Why Bray Wyatt should pull double duty at WrestleMania
It would appear that with the global pandemic consuming the news cycle currently that with every passing day, hour and minute, we hear a new report about changes, concerns and grumblings regarding WrestleMania 36.
The latest blockbuster story is about the WWE Universal Championship showdown between Universal Champion Goldberg and challenger Roman Reigns. Ahead of WWE taping WrestleMania this week at the WWE Performance Center, it has been reported that Roman Reigns is out of the championship match.
Reportedly, the former Universal Champion has stated to WWE that he is not comfortable competing during the coronavirus pandemic because he’s immunocompromised from his battle with leukemia and didn’t want to risk his health.
So, with Reigns out of the championship picture for now, who will Goldberg face for the Universal Championship on the Grandest, and empty, Stage of Them All? Some sources are suggesting that the new challenger for the Universal Championship could be none other than the former Intercontinental Champion Braun Strowman. The Monster Among Men does not yet have a WrestleMania opponent, so would be able to fit in nicely. But is this really the best opponent for Bill Goldberg to defend the Championship against? My opinion is no.
Step in the former WWE Universal Champion Bray Wyatt. Now, we know that this year, for the first time ever, WrestleMania will be taking place across an entire weekend. Saturday, April 4, 2020, and Sunday, April 5, 2020. Picture this scenario.
Night 1, April 4, 2020: Bray Wyatt vs John Cena in a Firefly Fun House Match
"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt faces off against John Cena in their regularly scheduled WrestleMania match. This week on Friday Night Smackdown, Bray Wyatt upped the ante, challenging John Cena to a mysterious Firefly Fun House match, whatever that entails we shall have to wait and see.
The story going into this one has been all about Bray Wyatt's retribution for his WrestleMania 30 loss to John Cena in New Orleans back in 2014. After this devastating loss, Bray Wyatt's career, life, and psyche went into a tailspin from which blossomed the sweater-wearing Bray Wyatt, his Firefly Fun House and his sinister alter ego in The Fiend.
Also read: Bray Wyatt's opportunity at WrestleMania redemption
Fast forward 6 years and at WrestleMania 36, inside the empty WWE Performance Center, Bray Wyatt will aim to finally get his long-sought revenge against the man who caused this career-altering damage. Should Bray Wyatt vanquish John Cena in their Firefly Fun House match, Bray Wyatt would become "whole" as he rights the biggest wrong of his life -- destroying the man who he blames for everything bad that has happened to him. After potentially "sacrificing" his Universal Championship at Super ShowDown to ensure a WrestleMania match with John Cena, a victory would leave Bray Wyatt fulfilled. It was all worth it.
But, with John Cena seemingly out of the picture, The Fiend reminds Bray Wyatt of someone else who has wronged them. Someone else which The Fiend must gain retribution on. Someone else who currently is in possession of Bray Wyatt's "favorite shiny toy". That "favorite shiny toy" is the WWE Universal Championship. That man is the WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg, and suddenly Bill Goldberg is without an opponent for Night 2 of WrestleMania.
Night 2, April 5, 2020: Bray Wyatt vs Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship
Some suggested that due to the shocking nature of The Fiend losing the WWE Universal Championship to Goldberg in three minutes at WWE Super Showdown, Bray Wyatt had a much larger strategy at play. The Fiend sacrificed his Universal Championship to Goldberg in order to ensure a WrestleMania showdown with John Cena. But, with John Cena now vanquished by The Fiend, this devastating loss at Super ShowDown still eats at Bray Wyatt.
Goldberg is the only person to defeat Bray Wyatt since The Fiend emerged in 2019. In a weekend in which Bray Wyatt has righted the biggest wrong of his life by defeating John Cena, there could now be a second opportunity to get rid of another burden on his soul as he avenges his three-minute loss to Goldberg. Bear in mind that Bray Wyatt never received a rematch after his Universal Championship loss at Super ShowDown. Now that Goldberg is without an opponent, could WrestleMania be the perfect time for Goldberg vs Wyatt 2?
Many questioned how, after The Fiend kicked out of running knees, stomps, chair shots, strap whips and more, during his feud with Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan, that Bray Wyatt could be defeated after a series of spears and one jackhammer by Goldberg. With the added momentum of a fresh victory over John Cena, The Fiend could theoretically be stronger than ever. Therefore, Bray Wyatt could be better equipped to deal with the frantic fury that is a Goldberg match. This time, The Fiend could kick out of the devastating jackhammer before a three-count. By defeating Goldberg at WrestleMania, Bray Wyatt can prove that he was already several steps ahead.
What better way to solidify Bray Wyatt as the next "top guy" than by beating John Cena and Bill Goldberg in consecutive nights and winning the WWE Universal Championship in the process. Bray Wyatt would be stood upon the mountain top once again in WWE, only this time it would mean so much more. The Fiend would be more dominant than ever, and the terror would once again be in the hearts of all the WWE Superstars and members of the WWE Universe. Who could ever stop The Fiend with this amount of momentum behind him? It would be an unprecedented move, but we are currently in unprecedented times and nobody signifies the word "unprecedented" better than 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt.