has little to no credibility through no fault of their own. They attack Katana Chance and Zelina Vega instead of Rhea Ripley or someone higher up in the food chain.
The Wyatt Sicks first targeted Chad Gable for his mistreatment of Alpha Academy. It worked because Uncle Howdy was an intriguing character but not on the level of The Fiend.
After triumphing over Master Gable, Uncle Howdy is next targeting The Miz. The Wyatt Sicks and Uncle Howdy would have more credibility if they went after Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, or Bronson Reed.