"They sent him back down" - WWE Hall of Famer recalls Bray Wyatt's main roster pitches being rejected (Exclusive)
Ricky Steamboat recently recalled how WWE rejected Bray Wyatt's first two main roster pitches before his Wyatt Family gimmick was approved.
It's no secret that Wyatt is one of wrestling's brightest minds, whose character work is second to none. Only a handful of talents have consistently reinvented their gimmicks every time without fail, with Bray Wyatt being one of them. Be it Sister Abigail or The Fiend avatar, every facet of Wyatt's character has been a hit.
Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling's Bill Apter, Ricky Steamboat, who worked as a trainer in FCW when Bray Wyatt performed on the brand, recalled the latter's struggles. Steamboat disclosed that when Wyatt was called up to the main roster, his first two pitches were rejected by the higher-ups. It was only when the former WWE Champion pitched his Wyatt Family gimmick that things fell into place.
"He could adapt. He got called up, and I don't remember his first couple of characters, but the higher-ups didn't 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)
Check out the full video below:
Dutch Mantell on WWE taking it slow with Bray Wyatt's storyline on SmackDown
Over the past few weeks, Bray Wyatt has been feuding with LA Knight on WWE SmackDown. The mystery behind whether Uncle Howdy is Wyatt himself or his ally has kept fans riveted in the storyline.
Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Dutch Mantell spoke about how WWE has taken a slow-burn approach to Wyatt's story on SmackDown. The former WWE manager added that there was no need to rush the narrative and that it was better to let it simmer for a while.
"You know, I bit*hed and complained about running through things so fast. Then when it slows down people said, now it's getting... he hadn't worked the angle. The angle with Knight is still there and then he will advance, no need to throw it all out at him right here in Christmas. They're just content filling right now and keeping him warmed up till they get ready to bust him and they'll do something," said Mantell.
"You sent #Him away." - #UncleHowdy
#LetMeIn @Windham6 ⭕️
#TheFiend #BrayWyatt https://t.co/vn8teIG6JR
Fans can expect things to escalate as soon as Wyatt and LA Knight are expected to compete in their first-ever Pitch Black match at Royal Rumble 2023. Uncle Howdy could certainly make his presence felt in some shape or form during the bout.
What's your favorite Bray Wyatt character in WWE? Let us know your picks in the comments section below.
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