"He wasn't the type of guy to give up" - WWE Hall of Famer shares honest thoughts about Bray Wyatt (Exclusive)
WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat recently lavished praise on SmackDown Superstar Bray Wyatt, lauding him for always striving to improve his work.
One of the most popular wrestlers on WWE's roster, Wyatt has been enthralling fans for close to a decade now with his exceptional character work. Unlike most wrestlers who rely on their in-ring work to engage viewers, Bray Wyatt keeps them hooked by showcasing the various facets of his character. He was released by WWE in 2021 but returned to the promotion on October 8 to a raucous ovation.
Considering all his avatars have struck a chord with fans, it's safe to assume he spends ample time creating said characters before presenting them on TV. Speaking to Bill Apter of Sportskeeda Wrestling, Ricky Steamboat, who worked closely with Bray Wyatt in FCW, praised the latter for always trying to better himself.
The WWE Hall of Famer also pointed out the former Universal Champion's undying spirit.
"I liked the way how he [Bray Wyatt] thought because he was always thinking about how he could get better. And he wasn't the type of guy to give up. I don't know about now, but then [during his time in FCW]," said Ricky Steamboat [2:19 - 2:31]
Check out the full video below:
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Ricky Steamboat on WWE rejecting Bray Wyatt's pitches
Elsewhere in the interview, Ricky Steamboat revealed how at the time of Wyatt's main roster call-up, two of his character pitches were rejected by WWE. The former Intercontinental Champion added that this didn't deter The Eater of Worlds.
The higher-ups finally accepted the 35-year-old's eventual pitch for his Wyatt Family gimmick, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"He [Bray Wyatt] could adapt. He got called up, and I don't remember his first couple of characters, but the higher-ups didn't like the character, so they sent him back down. So he came up with the idea to be a different character, and he would be called back up to take a look, but they didn't like it, so they sent him back down. Then I think it was around the third time when he did this Lousiana type swamp guy, Bray Wyatt, and that clicked," said Ricky Steamboat. [1:32 - 2:16]
“LA Knight owes me an apology.
I told you it wasn’t me.
Be honest, I know you all thought it was me.”
- Bray Wyatt
#SmackDown https://t.co/jYGtJJv7WG
Wyatt is currently embroiled in a slow-burning feud against LA Knight on WWE SmackDown. They are expected to battle in a first-ever Pitch Black match at Royal Rumble 2023 on January 28. He also wrestled in his first match back in the company at the Madison Square Garden house show against Jinder Mahal.
What are your thoughts on the former Universal Champion's main roster run? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
If any quotes are used from the first half of this article, please embed the YouTube video and credit Sportskeeda Wrestling.