Just when it seemed like the WWE couldn't branch out any further, it looks like superstars are headed to a space I would've never guessed: theme parks. Rumors are abound that the company is joining up with Universal Parks for its Halloween Horror Nights 2025. Now, as I start thinking about what that kind of partnership could entail, I've come to the conclusion that they should use this potential opportunity to honor the late Bray Wyatt.

The news about the partnership between Universal and WWE comes from Fightful Select, which reported that talks about this collaboration have been ongoing for the past year (via WrestlingInc.com). The wrestling organization is expected to have a presence at the event when it kicks off in late August, and I think it would be a no-brainer to have it heavily themed to Wyatt's career for a couple of reasons.

Bray Wyatt Is The Scariest Modern Wrestler In WWE History, And Has Plenty Of Interesting Lore

Before his untimely and sudden passing, Bray Wyatt was the official "boogeyman" of sorts for the WWE roster. He was charismatic and skilled enough in the ring to hold a top spot near the main event scene for years, and he captivated audiences with not one, but two distinctly different personas.

Whether Universal and WWE would decide to highlight the "Man In The Woods," a backcountry cult leader who had an obsession with the supernatural entity Sister Abigail, or "The Fiend," the concentrated rage and violence of Wyatt split between his happier, almost Pee-Wee Hermanesque self, there's no going wrong. Any and all of these would make for great a Horror Nights feature.

As a longtime wrestling fan, if you told me I had a chance to experience the insanity that was Bray Wyatt and John Cena's WrestleMania 36 match firsthand, I'd buy a ticket immediately. This kind of haunting chaos is why I'd much sooner see an attraction built around him rather than someone like Undertaker, assuming, of course, his loved ones are ok with his likeness being used in such a way.

The Wyatt Sicks Can Appear At The Parks, Giving Them More Importance Outside Of The Ring

Another big perk of having A Bray Wyatt-centric attraction at Halloween Horror Nights is that it gives the Wyatt Sicks something to do. The faction, led by Wyatt's brother Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy), was created as a tribute to the wrestler, but the WWE has seemingly struggled to find storylines for them to participate in.

The faction is starting to ramp up once again with matches on SmackDown, and I think having them be part of the star attractions at Halloween Horror Nights would be a huge boost to their run.

I also like the idea of the Wyatt Sicks being mascots of sorts for the WWE's presence at Halloween Horror Nights, as it seems like Alexa Bliss is on her way to joining them. Bliss is a spectacular wrestler who played a big role in Bray Wyatt's late run, so it would only make sense to include her in on the fun as well.

Now, I don't necessarily expect these superstars to be taking weekends off and appearing in person at the parks on a regular basis, but if the Wyatt Sicks plus Bliss were involved, there's certainly a way for at least one of them to be present on select nights throughout the entirety of the run in August through early November. Halloween Horror Nights is already hyped enough in the theme park world, so I can only imagine what featuring a chance to meet a WWE superstar would do for ticket sales.

For now, we can only speculate and wait for official word from the WWE on whether it's partnering with Universal and what the plan is for Halloween Horror Nights. I'm excited to hear more details, and hopefully, some way for Wyatt to be honored, even if it's not completely centered around him.

Bray Wyatt's return to the WWE following being let go a year prior was one of the biggest news items in pro wrestling at the time it happened. It seemed the company was ready to embrace one of its most charismatic main eventers by giving him a storyline worthy of his entertaining persona. Unfortunately, his untimely death prevented him from being a major draw for upcoming WWE events, but according to his real-life brother Uncle Howdy, also known as WWE's Bo Dallas, Wyatt's storyline influence lives on.

Dallas spoke about his brother in a surprisingly candid interview with USA Today, detailing some of the behind-the-scenes workings form the Wyatt Sicks storyline. I was surprised to hear some of these details, specifically regarding just how big a hand Bray Wyatt had in planning the things we see on television with them weekly.

Bray Wyatt Had Planned Much Of The Wyatt Sicks Storyline

As wrestling fans know, we never really saw the full plans WWE had for Bray Wyatt after his return. He had one match against L.A. Knight but then was pulled ahead of his WrestleMania 39 feud with Bobby Lashley and never appeared in the ring again. While it seemed the WWE was leaning toward Wyatt returning as The Fiend in promos to Bobby Lashley, Bo Dallas revealed that the eventual formation of the Wyatt Sicks was all part of his brother and WWE creative's plans for the character. Not only that, a lot of what is on the way was also created with Bray Wyatt's direct involvement:

As mentioned, the WWE never really had the chance to get Bray Wyatt's storyline rolling, so it's not too big of a surprise that his concepts and ideas were able to be repurposed for Uncle Howdy's character.

At the same time, the fact that there are still storylines coming up that Wyatt worked on is a fascinating look at the story-telling process in the WWE, as well as how much the late wrestler worked on the angles and ideas for his various personas. The work paid off, as The Wyatt Sicks remains one of the most interesting factions in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt Even Selected The Wrestlers To Be A Part Of The Stable

As an example of how much influence Bray Wyatt had in the Wyatt Sicks, Bo Dallas noted the wrestler personally selected who would be members of the stable. This is a bit surprising to hear, considering former Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan was not in the WWE prior to Wyatt's passing, but I could certainly see conversations happening ahead of his official return. As for why other members like Joe Gacy, Nikki Cross, and Dexter Lumis were brought in, Dallas said the following:

As a wrestling fan, I deeply appreciate the revelation that the members were hand-selected by Bray Wyatt. It certainly has me more convinced than not that Alexa Bliss will eventually return and debut as the sixth member of the faction, bringing the name Wyatt Sicks full circle.

Ultimately The Wyatt Sicks is a love letter to Bray Wyatt's legacy, and its well-earned. Wyatt's character dominated consistently as one of the biggest main event heels for a decade, and while he didn't always get flowers from those in the WWE for doing so, he's certainly being honored now. I can't wait to see where it goes in the future, and who they'll target next in the WWE.

The Wyatt Sicks appear on Monday Night Raw, which airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. It looks like The Miz might be next on their radar for turning his back on R-Truth, but we'll just have to wait and see how that all plays out for him.

The Wyatt Sicks arrived in the WWE, and made it clear they're not here to play games. After destroying the backstage with their debut, the group continues to haunt Monday Night Raw with no apparent intentions or longterm plans behind the chaos. To fans, it's been a lovely homage to the late Bray Wyatt, which has us all wondering if and/or when Alexa Bliss will return and join the spooky faction.

Alexa Bliss took time away from the WWE to compete on The Masked Singer, and after then missing WrestleMania 39, announced she was pregnant. The new mother has been on the sidelines since having her child, but with a year having passed since her pregnancy announcement, many are speculating she'll be the sixth member of The Wyatt Sicks. The upcoming WWE event Money in the Bank is just around the corner, so now is as great a time as any to check in on the superstar, and fortunately, we have an update.

Alexa Bliss Recently Shared An Update With Fans On Instagram

As WWE fans prepare for Money In The Bank this weekend, Alexa Bliss popped up in Stories on her Instagram page to share an update. It's not an update specific to wrestling in any way, unless you want to try and read between the lines in what posting a picture at home with messy hair may mean for this weekend:

Some may take this as a sign Alexa Bliss has no plans to return at Money In The Bank, but let's not be hasty here. Her chilling at home on Monday morning means nothing as to what she has planned for this Saturday or even Monday Night Raw. I'm sure she could get ready for a big return tonight if she really wanted to, though I would guess she's going to be watching the episode from home and maybe showing her daughter her past matches with a Peacock Premium subscription.

What might be most concerning here to those expecting to see her, however, is that Alexa Bliss is not showing any outward teases that she'll be at Money In The Bank. Like, if she was being enlisted by The Wyatt Sicks, wouldn't there be some weird glitches or easter eggs in her content? This is just a regular post from home and doesn't have Wyatt Sicks energy, in my opinion.

Will Alexa Bliss Join The Wyatt Sicks? 

While it doesn't appear like she'll show up anytime soon, I do still expect Alexa Bliss to emerge as the sixth member of The Wyatt Sicks. She was one of the WWE superstars most tied to Wyatt before his unexpected passing and was part of the controversial storyline in which he lost to Randy Orton at WrestleMania.

While he was absent, Bliss kept her character tied to his story, and fans were all about it. It would be shocking to see her have zero role in The Wyatt Sicks, but we can only speculate what the greater plan is for this faction.

Money In The Bank streams on Peacock on Saturday, July 6th, with the main card starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Keep an eye peeled, and maybe all fingers crossed for a potential appearance by Alexa Bliss, and stick with CinemaBlend as we wait to see who will win those coveted briefcases.

As Uncle Howdy said when closing out the June 17 edition of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks are finally here. But WWE fans couldn't help but notice something important: beyond the fact that a few superstars might be out of commission for upcoming WWE events after the group's attack, only five members of the new faction were present. It's long been rumored the group would consist of six total members, hence the "Wyatt Sicks" branding, and wrestling fans think they know who the last member is.

The problem, however, is that there doesn't seem to be a resounding consensus amongst the core fanbase regarding who that last member is. Sure, some guesses are garnering more support than others, but let's talk about who's being rumored to be the sixth membe, and why it could make sense for each to fill the role.

Alexa Bliss 

Alexa Bliss has been away from WWE for quite a while after taking time away for The Masked Singer and then finding out she was pregnant. With that said, it seems like one of wrestling's most exciting women's superstars is ready to make a big return, and given her ties to Bray Wyatt as a former partner, it feels like she'd be a natural fit as the sixth member.

Braun Strowman

It's already heavily speculated that Erick Rowan quietly rejoined WWE to play one of the Wyatt Sicks, and that looks like his body behind the mask of the Ramblin' Rabbit. Another member of the Wyatt family, Braun Strowman, appeared earlier in the night for WWE and would seemingly make sense as a sixth member. That said, Strowman seems to be finally picking up steam on Monday Night Raw with his gimmick, so I'm not sure how willing the WWE would be to make him one of the masked characters.

Bray Wyatt's Spirit

This whole faction is coming together in honor of the late superstar Bray Wyatt, who we all knew reveled in his role as the WWE's boogeyman. Wyatt used to routinely call on the paranormal to help him in his matches, and I could see Uncle Howdy, Wyatt's real-life brother Bo Dallas, using the metaphysical spirit of Wyatt to grant them strength and serve as the honorary member of the Wyatt Sicks.

Could Another Wrestler Play The Fiend? 

Another thought I had is that the role of The Fiend will be played by another wrestler, implying that it is the spirit of Bray Wyatt. Similar to how many people played Doink The Clown throughout the character's run, wrestlers could play The Fiend with the mask never coming off while performing. Or maybe, whenever someone puts on The Fiend mask, Wyatt can control them? There are so many Wyatt matches available with a Peacock Premium subscription that I'm sure superstars wouldn't have trouble emulating his style.

Whoever the final member ends up being, I'm not concerned. Based on the amount that went into that debut, it seems the WWE has taken the time to think and make sure they execute this angle properly, and I'm fully on board to see where the ride goes. Hell, we aren't even talking about CM Punk having no challenger after Drew McIntyre quit, so it's safe to say the creative team knows what it's doing.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm eager to see the next move The Wyatt Sicks makes, but I wonder what their ceiling is in the WWE as a faction. Also, are they good guys or bad guys? I guess we will see!

If the latest SmackDown is to be believed, a familiar face will soon arrive at one or more upcoming WWE events. Various Uncle Howdy teases have been popping up on both television and social media, and it looks like he won't even be the only character returning to seemingly honor the late Bray Wyatt and his in-ring legacy. Another wrestler tied to the deceased champion might be headed to the company after a lengthy time away. 

Could the Firefly Funhouse members come together once again to celebrate their fallen creator? It seems like that could be a possibility, given the television teases of Howdy and the reveal that one former member of the Wyatt family could be on his way back to the WWE. Here's what we know and what it might mean going forward. 

Erick Rowan Told Wrestling Promotion He Has New Contractual Obligations

The indie wrestling promotion East Coast Pro Wrestling posted on Facebook that Erick Rowan had to cancel previously planned shows he was set to appear at. The post noted that he had "New contractual obligations" that prevented him from attending those events, and included the applicable dates.

While that could technically mean anything, PWInsider reported that Rowan was spotted the previous week in Pittsburgh, which is where WWE wrestlers go to get medically cleared to perform (via Wrestlelamia). So that timing, when paired with the recent teases of Uncle Howdy's return to the WWE, makes it seem possible that one of the founding members of the Wyatt Family faction will be joining him. 

Uncle Howdy Might Be Rounding Up The Firefly Funhouse To Make A Run In WWE

If Erick Rowan is returning to the WWE, he could obviously be doing it as himself, but it'd be more fun if it was as a member of the Firefly Funhouse. When Bray Wyatt first returned to the WWE, there was an indication he'd be gathering a faction of wrestlers together representing the characters originated in his Funhouse vignettes. Unfortunately, Wyatt was pulled from his WrestleMania match with Bobby Lashley due to illness, so and he passed away before he was able to return, so those plans went completely unrealized.

It seems the WWE wants to execute some of those proposed ideas with Bo Dallas returning as Uncle Howdy. And bringing in other wrestlers who were close to Bray Wyatt during his run would be a good way to make it happen. Braun Strowman has been off television for nearly a year following neck surgery, but could easily make his long-awaited return as Howdy's stablemate. 

Another potential ally who could join Howdy would be Alexa Bliss, who took time away from the WWE after announcing her pregnancy. But she was back in the gym in March, as seen below:

Of course, there are many ways Uncle Howdy could return without incorporating Erick Rowan or any of the other aforementioned wrestlers. CinemaBlend's Philip Sledge had thoughts about bringing Howdy back, and who his ideal target would be to send the message. Personally, I'd just love to see Wyatt's legacy honored in any kind of tasteful way, and with his brother potentially signing off on the creative story being developed, I feel positive about where it could be heading.

More clues about Uncle Howdy's return are bound to happen on Monday Night Raw, which airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, or on SmackDown, which is on Fox on Fridays at the same time. Be sure to keep those eyes peeled and revisit some of Bray Wyatt's best moments with a Peacock Premium subscription to remember the legend as this all plays out. 

Most of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins’ crowd interactions over the past month or two have been focused on their WrestleMania opponents, but the two babyfaces changed the usual script at a house event over the weekend for a really touching reason. They were interacting with the audience at the end of the night when they saw a light reminiscent of one of Bray Wyatt’s fireflies. They called it out and what originally started as one firefly turned into dozens and then hundreds of fireflies. 

The beautiful moment was filmed by several people in the Springfield, Illinois crowd and has since been running around on social media. It also features fans singing “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands.” Altogether, it’s a beautiful tribute and a reminder of how much the WWE Universe has missed Bray Wyatt and all the creativity, originality and heart he brought to the business prior to his tragic passing last August. You can check out a video from the event below…

A year or so after being released in one of the most shocking cuts in WWE history, Bray Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) returned at Extreme Rules in 2022 to a massive reaction from the crowd. Through various promos, video packages and a program with LA Knight, he built a new character and seemed poised to work with Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 39, but then seemingly out of nowhere, he was pulled from television with an illness. Months later, word spread that he would be making his return, but just days later, he passed away. A battle with Covid caused issues with a preexisting heart condition. He was only 36 years old, and in an industry filled with legends who died way too early, his death is among the saddest and most shocking.

It’s not a surprise to see Rhodes and Rollins finding time to honor Bray Wyatt and no surprise to see it happen at a house show in a smaller town. WWE’s two most popular good guy characters have repeatedly shown up at smaller venues for non-televised shows around the country, and videos of fun interactions and touching moments come out from them on a semi-regular basis. 

That’s the great thing about house shows. Some fans like to turn their nose up at them since titles rarely change hands and new storylines rarely develop, but they also give the performers way more freedom to interact with the crowd and be spontaneous. I’m sure Rhodes and Rollins didn’t go into the night planning to pay tribute to Bray Wyatt, but the opportunity presented itself and they took it.

You’ll be able to catch Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in matches that will very much be televised at WrestleMania 40 in a few weeks. Both men are pulling double duty. On night one, they will face off against The Rock and Roman Reigns in what has to be one of the most anticipated tag team matches in WWE history. On night two, Rollins will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against white hot heel Drew McIntyre, while Cody Rhodes will square off against Roman Reigns in the main event. 

Many fans expected Bray Wyatt to be inducted into the 2024 WWE Hall Of Fame Class at WrestleMania, but they’re going to induct his father instead. I’m sure he’ll go in sometime in the next few years, and when that happens, I’m sure we’ll get plenty more touching tributes to the former WWE Champion and all-time legend who passed way too soon.

The WWE is a competitive industry, and one that isn't afraid to cut talent either. For various reasons, the company has released major superstars over the years, though that doesn't always mean it's goodbye forever. Some manage to find their way back years later, though not everyone is so lucky. 

Here, we'll detail over thirty wrestlers who were of note in the WWE and were let go for various reasons. Some of which may even be featured at upcoming WWE events, while others have found success elsewhere. Check out these folks, and maybe watch some of their old matches with a Peacock Premium subscription: 

Bray Wyatt

Following a shocking loss to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 37, Bray Wyatt stayed off television for a long time. The WWE initially indicated everything was fine but then dropped the bombshell in July 2021 that he was released. Wyatt returned a year later, but health problems that ultimately led to his death kept him from having a substantial run.

Daniel Bryan

The legendary Daniel Bryan almost never reached his full potential after WWE fired him in 2011. Bryan’s in-ring strangling of ring announcer Justin Roberts was considered “not PG,” and the organization dropped him for the violation. Bryan later returned of course, and had a tremendous long run in the WWE before leaving for AEW.

Sasha Banks

Sasha Banks and WWE parted ways after she and Naomi dropped the tag titles and walked out on the company in May of 2022. The WWE publicly announced their departure, and Banks has found success in New Japan Pro Wrestling since. There is no word so far if a reconciliation with the WWE is on the table. 

Naomi

Naomi left WWE alongside tag-team champion partner Sasha Banks in May of 2022, but unlike Banks, her return seemed more likely. Naomi is married to superstar Jimmy Uso, but thus far, has expressed little interest in returning to the brand. She’s since moved on to work in Impact as Trinity Fatu. 

Dolph Ziggler 

The WWE parted ways with Dolph Ziggler in 2023, which ended a nearly twenty-year run with the company. While he may not have been a massive name in the WWE in terms of casual audiences, he held fifteen titles during his tenure and his release came as a great shock to fans. 

Jeff Hardy

Legendary tag-team superstar Jeff Hardy has been released twice by the WWE in his career, both times tied to issues with substance abuse. The latest exit happened in 2021, following a confusing performance he gave at a house show.  Hardy has since moved on to AEW. 

Matt Hardy

Much like his brother Jeff, Matt Hardy was also fired from the WWE twice. The first time came in 2005 after it became public that his real-life girlfriend and superstar Lita cheated on him with Edge. The second time came in 2010, which the wrestler revealed on his podcast The Extreme Life Of Matt Hardy he felt was a combination of being physically worn down from wrestling, and his brother leaving a year earlier.  

Melina

Melina was one of the more memorable women's wrestlers of her era, and would likely fit in well with the current roster of women in wrestling. Unfortunately, things didn't work out so well for her in WWE, and she was unceremoniously released in 2011 despite being a five-time world champion. Melina has returned a couple times since her release, with the latest happening at the 2022 Royal Rumble.

Carlito

While Carlito found his way back in the WWE eventually, his original run was derailed in 2010 when he was fired by the company. Carlito was removed for violating the organization's wellness policy. Carlito later returned to the WWE as the LWO's third tag-team partner at Fastlane 2023. 

Mickie James

After returning following her exit in 2010, WWE legend Mickie James found herself part of a mass release by the WWE in 2021. Though she was one of many released, the women's superstar took specific offense when her belongings were sent to her by the organization in a trash bag. The multi-time women's champion later signed with Impact, and went on a run as one of its biggest champions. 

Shelton Benjamin

Following a release in 2010 ending a ten-year run in WWE, Shelton Benjamin returned in 2017 and began working with various new superstars. Benjamin ultimately found himself a part of a mass release by the company in 2023, and was alongside Dolph Ziggler as one of the more shocking releases of the bunch. 

Muhammad Hassan

Muhammad Hassan seemed destined for WWE greatness, but the Arab-American superstar would end up being fired due to events beyond his control. In a scripted segment, Hasan carried out a brutal and torturous attack on The Undertaker, just around the same time as the much-publicized London terrorist attacks in 2005. The WWE gained a lot of criticism for its programming, and ultimately fired Hassan.

Scotty Goldman

Wrestling fans may not remember Scotty Goldman in the WWE, and that's largely because he only wrestled seven matches before being fired. Now, as Colt Cabana, he has a much larger following in the wrestling community and even a roster spot in AEW. 

Umaga

Umaga was a promising star in the WWE with big potential, but trouble led to him exiting the company on two separate occasions. The wrestler was released in 2003, and then again in 2009 after violating the company's wellness policy a second time. Umaga died from a heart attack six months after his release, with toxicity from multiple substances listed as a factor. 

The IIconics

Billy Kay and Peyton Royce, otherwise known as The IIconics, were rising stars in the women's tag division in the WWE. Despite their hilarious segments and charisma, the company ultimately disbanded the team in 2021 and released both wrestlers soon after. 

Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre is one of the WWE's biggest superstars, but his first run in the company wasn't quite as memorable. While he had some early success, he ultimately was a supporting member of the joke faction 3MB (Three Man Band) toward the end of his run. In 2014, the WWE dropped him from his contract, but of course, he later returned with a vengeance in 2017. 

Mr. Kennedy

Many wrestling fans believe Mr. Kennedy had the charisma to be one of the WWE's biggest superstars, but his career never quite hit that level. The superstar was released in 2009 and later said to Wrestlezone that it was a combination of Randy Orton and John Cena complaining that he was an unsafe wrestler that led to his dismissal. 

Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig's firing from WWE in 2002 is part of pro wrestling history, as he played a prominent role in the incident known as the "Plane Ride From Hell." Hennig played a prank on Brock Lesnar, which resulted in a scrap that nearly opened the emergency exit mid-flight. That was the end of Hennig's run, though it did make for the "perfect" story. 

Jeff Jarrett

In one of the more bizarre firings of WWE, Jeff Jarrett was fired on a filmed backstage segment ahead of WrestleMania 17 by Vince McMahan himself. While Jarrett assumed it was part of the show because it was filmed, he soon found out it was not. Jarrett would later return to the WWE in various roles later in his career. 

Alberto Del Rio

Alberto Del Rio was one of the WWE's greatest superstars throughout his runs, but was fired in 2014 for unprofessional conduct.  It was alleged that he was fired due to slapping an employee who told a racist joke, but it was never confirmed. Del Rio returned to the WWE years later, but ultimately asked to be let out of his contract in 2015. 

Scott Hall

Scott Hall is another iconic WWE wrestler who found themselves out of the company following the infamous incident "The Plane Ride From Hell." He was released not long after, with reasoning tied to substance abuse issues as well. 

CM Punk

After a frustrating loss at Royal Rumble 2014, CM Punk didn't show up to the following Monday Night Raw. The wrestler would continue to no-show, but the way the WWE treated it made it seem like it was part of a storyline. The WWE made the news official later that year, and Punk stayed away from wrestling for years, until eventually returning to AEW and being fired again. 

Kurt Angle

Even WWE legends with gold medals aren't safe from the chopping block. Kurt Angle ultimately found himself amongst a slew of superstars released in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest names in WWE history, and even he wasn't immune to being fired. The wrestler was ultimately fired from the company after making racist comments in a video that was distributed publicly. Hogan has since been brought back to the company years later. 

Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels is remembered as one of the WWE's biggest superstars, and even he was once fired by the company. This actually came at the beginning of his career in the WWE, along with tag-team partner Marty Janetty. They were fired less than two weeks after starting, but returned a year later and still became wrestling icons. 

Paige

Paige was immediately popular in the WWE, and even was the only superstar to get a feature film about her journey to the company. Unfortunately, she was sidelined for a long time with neck injuries and couldn't get clearance to return to the ring. She was ultimately granted a release in 2022, and went over to AEW. 

Sabu

Sabu was one of the ECW wrestlers retained by WWE when they were acquired, but his run didn't last long. Much is rumored about Sabu's firing but what is known is that since he was fired in 2007 he has not returned to the WWE but continued wrestling almost the entire time since. This includes at AEW where he showed up in 2023. 

Cesaro

Sometimes companies and wrestlers grow apart, and that seems to have happened with Cesaro and the WWE. After an eleven-year stint with the company, and some pretty consistent popularity with the fans, the wrestler was unable to reach a deal with the WWE on his contract extension. The two sides went their separate ways, and Cesaro went on to AEW and Ring of Honor where he's been a top superstar. 

Jack Swagger

Jack Swagger is a case of a wrestler who had a solid run of nearly a decade in the WWE, but decided the time had come to go elsewhere. Via Uproxx, Swagger mentioned on a podcast that he had asked the company for his release, as he wasn't getting opportunities. The WWE initially publicly denied he was granted a release, but then later gave him the opportunity to go elsewhere. Swagger then traveled around, before ultimately settling on a new home in AEW.

Hideo Itami

When Kenta Kobayashi debuted as Hideo Itami in the WWE, many in the wrestling world were thrilled. Itami was a legend in the Japanese circuit of pro wrestling, and seemed prime to be a major player in the brand. Unfortunately, multiple injuries led to a lackluster five-year stint with the company before he was ultimately granted a release. Itami has since found success elsewhere like AEW and in New Japan Pro Wrestling. 

Chyna

Chyna was and still is considered one of the biggest women's superstars in professional wrestling, which made her eventual release from the company all the more tragic. Multiple factors have been noted in her departure. She was ultimately granted her release in 2001, and wrestled sporadically before her death in 2016. 

Goldust

Goldust is a wrestler who has been in and out of the WWE around five or six times, though he was welcomed back even when he was released. He's perhaps proof positive that a firing is never permanent in the company, assuming no bridges are burned on the way out. Hell, even when they are, it's hard to deny there's still a chance of coming back!

WWE programming is as good as it has ever been, so now is the perfect time to get a Peacock subscription and check out some of the recent events that have been happening. Who knows, you might even see someone who was once let go from the company. 

The world of pro wrestling has suffered more than its share of early and shocking deaths, and Superstar Bray Wyatt was still gaining ground following his WWE return when he passed away in August at the age of 36. The death floored many, as did the news that he was hospitalized in the week prior, stemming from a reportedly major COVID battle earlier in the year that exacerbated heart issues. To be expected, the wrestler’s famous family has been in the throes of mourning, but it sounds like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has done his part to make sure there’s at least one fewer worry in their lives during the aftermath. 

Bray Wyatt (real name: Windham Rotunda) is part of a wildly talented family of athletes, with a father in WWE and WCW legend Mike Rotunda and a brother in Bo Dallas (Taylor Rotunda). It was the non-wrestling sibling Mika who gave a public shout-out to The Rock for lending some helping hands during this difficult time. 

As anyone who’s experienced a major loss in the family can attest, one of the most helpful things that others can do is pitch in regarding the daily norms of cooking, grocery shopping, and other household duties. Post-funeral leftovers only go so far, so power to The Rock for paying it forward in a literal sense by making sure that those closest to Bray Wyatt are free from worrying about such needs.

Had she not spoken up, fans likely never would have known about the selfless act, either, since Dwayne Johnson himself hasn’t shared that news. With Mike Rotunda referring to herself as a “deep thinker; tequila drinker” in her X profile, it’s certainly possible The Rock sent her a bottle or two of his high-selling Teremana tequila brand along with the food. 

Mika Rotunda has largely steered clear of social media since July, but did share an adorable throwback pic of Bray Wyatt from a Halloween celebrated in their youth, accompanied by a heartbreaking caption.  

There’s something altogether fitting about Wyatt dressing as a mini-Beetlejuice, considering the Superstar’s penchant for bringing darker and more twisted elements to his gimmick as The Fiend and beyond. He wasn't even a year old when the Tim Burton classic was released in theaters, and sadly won't be around to watch the long-awaited sequel whenever it comes out in late 2024. 

Coincidentally enough, Bray Wyatt passed away on the same day (August 24) that The Rock was painfully celebrating his father Rocky Johnson’s birthday, three years after the pro wrestling legend’s death. Perhaps that pain he was already feeling was part of the inspiration to lend his efforts to the Rotunda and Windham families. Whatever the reason, it’s a solid move on his part.

As the world of professional wrestling continues to mourn the unexpected death of WWE superstar Bray Wyatt, details about the 36-year-old's passing have come to light. It now seems that the "Eater Of Worlds" and former WWE and Universal champion was hospitalized just a week before his death, and that's not all. 

A new report from TMZ has revealed that Bray Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, was hospitalized just a week before his passing due to heart issues that surfaced after a bout with COVID-19 in March of this year. According to the report, the sickness resulted in Wyatt developing a "weak lower part" of his heart, possibly explaining why he was pulled from WrestleMania 39 in April. 

Following his hospitalization and on the morning of his death, Wyatt attended a follow-up appointment with doctors who advised him to continue wearing an external defibrillator. The device is meant to treat people who are susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest and was found in his car the day of his passing. 

Bray Wyatt's longtime girlfriend, former WWE in-ring announcer JoJo Offerman, reportedly noticed something was wrong when the superstar laid down for a nap but didn't respond to his alarm an hour later. She allegedly walked in to check on him and noticed he was turning blue. Offerman called 911 while her mother attempted to perform CPR. Wyatt, as we now know, ultimately passed away from a heart attack in his sleep. 

Many in the WWE continue to mourn the loss of Bray Wyatt, including World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who made a lovely tribute over the weekend. Rollins' tribute followed an episode of SmackDown dedicated to his memory as well as the passing of superstar Terry Funk. Viewers were shown a tribute video of Wyatt's greatest moments and given a reminder as to why his rumored return at upcoming WWE events was so anticipated: 

Even rival wrestling company AEW paid homage to Bray Wyatt at its All In pay-per-view, which set the record for the largest paid attendance at a wrestling event ever. Tributes to Wyatt continued on Monday Night Raw, as well as on social media, as other wrestlers continued to share memories of the man who was known by fans for his creepy characters and massive charisma. 

One question that remains for fans following his passing is whether or not the WWE will honor Bray Wyatt with an induction into its Hall Of Fame ahead of WrestleMania 40. I don't think there's much opposition to seeing Bray Wyatt inducted, especially considering all that the superstar achieved in the relatively short time he was involved in the company compared to some other inductees. 

It's even possible The Wyatt Family could be inducted as a whole, considering former member and Wyatt's friend Brodie Lee only passed away a few years prior. We will have to wait and see what the company does, but I have little doubt there will be more tributes to Wyatt as we draw closer to Mania season. 

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and SmackDown is on Fox on Fridays at the same time. Now would be a great time to revisit Wyatt's memorable matches with a Peacock Premium subscription, especially for those who have stepped away from wrestling and aren't familiar with his work. 

Bray Wyatt's sudden passing continues to impact the pro wrestling world, with tributes to the wrestler being showcased even by rival organization AEW. Seth Rollins couldn't make the first SmackDown taping after Wyatt's death to pay his respects alongside other wrestlers, but he still managed to honor the legacy-carrying athlete after the fact at a WWE house show over the weekend. It was a lovely tribute by the superstar, who had an emotional breakdown following his match. 

Much like Rey Mysterio did during his bout on SmackDown, Seth Rollins used some of Bray Wyatt's signature moves in the ring during his match. While it wasn't aired on TV proper, fans shared video of the moment online, which can be checked out below, with Rollins doing the vintage Wyatt "look back" at his opponent.

Doing the look back ahead of the patented Curb Stomp was an awesome transition, and I wouldn't mind seeing that more in the future as a permanent honor. Seth Rollins also performed Wyatt's "spider walk" in the ring, and while it's a bit odd to see someone do it who isn't the "Eater Of Worlds," it was still a fantastic way of paying tribute. 

Following the match, Seth Rollins broke down in tears and cut an emotional promo about appreciating the "fireflies" he sees during his music and how they always reminded him of Wyatt even before the wrestler's passing:

Reading the words is powerful, but it's not quite like seeing the promo delivered to a crowd of "fireflies." Seth Rollins voice was full of sadness, and there even seemed to be tears as he spoke to the people of Cape Girardeau and thanked them for showing up to see him perform and talk about his friend: 

There's definitely something a bit sad about Seth Rollins joking that his busy WWE schedule doesn't afford him time in therapy to process Bray Wyatt's passing. Clearly he was very emotional in the ring, but it seems like there was something therapeutic about being able to pay his respects during his match and see the crowd react to it. 

Why Wasn't Seth Rollins At SmackDown? 

The WWE made accommodations for wrestlers who weren't expected to appear on SmackDown to show up for the tribute show and be a part of it, but Seth Rollins was not among them. The wrestler took to X ahead of the show and explained that he wouldn't be coming to Kentucky for the show, and it was because of a past conversation he had with Bray Wyatt after the passing of Brodie Lee years ago: 

Seth Rollins usually brings his talents out over on Monday Night Raw, so it will be interesting to see if he'll have any more tributes for Bray Wyatt, assuming he's present at the show. It's unlikely he'll be the only one with words and moves to share in that respect, so it will be interesting to see what other superstars who weren't present have to say about the fallen superstar. 

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The upcoming WWE event Payback is just around the corner, and while the wrestling world is still in a place of mourning, it will be interesting to see what storylines emerge in the final days leading up to the big event. 

The entire wrestling world is still in shock following the sudden and unexpected passing of Windham Rotunda, known by his in-ring persona, Bray Wyatt. The WWE superstar passed the day before SmackDown, a live show where the WWE rarely halts its plans. There are rumors, however, that in the wake of this massive tragedy, the company is switching up how tonight's event will play out, and lots of suggestions are floating around. 

While the WWE has said goodbye to quite a few memorable superstars in 2023, this will be the first death of a major member of the active roster in quite some time. Bray Wyatt was reportedly returning to the WWE, and his father, Mike Rotunda, spoke about his progress only a week and a half ago. Wrestling site Xero News reported a rumor that currently, all plans for SmackDown have been "scrapped": 

By "scrapped," it's not entirely clear what that means. The show might be canceled, given the vast amount of main-roster talent who worked with Bray Wyatt over the years and expected to see him return soon. It's possible that many of them won't feel like performing and instead wish to honor the legacy of a fallen star who left entirely too soon. As such, a tribute show feels wholly appropriate:  

Bray Wyatt died at 36, yet there is no shortage of great matches for the WWE to highlight. Those with a Peacock Premium subscription could easily search out a number of them, though in light of the circumstances, it would be acceptable for the WWE to run some of his most memorable matches and moments: 

A tribute show of that nature would likely require SmackDown to refund its ticketholders for tonight's event, so it's possible a tribute show could be a mixture of memorable moments paired with in-ring tributes from those who knew him best. 

Bray Wyatt was one of WWE's top heels for a long time and had no shortage of fans who were captivated by his presence. At the same time, Wyatt was a relatively private figure who rarely let his actual real life shine in the public eye. It would be great to hear from fellow superstars more about Windham Rotunda, in the same way John Cena memorialized the wrestler after he learned the news: 

Another likely scenario is that SmackDown might consist of a hybrid variety of tributes to Bray Wyatt and his legacy, with clips and wrestlers performing in his honor. No doubt there will be "fireflies" seen in the crowd throughout the evening, as well as group chants of "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands." I have no idea what to expect, though many can assume it will be a heavy episode for all involved: 

It wouldn't be surprising if the WWE continues to honor Bray Wyatt in some way beyond a tribute show on SmackDown. The 36-year-old superstar was beloved by many and even had a warm moment where The Undertaker passed the torch to him earlier this year, seemingly making him the new "boogeyman" of the company. There's plenty to celebrate about Wyatt's legacy in his tenure in the WWE, but there's definitely a lot of talk now and in the years to come about what could have been. 

SmackDown airs on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As of writing, the show is still scheduled to air, but it will be interesting to see what the WWE announces and how Bray Wyatt will be honored at upcoming WWE events. 

Windham Rotunda, the WWE superstar more commonly known as Bray Wyatt, has passed away. The wrestling world was blindsided by the news of the 36-year-old passing, as he was rumored to be returning to the company at some point in the near future. Now, a day after mourning the loss of Terry Funk, the wrestling world is once again memorializing a great talent. 

News of Wyatt's passing came via Triple H, who announced the death of the WWE superstar. Few details are known at this time, but he shared what he learned from Wyatt's father and former WWE superstar Mike Rotunda: 

It was only ten days ago that Mike Rotunda gave a public comment that he expected Bray Wyatt to return to the WWE "shortly." While we still don't know many details about the reported illness or what caused Wyatt to miss a good chunk of the year, the encouraging words of his father might point to an unexpected passing. There were rumors of Wyatt returning for months, alongside his brother, Bo Dallas, who had taken on the persona "Uncle Howdy."

Bray Wyatt was a one-time WWE champion, a two-time Universal champion, and a SmackDown and Raw tag-team champion. Wyatt was widely seen as one of pro wrestling's top modern superstars and thrived on his in-ring charisma to give life to creepy characters. Wyatt had a long run of success under his faction, The Wyatt Family, as well as his split persona, The Fiend. 

As an in-ring performer, Bray Wyatt had feuds against many of the biggest talents in pro wrestling today. John Cena, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns all had memorable moments with the superstar, who remained popular with pro wrestling fans after his unexpected release from the WWE in 2021. Despite spending over a year away from the company following his release, Wyatt received a roar of cheers from the Extreme Rules audience when he made his grand return. 

Fans were eager to see Bray Wyatt return, especially after it seemed as though the WWE was ready to build the wrestler toward a championship run worthy of his creative characters and matches. Unfortunately, Wyatt began to miss shows shortly after a feud with rising superstar L.A. Knight. Wyatt was ultimately pulled from the match card of WrestleMania 39, where he was set to take on Bobby Lashley. Despite random sightings of Wyatt out in public, the WWE never gave an official update on what was happening with him behind the scenes.

CinemaBlend would like to offer its condolences to the family and friends of Bray Wyatt and wish them well during this difficult time. Here's hoping the WWE will appropriately honor his legacy and all he brought to the company during his time with it. 

The pro-wrestling world is buzzing right through 2023, and only a handful of major upcoming WWE events are left in the year. Fans seem to be satisfied with most of the content they've seen on their TVs lately, but there are more than a few missing superstars they'd like to check out in the near future. Fortunately, it sounds like Bray Wyatt is one of those major faces who may be on their way back, though the recent update on Wyatt's status -- which came from his father and former WWE superstar, Irwin R. Schyster -- has me a little confused. 

Mike Rotunda, more commonly known as IRS during his WWE days, is the father to both wrestling superstars Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas. Given the personal connection, he may know more than most about the mysterious reason behind Wyatt's absence, which has been speculated on ever since he was surprisingly pulled from WrestleMania 39. Sportskeeda had a chance to catch up with the former superstar, who dropped a brief but surprising statement to make about his son's current position: 

Mike Rotunda's comments about Bray Wyatt came on the heels of reports that Wyatt was gearing up to return but was battling a life-threatening illness and waiting on clearance from doctors. It's unknown if Rotunda was referring to the claims of Wyatt suffering from an illness, especially since he corroborated other assertions that the star would be back in the company soon. 

This lack of answers feels reminiscent of the last time Bray Wyatt was absent from the WWE and was unexpectedly released from the main roster following months of speculation. That's not to say that this is the same kind of situation or will end in a similar way. However, there does always seem to be an air of uncertainty surrounding Wyatt that's proven to be as enigmatic as his in-ring persona. If alleged health issues aren't the true cause of his absence, one can only imagine what truly is.

"The Eater of Worlds" will face an uphill battle upon returning to the WWE, as his short return didn't grant much time to establish his latest persona. Opinions on his MTN Dew-themed match with L.A. Knight were mixed, and wrestling devotees never saw the end of his feud with Bobby Lashley. 

If he truly is returning soon, he's heading into a landscape that's entirely different from the one he left. L.A. Knight, for example, is one of the most popular superstars in the WWE, and Bobby Lashley is working on a new faction with the Street Profits. Neither man seems like the best opponent for a superstar looking to prove himself, so how will the the company handle Bray Wyatt's return? Hopefully, we'll learn in time and crystal-clear details on his condition will surface -- from his dad or other verified sources.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and SmackDown is on Fox at the same time on Fridays as part of the 2023 TV schedule. Be on the lookout for Bray Wyatt's return in the near future, as a viewer can never truly predict when he may pop up. 

There's still some time before one of the biggest upcoming WWE events of the year, Summerslam 2023, but not much. Pretty soon, some of this year's biggest storylines will play out in Detroit, and we might even see a new champion crowned. Surprises are also sometimes a part of the festivities, and what better way to celebrate the major event than with the return of a wrestler who has been gone for a long time? 

Unfortunately, and yet perhaps fortunately too, the WWE has a healthy roster of big names that have been out of the ring for quite a while. The following is a short-list of big names who might come back before or during Summerslam and why we have reason to believe we'll be streaming a big match with them with our Peacock Premium subscriptions. 

Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre is one of the WWE's top stars, and yet he's had a notable absence from television since WrestleMania 39. The latest word from Bleacher Report is that McIntyre is headed back to television once he can figure out alongside creative what they want to do with his story. 

With McIntyre's contract set to expire in 2024, there's a chance this could be his final run before moving to another company. Of course, he could always re-sign, and might do so if what he's offered creatively is in line with his interests. 

Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt has been out of the WWE since before WrestleMania 39, and he's reportedly dealing with an undisclosed illness. There have been various rumors lately though about him returning, however, and they recently got a lot more interesting when his former stablemate and former WWE superstar Erick Rowan dropped a cryptic tweet just following the end of SmackDown. 

Rowan shared a photo of him in a sheep's mask, which was a nod to his time in the Wyatt Family. Could this be another clue that Bray Wyatt will return soon? We got a lot of clues about his arrival last time, so I certainly hope so. 

Randy Orton

Randy Orton has been out of the WWE since he was injured in 2022, which resulted in him having back surgery. The Viper has made various appearances online, and we've heard good news from Orton's loved ones, but we haven't seen him get any closer to appearing in the ring. 

However, thanks to The Kurt Angle Show, we did hear that Randy Orton is healed up from his surgery. Angle went on to say that he believed the superstar will return soon, though to do what we don't know. I know that I would love to see him reunite with his RK-Bro Matt Riddle, but will things be the same with Riddle's possible heel turn on the horizon? I guess we'll find out if he comes back. 

Nia Jax

Nia Jax made a surprise return during the Women's 2023 Royal Rumble match and was eliminated, and that was it. Since then, however, Jax has been in the gym and looks a whole lot different these days. Based on her latest Instagram Post, I wouldn't be surprised if she was planning for a return to the ring, maybe in the WWE. 

In a women's division where Rhea Ripley and Ronda Rousey are booked as monster champions, we need Nia Jax returning to be the great equalizer that lays them out.  I'd love to see her return for something at Summerslam and maybe usher in a new era that can silence critics of her past runs. 

Matt Cardona/Zack Ryder

Not every wrestler is a star on their first run in the WWE; sometimes they need some time elsewhere to get that chance the next time. Matt Cardona has managed to do just that, and one could argue he has more name recognition now than he did back when he was Zack Ryder. Wrestling organizations should be interested in having him back, especially after WWE saw just how over Cody Rhodes has been in his return. 

Matt Cardona recently told Notsam Wrestling that he hadn't received calls from major organizations, but if he was preparing for a return, obviously he'd say that. I think it'd be foolish not to believe the WWE isn't at least considering bringing him back, but we'll see if he does pop up eventually. 

Braun Strowman

Braun Strowman has been out of WWE for a while after suffering a concussion, and then in June, he announced successful neck fusion surgery. Given the healing time, it's not impossible to think that Strowman could be back in time by Summerslam, but he'd need to likely wait until shortly before one would think. 

Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed when it comes to recover times. We've seen wrestlers return from horrific injuries relatively soon, and some simple injuries take longer to heal. We'll have to see which side Strowman falls on, and whether or not he'll be set for a return match at Summerslam. 

Robert Roode

We've been waiting some time on some "glorious" news about Robert Roode, but the wrestler continues to be out of commission. Last we heard, he received neck surgery back in November of 2022, but fans didn't learn about it until May of 2023. 

Could Roode have teased the recovery because he's about to return, or is he just updating fans because he'll still be gone for a while? We have no idea, but I would love to see him back in the mix and hear that wonderful theme music all over again. 

Kofi Kingston

There was once a time where The New Day was the hottest faction in the WWE. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods even managed to keep the spirit of it alive when the WWE split Big E from the group, but now the injury bug has really removed them from relevance entirely. Big E has been out for some time after breaking his neck, and Kingston is out with a broken ankle. 

The good news is that the superstar could make a return any week now. Kofi Kingston revealed on the Battleground podcast that he's been doing rehab on his ankle in Orlando. He's 12 weeks post-operation, so one has to think his return date is coming if it hasn't been officially set yet. I think he and Xavier Woods are past due for another tag-team title opportunity, and I'd love for Big E to be there too. 

WWE's Summerslam will stream on Peacock on Saturday, August 5th. Right now, the match card is still fluid, but we have some ideas on some pairings we might see based on the first poster for the event.  

Are you one of those people who is constantly scheming and coming up with wild wrestling theories? Well, I am. The majority of them I never share with the public because they’re too detached from reality and would make me sound mentally unstable, but every once in awhile, I need to say a few out loud, mostly because I think there’s a tiny sliver of a chance they might happen and I’m gonna need credit for guessing them on the off chance they do. I should probably go to therapy about that, but we'll leave that to another day.

Anyway, to be absolutely clear and cover my ass from any negative feedback, these are not my WrestleMania 39 predictions, which I published in a separate article. Those are, for the most part, very business-like and sober. These are more mom had one too many glasses of wine theories. There's some minor evidence here, though, and I'm gonna spend the rest of this article presenting it and trying to convince myself.

Alpha Academy Will Win The Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match, Setting Off A Run That Will End With Chad Gable As Mid-Card Champion

Chad Gable is one of the best losers in the history of WWE. He’s had some tag team championship glory, sure, but over the last year, he’s almost exclusively been used to put over other guys. He’s looked great doing it, and given how consistently he works with top talent, it’s obvious Triple H loves him. There’s also been some not so shy teases that Otis is about to leave Gable to join up with The Maximum Male Models.

So… my wild theory is in the middle of the Fatal 4-way match, Otis is going to get distracted and leave with The Maximum Male Models, which will leave Chad Gable by himself. Something inside him will snap, and he’ll go on an epic run by himself, beating the other 3 teams. Then afterwards, he’ll give a promo in which he vows never to lose again. This will set off a multiple month run through the mid-card that will end in him beating whoever eventually takes the title from Gunther. I love this theory because Chad Gable is great, and if you disagree, stick your finger to your lips and shoooooooooosh, 

Brock Lesnar Will Lose To Omos After The Hurt Business Reunites

Breaking up The Hurt Business was one of the worst creative decisions WWE has ever made. Bobby Lashley has done pretty well on his own. He’s really improved on the microphone, but there was something so intimidating about him with MVP, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander. Everyone is expecting this match to end with Lesnar F5ing Omos. It probably will, but what if Lashley shows up to help Omos and reunite with his former stablemates?

It would make sense given how their match ended at Elimination Chamber, and if Brock is going to take some time off, Lashley, with the backing of The Hurt Business and Omos, could step in as the SummerSlam challenger if Cody Rhodes wins at WrestleMania. I’d love to see The Hurt Business back together, and if Cody wins at ‘Mania but his run isn’t going as well as expected, Lashley could provide the perfect exit ramp at SummerSlam. But he needs a jolt to do that. Bringing back The Hurt Business would be a lightning bolt. Plus, for the thousandth time, they never should have broken up in the first place.

Alexa Bliss Will Order The Fiend To Attack Someone At WrestleMania

Alexa Bliss confirmed to CinemaBlend in an interview following her Masked Singer performance that she’ll be in the building at WrestleMania. The big question is what that means. WWE could inexplicably decide, for the second year in a row, not to use her. Or they could suddenly give us a ton of forward momentum in the staling Bray Wyatt plot. We haven’t seen Wyatt since he inexplicably disappeared from TV earlier this month. Rumors have been everywhere, but no one really knows what’s going on. Some claim there’s tension between The Eater Of Worlds and WWE over creative differences.

If they want to reset his character, the best way to do that may be through circling back to a plot WWE seemed to be setting up at the end of that poorly received WrestleMania 37 match with Randy Orton. Yes, it would be a little weird to circle back to that, but I don’t think fans hated it because it was a bad idea. I think they hated it because of how it was executed. Putting Alexa and Bray back together might be the best way to jumpstart both their careers and set up whatever the next chapter is. It wouldn’t explain why the match with Bobby Lashley was bailed on, but it would at least provide direction.

The Rock Will Cost Roman Reigns The Title And Set Up A Match At WrestleMania 40

Everyone was fixated on The Rock headlining WrestleMania this year since it was taking place in Hollywood and also because it made so much sense with The Bloodline story. But you know what also makes sense? Having one of the biggest movie stars in the world headline the 40th anniversary of WrestleMania? WWE has used the closing moments of WrestleMania to set up the following year’s match before, and with something like Roman and The Rock, which wouldn’t need the belts, that might actually make some sense.

A finish like this would also allow Roman Reigns to take some time off, and it would explain why, when he came back, he wouldn’t immediately seek a rematch with Cody Rhodes. He would be fixated on establishing dominance in his own family, and his story could exclusively focus on the disintegration of The Bloodline as he deals with The Usos, Solo and maybe some other family members that might pop up and have to choose sides. WWE ended night one of WrestleMania 38 on an incredible high with Stone Cold Steve Austin’s way better than it should have been match with Kevin Owens last year. Maybe this year will end night two on a high with The Rock. 

John Cena Will Beat Austin Theory, Then Hold An Open Challenge On Night 2 That’ll Be Answered By A New Signing

I’m pretty sure John Cena is coming back to give Austin Theory his stamp of approval and try to push him forward in his career. The twenty-five-year-old superstar has had his character reset by Triple H a little bit, but over the last few months, he’s been winning matches and looking good doing it. He’s back to holding The United States Championship, and while most fans really seem to recognize his potential and how good he is, he hasn’t found that connection yet that would take him to main event status. I think Cena is here to help that— but if he’s not, he could be here to facilitate a big moment.

Whether you like it or not, a lot of wrestling fans expect big surprises at major premium live events. Sometimes it feels like their perception of a show can be dramatically influenced by whether they got a surprise rush of adrenaline from seeing someone unexpected. There aren’t many places on the card where WWE could conceivably debut someone new, except maybe here. Cena is almost certainly not going to stick around to defend a title. So, if he wins, he needs to lose it quickly— and what better way to do that and give someone debuting a big first moment than by having Cena put him over?

To Sum Up

I don’t really believe any of these things are going to happen, and by really believe, I mean I wouldn't bet money on them without sizeable odds. But also, part of me believes they just might happen, and that’s why I needed to say something out loud. 

You can fact check me this weekend when the biggest show of the year airs. If you’re in The United States, you can check it out with a Peacock subscription or if you’re abroad, you can look into other ways to watch WrestleMania 39.

I dropped by the WWE WrestleMania Superstore today in Los Angeles, and I can confirm it’s awesome. It boasts hundreds of t-shirt styles, classic memorabilia, unusual souvenirs and a Mattel booth showcasing many of the fabulous toys coming over the next year or two. I spent over an hour in there, and while I was looking at all the amazing merchandise, I also noticed the store is set up in such a way that it seems to confirm the rumors that the original WrestleMania 39 card looked different.

When you first walk into the Superstore, which is at The Los Angeles Convention Center, there is a wall of motion posters that features many current WWE superstars. They’re all made to look like movie posters, which is fitting for the theme and location of WrestleMania 39. These don’t seem to have anything to do with who is actually on the WrestleMania card, as I saw Karrion Kross, LA Knight, Alexa Bliss and a bunch of others who don’t have official matches. 

By the check-out, however, there is a second series of posters. These are static and laid out much more thoughtfully. First, there are the five superstars going into The WWE Hall Of Fame class this weekend. Then, after that, there’s a poster for every (almost) every person appearing on the actual card, and they’re grouped together with their opponents. So, for example, John Cena is next to Austin Theory. Bianca Belair is next to Asuka. Almost all of it makes complete sense, but there are a few that very specifically don’t fit the pattern and they seem to offer confirmation that the final WrestleMania plans we got were not the original plans.

In total, there are six WWE superstars who have pictures that are not currently on the card, plus Snoop Dogg who has helped promo the event. Now, three of them, in my opinion, are very easily explained. The Miz doesn’t have a match but is hosting WrestleMania. It would be weird if he wasn’t there. I also think it makes sense that Solo Sikoa and Damian Priest have posters, as they’ll almost certainly play a key role as cornermen in matches. So, that leaves three more, starting with these two...

Now, WWE basically told us this match was coming. Bray Wyatt openly challenged the winner of Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley. Lashley accepted the challenge and there were a few promos and teases, until it suddenly disappeared without explanation. Rumors have been swirling for weeks about what might have happened. We've heard everything from Wyatt maybe having an illness to Wyatt maybe walking out. We don't know, but I think this is a sign that WWE was hoping to make it work until pretty recently. 

As evidence, everyone in the men's fatal four way tag team team showcase match that was added less than two weeks ago has their own individual poster. Maybe WWE has secretly been planning that match for months, but it went from rumor to confirmation in basically a day. The stories going around, if they were to be believed, essentially said Triple H and the writers wanted to feature more wrestlers so they added that. So... until how recently was WWE still holding their fingers Bray and Bobby would happen? Less than two weeks ago?

And finally, the last person with her own poster that's not scheduled for a match is Carmella, and those who have been paying close attention may have seen that coming too. The Staten Island Princess appeared for a few weeks with Chelsea Green by her side, and it looked like the two were going to form a tag team and compete at WrestleMania. As soon as the women's showcase fatal four way was announced, they seemed like a shoe-in. But then out of nowhere, Chelsea Green partnered with Piper Niven and then the following week, she partnered with Sonya Deville and won a qualifying match to get added to the 'Mania card. 

Exactly what happened with Carmella is unclear. Fightful Select previously reported that Mella was "sidelined" from competition, but they said it wasn't anything to do with backstage heat. She's made appearances this week at local events to promote WrestleMania; so, exactly why she was pulled is unclear. Both WWE's programming and this graphic strongly hint she was planned to be included, though, so, there must be some kind of reason.

Regardless, WrestleMania 39 will take place this weekend at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. You can check out my full predictions for the event, which you can stream for free with a Peacock subscription.

WrestleMania 39 is just about here, and the card is absolutely stacked. I’m so fired up about so many different matches. Of course there’s the possible end to The Bloodline story with Roman Reigns, The Usos, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and late addition Cody Rhodes, but even beyond those months-in-the-making matches, WWE has given fans an assortment of things to really be excited about.

I’m personally pumped for Austin Theory and John Cena, Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair and Rey and Dominik Mysterio to name a few, but it feels like I talk to five different people, and they all have different things they’re excited about, which is perfect. WrestleMania is meant to draw as many eyeballs as possible from casual and hardcore fans. It should be a celebration of all things wrestling: different styles, different emotional beats and different personalities.

I’ll do my best here to predict what’s going to happen. Not to brag, but last year, I went 11 and 4 in my WrestleMania 38 predictions (and have gone 56 and 21 since I started), and I’m hoping to do even better this year. I’ll outline who I think is going to win but also talk about the larger plotlines and what might be going through the minds of Triple H and the writers…

Austin Theory Vs John Cena For The United States Championship

The thing about wrestling for a championship belt is that if you win, you need to defend it, and at this point, there’s no reason to believe John Cena is sticking around in WWE to defend this belt. So, if he wins, it probably means he’s going to 1) wrestle for a surprise second time and lose during WrestleMania weekend or 2) drop it on an upcoming episode of Raw or Smackdown. Or more likely, it means he’s going to lose this long-rumored match. I’d love it if he won during the first match of night one, then held an open challenge and dropped it to a surprise person on night two (like LA Knight), but that seems a whole lot more complicated than just losing.

So, I think John Cena is going to lose. Being the great company man he is, I think he’s coming back to signal to fans that Austin Theory is a future star in the business (despite his post Money In The Bank booking), and there’s no better way to signal that than by losing a match for a belt he has a long history with at WrestleMania 39. I expect a fun, high energy match. I think Cena will get a lot of hope spots, but ultimately, I think he’s going to put Austin Theory over cleanly with his back on the mat. 

Predicted Winner: Austin Theory

Seth Freakin’ Rollins Vs Logan Paul

Logan Paul has full-on embraced his heelish inner-self, and it feels so right. He was never going to work, at least in the short-term, as a baby face, but now that he’s embraced the boos, he’s starting to feel more like a real part of the picture and not just a celebrity dropping by. The in-ring talent is there. The mic work is smooth and natural. He’s got the look. He’s got the charisma. The pieces are there to be WWE Champion someday, but in order to get there, he needs a ton of reps. He needs to expand his arsenal of moves, figure out how to sell promos with a less receptive crowd and improve the little things he hasn’t had time to develop yet. Whether or not he’s going to put in the time and make the commitment to wrestling in order to do that is anyone’s guess.

As for Seth Rollins, he’s getting a great crowd response. The fans are screaming his music, and he’s fully over as a baby face, which is wild given he was injuring Cody Rhodes with a sledgehammer less than a year ago. But it’s not really clear that he’s building toward anything. He’s doing fun work each week, but there’s not a sense of drive or long-term progression to his character. Add that to the fact that Logan Paul took a loss to Roman Reigns in Saudi Arabia last year, and I think WWE is gonna wanna put the social media star over here. You can’t pop up now and again and lose each time you pop up.

Predicted Winner: Logan Paul

Trish Stratus, Lita And Becky Lynch Vs Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky And Dakota Kai)

I have a lot of mixed thoughts about this match; so, let me talk out both sides. On the one hand, wouldn’t it be nice to give Trish and Lita an awesome WrestleMania moment? Fans would absolutely love to see those two, along with favorite Becky Lynch, raise their arms in the air in victory. Given this match doesn’t really have like larger title implications, it could just exist as a fun one-off memory for everyone involved.

On the other hand, how many times can we watch Bayley lose? I love Bayley. I consider her to be one of the top women, but she hasn’t won a singles match at a premium live event since she beat Asuka at SummerSlam in 2020. When Damage CTRL formed last year, it looked positioned to dominate the women’s division, but with Iyo and Dakota losing the tag team belts and Bayley taking Ls all the time (including on TV recently to Rhea Ripley), this match almost feels like a referendum to whether they should stay near the top of the card. 

Predicted Winner: Damage CTRL

Bianca Belair Vs Asuka For The Raw Women’s Championship

I like both Bianca and Asuka a lot. I’ve enjoyed a ton of feuds both of these women have been in, but to be honest, the build to this match has been a little flat. Their shared in-ring segments have been kinda awkward at times, and I’m not sure anyone is really following the story they’re trying to tell. Of the title matches at WrestleMania 39, I would say this one has the least buzz around it.

And I just can’t see Bianca Belair, after this incredible title run, losing the belt in a match that doesn’t have much buzz around it. Champions shouldn’t lose the belt because it’s time for change. They should lose it because someone else is gaining more momentum than they have. Asuka is great, but I just don’t see her gaining momentum with fans right now, especially because she’s in this weird middle ground where she’s trying to become a heel but people aren’t really accepting the change and booing her (outside of when she does overtly heelish things). In another timeline with a different build, I could easily see Asuka winning here, but not right now and not with this very bland lead-in. 

Predicted Winner: Bianca Belair

Brock Lesnar Vs Omos

Some rumors have swirled about Brock Lesnar maybe taking a break after WrestleMania 39. That’s entirely possible given he feels outside the main event picture, which is unusual for his character, but even if he does step away, I have to think WWE is gonna want to keep him strong for a possible return down the road. Omos doesn’t seem like he’s building toward anything specific right now, and Brock Lesnar needs to stay a main event style attraction. Think of it this way: could you conceive a scenario in which Brock Lesnar could main event a future WrestleMania? Yes. Could you conceive the same for Omos? No. That’s why Brock Lesnar should win this match.

I think there’s a legit chance here we might see an Earthquake Vs Adam Bomb at WrestleMania X style squash match. Lesnar picking Omos up over his head and F5ing him is the moment we all want to see. I don’t think WWE needs to waste time getting there. I’d gladly take an action packed two or three minutes, ending in a viral moment than eight or nine minutes that could be a little awkward since neither guy is the most fluid in the ring.

Predicted Winner: Brock Lesnar

Showcase Match: Braun Strowman & Ricochet Vs The Viking Raiders Vs The Street Profits Vs Alpha Academy

Did WWE set this match up to get some talented and popular wrestlers on the ‘Mania card or are we going to get some long-term plot development out of this? I think the answer is a bit of both, and I think that long-term plot development is going to come in the form of friction between The Street Profits. I’m not saying they’re going to break up at WrestleMania, but I think the seeds of long-term issues are going to be planted here. We’ve already seen the longtime pair wrestle a lot more separately in recent months. Now feels like the time for a Shawn Michaels/ Marty Jannety style story that plays out over the course of a few months and ends with a singles match, maybe at SummerSlam?

As for who will win the match, I’m going to rule out The Street Profits because of the above theory, and I’m also going to rule out Alpha Academy, since they’ve mostly been used to put other teams over and also seem like they’re in the middle of a slow motion break up. So, that leaves The Viking Raiders and Strowman & Ricochet. I like both teams a lot. Triple H and the writing staff have kept The Viking Raiders looking particularly strong, but Strowman and Ricochet are very over with the crowd. I saw them at a live event recently, and they were getting huge pops from the crowd. I think they’re potential future tag team champions.

Predicted Winner: Braun Strowman & Ricochet

Showcase Match: Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler Vs Natalya & Shotzi Vs Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez Vs Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville

First of all, I have no idea what happened to Carmella. WWE was clearly setting up a Carmella & Chelsea Green partnership and for them to take the last spot in this match. Now we're getting Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville. I'll miss Carmella, but I'm glad to see Sonya get a WrestleMania moment. She was great at placing the authority figure and was a really nice foil for Adam Pearce. They need to give her more opportunities to talk on TV.

That being said, this match has to be all about Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, right? Ronda has obviously had some troubles over the last year getting over with the crowd, but she's still Ronda Rousey. I don't know what WWE is paying her, but it's too much to be on the undercard. So, they need to figure out how to make this experiment work and give her an angle fans will buy. I think they're going to keep trying and that'll start with a win here, but I wouldn't be shocked to see Liv & Raquel pick up the W either.

Predicted Winner: Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler

Edge Vs Finn Bálor In A Hell In A Cell Match

It looks like we’re going to get Bálor’s Demon vs Brood-style Edge here, and I’m all for it. Between that and the Hell In A Cell stipulation, it’s a fun way to make this match feel WrestleMania levels of important. Expect a strong match with a really high workrate and some fun spots. I don’t think we’ll get any crazy cage jumps, but I do think we’ll get a really tight and well put together 20 minutes in which both of these superstars show how talented they are.

I’ve heard a lot of people say they think Edge will go over since he’s probably nearing retirement, but I just don’t think this win does as much for him as it does for Bálor. The goal of wrestling is to set up what is next. The Judgment Day is hot right now. All four performers are at the top of their games, and there’s a strong chance Rhea Ripley will emerge from ‘Mania as The Smackdown Women’s Champion. To me, the most important thing here is The Judgment Day looking as strong as possible because that stable could be incredible with a few minor tweaks.

Predicted Winner: Finn Bálor

Dominik Mysterio vs Rey Mysterio

If you would have told me a year ago that we would get Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania, I would not have been very excited. I know because a year ago, there were persistent rumors Vince McMahon wanted to break up the father son duo and push them into a feud, and I could not bring myself to care. Well, here we are, and I am absolutely hyped for this match. It’s one of my most anticipated showdowns on the entire card. Dominik Mysterio is on an epic heel run right now. He’s getting booed like a prime Ted Dibiase, and he’s a perfect for for The Judgment Day.

The expectation here from many is that Rey will finally teach his son a lesson and show him the meaning of respect, but I think a Rey Mysterio win would suck all the energy out of the feud. I’d like to see Dom go over here (obviously via some outrageous cheating) and these two could continue their back-and-forth for awhile. I don’t think Dom needs the feud anymore to stay relevant given how over he is as a heel, but if you have a ready made storyline fans want to see, you may as well use it.

Predicted Winner: Dominik Mysterio

Gunther Vs Sheamus Vs Drew McIntyre For The Intercontinental Championship

There are some fans who think Sheamus and Drew McIntyre were both put into this match to liven it up a little bit. Maybe. But personally, I think this is a triple threat because it gives WWE the opportunity to take the belt off Gunther without him actually losing. They referenced this on Smackdown during the contract signing, and it feels like that’s where this is going to go. Then, after Gunther loses, he can start working his way up to the main event scene, given he’s the best young unstoppable monster heel WWE has had since Yokozuna.

If Gunther is going to lose, I think the more likely candidate to win is Sheamus. He’s never held The Intercontinental Championship before, and this would give him a really nice moment, especially after he’s revitalized his career over the last year. Look for him to pin Drew McIntyre and then for the two of them to probably wrestle each other at WrestleMania Backlash with Gunther bowing out because he has his eyes on a bigger prize.

Predicted Winner: Sheamus

Charlotte Flair Vs Rhea Ripley For The Smackdown Women’s Championship

I love Charlotte Flair, but come’on. Rhea Ripley is on a rocketship right now. The fans are behind her. Charlotte already beat her once at WrestleMania. It is her time to carry the women’s division in WWE forward, and that starts at WrestleMania. I am confident in a fair number of these predictions, but there is none I’m more confident in than Rhea winning (with the exception of maybe Brock squashing Omos). 

Plus. I still think Charlotte Flair works better as a heel. She’s a talented enough wrestler and showman that she can technically do either. She’s probably better at being a top babyface than 90% of the roster as an example, but she really shines as a heel. That’s what she needs to get back to. I’d love to see her take a loss to Rhea and then turn heel to be the next challenger to Bianca maybe at SummerSlam. Expect a really strong match but for Rhea to ultimately prevail. I think she’ll do it cleanly too without Judgment Day interference.

Predicted Winner: Rhea Ripley

The Usos vs Sami Zayn And Kevin Owens For The Undisputed Tag Team Championships

With all due respect to Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes and everything else on the card, this has been the A-plot storyline over the last year. More often than not, The Usos and Sami Zayn in particular have been driving the weekly shows fans have been watching, and there will likely be more emotional investment from fans in this match than any other across either night. The payoff here was built one fantastic segment at a time, to the point where many fans are openly talking about how sad they are it may be ending.

Pretty much everyone I’ve talked to expects Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens to win here. We’ve watched them (in particular Sami) try to climb up the mountain for months. He got really close to the top in that fantastic match at Elimination Chamber in Montreal. This is the moment where he finally gets a happy ending, or at least an unapologetically happy plot point if the storyline continues. Ordinarily, I’d be worried about a potential swerve since so many people think they know where this is going, but sometimes you just need to give fans what they want. Shoutout to The Usos though who have been tremendous during this championship run. They’re no doubt first ballot Hall of Famers with a lot of career left.

Predicted Winner: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens

Roman Reigns Vs Cody Rhodes For The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Everyone acts like it’s such a sure thing that Cody is going to be the one to finally beat Roman Reigns and take his titles, but I’m not so sure about that. Roman and Cody have done a nice enough job of building a story over the past few months, but I personally think Cody’s story would be a lot more compelling if he lost and had to climb the ladder again. Yes, he went through a ton of hardships when he was in WWE originally, then switched to AEW and then switched back, but for those who might be newer to wrestling, he’s just a guy who has done nothing but win since he got back. I think Cody’s story is one of perseverance and overcoming challenges. Yes, he got injured last year and came back, but I’d like to see him experience some real losses.

I’m also just not ready for Roman Reigns’ time on top to be finished. He’s been the best heel champion WWE has ever had, and three years in, he’s still the biggest attraction. You can feel it on TV and you can feel it in the building during live events. He’s still got tremendous heat, and there are so many additional matches I’d like to see him have with the title: starting with Jey Uso. How fun would it be to watch Roman, still champion, absolutely lay into Jey and Jimmy about losing their titles and being weak? In a perfect world, I’d love to see Cody lose, fight his way back up the card, win The Royal Rumble again and try to finally get over the hill next year. Meanwhile, Roman can slowly lose member after member of The Bloodline until he’s completely on his own next year. Cody can take the titles then, but not now. Not yet. 

Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns

Other Predictions About Bray Wyatt, Bobby Lashley, The Miz, LA Knight And More

I have no idea what's going on with Bray Wyatt, but as of right now, I have to believe he's off the WrestleMania 39 card. It feels like something strange is going on behind the scenes or an injury (both of which have been rumored). I'd love to think this is a storyline swerve leading to a big surprise, but if this is all a work, I can't imagine you'd tease a Bray vs Bobby Lashley match, do a few promos and then say nothing about it for weeks. 

But I still think WWE will find a way to work Bobby Lashley into the WrestleMania card. Fans have been freaking out about how he was added to the Andre The Giant Battle Royal on SmackDown with a lot of talent that isn't going to be on the big show. Yes, that's a little worrying, but I don't see how you have Bobby Lashley available and don't use him at WrestleMania. That just doesn't make sense to me. So, I expect we'll see him issue an open challenge or something. 

The other person not on the card right now who I think will make a WrestleMania impact is LA Knight. He's been saying for weeks you can't have an LA WrestleMania without LA Knight, and given how much he's getting over with fans, I agree. Maybe that means doing something with Bobby Lashley. Maybe that means getting a quick segment on the microphone. I don't know how it'll happen, but he needs to do something. Good work that fans like should be rewarded.

And finally, I fully expect The Miz, who is hosting WrestleMania, to have at least one segment that ends in tragedy for The A-Lister. That's in keeping with his character, and it'll provide a little bit of levity at some point between matches. Maybe that beatdown come via a surprise celebrity or legend appearance or maybe that'll come from LA Knight or Bobby Lashley if they're not worked into the card another way. It could also be a cheap way to introduce a new character or a surprise hire and get them over with fans. Regardless, expect The Miz to eat someone's finisher at some point. 

The WWE is just a week away from delivering WrestleMania 39 and, while the match card is largely set, there still are a few key question marks surrounding some major matches. Few are as big as the one featuring Bobby Lashley and Bray Wyatt, who were supposed to throw down following Wyatt's taunting of him after Elimination Chamber. Subsequent reports of Wyatt being sick have put the match into question, and the latest information has made the situation even more confusing. 

Not long ago, Bobby Lashley confirmed he'd be having a match at WrestleMania regardless of who he had to face and, now, we have a Bray Wyatt sighting. A Twitter user shared a photo with Wyatt looking no different than he usually appears, and he was all smiles as he posed with the fan on a sidewalk. Wyatt looked well in the photo but, of course, a firm pose for a photo alone says nothing of his readiness or ability to compete against Lashley at WrestleMania 39. 

The story does get more interesting, however, when you consider what Ringside News learned from a "tenured member of the creative team" when asking about the Eater of Worlds' status for the event. According to this unnamed person, not even those within the WWE's creative circle are 100% sure what's going on with him at WrestleMania 39: 

The situation got even more confusing when it was announced on the latest SmackDown that Bobby Lashley would participate in this year's Andre The Giant Battle Royale. Lashley is the only person in that royale that has a guaranteed match announced at WrestleMania 39, so this could arguably be a way of setting him up with an alternate opponent if the WWE has to switch gears. 

The popular theory is that if Bray Wyatt and Bobby Lashley's alleged face-off doesn't happen, L.A. Knight -- who is also in the battle royale -- might go up against Lashley instead. Knight has been griping a lot in recent weeks about not being involved in the Hollywood show (despite his name), so this would be a great way to work the character in. 

Additionally, CinemaBlend can officially say that Alexa Bliss confirmed she will be present at WrestleMania 39, though she didn't elaborate any further than that. It was teased that Bliss was being targeted by the Man of 1,000 Truths and his cohort, Uncle Howdy, prior to WrestleMania 39. So if she's involved, one would think they are as well. 

This is definitely a head-scratcher, and it gets even more disorienting when factoring Bray Wyatt's persona into the speculation. Wyatt has consistently used deceptive tactics to surprise fans and get his characters over, and part of the fun associated with his current alter ego is never knowing where or when he might show up. Given that, wouldn't it be super exciting to be more or less certain that Wyatt won't be at WrestleMania 39 only for him to show up? That would be cool, though if I had to choose between that and knowing Wyatt will definitely be at WrestleMania 39, I'd choose the latter. 

Anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription can tune into WrestleMania 39 on Saturday, April 1st, and on Sunday, April 2nd. Now would be a perfect time to subscribe and maybe even revisit some iconic WWE moments of the past. 

Card subject to change is a phrase WWE fans know all too well. And while those four words are often used at live events, it can often become a reality for some of the company's biggest shows. That could very well be the case for the announced (but not finalized) one-on-one contest between Bobby Lashley and Bray Wyatt on the WrestleMania 39 card. 

On March 23, 2023, just nine days before the two-night “Granddaddy of Them All” was slated to get started at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, two-time former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley took to Twitter, saying:

Oddly enough, the “All-Mighty One” did not mention or allude to his WrestleMania opponent, instead saying he was “fresh and ready for a fight,” which could mean a lot of things.

Just a few weeks ago, the match-up of the two former WWE Champions squaring off under the bright lights of Hollywood seemed like a lock, as well as one of marquee matches on the card considering the high profiles of both wrestlers. But as we have come to know over the years, a lot can change in a short amount of time, and now the match is in question. 

A lot of this started in March 2023, when Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer (via Forbes) reported that Bray Wyatt missed a WWE event at Madison Square Garden, which as wrestling fans know, is like a country singer missing a gig on the Grand Ole Opry. According to Fightful Select, Wyatt was reportedly pulled due to a physical injury, but there weren’t a lot of details about the cause or severity of the supposed. 

Wyatt hasn’t been mentioned on WWE TV since then, though a poster featuring his likeness was briefly seen during a promo package for WrestleMania 39 during the March 20, 2023 episode of Monday Night Raw. Speaking of which, Bobby Lashley wasn’t on TV that night, nor was he mentioned, which is odd considering how close we are to WrestleMania at this point.

Now, this isn’t to say we won’t see Bobby Lashley and Bray Wyatt duke it out in Hollywood next weekend, as this could be part of some elaborate plan that WWE wants to keep close to the vest. Wyatt has been at the center of some of WrestleMania’s strangest moments during his WWE tenure, including his absolutely insane match with John Cena at the 2020 event.

But at the same time, Lashley’s tweet could open the door for another surprise. Maybe LA Knight steps in for his Royal Rumble 2023 opponent, or maybe he continues he faces off against his former Hurt Business stablemate Shelton Benjamin, who would be more than up to the challenge

If you want to know who Bobby Lashley ends up facing at WrestleMania 39, make sure to have a Peacock Premium subscription, as that is the only way to watch the two-night wrestling extravaganza on Saturday, April 1st and Sunday, April 2nd. And if you want even more wrestling, check out our rundown of all the upcoming WWE live events. 

We’re just a few weeks away from wrestling's biggest night, and the WrestleMania 39 card is getting pretty close to set. We have eight confirmed matches and a handful more with storylines actively developing. Between what’s confirmed and what’s rumored, most of the major WWE names have something to do, but there are still several superstars who have gotten regular TV time over the last several months that, right now, look like they might be left out. According to a new rumor, however, WWE may have a plan to solve that.

This morning over on the Twitter, WrestleVotes dropped a juicy little tidbit. The outlet said WWE is preparing to add two additional matches to the card: one men’s four way tag team match and one women’s four way tag team match. The men’s would reportedly feature Alpha Academy vs The Street Profits vs The Viking Raiders vs Braun Strowman and Ricochet, the last of which still needs a cool name. No potential participants in the women’s match were mentioned.

Now, this obviously, with all due respect to WrestleVotes, needs to be treated as a rumor right now. WWE has not confirmed this on television or even really hinted at it, and the other usual wrestling sources haven’t said anything. So, right now this is a big maybe.

That being said, this makes a ton of sense. There are some who feel a smaller WrestleMania card is better, but I want to see the performers I watch every week get a moment during the biggest nights of the year. And, also, even if you think WrestleMania spots shouldn’t be handed out. It’s hard to imagine a world in which The Street Profits and Braun Strowman especially wouldn’t be on a ‘Mania card. They’ve very over with the crowd, and someone like Chad Gable has been putting in tremendous work almost every week elevating top talent on Raw.

It’s also hard to imagine a world in which WWE leaves Ronda Rousey, Liv Morgan and Alexa Bliss, among many other deserving women off the card, either. I love seeing Lita and Trish back. They’re both among the best women ever, and I’ve enjoyed their feud with Damage CTRL. I’m stoked to see them perform at ‘Mania, but right now they’re at the center of one of only three women’s matches on the entire card. We have to get a fourth.

As I said, there weren’t any rumored women's names that came along with the tweet, but if I needed to pick eight women to put on the card, based on recent storylines and also star power, I’d put Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, Carmella and Chelsea Green, Natalya and Tegan Nox and Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. That still leaves off Alexa Bliss, but she can be used in the Bray Wyatt and Bobby Lashley match, if that happens given whatever is going on with Bray. 

There’s no perfect way to plot out a WrestleMania card. Everything always comes with tradeoffs. You can have less matches and give the participants more time, which can potentially lead to better individual moments, but then fans don’t get a chance to see some popular characters who are legitimately over. Conversely, you can add a bunch of additional matches but it’ll come at the expense of the time given to the more featured attractions. Putting one fatal four way on Saturday and one fatal four way on Sunday, in my opinion, is a great compromise. It adds sixteen performers to the card, but it does it in a way that will likely only soak up twenty minutes each night, especially if you streamline the intros a bit. 

We’ll keep you updated as WWE officially confirms the remaining matches on the card. I think there’s a good chance we’ll see this or something like this, at least on the preshow, but we’ll just have to wait and see if this happens. And also if they add LA Knight, which seems like a must given how over he's getting. YEAH.

Bray Wyatt's return to the WWE was one of the most exciting events of 2022, and fans were eager to see where the storyline was going with his fresh take on his persona. Unfortunately, there are some questions regarding whether fans will ever see the end result of this ongoing narrative, as rumors are swirling around claims that Wyatt allegedly walked out on the WWE over the weekend. 

Fans and more are concerned following the latest reports from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, in which he said Bray Wyatt missed an appearance at a live event at Madison Square Garden over the weekend (via Forbes).  Wyatt was reportedly advertised to wrestle in a match but was replaced by Braun Strowman on the fight card. Meltzer said he didn't know anything further about the situation, but noted Wyatt was also MIA at the previous SmackDown taping. 

Fightful Select reported an additional bit of news, saying that Bray Wyatt was pulled from the MSG show due to a physical injury, which is also meant to explain why he hasn't been present at other shows. The outlet added that it was unable to confirm Wyatt's reported displeasure with his status in the WWE, and noted that one of their own sources denied that claim. Even so, the hunt is on for more information that may or may not indicate something is going on with Wyatt and the WWE. 

Bray Wyatt hasn't had a face-to-face with Bobby Lashley since it was hinted they'd have a match at WrestleMania 39. Wyatt taunted Lashley in what appeared to be a pre-recorded segment on the Monday Night Raw following Elimination Chamber, and Lashley battled Uncle Howdy on the following SmackDown. If Wyatt is expected to perform at WrestleMania 39, one would think the WWE might want to have him actually stand in the ring against his opponent. Without knowing the full details of what's going on, though, it's unclear why he hasn't appeared in-ring. 

News of Bray Wyatt missing WWE events comes as Alexa Bliss has hinted that she's unsure if the WWE will use her at WrestleMania 39. It seemed clear at first that the company was angling to reunite Bliss with Wyatt, but if he's out of the company or unable to compete, plans might have stalled on that front. Alexa's supernatural gimmick was promoted for a while after Wyatt originally exited the company, but she eventually took steps to shed that persona when it became clear his initial exit would last longer than expected. 

It was also widely reported recently that former CEO and head of creative Vince McMahon was backstage at a Monday Night Raw. While it's reported that Triple H is still in control of the creative side of the WWE, it's known that McMahon still bounces ideas off his son-in-law, and that Triple H takes those thoughts into consideration. McMahon is allegedly not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company, but is currently around to help negotiate the sale of the WWE. 

It's rumored that Bray Wyatt and Vince McMahon had their fair share of differences, and their tense relationship was one of the factors in Wyatt's original departure from the WWE. It does seem strange that Wyatt returned to the company not long after McMahon stepped down from his CEO and creative roles, and now there are questions about Wyatt's status just after the news of McMahon appearing backstage. 

If Bray Wyatt is indeed done in the WWE, and this isn't just an injury issue, it would be the end of an eight-month stretch in which he wrestled a handful of matches. Only one of those was even televised — his win in a polarizing match sponsored by Mtn Dew Pitch Black. I'd imagine that's hardly the run Wyatt's fans hoped for, and it would be a sad way for one of the brand's biggest superstars to close out this chapter.

Snag a Peacock Premium subscription to watch WrestleMania 39 on Saturday, April 1st, and Sunday, April 2nd. We'll have to wait for more updates on what Bray Wyatt's status for the big night will be and cross our fingers that this isn't the end of his run yet again. 

WrestleMania 39 is on the way, and with not that long left before WWE's biggest nights of the year, we're finding out who will face who in the ring. There have also been a number of rumors and hints on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown about who else may have a match. 

Anyone looking for a rundown of who will and will likely square off on one of WrestleMania 39's two nights has come to the right place. Check out this updated list confirming who will take on who, as well a list of some of the most heavily speculated matches. 

Matches Confirmed To Be Happening

Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Cody Rhodes For The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes returned and won the 2023 Royal Rumble, giving him the right to challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Undisputed WWE Championship. WrestleMania 39's main event will see the Tribal Chief put his impressive streak on the line against a challenger who returned to the WWE after traveling the world and changing pro wrestling forever. Make no mistake, this will be an epic match, no matter who wins. 

Charlotte Flair (c) Vs. Rhea Ripley For The SmackDown Women's Championship

Rhea Ripley became the first woman in WWE history to win the Royal Rumble in the number one spot, and now she's coming for the queen of WWE: Charlotte Flair. Rhea is on a hot streak and looking like the strongest woman on the roster, but she's going up against one of the most successful women's champions the brand has ever known. Can the up-and-comer take down the established champion, or will Flair's experience prove too much for Ripley?

Bianca Belair (c) Vs. Asuka For The Raw Women's Championship

Bianca Belair has had an impressive year as champion, but she's in for her biggest challenge yet with Asuka. The veteran has been on a hot streak since she adopted a new clown persona and could use a green mist to bring The EST's major reign to an end. Belair hasn't been champ for a year for no reason, however, so I think Asuka has her work cut out for her.  

Brock Lesnar Vs. Omos

WWE is literally saying "Bobby Who" by instead booking Brock Lesnar with someone he hasn't squared off against in a long time: Omos. MVP managed to goad The Beast into agreeing to a match at WrestleMania 39, and it should be an absolute brawl. Omos has racked up a number of wins on smaller competitors on the roster, but taking on a similarly sized opponent like Lesnar should prove a challenge for him. He'll have to get creative to win, and knowing MVP, I'd be shocked if there wasn't some plan.  

Austin Theory (c) Vs. John Cena For The United States Championship

Austin Theory had a tough 2022 after winning the Money In The Bank briefcase, but his fortune turned around when he won the United States Championship. Since that moment, he's done a lot to show that he's someone who deserves a spot near the top of the WWE, but he's still not quite there yet. Beating someone like John Cena would go a long way to prove his legitimacy, but as Cena suggested in their face-to-face at the Monday Night Raw in Boston, it could also set him back quite a bit. 

Damage CTRL Vs. Becky Lynch, Lita, And Trish Stratus

Damage CTRL's Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai dominated the Women's tag-team scene in the WWE, but all that came grinding to a halt when Becky Lynch and Lita took the titles off of them on Monday Night Raw. Now, the entirety of Damage CTRL is out for revenge, and Trish Stratus threw herself into the mix to even the odds and make this a superstar throwdown for the ages. 

Finn Balor Vs. Edge

Finn Balor became the de facto leader of Judgment Day after they turned on Edge, and it has been a helluva run for the faction since. With that said, Edge and Finn definitely have some unsettled beef ahead of WrestleMania 39, and Edge gave a thrilling challenge Balor couldn't pass up. The two will settle this feud in a Hell in a Cell match, and I can't wait to see how this plays out. 

Gunther (c) Vs. Sheamus Vs. Drew McIntyre For The Intercontinental Championship

Gunther's run as Intercontinental Champion has been quite a ride, but now the Ring General will face his toughest challenge since being called up to the WWE's main roster. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre will take on the champion in a triple threat match, which will put the star at a major disadvantage. Can the up-and-coming champion escape with his title against these two proven champions? 

Seth Rollins Vs. Logan Paul

Logan Paul has had an impressive run in the WWE thus far, but he might've poked the bear one too many times. Sure, Logan Paul gave Roman Reigns a helluva match, but it's fair to say Reigns underestimated Paul's abilities. Seth Rollins won't make the same mistake when they meet in the ring, and will likely give Paul his most memorable WrestleMania moment to date. 

Rey Mysterio Vs. Dominik Mysterio

Rey and Dominik Mysterio's feud started way back when they were targeted by Judgment Day, and Dom was smitten by Rhea Ripley. Ever since then, he and his "Mami" have terrorized Rey and his family, and it even escalated to the point where Dom was arrested for causing a ruckus in their house. Dom has goaded his old man for a fight this whole time, and while it took a while, Rey finally accepted. 

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens Vs. The Usos (c) For The Undisputed Tag Titles

The Bloodline has been targeting Sami Zayn ever since he protected Kevin Owens from Roman Reigns. For a while, it seemed possible Zayn could get a major WrestleMania moment against the Tribal Chief, but with that firmly in the rearview, the WWE will re-align Zayn and Owens against the Usos. Under normal circumstances, I'd say the longtime friends aren't in a good place to take on the tag-team champs, but the Uso's recent tiff does make it feel like they'll be out of sync for this massive showdown. 

Matches Rumored Or Teased To Be Happening

Bobby Lashley Vs. Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt promised he'd target the winner of Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar's match at Elimination Chamber, and he's seemingly decided he's going after "Bobby Who" as of late. Wyatt had a strong showing against L.A. Knight earlier this year, but taking on Lashley, even with all of his supernatural tricks, feels like a tall order for Wyatt. Could Lashley be the person who puts an end to Wyatt and his mysterious cohort Uncle Howdy? 

Those with a Peacock Premium subscription can stream WWE's WrestleMania 39 on Saturday, April 1st, and on Sunday, April 2nd. Hopefully, there are some more surprises the organization is keeping under wraps. We'll update as they get confirmed.

After a disastrous 2022 Men’s Royal Rumble that some legitimately think was the worst in the event’s history, last night was a good reminder of why the premium live event is the favorite for so many wrestling fans. Pat Patterson’s visionary take on the Battle Royal came back with a vengeance last night and delivered multiple record breaking runs, as well as some fun returns and great teases for WrestleMania season. It also gave us one of the coolest spots in the history of the event thanks to Logan Paul and Ricochet being absolute mad men.

I’m not saying the event was better than the ‘92 Rumble, but a lot of it was pretty damn good. So, let’s dive into the results, as well as the match ratings. I’ll also revisit my predictions, which by the way, were really freakin’ good. I don’t want to spend too much time patting myself on the back here, but I didn’t miss the entire night. Some of that is a credit to me, but to be honest, some of that is also because WWE took the safe, logical route, at least until that WTF conclusion after the Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens match.

Let’s break down each one of the matches…

Cody Rhodes Wins The Men’s Royal Rumble

I spent about thirty seconds with my jaw on the floor when they announced The Men’s Rumble was happening first, but as soon as Gunther’s music hit, I was over it and fully locked into the match. He was a great pick to go off first, and Sheamus was the right guy to go second. Their Clash At The Castle match was my favorite of 2022, and I’d love to see these brawlers chop each other again. 

Putting Sheamus and Gunther back together was just the first in many mini-stories The Men’s Rumble told. We also got a continuation of the Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley feud. We got some interactions with Seth Rollins and Logan Paul, which could lead to a really exciting WrestleMania match. We got more trolling from Dominik Mysterio when his dad Rey Mysterio didn’t come out. We got a lot of work between Edge and Judgment Day, as well as a possible wink at Judgment Day and The Street Profits. We got tons of teamwork between Sheamus and Drew McIntyre and lots of teases between Gunther and other monsters. 

And of course we got Cody Rhodes making his big return. I thought it was smart to keep him confined to later in the match, and I thought he looked really good out there. His interactions with Gunther at the end of the match were excellent, and fans were certainly excited to see him go over in the end, even if the result was a little obvious. 

Here’s a quick list of some other things I liked: The Logan Paul and Ricochet spot was a 10/10. I also loved Logan leaning into being a heel. That dude has unlimited potential. I liked the sequence with Gunther and Sheamus ducking shots and accidentally hitting The Miz. I loved seeing Booker T get one more moment, and of course Gunther setting the record for longest time in a single rumble at over 70 minutes.

Here’s a quick list of things I didn’t like: The Rey Mysterio spot was confusing and needed a little something from the announcers. I was really happy to have Pat McAfee back because he’s spectacular, but I thought he acknowledged being gone too often and played too frequently into what’s changed since he was last here with certain characters. I think they announced too many participants before The Rumble started, and I wish we had gotten at least one or two more blasts from the past. Also, I have nothing against Johnny Gargano, but he needs to get over on the main roster. What he did in NXT does not count with most fans, and while he’s extremely talented, he’s done nothing to this point to warrant surviving almost 30 minutes. 

Match Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Really good Rumble. Will remember this very fondly, but not a ton of super memorable moments, and we all knew Cody was winning when we didn’t get Sami Zayn or The Rock.

Bray Wyatt Defeats LA Knight In The Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match

Anytime WWE has a product tie-in this aggressive, people are going to complain about it on Twitter. And I get it. It’s a bit odd to have a mentally deranged loose cannon like Bray Wyatt appearing in a match sponsored by a limited edition soft drink flavor, but unlike that time The Miz got eaten by zombies in a crossover match advertising some movie I can’t remember, I thought there was actually some redeemable value here.

Bray Wyatt’s face paint looked incredibly cool under the black light. I thought the pops of Mountain Dew green were pretty cool, and as a change-up to everything else going on, I thought it was a watchable five minutes. That’s better than I expected before the match started. We also got some Uncle Howdy after the match is over but absolutely no clarity on what the hell is going on there.

I also just want to reiterate real quick that LA Knight is an upper mid-card/ lower main event star. This should be the first of many key matches he’s in at WWE premium live events. In fact, I’d love to pitch him working a program with The Miz at WrestleMania. Those two dudes going at each other on promo would be tremendous, and The Miz could put him over for a big win on a PPV card. Just think about it, Triple H.

Match Rating: 2 out of 5 stars. Without question the worst match on the card, but it was harmless enough.

Bianca Belair Defeats Alexa Bliss For The Raw Women’s Championship

This wasn’t Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38, but it did exactly what it needed to do. Alexa Bliss had some flashes of potential for another main event run, which she hasn’t shown in years. Bianca looked mostly in control as a physically dominating, long-term champion should, and we got some character development for Alexa, who is clearly returning to the fold with Bray Wyatt, at the end.

I wish they would have been given a little more than seven minutes and change to tell their story, but time is always going to be at a premium when you have two Rumble matches and an extended televised post-segment added to another match at the end of the card. So, given all that, I think this went well enough.

The real question is whether this is the end for Bianca and Alexa Bliss or whether we’ll get a rematch after Alexa fully joins forces with Bray and becomes darker and much more sinister. That could be a compelling program to run back, but it’ll likely depend on whether WWE is going to do Rhea and Bianca or Rhea and Charlotte Flair. I suspect they’ll do Bianca and Rhea, which would leave Alexa free to develop her character and build back up slowly, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Match Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. This was a perfectly nice match that was mostly well-executed by both women, but given its length and what else was on the card, it won’t be super well-remembered down the road.

Rhea Ripley Wins The Women’s Royal Rumble

They gave us a little bit of doubt. Rhea Ripley was the heavy favorite in the minds of many prior to The Rumble, but after she was kayfabe injured during a post-elimination segment in The Men’s Rumble by Beth Phoenix and she came out at number one, the door opened for her to lose without losing any credibility. But she wouldn’t need the excuse. 

The Judgment Day heel started off the match with Liv Morgan, and the two women put on a dominating performance, winding up as the final two entrants after battling each other for over an hour. In between, we got a lot of good mini-stories, just like we saw in The Men’s Rumble. There was a pretty dominating segment in the middle in which Damage CTRL basically took over the match, eliminating a bunch of women between them and looking very much in control. That ultimately ended at the hands of Becky Lynch, which clearly telegraphed a program between Bayley and Becky that will almost certainly climax at WrestleMania 39.

The other big stories were Nia Jax, who made a surprise return at number 30 and Asuka, who debuted new facepaint and an updated look. Jax was gang eliminated by everyone in the ring pretty quickly, which is a clear signal she’s going to be treated with tremendous respect, and Asuka wound up finishing third. She lasted over a half hour and eliminated three women, a great sign for her too. Expect both of these women to do major damage and be involved in very key storylines this year.

Here’s a quick list of some of the things I liked: Rhea Ripley’s entire performance. Chelsea Green’s surprise return and almost immediate heave-ho, which gives a good sense of the character we’ll see from her. Damage CTRL’s mid-match dominance. Michelle McCool looking great in the ring, as per usual, and seeing Doudrop return to the Piper Niven character and having a nearly thirty minute run.

Here’s a quick list of some things I didn’t like: No Naomi. No Sasha Banks. No Forbidden Door. Not a ton of legend appearances, outside of Michelle McCool. Not enough big, well-choreographed spots. 

Match Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. This was a very solid Rumble with a lot of good talent and some effective storytelling. I’d complain about both Rhea and Cody being really obvious winners, but they were both the best choices available, at least among those that entered The Rumble.

Roman Reigns Defeats Kevin Owens (And Sami Zayn Turns On The Bloodline)

This was never going to be the most exciting match in the world because I don’t know a single person who thought Roman Reigns would lose his titles before WrestleMania. That just didn’t make any sense storyline-wise. So, the only possible results we could get were a Roman Reigns victory or a screwy Kevin Owens win by countout or disqualification, which would have likely elicited anger and boos from the crowd. So, it was always going to be Roman Reigns.

And it was Roman Reigns in a pretty dominating performance. Kevin Owens got a few hope spots of course with a pop-up power bomb and a stunner. I’ll admit I lost my logic and fully immersed in the match a few times and felt my heart jump during a couple close call pinfalls, but in the end, Roman, of course, won in a solid main event match.

What always mattered most here though was The Bloodline storyline development, and what an absolute treat that turned out to be. We got a little during the match itself when the referee was knocked out and Reigns asked Sami to get him a chair. He hemmed and hawed for a bit and clearly felt bad. He eventually delivered but the delay allowed Owens to regain his strength and turn the tables. Roman was clearly pissed off, and after the match, he and the rest of The Bloodline handcuffed KO to the ring and beat him.

Sami was later given a chair to join in and instead of hitting KO, he turned on Roman and hit him with the chair in what elicited one of the loudest pops I have ever heard watching WWE. This thing was like Attitude Era levels of bedlam. Sami obviously got jumped by The Bloodline afterwards, but Jey Uso refused to be a part of it and left the ring, leaving the future of both The Usos, the most dominant tag team in WWE history, and The Bloodline, one of the most dominant factions in WWE history, in jeopardy. 

We always knew Sami and The Bloodline would turn on each other. That was only a question of when, but the Jey Uso wrinkle was completely unexpected and now creates so many future storyline possibilities. I cannot wait to watch it unfold. Will The Usos break up? Will they fight each other at WrestleMania? Will Jey put his tail between his legs and go back to The Bloodline? 

Match Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (if you’re including the post-segment). This Bloodline plot is the most emotionally nuanced and compelling storyline WWE has ever done, and everyone involved should be so proud of themselves. 

Predictions Revisited...

Here's a look back at my predictions from before the event. I added a bolded paragraph after each to talk about how I did.

Bray Wyatt Vs LA Knight In A Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match

Let me talk to you. LA Knight is a freakin’ star. That dude is capable of having a Miz-like career where he just rolls for ten years, mostly crushing the midcard and talking segments but occasionally popping into the main event picture. He’s spectacular on the microphone and knows how to work the crowd. He’s also pretty good in the ring, and I see a super bright future for him. Obviously, WWE does too, given he’s opposite Bray Wyatt in the big man’s first program after his return, and he was on Raw XXX doing segments with The Undertaker. 

That being said, it’s hard to imagine Bray Wyatt coming back to this much fanfare and then losing his first match. He needs to establish himself as a dominant force in the ring so he can compete in the main event scene if WWE wants to take him there, and a loss to LA Knight at this point puts him very far away from that goal. I guess there’s a chance we see some interference from Uncle Howdy or Alexa Bliss that forwards his storyline and costs him the victory, but I just don’t see it.

Prediction: Bray Wyatt 

How'd I Do?: Yeah, I mean this was the easiest prediction of the night. Bray was always going to roll coming back, and he did so in about 5 minutes. I still believe in LA Knight long-term in a big way though. 1/1

Bianca Belair Vs Alexa Bliss For The WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Bianca Belair is one of the most talented women in the history of the business. Every bit of success she’s had so far has been well-deserved, and I think her future is as bright or brighter than anyone else in the women’s division. But… if you really listen closely to the crowd response, she’s not quite as over as you’d think. Fans like her, don’t get me wrong. She gets a healthy round of applause. People are happy to see her— but are they as happy to see her as they are someone like Becky Lynch? No, they’re not.

I blame creative. Her feud with Bayley and Damage CTRL was okay, but it didn’t really have any complexities or nuances. Now, she’s in the middle of this semi-rushed feud with Alexa Bliss, and it’s, in my opinion, making her tepid reactions worse. Fans want to see Alexa Bliss, who has been spinning her tires for a bit, return to Bray Wyatt, and every time that gets teased, it’s only natural for fans to root for it— even if it means rooting against Bianca.

So, because Bianca is not as over as you’d hope right now and because there’s a lot of hype around Alexa Bliss’ future, I think all possibilities are on the table here. At first, I thought we might get an Alexa win thanks to some creepy Funhouse interference in order to keep Bianca looking strong, but now, I think we’ll get a close match and Bianca will retain thanks to that very interference. Look for Alexa to maybe be in position for a victory when Uncle Howdy comes out and lures her officially back into the fold with his creepy sinkhole energy. Then she can start rebuilding alongside Bray.

Prediction: Bianca Belair

How'd I Do? We didn't get any interference from Uncle Howdy or Bray Wyatt; so, not surprisingly, Bianca Belair rolled. I'm happy we got some character development at the end for her though, and I do think she's about to rebuild stronger with Bray. 2/2

Roman Reigns Vs Kevin Owens For The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship 

There are, at least in my mind, only two outcomes that matter here, at least outside of putting on an entertaining match for fans. 1. Roman Reigns needs to leave The Royal Rumble with his belts so we can get a proper climax at WrestleMania. 2. Whatever happens needs to progress the Kevin Owens/ Sami Zayn/ Bloodline story arc. 

If both of those requirements hold, then that means we almost certainly need to get interference and either Roman Reigns needs to win in any fashion or Kevin Owens needs to win by disqualification or countout. That makes the ending to this match more complicated to predict because we’re not going to get any final resolution. I’ll go with The Tribal Chief, but the only real surprise would be Kevin Owens winning the belts.

As for how the Bloodline plot will advance, I think we'll probably see Sami Zayn try to help Roman but end up costing him in a key spot in the match. That will further sew distrust between him, Reigns and Wise Man Paul Heyman, which can be explored over the next month or two on Smackdown.

Prediction: Roman Reigns

How'd I Do? As suspected, Roman Reigns rolled, but we ended up getting way more character development than I expected after the match. What a freakin' story this continues to be. 3/3

The 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble

While I think there are a couple of real good options to win The Men’s Royal Rumble, I think the Women’s Rumble is wide open. We’re not looking to continue any important feuds right now. We’re looking to put something entirely new in motion for The Road To WrestleMania, and considering that could be in a program with either Smackdown Champion Charlotte Flair or Raw Champion Bianca Belair (or Alexa Bliss), all options are on the table. Let’s run over some possibilities.

Becky Lynch could win, given she’s the most over women’s wrestler on the entire card. Bayley could win, given she could have a terrific feud opposite Charlotte Flair, especially in promo v promo segments, though I think Becky and Bayley will probably continue working together into 'Mania. 

Asuka could get another main event push, which she’s desperately needed for a while. Raquel, who has been quietly getting a pretty big push for a while, could take a massive step forward. Naomi could return to a monster pop and insert herself back into the main event picture. Sasha Banks could shock everyone and return in what would likely be the loudest surprise Rumble pop in the event’s history. Ronda Rousey could come back and intentionally piss off fans in a move that could generate the loudest boos in Rumble history.

There are so many good options, but I’ll take Rhea Ripley. The Judgment Day is a fantastic stable, and they desperately need some gold to add a little credibility. I’d love to see Rhea Ripley emerge as the full-on leader of the faction, and I’d love to see Damian Priest escorting her out to her matches as one of the most physically intimidating valets since a young Kevin Nash as Diesel used to back up Shawn Michaels. She has so much potential, and while I love seeing her work with the men in whatever Judgment Day is doing, I’m ready to see her emerge as a huge star in the women’s division.

Prediction: Rhea Ripley (hopefully in dominating fashion).

How'd I Do? I guessed Rhea Ripley would roll in dominating fashion, and she rolled in dominating fashion. She went wire to wire and had seven eliminations. 4/4

The 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble

There are technically a lot of potential options to win here, as I broke down in my piece ranking the most likely 2023 Royal Rumble winners, but from a storyline perspective, I think we’re down to three options that are much more likely than the rest: Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and The Rock. 

I think those are the three that make far more sense from a storyline perspective than the others. So, let’s briefly talk about why.

Prior to his injury around Hell In A Cell last year, Cody Rhodes seemed well on his way to finally winning the WWE Championship that has eluded him and his father. He was getting great crowd responses and it only seemed like a matter of time before he’d be put in a big spot for the historic title. Unfortunately, he got injured and what once seemed like a sure thing, now seems like more of a question mark. My read is fans want to see him continue his storyline for sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen right away, especially because fans may want to see two other stories Roman Reigns could tell more.

The first is with The Rock. The WWE legend and Hollywood mega-star has been at the center of rumors around a possible WrestleMania return. Those whispers have gotten a little cold water poured on them lately (allegedly because The Rock is worried about being in good enough cardio shape), but I think there’s still a decent chance he’s in for ‘Mania, especially after how well Stone Cold’s return went over last year. If he is going to show up, there’s no better place to start that program than at The Royal Rumble, and if he does show up,  it's hard to imagine him losing.

And finally, we have Sami Zayn. The Honorary Uce is the most popular person on WWE’s roster right now, and he’s involved in the most popular storyline. Fans would lose their minds if he won The Rumble, but whether or not WWE sees him as a WrestleMania main event star is another conversation entirely. Is he capable of moving tickets? Is he capable of generating crossover interest from casual or non-wrestling fans? I guess we’ll find out if WWE has the confidence he can.

Prediction: I’m sticking with Cody Rhodes

How'd I Do? This was a lot harder to predict when I thought we were going to get Sami Zayn and potentially The Rock in The Royal Rumble. Cody was still the pick, but without those two, he was the obvious pick. So, I'm happy I got it right, but this was less impressive than most years would be. 5/5

The WWE pulled out all the stops for Raw XXX, the USA stalwart's 30th anniversary event, and superstars past and present were in attendance to celebrate three decades of Monday Night Raw. Fans were treated to one special and unexpected moment involving The Undertaker helping Bray Wyatt deliver a beating to LA Knight ahead of their eventual match at the Royal Rumble. Now, both of the big and burly athletes have shared their thoughts on the moment, possibly with some additional insight into a brief exchange that viewers saw go down during the broadcast. 

Before the segment ended, audiences spotted Undertaker (who was sporting his classic American Badass persona) whispering something to Bray Wyatt before exiting the ring. The Phenom hit up Twitter to reply to an official WWE tweet asking what was said in that moment, and he wrote the following: 

It's unclear if The Undertaker was explaining what he said to Bray Wyatt or if he was just commenting on the moment they shared at Raw XXX. It certainly felt like a torch-passing moment for "The Deadman" to pause on a choke slam and instead allow Wyatt a chance to perform the "Sister Abigail" on LA Knight. 

I also couldn't help but notice The Undertaker opted to wear his far-less popular American Badass ring gear, perhaps to establish further that Bray Wyatt currently reigns supreme as one of the darkest and strangest wrestlers in the WWE. Whatever Taker said and the significance behind the moment clearly meant a lot to Wyatt, who said the following after his big moment with the WWE legend: 

Bray Wyatt's response is very much in line with his current wrestling persona, in which the "real" Bray has struggled with navigating the darker personas within him. Still, it's easy to see the actual man behind the character was thankful for Undertaker's willingness to give his public seal of approval in front of WWE fans. 

WWE likely doesn't have any future plans for The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt at upcoming WWE events considering that Taker's career is essentially more about interacting with fans outside of the ring. With that said, those with a Peacock Premium subscription might be tempted to revisit their past showdown at WrestleMania 31. Taker emerged victorious in that encounter, which could factor into his willingness to sign off on Wyatt now. 

Whether or not Bray Wyatt will measure up to the phenomenal career of The Undertaker remains to be seen. Wyatt is universally regarded as one of the most creative wrestlers in the industry, but the WWE has done an objectively poor job in the past of booking him as a legitimate threat within the company, whereas the 'Taker was reguarly involved with the biggest matches of any given year.

Bray Wyatt's upcoming Royal Rumble match with LA Knight will be the first real opportunity to see how the WWE will handle the character since his return and whether he might be more threatening to the WWE roster in the coming year. The Undertaker's seal of approval seems like another positive sign Wyatt's talents won't be squandered again, but we can only wait and see.

Bray Wyatt and LA Knight will square off at the 2023 Royal Rumble, which streams on Peacock Saturday, January 28th, with the pre-show beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. Hopefully, we'll see more about what's happening with Wyatt and the identity of the mysterious Uncle Howdy. 

WrestleMania might generate most of the mainstream crossover headlines, but to me and a great many wrestling fans, there is no better or more exciting premium live event each year than WWE’s Royal Rumble. The battle royal variation has been held every year since 1988, and during those thirty-five years, it has launched countless storylines and helped to propel numerous wrestlers into the main event scene. For the winners, it also often becomes one of the biggest moments of their careers.

If you were writing about all-time legend Ric Flair’s career accomplishments, how long would it take you to get to winning the 92 Rumble? My guess is not very long, and the same could be said for so many others. In fact, the winner’s list is a murderers' row of historical greats like Flair, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock and Bret Hart. So, who will add their name to those ranks?

Well, much to the delight of WWE fans, there are actually a lot of options this year. There are a handful of people with spectacular cases to win the Rumble. There are a handful more with pretty solid cases, and there are a few more that would be a super fun swerve. But which will Triple H and WWE’s writing staff actually pick? 

Will it be the (probably) returning Cody Rhodes? Will it be a celebrity like The Rock? Will it be someone from Roman Reigns’ own bloodline like Sami Zayn or Jey Uso? What about a rising star like Gunther? I’ve picked who I think are the 20 most likely possibilities and ranked them. Now SHOOOOOOOSSSSHHHH and let me get to my picks...

20. The Miz

You’d have to give me a thousand to one odds on The Miz winning The Royal Rumble to put any money down, but I’m putting him on this list because he’s one of the few people on the entire roster that consistently generates heat from the crowd. Always has and probably always will. That means something. The fact that we can all visualize The Miz winning The Rumble and spending the next two months on television bragging about how awesome he is, only to get heckled and screamed at by the crowd means something. He’s just capable of playing out any storyline, whether it’s a Money In The Bank briefcase, a feud with a new celebrity or a ridiculous, borderline stupid midcard plot.

I’d love to see The Miz have one more run with the big belt. I’m not saying he needs to have some epic year long reign, but he could do a lot with two or three months on top of the ticket. I think he might get his chance at some point too, but it’ll be after Roman Reigns drops at least one of the belts and the creative possibilities open up a bit more. 

19. John Cena

Rumor has it WWE wants Roman Reigns and Dwayne Johnson to potentially face off at WrestleMania 39 given it’s in Los Angeles. That sounds like a great plan, but if The Rock isn’t ready to drop the People’s Elbow for whatever reason, do you know who else is a big star in Hollywood? The Face of WWE John Cena. He got in the ring on the last Smackdown of 2022 and delivered WWE its best ratings in years. That dude loves wrestling, and you know he’d be down to play a key role in WrestleMania if his schedule allows it. 

Cena has won 2 Royal Rumbles in the past, and it would certainly go over with some fans to see him surprise everyone and deliver some five knuckle shuffles. But, to me, it’s not smart to give a storyline as important as the Royal Rumble winner to someone who isn’t going to be around long-term. Even if Cena were to agree to stay for the Road To WrestleMania between late January and April, he’d almost certainly be leaving after ‘Mania to go back to Hollywood. Plus, even though it’s always a joy to see him come back, it’s not quite as special as some of the other former guys, given he’s done plenty of appearances and runs since he first left. As such, I'd rather see WWE pay off the rumors and have him fight Austin Theory. 

18. Austin Theory

A lot of people predicted Austin Theory would fall on hard times after Vince McMahon left. For a little while, that fall from grace seemed like it was happening too. He lost quite a few matches and dropped his Money In The Bank briefcase trying to cash it in on the United States Championship. His follow-up explanation promo was excellent, however, and he’s been feuding with Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins in the time since, which is great news. 

Whether you think McMahon was pushing Theory too hard or not, the dude has so much natural talent. He’s terrific inside the ring, and his microphone work is already better than 2/3rds of the people in the company. He’s one of the biggest long-term assets WWE has, and I’m really glad Triple H is recognizing that and keeping him involved in key storylines, as well as letting him hold the United States Championship. I think it’s far too soon to give him a Rumble victory, but the fact that he’s even on this list is a credit to where he’s at.

17. Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley and a handful of other guys like Drew McIntyre and Sheamus are victims of Roman Reigns’ over the top success. Were he only holding one of the belts, the other one would undoubtedly be held by one of the other main eventers and another would likely be actively feuding for the title. Since Roman holds both belts, however, there are less total people involved in the title picture.

Lashley still gets a terrific pop when he comes out though, and he’s one of the few guys on the roster who feels like he could beat anyone on any given day. I’d personally like to see him back with MVP and The Hurt Business, which they've been teasing. That would give his character a bit more direction and maybe lead to another title push down the road. I don't think he'll win The Rumble, but it could be a chance for him to take a bit step forward and get some character development. 

16. CM Punk

I don’t know what I’m doing here. CM Punk probably shouldn’t be on this list. I don’t even know if his well-documented issues with AEW have been resolved to the point where he could make an appearance even if he wanted to. But part of the goal of The Royal Rumble is to generate buzz for WrestleMania, and I can’t imagine anything else that would generate more buzz than a surprise appearance by CM Punk. Wrestling Twitter would be unstoppable for weeks. 

Even if you set aside all the possible legal issues, though, I wouldn’t put CM Punk much higher than this because I don’t think having him win the Rumble necessarily makes sense. CM Punk back in WWE is the story. He doesn’t need to win the Rumble to generate buzz, and I don’t think you’d go from 0 to 60 and book him with Roman Reigns at ‘Mania. He could wrestle a mid-carder who is over like The Miz and get a gigantic fan response. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kevin Owens didn’t need a championship match to create a moment last year.

15. Roman Reigns

Wait, is Roman Reigns going to enter the Royal Rumble? Probably not. The champion rarely participates in the Rumble, but it happens on occasion and a Roman Reigns win would solve a lot of problems regarding his WrestleMania opponent. Rumors have swirled for awhile that WWE’s preference would be to have him face The Rock, but as champion, he is going to need to face whoever wins the Rumble, unless there’s some shenanigans later on that might piss off fans. If Reigns were to win himself, however, he could pick his own opponent and choose his cousin The Rock. 

The only reason I don’t have this higher, however, is that WWE needs to be careful about how dominant they make the Tribal Chief. Yes, Reigns is the biggest story in wrestling right now and for good reason. He’s a freakin’ star, and it’s obvious how over he still is every single time he shows up. Every bit of his extended title run has been deserved, but he’s not a prime Stone Cold Steve Austin and he hasn’t proven popular enough to change the overall fortunes of the wrestling business. He’s simply a huge star in the middle of a brilliant run, and in my opinion, putting both belts on him and having him win the Rumble is just asking fans to start turning on him. Wrestling is bigger than any one performer.

14. Jey Uso

Jey Uso has done some of the best work of his entire career over the past few years. His character, with a scared deference to Roman Reigns and at first a mistrust and later an embrace of Sami Zayn, is so complicated and well-developed. Wrestling stories don’t normally dig this deep emotionally, and other wrestlers should take a lesson from him on how to do character work. It’s been excellent.

Now, is that going to translate into a Rumble victory? Probably not. The Usos have their own storylines with the Undisputed Tag Team Championships, and I’m sure there are other stories Triple H would rather tell. That being said, the fact that you could so easily course out a compelling narrative here is a testament to everyone involved in the Bloodline. Imagine if Jey won. What would Jimmy’s reaction be? What would Sami’s reaction be? How about Roman? I would love to watch it.

13. Logan Paul 

I’m not sure what to do with Logan Paul or how highly I should be rating him on a list like this, but given the timeframe on his injury, he should be coming back somewhere around The Royal Rumble. And given how spectacularly he has overperformed in his three matches and how much star power he brings with him, he always has to be considered a contender for something bigger. Such a huge push like this would likely involve him having to make a commitment to do wrestling full-time. That seems unlikely, but he reportedly did redo his contract to make a bigger commitment and work more dates. So, we’ll see.

I think what’s more likely going to happen, if he comes back from injury at The Rumble, is we’ll see him go on a nice little run, eliminate a few people and then start a feud with either one of the people who eliminated him or someone he eliminated. I’d expect a high mid-carder like Damian Priest, who would seem more physically imposing than The Miz but is also someone WWE would conceivably let him beat at WrestleMania. 

12. Sheamus

Talk about a career renaissance. Sheamus seemed destined to keep sliding down the mid-card until he found new life alongside Ridge Holland and Butch over the last year as the Brawling Brutes. They went from getting like two and a half minutes against The New Day at ‘Mania 38 to main eventing Survivor Series War Games against The Bloodline. That tremendous run also included a match of the year candidate for Sheamus against Gunther at Clash At The Castle, as well as an incredible 3 v 3 match at Extreme Rules with Imperium. 

Absent any clear stories to tell, Sheamus would be an excellent candidate to win his second Royal Rumble this year. And some years there aren’t any clear stories to tell. But that’s not this year. WWE is overflowing with possible directions to go in, and I think a Sheamus arc just isn’t going to look as appealing. That being said, I fully expect The Celtic Warrior to do some damage and get some nice little moments. He’s earned it.

11. Braun Strowman

I don’t know what to make of Braun Strowman since he returned to WWE. He’s getting really good pops and engagement with the crowd, but he feels quite detached from the main event scene and the storylines going on there. He’s currently feuding with Gunther, but it’s hard for me to imagine Gunther losing the Intercontinental Championship anytime soon. So, if he comes out on the wrong end of that feud, can he really progress to the main event? That doesn’t seem to logically track. So, he’ll probably end up with a feud with a higher end performer outside the main event scene like Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre or Sheamus.

That being said, I’m not going to write him off on The Rumble. He, of course, won the unofficial Greatest Rumble in Saudi Arabia and should always be viewed as a threat to win anytime he’s in the ring, no matter who it’s against. I suspect we’ll probably see him come in like a house of fire, only to get gang eliminated Omos-style by 5 or 6 people working together. That’ll keep him looking strong.

10. Randy Orton

We don’t know exactly when Randy Orton might return from his back injury. I tend to think he won’t be around for The Rumble, but if “Voices” hits over the loud speaker, people will lose their freakin’ minds in the crowd. He was white hot over when he got injured and had to step away back in May, and if you want to know how over he still is, watch how much bigger of a reaction his tag team partner Riddle was getting when he did one of Orton’s moves versus one of his own.

There are lots of fans who probably have different preferences for who they’d like to see win The Rumble. We’ll get to most of these candidates in a minute, but I think it’s a testament to Orton that I think pretty much everyone would be happy with him winning. They might prefer Cody Rhodes or The Rock or Sami Zayn or some of these contenders later, but I think an Orton return and win would bring a smile to every single person’s face.

9. Drew McIntyre

I’m still a bit shocked WWE didn’t put Drew McIntyre over at Clash At The Castle. So much seemed to be lining up in his favor. Roman Reigns was stepping back and doing less appearances. He was in front of a ravenous home crowd that wanted to give him his British Bulldog at SummerSlam '92 moment. Given how he essentially carried WWE during lockdown, many felt he deserved a big thank you moment in front of a live audience. But it wasn’t to be. He lost, which begs an obvious question: then why would he win the Royal Rumble?

Wrestling is about creating moments and then paying them off. You put in months of prep work to create a match the crowd is invested in. The winner of The Rumble will face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania in the main event, and it’s impossible to imagine that moment could possibly be bigger than the Clash At The Castle one. So, it just doesn’t seem like a good option. That being said, he’s Drew McIntyre, one of the biggest stars the company has, and he’s going to be a threat to win any Rumble he’s in.

8. Brock Lesnar

I have no reason to think Brock Lesnar is going to show up at The Rumble, except that he’s either the biggest or second biggest star WWE has and The Rumble is the second biggest event of the year. He, of course, won the last installment to set up the main event of WrestleMania 38, but it’s hard to imagine Triple H and company will want to tell the same main event story again this year. I love both, but WWE has only run back the same main event a few times in ‘Mania’s history, mostly recently with The Rock vs John Cena back in 2013.

But Brock Lesnar is Brock Lesnar. Every single person employed by the company wishes they had his resume and pop culture crossover appeal, and he’s always going to be a threat to main event any single card he agrees to participate in. I assume he’s going to be at WrestleMania, which means he’ll need something very important to do. I don’t think it’ll be main eventing again with Roman Reigns, but I’m not going to write the possibility off, especially after how awesome SummerSlam '22 was.

7. Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt has a separate match at The Royal Rumble against LA Knight, who, by the way, is terrific and should keep getting pushed. I don’t expect to see Wyatt in the actual Rumble because I think they want to take a lot more time with the Uncle Howdy storyline. Figuring out what’s going on with him and where his character is headed long-term feels a lot more important than The Rumble. But you can’t ever count out guys who are extremely buzzy and over with the crowd. Apart from dudes returning, is there anyone else who would get a bigger reaction if their music hit during The Rumble? I don’t think so.

Wrestling is about a lot more than just the main event though. You need to fill the rest of the card, and in that way, Wyatt figuring out what the hell is going on with him since his return is a huge asset. It seemingly exists outside the standard hierarchy and doesn’t need other A-list performers to matter. It’s not the main event, but the fans care deeply about what’s going on. WWE is going to want to extend that as long as it can, because if and when it combines with the main event/Roman Reigns, then there are less total things on the show fans are interested in.

6. Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens is due to wrestle Roman Reigns in a big spot. The two have been feuding as part of the ongoing Sami Zayn Bloodline story for awhile, and it feels like their confrontation is coming to a head… which is why they’re booked to wrestle each other at The Royal Rumble. Were it not for that match, Owens would be even higher on this list. He did a spectacular job during his main event match with Stone Cold during night one of WrestleMania 38, and WWE could certainly trust him if he was put into a big spot again this year. Here’s the case for it.

Kevin Owens loses during the first match at The Royal Rumble, probably via Bloodline interference. Then he shocks everyone by returning during The Rumble, shouting about how he’s going to get vengeance and another crack at Roman Reigns. He wins The Rumble and then spends the next few months on TV assembling his own backing support to keep The Bloodline away during ‘Mania. It’s a pretty worthwhile story. It’s just not as good as the next ones (and also probably too close to what WWE did last year with Lesnar at The Rumble).

5. Seth Rollins

Seth Freakin' Rollins is getting huge reactions from the crowd in the middle of a feud for the United States Championship. Imagine how much more magnified those reactions would be if the Visionary was on the road to the main event at WrestleMania. Fans would be screaming his theme song and cheering every little thing he was doing in the ring. And he’s doing so much right in the ring. That’s the best thing about Seth Rollins. He’s spectacular on the microphone. He’s very fundamentally sound in the ring. He can do all the flippy flops, as Braun Strowman would say, but he also choreographs his match out in such a way that it allows him to be a spectacular troll and create tons of little winks to the audience.

Seth Rollins is, for me, the absolute best wrestler on the planet. He does so many things well, and I’d love to see him rewarded with another big moment like winning The Rumble and main eventing WrestleMania. It’s probably not going to happen because it doesn’t play into a current storyline, but it would be so cool to see him and Roman Reigns work ‘Mania given their long Shield past and Rollins’ beloved Money In The Bank cash-in at WrestleMania 31.

4. Gunther

Gunther is the monster heel to end all monster heels. He’s a throwback from another era that somehow fits perfectly into this one too. He’s must watch television every single time he’s on, and his entire presentation with Imperium works so freakin’ well. I think he’s going to have multiple extended reigns with one of the big belts during his time in WWE, and I think if all goes well, he could go down as an all-time legend of the sport.

Plus, with the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship restored thanks to tons of great matches from Gunther, it would be a delight to see ‘Mania main evented by another WWE Champion vs Intercontinental Championship match like at WrestleMania 6 with Ultimate Warrior vs Hulk Hogan. I can just imagine the promos where Roman Reigns talks about how he’s going to win every belt the company has before he’s done, and I can imagine Gunther staring right back at him. 

3. The Rock

We’ve all heard the rumors. WWE and The Rock apparently have a shared interest in him main eventing WrestleMania 39 which just so happens to take place in Los Angeles. The obvious match would have him wrestling his cousin Roman Reigns to see who the real Head Of The Table is. Unfortunately, that’s currently complicated for logistical reasons. Roman Reigns holds both of the major WWE titles, which means, barring a change in circumstance, he will be facing the Rumble winner at ‘Mania. That leaves WWE with three choices if they want Reigns and The Rock to happen: Reigns can lose one or both of the belts, he can wrestle once on each night or The Rock can win The Royal Rumble.

The Rock won the Royal Rumble all the way back in 2000. I don’t necessarily love the idea of having him win The Rumble again this year, given he’s not likely to be around after ‘Mania, but if The Rock is willing to come back and work for a few months to set up a truly epic main event to remember at Hollywood WrestleMania, I think most fans would sign up for that in a second. Besides, it’s not like everyone loved The Rock because he did all the moves perfectly in the ring. No one is expecting him to look like a prime Mr. Perfect. The People’s Elbow is maybe the dumbest signature move ever, but it all works because of his charisma, which he’s only improved since becoming a movie star. So, I have full confidence he can still put on a hell of a match in his own way.

2. Sami Zayn

What was Sami Zayn doing last year at the Royal Rumble? Oh, that’s right. He was in a feud with Johnny Knoxville from Jackass. I loved it, by the way. It was a lot of fun and later led to one of WrestleMania 38’s most memorable matches (and an epic Wee Man bodyslam), but we both know damn well that was the most mid-card storyline ever to exist on the mid-card. It was fabulous and I wouldn’t change a thing, but it didn’t even have a vague relationship to anything at the top of the card.

You know what’s not mid-card city? Winning the freakin’ Royal Rumble. And we are all sitting ringside in a world in which Sami Zayn could possibly win The Royal Rumble. He’s easily one of the most over guys on the entire roster, and he’s spent the last few months slowly proving his loyalty to Roman Reigns. Him winning The Royal Rumble would be a pretty natural extension of that storyline. Imagine he wins and Roman laughs in his face and is super dismissive. Or maybe he tells him he needs to lay down and lose on purpose or give up his title shot? There are so many options. All of them good.

1. Cody Rhodes

Since practically the moment Cody Rhodes got hurt around Hell In A Cell, more long-term focused wrestling fans were pointing to a possible return at The Royal Rumble. The storyline seemed to write itself. The prodigal son returned home to WWE with a goal of capturing the title that eluded both him and his father. He got over with the crowd, rattled off wins and seemed destined for his chance at Roman Reigns. Then he got hurt and was out for months. What could possibly be more perfect than having him return at Royal Rumble, win and get a title shot at WrestleMania? How could anything top that? 

If Dwayne Johnson wasn’t possibly coming back with an eye to Main Event WrestleMania 39. If the Sami Zayn/ Jey Uso/ Roman Reigns Ucey storyline wasn’t the hottest thing in wrestling right now. If the entire world wasn’t looking at this event and thinking damn, Cody makes a lot of sense to win here, possibly creating pressure on the writing team to swerve. If people weren’t singing Seth Rollins’ theme song. If Gunther wasn’t engineered in a lab to be an all-time talented monster heel. If. If. If. If all of those options weren’t options, it would for sure be him. But they are options and really good ones.

I think Cody Rhodes is the right man to win the Rumble, and all signs point to him returning. I want that for him and his career, and I think it makes the most sense given the story told over the last year. I think he’s the most likely of every one of these possibilities outlined above. He belongs in this spot. But would I risk large amounts of money on it? No. Because there are just so many good choices this year. 

Some things you might be wondering before we wrap this up...

Where's Riddle? 

The original version of this list included Riddle. He might technically be out of rehab and available for The Royal Rumble, but I refuse to believe WWE would reward him for an alleged failed drug test by putting him over in The Rumble. That doesn’t make any sense at all. Had that not happened, however, he would have been somewhere in the 10-15 range. 

And what about AJ Styles?

I also removed AJ Styles given his recent ankle injury. I remain convinced he has one more big push left, but given he’s been stuck around the mid-card, he would have been near the bottom of the list but still on it because he's AJ Styles. 

Also... about some other people who didn't make the list:

I am high on some other people who didn’t make the final list like Finn Bálor, Montez Ford, Bron Breakker and Karrion Kross, but it was just too difficult to mentally make a case for why they were better candidates than the others on the list. I'll also shout out Chad Gable who is an absolute delight and deserves better than putting people over every week.

The Royal Rumble is the next upcoming premium live event in WWE's calendar. It'll take place on January 28th, 2023, and it can be watched with a Peacock subscription. Premium starts at only $4.99 a month, which, as anyone who ever ordered a pay per view from WWE can tell you, is a spectacular price. 

The WWE is rolling out the red carpet for Bray Wyatt’s return while doing all it can to help recreate the weird lore he anchored before his initial absence and eventual release in 2021. As such, there’s some speculation that Wyatt is planning to expand his strange cast of characters even beyond the White Rabbit, thanks to two new WWE trademarks that have surfaced, for ring names that possibly tie into his persona. The fresh monikers are certainly worth talking about, as they’re raising some eyebrows among fans who wonder what their significance is.  

According to a new report from WrestlingNews.Co, the WWE filed trademarks for two family-style names: Uncle Harper and Uncle Howdy. While we don’t know with certainty that these characters will be related to Bray Wyatt's gimmick, the timing certainly makes it possible. Let’s take a closer look into each name, what it may mean, and why some fans might feel weird about these new personas. 

Uncle Harper

Of the two, the name Uncle Harper sticks out like a sore thumb, mainly because it seems like it could be a reference to Luke Harper. As WWE fans know, the superstar was a stablemate of the Wyatt family, and by all accounts, a close friend of the former Fiend in their lives outside of the ring. Harper, whose real name is Jonathan Huber, eventually left the WWE and began a career in AEW under his previous in-ring name Brodie Lee, but unfortunately passed away suddenly in December of 2020. 

Given Bray Wyatt’s bond with Jonathan Huber, and the fact that WWE fans know Huber as Luke Harper, it’s possible that "Uncle Harper" was created as some kind of homage. Just as Wyatt frequently talks about Sister Abigail, Uncle Harper could be someone important who factors into Wyatt’s lore in some way. It’s already suspected that Wyatt made a subtle nod to Harper during his return at Extreme Rules, as noted in the tweet below: 

The WWE has and continues to frequently evoke the spirits of departed wrestlers for its storylines, though it’s understandable for anyone to think a gimmick tied to Luke Harper feels sudden just a couple of years after his death. Of course, one would imagine Bray Wyatt and the WWE would have had some conversations with Harper's family about it, assuming the connections are legit. Even if everything was fully agreed upon and completely respectable, I can’t help but think some fans would still question whether the timing was right.

Uncle Howdy

Uncle Howdy is just a bizarre name all around. Obviously, there is some obvious Western imagery that comes to mind with the name “howdy,” and this could indicate some type of Howdy Doody-type character being added to the puppet lineup of Bray Wyatt’s Firefly Funhouse. With that said, Wyatt’s return seemingly pointed to the Firefly Funhouse segments being dead now, with his puppets having transformed into actual living people. At least, I think that’s what we were supposed to gather from that grand display, but who knows for sure? 

There is also a notable horror connection to the name Howdy that hails from The Exorcist, as “Captain Howdy” is the name the demon Pazuzu uses with Regan early on before fully possessing her. Bray Wyatt definitely references demons in his character building, and with a new horror writer on board at the organization, I could totally see some classic horror cinema being referenced for a gimmick, even more so when the . Again though, we really only have names to speculate on, and who knows how and if these names will be used until we actually see them referenced at an upcoming WWE event. 

Bray Wyatt is expected to address the WWE universe at SmackDown, which airs on Fox on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. One can only imagine what the wrestler has up his sleeve for the appearance, assuming he's utilizing sleeves. Despite any questions I may have about these aforementioned trademarks, I’m excited to see what’s ahead. 

The WWE finally paid off the long-running “White Rabbit” mystery at its Extreme Rules pay-per-view, and as many suspected, it was all done for the return of Bray Wyatt. After nearly two years away, “The Fiend” is back, and fans have no idea what’s coming next. Wyatt hasn’t revealed much in that department, but he did briefly break character following his epic return to explain why he’s back in the company.

It’s fair to say that Bray Wyatt isn’t as committed to maintaining his mysterious and intimidating gimmick as much as some veterans (like The Undertaker) were, though it’s a rare occurrence to see him act differently from his wrestling persona on social media when he’s actively working. As such, it was a bit surprising to see “The Fiend” retweeted the video of an excited little girl thrilled to see his return at Extreme Rules, as well as the short reply that summed up why he’s back in the company. Check out the wholesome video, and Wyatt’s response below: 

Bray Wyatt blew some minds with his chilling return at Extreme Rules, and then turned right around and gave such a wholesome reply to the father of a young fan. It’s something that flies in the face of his strange and frightening persona, though to be completely fair, we don’t know exactly what the wrestler has planned for his latest return. Sure, that big event at the pay-per-view implied more spooky and unsettling stuff is on the way, but maybe he’ll have a softer side as well. After all, what wrestling cult leader wouldn’t gladly welcome some children followers into his ranks? 

Even if Bray Wyatt’s latest public comments aren’t entirely in line with his persona, it’s hard not to give him a pass. It’s been almost two years since the WWE shocked the wrestling world with his release, and rumors swirled about why the company dropped one of its most popular superstars. If it wasn’t clear by the cheers when he finally revealed his face at the end of the night, the fans are absolutely happy to see him back. 

The fun will continue with Bray Wyatt during many upcoming WWE events, and I’d be surprised if we saw him maintain a wholesome social media presence. In fact, the WWE received so much positive reception with all of the QR codes and online videos tied to the White Rabbit that I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Wyatt and the new horror writer the WWE hired will develop more content for him to put out online. In either case, wrestling fans may want to give him a follow, because I’m sure the fun is only just getting started when it comes to what the “White Rabbit” will do next. 

Monday Night Raw airs on the USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Fans were already all-in on watching given all the new changes as of late, but with Bray Wyatt back in the mix, the need to watch should feel even greater. 

If we’re just talking honestly amongst friends, I’m not the biggest fan of Extreme Rules as a premium live event concept. An added stipulation doesn’t necessarily mean a better match, and a healthy percentage of the time, it actively means a worse match as wrestlers struggle to do something they have less experience with. So, when Extreme Rules was first announced for October, I sorta shrugged my shoulders and felt indifferent. Other upcoming WWE premium live events Crown Jewel and Survivor Series, now in WarGames format, felt like the obvious priority, and I figured this would be a bit of a snooze.

As the card has come together, however, my excitement level has moved pretty steadily in the right direction. I’m not saying it’s WrestleMania 17, but there’s the potential for quite a few bangers on this card. Riddle vs Seth Rollins! The Brawling Brutes vs Imperium! Bayley vs Bianca Belair in the first women’s ladder match for a title! We’re also going to get some clarity from Triple H and the writers as to where a few characters might be going in the long-term. We should get a sense of who is gonna stick it out in the main event scene and who might get dropped to the mid-card. These things were a bit easier to predict under Vince McMahon, but I feel like I’m starting to get a handle on Triple H and how he views the roster.

As for predictions, I’m currently 35 and 13 on the year, but I was a disappointing 3 and 3 at Clash At The Castle. I’m looking to bounce back with authority, like Angelo Dawkins hitting the ropes when he’s about to jump out of the ring. I’ll also add a little section at the end for returns since there are rumors everywhere about the White Rabbit and more potential reveals. Let’s go!

Liv Morgan (Champion) Vs Ronda Rousey In An Extreme Rules Match For The Smackdown Women’s Championship

Is Ronda Rousey a heel or a babyface? Does she know? Does WWE know? She definitely had a heel turn at SummerSlam. I assume the plan was to push her as an indestructible force of evil, but fans were so happy about the heel turn that they started cheering her, even when she did things like attack WWE officials. So, she’s in some kind of middle ground, and I have no idea who WWE even wants fans to root for in this match anymore.

There’s a bit of that same where-are-we-going-with-this energy around Liv Morgan right now too. The fan favorite won the belt at Money In The Bank to an absolutely monster pop, but she hasn’t exactly looked like early 90s Undertaker during her time as champion. Even when she’s wrestled mid-carders like Lacey Evans, she’s gotten beat up for a good portion of the match before winning like a heroic underdog. Nothing about her reign has been dominant at all.

I don’t really know that WWE has figured out how to use Ronda Rousey yet, but I suspect we’re done with Liv Morgan as champion. Ronda is just way more believable at the top of the division, and I really can’t imagine Triple H having the former UFC Champion lose to Liv Morgan, of all people, for a third time. 

Predicted Winner: Ronda Rousey

Matt Riddle Vs Seth Freakin Rollins In A Fight Pit Match

There’s a pretty clear fork in the road here. If WWE goes left and has Seth Rollins win, he’s going to continue ascending. He already has a match scheduled on Monday Night Raw this coming week for the United States Championship against Bobby Lashley, and if he beats Riddle, I think that’s going to be his new full program. He’ll move on from his work with Riddle and probably start a full program with Lashley. Maybe we’ll get a screwy finish on Monday, and the two will feud for awhile and maybe even fight for the belt at Crown Jewel in November.

If WWE goes right and Matt Riddle wins, this feud is going to continue. We’ll have to get a third match, which will likely take place at Crown Jewel, and these two will continue disrupting each other’s matches until that happens. I’ll also have to lower Seth Rollins pretty sharply on my list of WWE wrestlers most likely to beat Roman Reigns and take his titles because if you’re losing matches to Riddle, you’re not anywhere close to winning the WWE Universal Undisputed Championship.

Seth Rollins is one of the best and most important wrestlers WWE has. It’s obvious Triple H gets that, but what’s unclear is whether that importance is going to translate to getting back in the main event title picture or simply having very entertaining feuds with key guys in the upper mid-card. I hope to see him continue to ascend to the top of the division, but we’ll see.

Predicted Winner: Seth Freakin’ Rollins

Drew McIntyre Vs Karrion Kross (With Scarlett) In A Strap Match

We haven’t really gotten to see Karrion Kross fight anyone of note since his return. He’s mostly attacked people, done black and white promos and fought jobbers that make him look as strong as possible. If he were fighting anyone in the mid-card or below at Extreme Rules, I’d have to assume he was going to pick up a big win and continue looking like a monster. But Drew McIntyre isn’t exactly Madcap Moss. He lost to Roman Reigns at Clash At The Castle and making him take another L on a second consecutive premium live event would mean something.

A loss for Karrion Kross would mean something for his future too. What’s the end goal here in Triple H’s mind? During his time in NXT, many thought WWE would build Kross into a major force, but then he lost his main roster debut to Jeff Hardy and was released not that long after. Now he’s back under Triple H and immediately moved into the main event picture. A win here over Drew McIntyre would position him as a credible challenger to Roman Reigns. But is he over enough with the crowd? Is it all too fast and too soon?

I’m not super confident about this match, but I just think the possible harm here to Drew McIntyre is too great for him to lose. Unless he’s planning to go away for a few months and take some well-deserved time off, I think he’s going to pick up the victory.

Predicted Winner: Drew McIntyre

Bianca Belair (Champion) Vs Bayley In A Ladder Match For The Raw Women’s Championship

I like Bayley a lot. I was really fired up to see her return at SummerSlam, and I was also happy to see Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky. Damage CTRL is a nice little stable, and I especially like Kai and Sky as tag team champions. But I don’t think Bayley has done nearly enough since her return to dethrone Bianca as women’s champion. There’s just not enough buzz around Damage CTRL. Bayley generates some heat and some angry crowd chants, but I think that’s more residual appreciation for her body of work than anything she’s specifically done over the past two months.

Let me put things another way. At some point, Becky Lynch is going to return. At some point, Charlotte Flair is going to return. At some point, Rhea Ripley is going to wrestle women in singles competition again. I’d like to hope Sasha Banks and Naomi will return at some point too. When these women do and they have their runs at the title, doesn’t it make sense for those runs to be against Bianca Belair? I could certainly buy Bayley as a more interesting champion than either Liv Morgan or Ronda Rousey, but putting her over Bianca Belair? Come’on.

I expect this to be a super entertaining match with a lot of outside interference from Damage CTRL and potentially Alexa Bliss and Asuka, but I think any result other than Bianca Belair climbing that ladder and pulling down the title would be a mistake.

Predicted Winner: Bianca Belair

Edge Vs Finn Bálor In An I Quit Match

Rumors have been swirling for a bit that Finn Bálor may be getting a big push from WWE. That tracks with some of the results we’ve seen recently. He picked up the pinfall over AJ Styles (and Rey Mysterio) in a tag match alongside Damian Priest on Monday Night Raw last week, and he’s also snagged singles victories recently over Matt Riddle and Rey Mysterio. It also feels like Judgment Day has been more prominently featured the last month in key TV spots. A victory over Edge at Extreme Rules would certainly continue that momentum and push him further up the card.

But where would that leave Edge? How many premium live events does he have left in this run? He’s reportedly planning on retiring in August of 2023. It seems unlikely he’ll make a real run at Roman Reigns in that timeframe; so, the goal will likely be to get his character into a few high leverage feuds and let him exit with a nice moment to go out on. I can’t imagine when he first launched Judgment Day he would have been happy about the trajectory that followed, especially if it includes a loss to Finn Bálor in an I Quit match, but that’s probably the best outcome right now from a storyline perspective.

Predicted Winner: Finn Bálor

The Brawling Brutes Vs Imperium In A Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match

Six man tags are notoriously hard to predict because there aren’t any real stakes. Sure, it’s technically better for each team if they win the match, but it’s not like Butch pinning Ludwig Kaiser is going to have a long-term effect on Gunther’s trajectory in WWE. As such, the only real goal here is to deliver an entertaining match, and I would be shocked if this wasn’t one of the best matches of the entire night.

I thought Sheamus and Gunther quite clearly had the match of the night at Clash At The Castle, and everytime these groups, in any combination, have gotten into the ring together, the fans have been really into it. Without any disqualifications, I would expect to see a lot of weapons, and at least a few extremely brutal spots. I expect the crowd to be going wild by the end.

I’m probably the least confident in this prediction versus any other match, but I’m going to say the Brawling Brutes, simply because Sheamus just lost to Gunther at Clash and I suspect he’s also going to lose to Gunther on Smackdown, meaning it would provide better balance if The Brutes took this one.

Predicted Winner: The Brawling Brutes

Bonus Return Predictions

Everyone is expecting Bray Wyatt to pay off the White Rabbit and return at Extreme Rules. I was initially skeptical, but on Smackdown, WWE directly said the tease was going to be paid off at Extreme Rules. Whether it's Bray Wyatt or someone else, however, it's unclear if that means the White Rabbit will actually get involved in a match or simply show up. My guess is it's Bray Wyatt, and he comes out at the end following the McIntyre/ Karrion Kross match.

I also think we’re going to get the return of Charlotte Flair. I think she’ll come out to confront Bianca Belair after she beats Bayley and that sets up a program the two of them will work over the next few months. 

The WWE has made a ton of changes as of late with how its handled its reveals and surprises, and fans have largely been on board with the tweaks. In fact, the ongoing mystery surrounding the White Rabbit has captivated the pro wrestling world at large, and it turns out some Marvel Comics talent may be behind it. Horror scribe and superhero storyteller Rob Fee recently worked with the WWE in part before joining the staff for a full-time position starting in October, which will not only make for spookier wrestling programming for the foreseeable future, but also could be tied to a huge superstar return. 

Horror writer and Marvel contributor Rob Fee is currently listed on the WWE staff as the “Director of Longterm Creative.” Fee is known as a horror writer and has worked on titles for Marvel focused on beloved characters like Spider-Man, Daredevil, and The Avengers. And for those wondering if we've seen his work yet or not, the report from Fightful Select also credits him as the director and producer of all things White Rabbit, including the creepy imagery, videos, and that haunting acapella version of Jefferson Airplane’s psychedelic hit of the same name.  

The report goes on to note that Fee initially pitched a movie based on Bray Wyatt’s “Fiend” persona some time ago, and that the idea was generally well-received within the company despite not coming to fruition. Unfortunately, Wyatt was released not long after that pitch, so it's unclear how far into the process things got. It feels obvious at this point who the White Rabbit is, though if we need any more evidence that this is indeed Wyatt, the fact Fee is behind the videos and tried to make a Wyatt-related project in the past can only help bolster such speculation.

Robert Fee’s being hired as a “longterm creative,” combined with his special interest in horror narratives certainly makes the prospect of Bray Wyatt’s potential return even more exciting. It’s no secret that while Wyatt remained one of the WWE’s most popular superstars during his runs, he was often forced to rebrand and reinvent himself due to fans frustrations with poor booking. Wyatt rarely came out of his feuds as the victor when it mattered, which often hurt the illusion that he was indeed a mystical and unstoppable force of nature. 

It seemed like some of those issues might have been related to Bray Wyatt’s reported relationship with retired CEO Vince McMahon, as reports claimed tension grew between them ahead of his departure. Now, with Triple H in as the new Head of Creative, and Rob Fee presumably working towards building Wyatt’s big push, it’s possible the WWE is putting itself in the best position to give the wrestler the run fans wanted for years. 

As for what the ceiling is for that run, we can only speculate. As mentioned, Bray Wyatt was consistently one of the top talents during his tenure in WWE, even when it seemed his persona was being mishandled. If handled appropriately and with care, it almost feels as though this could be a “Hulkamania” like sensation when he does return to the brand. Granted, Hogan's vitamin-chomping gimmick was a little more mainstream than some of the darker themes Wyatt digs into, so maybe it’s more fitting to liken this to something new entirely. Whatever happens, I’m certainly excited to see if he shows up at Extreme Rules or any other upcoming WWE events. 

The WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view streams for anyone with a Peacock premium subscription on Saturday, October 8th. Tune in to see a bunch of big matches, and of course, a potential reveal of the White Rabbit. 

The identity of the “White Rabbit” is the next big WWE mystery everyone is dying to be solved. Fans are extra excited about the person behind this whole thing, and that’s thanks in large part to speculation that it could be Bray Wyatt. Wyatt was one of the WWE’s top stars when the company let him go almost two years ago, and there hasn’t been a month that’s gone by since that fans haven’t wondered if he’ll return. 

For that reason, there’s definitely some skepticism amongst wrestling fans if this is really the time that Bray Wyatt will return to the WWE. After all, we’ve heard rumors that Wyatt is asking for too much money, or that the WWE didn’t like his criticism of the creative product. With that said, I’ve compiled all the evidence thus far that the White Rabbit is indeed Wyatt, and feel that the following clues make it clear he’ll soon be back in the company. 

The Eerieness Of The White Rabbit Song

This whole White Rabbit business began with the WWE randomly cutting the lights and playing Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” for viewers in the arena. The song, which appears to just be the isolated audio of the track, has a real haunting presence when played in an arena and sounds a little creepy. The song itself has an eerie vibe, which is part of the reason why some immediately equated it to Bray Wyatt. 

Of course, Bray Wyatt’s more commonly associated with his song “Live In Fear,” but playing something like that for audiences would almost immediately give away who the White Rabbit is. Granted, the WWE’s pulled the wool over the eyes of fans in the past, and it wasn’t that long ago people mistook a promo package for Edge as proof that Wyatt was coming back. Luckily, there’s more evidence to look at, which makes the argument a bit more convincing. 

The QR Code On Raw

The WWE has been working on telling stories in the background of its show as it airs, and the latest tease on Monday Night Raw might’ve been one of the greatest yet. Viewers noticed a QR code behind Austin Theory during his segment and decided to follow the link with their smartphones to see what was going on. It turned out to be a video of someone playing hangman, with a grim question posed to the viewer. 

The game asked, “Who killed the world?” and the answer ended up being, “You did.” What’s even weirder is that the first letters guessed in the video spelled “demon,” and while that’s more commonly associated with Finn Balor, Wyatt certainly taps into demonic imagery for his characters as well. I’d also like to point out that Bray Wyatt is never straightforward with his messaging and loves to speak broadly and cryptically. This puzzle feels like it’s something well within the Bray Wyatt wheelhouse, so it’s not a hard sell to think it’s associated with him.

The Extreme Rules Poster

The official posters for the upcoming WWE event Extreme Rules are out, and fans have already noticed what could be a very obvious sign that Bray Wyatt’s return is right around the corner. On one poster, just to the left of Matt Riddle’s head, there’s a picture of a lantern in the background. Take a look at the piece in question thanks to Pro Wrestling Center: 

Now, an ominous-looking lantern isn’t exactly a tell-tale sign of Bray Wyatt’s return in the WWE. With that said, if you were to use a lantern as a symbol for any wrestler in the past decade, I’m not sure there’d be a better fit than Bray Wyatt. It’s not the strongest evidence that he’s the White Rabbit or returning to the WWE, but it's certainly great supplemental evidence in light of everything else on here. 

Strange Events Occurring During Alexa Bliss’ Latest Match

Bray Wyatt’s final match before his release in the WWE was a WrestleMania showdown with Randy Orton, which he lost due to interference with Alexa Bliss (check it out now with a Peacock premium subscription). Wyatt originally teased vengeance against his former ally for what happened, but when he never returned to television, the whole thing kind of died. Alexa slowly rehabilitated (with the help of therapy) her supernatural side, but hasn’t really reclaimed her former greatness in the WWE sense. 

So then what are the odds that during Alexa’s latest match on Monday Night Raw, as the commentary team is lamenting her fall from grace, the lights fade in and out? Bray Wyatt’s past gimmicks also featured manipulation of lights and other effects in the arena, and the fact it happened during an Alexa Bliss match just made it feel all too obvious that he’s looking to help Alexa find her way again. For Alexa’s sake at least, we hope so. 

Bray Wyatt’s Tweet Months Ago About Devil’s Hole In Arkansas

Perhaps the most damning and wild piece of evidence to present is the fact that Bray Wyatt tweeted a question about Devil’s Hole in Self, Arkansas, back in July, which didn’t seem too suspicious back then. Those who remembered it, however, went to find out some information about this location, only to find a forum about creepy goings-on at the location. What’s more interesting is that the moderator of the forum goes by the name of “White Rabbit.”

If this is an indeed a reference to his upcoming return, Bray Wyatt must’ve had this persona in the works for months. That’s very exciting if so, because it shows that he might have a lot of things cooked up for this latest run in the WWE. It could also mean he turned his online screen name into a gimmick, which is slightly less exciting, but I appreciate this easter egg that might’ve tipped the wrestling world off to the gimmick all the same. 

The White Rabbit is coming, though we don’t know for sure when they’ll actually appear. Tune into Monday Night Raw and SmackDown for more reveals, and hopefully the eventual reveal of this mysterious figure's identity. 

The WWE has released a lot of wrestlers in recent years, though few hit fans as hard as Bray Wyatt's did. The wrestling veteran was widely viewed as one of the brand’s most popular and original talents. So even as we approach the two-year anniversary of Wyatt's release, there's still rampant speculation regarding if or when he’ll return. Now, the rumors are swirling once again, thanks to a recent strange trend that's been happening at WWE shows. But why does it have some thinking that it might signal the return of “The Fiend?” 

Pro wrestling fans might be tired of constant rumors about Bray Wyatt’s return (and why it hasn’t happened). However, the eerie occurrence that's been happening as off-camera during WWE shows as of late might renew some that hope that he'll actually be back. Check out this video from Aaron Oster, who had his camera rolling during a SmackDown commercial break when Jefferson Airplane's “White Rabbit” played throughout the arena. Not only that, but the house light colors turn blood red right at the end: 

The song has a very creepy -- something that someone can truly feel while hearing it echo through the large, dark arena. Bray Wyatt’s brand in the WWE is creepy and, when he was The Fiend, he used some imagery involving rabbits. But despite the apparent link, the wrestling company has offered no concrete reason as to why the song was being played, as of this writing. What’s strange is that the exact same thing happened at a live show in Bakersfield (via Wrestling News) not long after, which makes it feel like there’s definitely something being teased: 

The WWE has tried some new things as of late with its storytelling and has quietly introduced background events during programming. It’s possible that this song is part of another new creative tactic the company is using. And it could be hoping that by repeating some strange event off-camera, fans will get excited about whatever or whoever is coming. Obviously, many are hoping it’s Bray Wyatt, but without any confirmation by the company, it’s impossible to know if there's merit to any of this.

The WWE recently brought Braun Strowman back following his release, so there’s always a chance the company is working to get Bray Wyatt back as well. Anyone with a Peacock premium subscription can revisit Wyatt’s last match with the wrestling organization, during which he took on Randy Orton at WrestleMania. Wyatt lost to Orton while acting as “The Fiend,” thanks in part to a betrayal by his cohort Alexa Bliss. Wyatt took a leave of absence from television following the loss and was eventually released in what ultimately became a period where the company dropped a lot of talent. Perhaps we’ll see him soon, provided this creepy reoccurring event is tied to him in some way. 

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to keep an eye out for "The Eater of Worlds" there, or at any of the upcoming WWE events happening in the coming months. 

At this point in his career, Roman Reigns is not only in the discussion of the best WWE superstars of his era, but also in conversation of the greatest of all time. Since first winning the Universal Championship back in late 2020, the Tribal Chief has been on a title reign that is up there with names like Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, and the late Bruno Samartino. Add in his year-plus run as WWE Champion after beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38, and it becomes even more clear.

But, eventually, Reigns is going to need to lose. WWE can’t keep -- in my opinion -- both the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship on someone who has publicly said he’s taking a step back. Besides that, there are just too many other good guys who are ready to step into the role. Part of being a champion is being on television most weeks. So, let’s go over the contenders and talk out the 25 people most likely to take one, or both titles, off Roman Reigns…

25. Shinsuke Nakamura

You could make a case for Shinsuke Nakamura having a better spot on this list, but the “King of Strong Style” only just returned from an extended absence back in April 2023. Over the course of his seven-year WWE career, Nakamura has won the NXT, Intercontinental, and United States Championship titles multiple times, and a victory over Reigns could put the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the same camp as Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, and Hulk Hogan, which is saying something.

24. Bray Wyatt

In an ideal world, Bray Wyatt would be in the Top 10, but there’s so much mystery surrounding the status of the former WWE and Universal Champion, and not just because of his spooky and kooky in-ring character. After making his long-awaited return in late 2022, “The Fiend” hasn’t done all too much and was even pulled from the WrestleMania 39 card for unspecified reasons. Again, though, don’t count the enigmatic star out just yet.

23. Bronson Reed 

Bronson Reed is another star in the making following his stellar performance at Elimination Chamber 2023, which capped off a remarkable return to form after being let go by WWE in 2021. The former NJPW wrestler has continued that path ever since. After a great performance in the United States Championship triple threat match at Backlash in early May 2023, it seems like the sky's the limit for this WWE big man.

22. Matt Riddle 

I think Matt Riddle is in an extremely interesting situation. The “King of Bros'' appeared to be on top of the world throughout the early parts of 2022, but things kind of fell apart for the former MMA fighter in the second half of the year (his longtime RK-Bro partner, Randy Orton, was taken out of action and then Riddle was suspended), but he’s been in a marquee spot since his return post-WrestleMania. The continuation of his feud with The Bloodline could put him in a prime spot against the Tribal Chief.

21. LA Knight 

Sure, LA Knight isn’t being featured as heavily as he was earlier in 2023, but the clear fan-favorite is still one of the best things on WWE TV week-in and week-out. When given the chance to shine in the ring, the wrestling journeyman consistently proves he’s one of the most exciting wrestlers on the planet. If WWE lets him run with it, LA Knight could be a future world champion, and a contender for Roman Reigns’ belts.

20. The Miz 

Some of you are going to flame me for putting The Miz on this list, but the dude makes the most of every single storyline put in front of him. The writers toss him in with celebrities like Bad Bunny and Logan Paul, and he does a great job. They ask him to do comedy stuff, and he does a great job. They want him to use Miz TV to get other people over? He does a great job. He just gets it. I think he’s one of the greatest mid-card heels ever, right up there with Ted Dibiase and Bobby Heenan, and over the last decade, he’s bounced back up to the top of the card now and again when the right storyline calls for it.

19. Dominik Mysterio

Do I think Dominik Mysterio will be champion by the end of 2023? No. Do I think the son of Rey Mysterio will be WWE Champion at some point in his career? Totally. There are few WWE superstars who generate as much heat as Dominik, and it’s not just “go away” heat. I’m talking NUCLEAR heat. The boos raining down on him are so loud, Dom can barely get in a word. That just doesn’t happen all the time.

18. Finn Bálor 

I wasn't super high on Bálor's long-term prospects after he replaced Edge in Judgment Day, but the stable, like its individual members, has made a lot of improvements since the Bullet Club founder took over the reins. There’s no denying Bálor’s in-ring abilities, and his mic work is some of the best in all of wrestling, which is the perfect combination for a world champion. Before he gets there, Bálor just has to find a way to win the “Big” matches and finally secure a world title after having to give up his Universal Championship the night after he won it back in 2016.

17. Karrion Kross

“Then all-time WWE legend Roman Reigns’ two-year title run was ended by Karrion Kross.” Does that sound like a sentence that should exist? I like Kross. His black and white creepy presentation with Scarlett is already one of the better visual looks in WWE. He’s quite imposing in the ring, and I think his ceiling is really high. Let this dude pay his dues for a while on the main roster and then we can talk about him being a credible threat for a career-defining moment like that.

16. Logan Paul

Logan Paul was never going to win his match against Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022. There was just no way someone with his third career match was going to end the Tribal Chief's amazing run. The best case scenario for him was always going to be to lose in a contested match, while putting in a good performance. Well, mission accomplished. Logan Paul was excellent and looked like he belonged in the main event, which is a tremendous compliment given his limited experience. Then he proved it again with his stellar match against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 39, which allowed the YouTube star to show his natural talent and charisma on the biggest stage

15. Drew McIntyre 

Shocked! I’m still shocked Clash At The Castle 2022 didn’t end up with Drew McIntyre raising the belts over Reigns. The back-and-forth in that match and all the near falls had me even more convinced, but Triple H and company had other plans. That doesn’t mean McIntyre is done. He’s clearly still one of the biggest names in the company, and can pull off some impressive feats in the ring. Hell, even when he’s losing – like his show-stealing WrestleMania 39 match against IC Champion Gunther and Sheamus – the former WWE Champion looks like an absolute star. Finally coming back to the main event picture and beating Reigns would put the bow on an amazing story.

14. Sheamus 

I’d love to see it. Sheamus has been putting on banger after banger for nearly a decade-and-a-half now in WWE, and while he’s been well-appreciated by many during that run, not nearly enough have recognized the Hall of Fame career he’s having. The crowd is going to need to play a big part here, but if they keep up the energy and appreciation, Sheamus will beat his way through better and better competition. He is more than due for a nice run at the belts, considering it’s been more than seven years since he captured the WWE Championship (by defeating Reigns).

13. Kevin Owens 

Year-in and year-out, Kevin Owens continues to prove he’s not only one of the best WWE superstars today, he’s one of the greatest of all time. In-ring work? He’s got it. The ability to tell a great story? He can cut a promo like nobody’s business. Longevity? Just look at this guy’s career and it speaks for itself. So, why is he so far back? Well, KO and Sami Zayn are the current Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, and it doesn’t look like their run with the belts is going to be ending anytime soon. However, Owens does have some unfinished business with Reigns.

12. Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is a perfect example of no one ever being locked into a specific role. He's been one of the most reliable mid-carders on WWE's roster for years, right alongside The Miz. Over the past few years, however, he's reached new heights thanks to the remarkable Bloodline angle, which netted him the Tag Team Championships (and a five-star match) at WrestleMania 39. While Zayn will face Reigns with the Tag Titles on the line at Night of Champions in May 2023, this will probably be the end of his involvement with the Tribal Chief for the time being, as that story begins its next chapter.

11. Damian Priest 

To say Damian Priest is having a good year would be selling the Judgment Day big man extremely short. Ever since joining the group in its earliest days back in 2022, Priest has become one of the most entertaining stars in the company, and it just keeps getting better. Priest looked like an absolute unit in his San Juan Street Fight against Bad Bunny at Backlash 2023. And this could very well be a sign of things to come, especially after the way he performed in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament shortly after.

10. Edge

I’ve enjoyed Edge’s comeback a lot. He’s still sharp in the ring and as good as ever on the microphone. I’m so happy younger fans have gotten to see the Hall of Famer work, but if he was going to win the title, it feels like it already would have happened. The opportunity was certainly there after he won the 2021 Royal Rumble. But, with Edge making it sound like his career will be ending sooner rather than later, the Rated-R Superstar should get one more run at the title, and give Roman Reigns a taste of his own medicine with a mean spear.

9. Austin Theory 

Austin Theory was on a pretty terrible run after Triple H took over, but once he was sufficiently humbled and knocked off the successor pedestal Vince McMahon put him on, he has regained his footing in a big way. He currently holds the United States Championship, and he's been regularly working with top stars like Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, and John Cena. It probably won’t be for a while, but there’s no doubting the fact that Theory will soon be in the main event picture.

8. Solo Sikoa 

This one sounds like a wild card, but Solo Sikoa is another WWE superstar who could take the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship off Roman Reigns. I’m not talking short-term, as Reigns’ real-life cousin seems to be his most trusted ally at this point, but it’s only a matter of time, right? This guy has been built up as the next great Samoan wrestler, and it’s not like they’re going to make Solo languish in the lower rungs of the WWE ladder anytime soon. This could be a way to get the belt off Roman and build up the next great champ at the same time.

7. Bobby Lashley 

Bobby Lashley may have lost his United States Championship, but he beat the holy hell out of Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel 2022, which ultimately led to an remarkable series of matches between the two wrestlers-turned-cagefighters-turned-wrestlers. Ever since then, Lashley has looked better than ever, especially during his triple threat match against Bronson Reed and Austin Theory at Backlash 2023. After being drafted to SmackDown earlier this year, the former WWE Champion could come back for his gold.

6. Jey Uso

The ongoing drama surrounding the Bloodline could go any number of different directions, and one that could provide one of the best examples of long-term storytelling would be Jey Uso taking on and dethroning Roman Reigns. The cousins are currently on the outs after Jey and his brother lost the Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 39, and it could only get more personal as the faction continues to be torn apart from the inside out. With the Tribal Chief and Solo Sikoa’s big match against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens at Night of Champions, we could see the next chapter in this ongoing saga unfold.

5. Brock Lesnar

I know what you’re about to say. But Brock Lesnar just lost to Roman twice. How is he ahead of Drew McIntyre (and so many others)? Because if Brock Lesnar had told WWE that he would stick around for six months after SummerSlam and defend the belt at least once a month, I think he would have won. He’s either the biggest or the second biggest attraction in the entire sport, and even though he’s lost a bunch the past year, this is honestly the most I have ever enjoyed him. His mic work -- which was a concern for some without Paul Heyman -- has been spectacular.

4. AJ Styles

AJ Styles is currently set to face Seth Rollins in the finals for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions, but he could go after Roman if that match doesn’t go his way. After coming back from injury, the former WWE Champion is looking better than ever, and a program with the Tribal Chief would be a fun one to watch. 

3. Seth Rollins

Seth Freakin’ Rollins is, for my money, the best wrestler in the entire world. He does everything well, and he’s really put in the work over the last year. He’s taken so many stupid losses against people he never should have lost to, and more often not, his match is the best of the night anytime he’s wrestling. The crowd would love to just unapologetically root for him in a match. Rollins is in the finals for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament, but he could always lose and then challenge his former Shield member for the two belts.

2. Gunther

It’s a matter of “when” instead of “if” Gunther will be the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, especially after the year he’s had. His record-breaking Royal Rumble performance was followed by the match of the weekend at WrestleMania 39, and he hasn’t really slowed down since. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Gunther is the best wrestler in WWE and one of the best in the world right now. 

1. Cody Rhodes

After Cody came back to WWE to enormous fanfare and gave us a spectacular match with Seth Rollins, his path to the title seemed so clear. He gave that excellent promo where he talked about his dad and winning the title for him, and it all seemed destined. Every pop from the crowd and every match win just felt like further evidence of what was obviously coming… and then he got hurt. He came back, won the 2023 Royal Rumble, challenged Roman Reigns to a main event match at WrestleMania 39… and then he lost in one of the most controversial endings in the event’s history.

Rhodes didn’t finish his story at WrestleMania, but he did start the next act with a feud with Brock Lesnar, and more to come that will see the “son of a son of a plumber” finally capture the belt that has eluded him like it did his father all those years ago.

Is there anyone else on this list that could make more of that moment? I don’t think so, and until a better candidate presents itself, he’s going to remain at number one.

A lot happened in pro wrestling between 2021 and 2022, and yet Bray Wyatt’s departure from the WWE still remains one the most shocking things to happen. The wrestler went out as one of the biggest stars in the company, and the wrestling world waited to see what he’d do next. Wyatt hasn’t been on television in over a year, but it seems like he’s finally ready to return to wrestling if we’re reading this fiendishly cryptic update correctly. 

Bray Wyatt, who has reverted back to his given name Windham Rotunda on social media following his WWE exit, sent out a few cryptic messages on Tuesday that should get wrestling fans excited. After posting a photo of a moth with red shading on the torso, the wrestler said the following across a series of tweets: 

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Bray Wyatt with a mic in his hands, but I swear could hear his classic delivery while reading the text. It definitely sounds like he’s interested in returning to wrestling, and he’s seemingly starting that by working on getting back into his in-ring persona. After all, Bray Wyatt does tweet everyday things from time to time, so to read something like this definitely feels like he’s getting into character. 

Bray Wyatt seemingly wants to return to wrestling, but who will take him? The latest rumored news regarding Wyatt was that there were companies that wanted him in the fold but that his asking price to return was higher than organizations were willing to pay. If top organizations aren’t willing to give Wyatt the money he wants, then it’s hard to imagine he’s entertaining deals from smaller outfits that are much better. Perhaps he’s compromised and is willing to take less to return to pro wrestling? At the end of the day, we can only speculate on what's rumored.  

One thing there’s no denying is that any organization that pulls in Bray Wyatt will have the eyes of the pro wrestling world on them. He’s without a doubt the most charismatic and creative wrestler in the business currently,  and is more than capable of captivating stadiums with his gimmicks and fan appeal. Hopefully, this latest tease is a sign we’ll see him at a major wrestling event soon and in a position better than where he was when he first left WWE. 

WWE’s Hell In A Cell pay-per-view airs Sunday, June 5th to anyone with a  Peacock premium subscription. We’ll have to wait and see if Wyatt makes an appearance there or at some other upcoming event elsewhere. 

At present, Cody Rhodes is reveling in his triumphant return to WWE, and former organization stars like Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson continue to thrive with their careers over at AEW. All the while, it’s easy to forget that one of the biggest names in the pro wrestling industry remains a free agent. Windham Rotunda, commonly known as Bray Wyatt, hasn’t been in the ring in quite some time. The situation might be confusing to some fans, considering that he left World Wrestling Entertainment as one of the top stars in the business. There's been plenty of speculation since and, now, we may know why Wyatt hasn’t been signed by another organization. 

The latest reports regarding Bray Wyatt's return to wrestling allege that there are organizations that are interested in signing him. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer claims that there's a very specific reason why a deal has yet to be made. The industry insider told an inquiring fan on Twitter that potential agreements have been somewhat hindered by the sum of money the star is apparently asking for:

So at the moment, it appears that neither WWE or AEW (and maybe even Impact Wrestling, based on past rumors) are willing to offer the entertainer what he's asking for. While the terms professional wrestling contracts aren’t usually common knowledge, Wrestling Observer (via Sportskeeda) reported that the star's final agreement with the WWE was a four-year deal value at $3 million, per year. It’s been reported that this deal similar to the one Kevin Owens signed when he re-upped with WWE but again, this hasn't been confirmed by the organization itself.

Given that the salaries of World Wrestling Entertainment's talent aren’t publicly known, it’s hard to say where Bray Wyatt’s contract fell in comparison to the brand's other stars. What is known, however, is that Wyatt was one of the its most popular superstars for years and frequently found himself in main event matches, in which he was pitted against  John Cena and other major stars. I’d wager that many wrestling fans agree that Wyatt is worth the money for any wrestling outfit, especially during a time of fierce competition between AEW and WWE. So it’s hard to imagine many reasons why a company wouldn’t pay unless the asking price is astronomically high. 

One potential cause might be tied to rumors regarding the 34-year-old wrestling champ's demeanor outside the ring. While Cody Rhodes had nothing but positive things to say when CinemaBlend spoke to him about Bray Wyatt, there have been claims that he's difficult to work with behind the scenes. Sources also claim his weight was an issue and may have factored into his release. 

It’s been over a year since he wrestled in WrestleMania 37 (available with a Peacock premium subscription). Even so, the fact that fans are still asking about his return should be telling in terms of how popular he still is. Only time will tell if an organization is willing to take on the fan-favorite competitor. Right now, all fabs can do is wait and hope that eventually finds his way back to the ring somehow. 

Though Bray Wyatt is still sitting out, most of his greatest matches are now available to stream on Peacock. 

Former WWE superstar Bray Wyatt’s non-compete clause with the company is believed to be expiring any day now. This means he'll be free to join other organizations like Impact Wrestling or AEW. Perhaps then it’s no coincidence that reports have surfaced in recent weeks that provide alleged claims about Wyatt’s backstage behavior at the WWE and now, Vince McMahon’s feelings on him towards the end of the wrestler's tenure. The CEO of WWE is an opinionated person and, according to reports, he wasn’t too high on Wyatt in the year leading up to his eventual release. 

The latest rumors come from Fightful (via Wrestlingnews.co) and, per league sources, Vince McMahon’s opinion of Bray Wyatt changed towards the end of the wrestler’s time in the organization. McMahon allegedly didn’t like that Wyatt was too outspoken about the creative team, which truthfully isn’t hard to believe. Previous reports mentioned Wyatt reportedly didn’t appreciate the team’s ideas regarding his originally planned return, which was then canceled because of his release. 

Another interesting tidbit from the report notes that there are those within the WWE who believe the release was not at all tied to budgetary restrictions. Again, that’s not surprising given fans felt the same way, especially knowing the wrestler is someone who moves merchandise on top of being an entertaining crowd favorite. Some within the company allegedly feel the release sent a message that no one is immune to being let go, regardless of where they stand. 

It’s also worth mentioning that many fans were upset with Bray Wyatt’s match against Randy Orton at Wrestlemania 37. The WWE originally booked Wyatt to win, which would’ve pleased spectators and given Orton some time off but, at some point, plans changed and Wyatt lost instead. Fightful noted there wasn’t a creative payoff for the end of that match, which would certainly help one understand any frustration on Wyatt’s end. The assumption at the time was that Wyatt would feud with his former cohort, Alexa Bliss, who’s currently away from the WWE. 

This all further adds to the “Bray Wyatt vs. WWE” story, in which Wyatt has yet to speak on publicly. Amid all of the negativity surrounding his tenure, CinemaBlend recently spoke to AEW Executive Vice President of Talent, in-ring performer, and of course ex-WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes on the matter. Ultimately, he had only had positive things to say. Rhodes revealed he felt there’s a lot Wyatt brings to an organization beyond “cartoony gimmicks,” which makes one wonder if Wyatt’s next gig will be at AEW. Surely, we’ll find out sooner rather than later. 

CinemaBlend will try to keep an eye out for where the fan-favorite wrestler ends up next. For the time being, it may be worthwhile to keep an eye on AEW: Dynamite, which airs over on TNT on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

The WWE lost a lot of talented athletes in 2021, and while many of them have found jobs elsewhere, there’s still one major free agent on the market. Bray Wyatt has yet to join a wrestling organization, and with speculation that his non-compete clause is expiring at the end of October, an announcement about his future could happen very soon. With that decision potentially on the way, it seemed as good a time as any to ask AEW’s Cody Rhodes what his former colleague could bring to a wrestling organization.

AEW, of course, could be one of the few wrestling organizations courting Bray Wyatt, now going by his given name Windham Rotunda. Cody Rhodes hasn’t openly answered any questions about if AEW is pursuing Bray Wyatt, but did talk to CinemaBlend recently about some of the positives his former WWE colleague can bring to whatever organization that may land him.

Those are some interesting comments from Cody Rhodes, especially the part about “cartoony gimmicks.” Rhodes believes Bray Wyatt can command an audience and those inside the wrestling ring without relying on his stranger gimmicks from his time in the WWE. Fans loved The Fiend and the Wyatt Family stable, surely, but Rhodes doesn’t believe that’s something Wyatt needs to rely on to be the electric talent he’s been for years. 

It’s some interesting commentary from Cody Rhodes, especially on the heels of recent rumors (via Cultaholic) that Impact Wrestling could not reach a deal with Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt. This would presumably mean there’s still a chance the two land at AEW, and offers a bit of insight into what the company would want to see from them if they would ever sign on. 

I think a toned-down, more serious Bray Wyatt persona would jive with AEW’s more eccentric talents like Malakai Black. Though so far, there hasn't been any word that AEW is actually in pursuit of Wyatt. We’ll just have to wait and see, and of course, keep an eye on his social media for more clues. 

AEW: Dynamite airs over at TNT on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in to see if Bray Wyatt makes an unexpected appearance or just to see some of the great matches the company has put on lately. 

Bray Wyatt’s release from WWE remains one of the biggest wrestling stories of 2021, and that’s saying something given all that’s happened in pro wrestling this year. Fans still want answers behind his exit, and while reports say budget cuts played a role in his release, new reports indicate it wasn’t all about the money. 

The latest comes from Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, in which Zarian said he spoke to a credible source with knowledge on the situation. Zarian didn’t name the source and quickly ruled out that it was Bray Wyatt but said that while money did play a factor, there were many factors at play too.

Budget cuts were the official reason for Bray Wyatt’s departure, but many suspected there was more to the story. After all, Wyatt’s characters reportedly moved a lot of merchandise for the WWE, so money seemed like an odd excuse. The statement that Wyatt was reportedly difficult in orchestrating his eventual return pulls the curtain back a bit more on the story, assuming what Andrew Zarian heard is credible. 

News on Bray Wyatt arrived as the wrestler is allegedly in the process of waiting to debut on a rival wrestling organization. It’s not a great look for it to be out there that Wyatt was difficult to work with or the implication that his fitness made it difficult for him to be relied on as a top talent in the ring. Of course, pro wrestling organizations like Impact or AEW likely know there are two sides to the story and won’t so readily believe an unnamed source about the fallout between the two. 

Bray Wyatt, who reverted to his given name of Windham Rotunda on social media, has yet to speak about his release publicly. In fact, he hasn’t said much about any of his future plans, but it’s believed the non-compete clause in his WWE contract expires at the end of October. Hopefully, we’ll learn about where he’s headed next soon, but until then, we can only speculate on where he’ll end up.

Pro wrestling is operating on all cylinders at the moment, with AEW and WWE’s rivalry increasing by the day. For more on that rivalry and moves being made by each company, check out the recent Twitter exchange that teased a WWE legend and current superstar could soon square off.

Bray Wyatt’s surprise release by the WWE shocked wrestling fans, but few doubted he’d find a home with another pro wrestling organization. Now, with over 60 days passed since word of his release, rumors have surfaced about signings with both Impact Wrestling and AEW, but where will he land? 

The latest on Bray Wyatt’s next move arrived via Fightful, in which Sean Ross Sapp reported that the former WWE superstar is not “close to a contract” with Impact Wrestling. That means that we shouldn’t expect Wyatt to debut on Impact anytime soon, despite the fact that his former stablemate, Braun Strowman, is reportedly in talks to join the wrestling organization. 

It’s hard to determine the significance of the news, especially with how little we know about the details surrounding Bray Wyatt’s departure. If his situation were to be the same as other WWE releases in 2021, then it’s likely Wyatt has a 90-day non-compete clause in which he can’t appear for another organization until that date has lapsed. Provided Wyatt’s release matches up with the timing of the public announcement, he wouldn’t be available for any organization until around Halloween. That's great timing for a wrestler with a spooky persona but, again, there are still a lot of unknowns regarding his exact availability.

The Impact Wrestling news came not long after another rumor, which alleged that Bray Wyatt would debut on AEW: Dynamite in a show honoring Brodie Lee. Lee, who was known as Luke Harper in the WWE, was close friends with Wyatts and part of The Wyatt Family stable. But ultimately, the night came and went without an appearance from the wrestler. Despite that, AEW has landed plenty of former WWE talent lately, so it’s believed that the organization is still a contender to sign him. 

The free agent hasn’t dropped any hints one way or another on where he’ll wrestle next, but he’s slowly been responding more to fans and tweeting more on social media as of late. The wrestler, who (on social media) has reverted back to his legal name Windham Rotunda, has made vaguely teased his return to wrestling and that the creepiness of his persona will remain intact. None of that is a major surprise, though, considering his gimmicks such as “Bray Wyatt” and “The Fiend” were massively popular in the WWE and would likely go over just as well elsewhere. 

The only thing that seems certain is that Bray Wyatt is done with WWE and that the breakup may not have been as amicable as it was with other wrestlers. He was reportedly expected to return to the brand following his loss to Randy Orton at WrestleMania, but alleged disagreements about the direction of his character resulted in his release later in the year. 

CinemaBlend will continue to keep an eye on what’s happening with Bray Wyatt and where he’ll eventually debut as the month of October draws to a close. For more on what's happening in the world of wrestling, read up on the big Monday Night Raw star who will likely head to SmackDown soon.

Big E teased ahead of the latest Monday Night Raw that he intended to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase for a title shot against WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, and by the end of the show, he was the new champion of the series. Fans and wrestlers alike were ecstatic to see the long-time veteran finally get the major title, and even the recently released star Bray Wyatt had to share some thoughts about it.

Bray Wyatt, who has reverted on social media back to his legal name of Windham Rotunda, popped on Twitter to talk about Big E's accomplishment in a rare break in character. In a short and sweet statement, Wyatt shared some thoughts about the recent big moment for his former colleague.

Bray Wyatt didn't directly congratulate Big E on the win but did point out that he's the type of guy a lot of people in the WWE wanted to see succeed. His mention that the move was a "good look" is presumably a reference to the WWE. It's somewhat of an odd observation to make considering he's no longer with the company, though only in the regard that Wyatt hasn't been the type to break character or commentate on the state of wrestling on his social media.

As odd as the comment may be, Bray Wyatt's tweet was appreciated all the same by Big E. The WWE Champion replied to Wyatt's statement:

There's little publicly known about the backstage relationship between Big E and Bray Wyatt, though both men have talked about their real-life friendship with Brodie Lee. Lee, who was known in WWE as Luke Harper, was eulogized by both men heavily in the months following his unexpected death, so there's an implication that perhaps Wyatt and Big E are friendly behind the scenes as well. If nothing else, the fact that Wyatt broke his cryptic and creepy persona to offer genuine praise about the decision on social media should show that there's respect there, if nothing else.

As sweet as Bray Wyatt's tweet was, it did nothing to tease where WWE fans may next spot the high-profile talent in pro wrestling. The latest word is that he's still under his 90-day non-compete clause, but that when that's over, there are rumors he'll be the next former WWE talent to sign with AEW. Of course, rumors are not confirmed, so we'll all have to wait and see if that will truly be the next place Wyatt is headed in the coming weeks.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in to see the new era of Big E as WWE Champion and how former champion Bobby Lashley will react to losing his title.

Alexa Bliss' WWE run in the last couple of months has been bittersweet. On the one hand, it would appear her possessed persona is about as popular as it has ever been, but there's no denying her character has been impacted by the unexpected release of Bray Wyatt. It's fine for fans to chant for the departed superstar during Bliss' matches, but she will not stand for slander from trolls attempting to come after her on social media.

Alexa Bliss recently proved her brawling skills aren't just present in the ring after a WWE fan commented on a post from the WWE Network regarding Bliss' 2017 championship title. The fan responded to the moment pointing out that Bliss hasn't been in the women's title hunt as of late, and then criticized how the WWE has booked Bliss, who clearly seemed to take offense to that comment. She shared the fan's message on her own profile and responded with the following:

Alexa Bliss' tweet essentially seemed to state that even if some fans don't like her latest persona, there are plenty of others out there who absolutely do. The replica of Bliss' possessed Lilly is a hot commodity in the WWE store, especially at a time when fans were unable to buy the doll in person for so many months, and it seems like fans are all about owning it for themselves. And while she didn't exactly defend the WWE's decisions in relation to her own preferences, she definitely made her point.

To the commenter's credit, their criticisms were aimed more squarely on the WWE than Alexa Bliss herself, but it certainly wasn't complimentary to her. In any case, Bliss' change in character has certainly been a hotly contested issue amongst fans who remember her run from years ago, consdiering she's still viewed as one of the best in-ring talents the WWE has. Her change in persona from heel wrestler to supernatural heel wrestler has shifted over time and made Bliss less of a face in the women's title picture due to her other storylines.

At least, that was the case until recently. The Monday Night Raw following SummerSlam featured Alexa Bliss coming face to face with Raw's current Women's Champ Charlotte Flair, which is presumably setting the stage for a title opportunity. Perhaps if Alexa wins the women's championship, it would silence the Lilly haters, though there's no guarantee of that happening. After all, Bliss' character is a spin on a character originally made popular by Bray Wyatt, who was rarely primed for success with his notable personas, despite red-hot popularity with the fans. Hopefully this won't be the case with Bliss, but one can never know in the WWE.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more news on what's happening in pro wrestling, read up on how CM Punk recently teased Daniel Bryan's arrival in AEW, which would be another big blow to the WWE.

Bray Wyatt's release from the WWE has been one of the major wrestling stories of 2021, and it's only getting more complicated as the days go on. Fans have read reactions, rumors, and reports all about the twelve-year veteran's situation, but Wyatt has said next to nothing about it. That silence seemingly ended after the wrestler posted a cryptic tweet that has folks both excited and confused.

Bray Wyatt posted to Twitter 15 minutes before Monday Night Raw kicked off its latest Orlando show with a message both intimidating and confusing. Check out the tweet below, which was accompanied by a picture that's totally on-brand for Wyatt.

The picture looks to be some sort of monstrous face with fangs, possibly a demon. The picture, paired with Bray Wyatt's caption of "You can't kill it," has wrestling fans reeling about what this could possibly mean. Speculation from those who commented was all over the place, with little consensus as to the true meaning.

One theory is that Bray Wyatt teased concept art for a character he intends to debut when his WWE contract will officially let him join a rival competitor like AEW. Wyatt may have posted this photo ahead of Monday Night Raw to drum up support online, and perhaps prove to AEW and other potential future homes that he's still an in-demand talent for wrestling fans.

Another out-there theory is that Bray Wyatt could be headed back to the WWE after secret negotiations, which is possible. Samoa Joe was released by the WWE only to be brought back weeks later in another role. It's certainly possible, though given the extensive amount of coverage of Wyatt's release, one would expect that some rumor of his return would've been foreshadowed.

Wrestling rumors frequently spoil major wrestling comebacks, so it's hard to believe one this big would stay under the radar. With that being said, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful stated that before Bray Wyatt was released, he was scheduled to make his return during Monday Night Raw in Orlando. The fact that Wyatt would tweet the message the same night he was originally expected to return is interesting, though still likely not a sign he's headed back to the WWE.

Bray Wyatt's release from the WWE was reportedly tied to budget cuts within the company, which has been the case for other WWE Superstars fired before him. Based on what we know, it wouldn't make much sense for WWE to re-sign Wyatt at what he was originally contracted to, and it wouldn't make much sense for Wyatt to sign a lesser contract given his immense popularity and potential suitors in competitive wrestling organizations. Essentially, those hoping this is a tease of a WWE return shouldn't hold their breath, but who knows where this talented wrestler may end up in the coming weeks?

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Bray Wyatt had no shortage of superstars willing to go to bat for him when he was silent, as proved by why Ronda Rousey had to say when she found out about his release.

The WWE's release of Bray Wyatt has been one of the most shocking wrestling stories of 2021, and fans, including myself, are still trying to wrap their heads around what happened. Rumors have circulated as to why the 12-year veteran superstar was released despite being one of the brand's top stars, and now we have some concrete details of the situation surrounding his exit. Unfortunately, the details that emerged only make the situation more confusing.

Bray Wyatt was last seen in the ring at WrestlMania 37 in April, but hasn't been mentioned or seen in the WWE since. Now, we're learning Wyatt's prolonged absence from the WWE following WrestleMania 37 was confirmed to be in part due to a medical injury. Sports Illustrated reported that the injury was confirmed not to be a concussion of any kind. Wyatt was medically cleared to return to the ring Thursday, July 29th. Unfortunately, then news of his release came a few short days later on Saturday, July 31st.

To note, Bray Wyatt being let go just a couple days after he could return to the ring is a real head-scratcher. After all, there was an assumtion he would make a grand return at SummerSlam 2021 if only to thwart the plans of his former WWE cohort Alexa Bliss. Wyatt's reason for release has been rumored to be tied to further budget cuts, though this hasn't been confirmed, and it's still weird that the decision was made days after he'd be available to return to action.

Really, there's a litany of scenarios that could've occurred here, though it's interesting to note that Bray Wyatt has not publicly commented on his release like many other recently released WWE superstars. Good or bad, nearly everyone has had something to say regarding their departures. Bray Wyatt is often protective of his dark and mysterious characters, so he doesn't tend to break that persona too often online, but he responded to a fan on Twitter back on July 15th that made it seem like he expected to return.

Unconfirmed rumors alleged that Bray Wyatt was not a fan of creative plans for his return to the ring at SummerSlam 2021. It's also been stated that Wyatt's relationship with WWE top brass Vince McMahon has run "hot and cold" at points during his run, which could mean the firing may have been a quick decision. It's also possible that Wyatt's injury recovery is not at all tied to his release, so it's hard to commit to any one theory that led to this shocking exit.

The one positive bit of news is that Bray Wyatt may be the most in-demand free agent post-release, and there's a good deal of speculation he'll premiere in WWE's rival AEW sooner than later. It's also possible WWE will mend the bridge with Wyatt in the same way that it did with Samoa Joe, who was rehired and given a role in NXT shortly after his firing from the commentary team. Surely more answers on what's next for Bray Wyatt will come in the next few weeks.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Keep tabs on all that's happening in the WWE and the situation with Bray Wyatt, which got a major spotlight recently thanks to Ronda Rousey.

The wrestling world was stunned by the WWE's unexpected release of superstar Bray Wyatt, and fans made it known at a recent Monday Night Raw in Chicago that they weren't happy. Now, those fans are being admonished by someone who may be a surprising person to join the conversation: Ronda Rousey.

Ronda Rousey had a brief stint in the WWE from 2018 to early 2019 and was the longest reigning women's champion in that short run before the record was broken by Becky Lynch. Though she wasn't a part of the company as long as some wrestlers, Rousey obviously spent enough time in the organization that she now believes that fans were responsible for Bray Wyatt's release. Rousey shared her thoughts in a social media post that defended Wyatt, but also seemingly pointed a finger at fans for what happened:

As WWE fans may expect, Ronda Rousey's comments were not met with acceptance and self-reflection by a good number of people. After all, they wouldn't be chanting for Bray Wyatt's return and stunned by his release if he was unpopular with them, and many have pointed a finger at WWE's poor management of Wyatt's personas time and time again. Essentially, the popular belief is that if fans were ever bored with Bray Wyatt, it was because the WWE never seemed to book him to win when it mattered.

Of course, some will question whether or not fans ever chanted for beach balls during a Bray Wyatt match, but it has been caught on camera. The moment Ronda Rousey is likely referring to occurred at Elimination Chamber 2018. Rousey made an appearance in that pay-per-view to sign her Monday Night Raw contract in the ring, and Wyatt faced off against Woken Matt Hardy in a singles match. Sure enough, there's a video of the event in which crowds chant for beach balls as the two men wrestle.

What's interesting about Ronda Rousey's statement is 2018 was the final year Bray Wyatt would wrestle under the persona he assumed when he formed the "Wyatt Family" stable. In 2019 Wyatt would return with Firefly Fun House in which a reformed Wyatt suppressed all his tortured feelings and was happy. Of course, fans later found out that all his repressed rage and anger manifested in The Fiend persona, which was wildly popular with fans. Is Rousey just voicing her opinion of the situation, or perhaps echoing behind-the-scenes sentiments from others?

We can only speculate and continue to wait and see where and when Bray Wyatt may resurface. He's not the only former WWE talent potentially going to make a debut elsewhere, as Ric Flair may have teased in a recent statement that he's not ready to walk away from wrestling.

WWE stunned fans over the weekend with the surprise release of superstar Bray Wyatt, who was considered one of the brand's top stars. As rumors swirl and superstars continue to react to the news of Wyatt's release, fans at Monday Night Raw's Chicago show gave the superstar a well-deserved shoutout throughout the night.

WWE's Chicago shows are well-known for their rowdy crowds who like to chant stuff the top brass would probably rather not be sent out on live television. It was almost a given that some acknowledgment of Bray Wyatt was going to happen, but certainly surprising that chants for the superstar began almost as quickly as the show did. Fans started shouting during a segment between Bobby Lashley and Goldberg and chanted "We want Wyatt" as the two superstars plus MVP tried to hype their upcoming SummerSlam match.

That was the first time that the Monday Night Raw crowd chanted Bray Wyatt's name in the night, but it wasn't the last. Shortly following the end of Tamina and Doudrop's singles match, the crowd piped up again and certainly sound louder in this crowd video of the moment.

Bray Wyatt is not the first wrestler to have his name chanted by a WWE crowd, but he is one of the only ones to get that honor following his unexpected release. Of course, Chicago fans have a history of shaming the organization for releasing talent, whether or not it was unintentional or forced released. Crowds in Chicago continually chanted for the wrestler and fellow Chicagoan CM Punk at every show in the city since his release in 2014. Wyatt does not have any significant ties to Chicago but got the honor all the same.

Whether or not disgruntled crowds will be enough to make the WWE second-guess its release of Bray Wyatt remains to be seen. Rumors stated that Wyatt was cut for budget reasons, but there have also been rumors that the WWE intended to bring back the wrestler in August for SummerSlam. Wyatt was allegedly lukewarm on creative ideas for his return, though none of that has been confirmed or mentioned by the WWE in his release.

Bray Wyatt was last seen at WrestleMania 37, where he was betrayed by Alexa Bliss and lost his big match against Randy Orton. Wyatt then disappeared from television with rumors saying that while the wrestler was in good standing with the company, he needed some time away. Though specific reasons weren't mentioned, Wyatt has children and hadn't taken a long break from wrestling since the untimely death of his friend and former WWE superstar Brodie Lee. In either case, it appears fans are upset about Wyatt's release and would love to see him back if possible.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more on the WWE, read up on the other major superstar who was released recently that has fans questioning what's going on with the wrestling organization.

The WWE is having a wild and unpredictable 2021, with lots of big changes happening both behind the scenes and in the ring. The company is still coping with financial losses suffered due to COVID-related setbacks, and has released a wide swath of superstars so far, including Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman and more. The latest superstar to reportedly make a WWE exit is one of pro wrestling's most iconic names: Ric Flair.

While one's instinct may be to immediately get buck about the WWE cannibalizing its talent-filled roster just as it's getting back to live shows and in-person pay-per-views, this doesn't appear to be one of the many cases where Vince McMahon & Co. come off as monstrous. According to WrestlingInc, the reason Ric Flair was released is because he specifically requested the exit at some undisclosed point, and it has reportedly now been made official.

Practically speaking, it's not necessarily a massive surprise that Ric Flair is bidding the WWE farewell for one reason or another. The last time he was part of a proper storyline was back in the first months of 2021 as part of a lurid romance with Lacey Evans, who took leave in February after announcing she was pregnant in real life, though not for Flair's love child. It was odd for Flair to bow out at that point, though he later spoke out against that particular story arc while talking with ESPN's Ariel Helwani back in May, saying:

Considering how Ric Flair has been in the business, if he still can't finagle his way out of an unwanted storyline, does anyone really have a shot at it? In any case, Flair is also 72 years old, and obviously doesn't have the ring presence and brawling skills he used to, though it's still fun to watch him take a few licks when the occasion calls for it. But if he's not being utilized for his stylin' and profilin' talents, then that's as good a sign as any that it was time for him to strut on out the door.

At the time of this writing, the WWE has yet to publicly announce Ric Flair's release similar to how it has announced other exits in the past. I doubt anybody out there had any big theories for how Flair was going to make a big splash at SummerSlam 2021 in the way that people theorized about John Cena's return, as well as that of The Rock, but I guess now we know that won't be happening. While waiting to see where Flair will pop up next, stay tuned to our 2021 Fall TV schedule to see what's coming around the bend.

The WWE has repeatedly shocked fans in 2021 by ousting more than a few high-profile superstars from its roster, but arguably nothing has been as surprising as the news that arrived on July 30, when the wrestling organization announced 12-year veteran and former champion Bray Wyatt was being released. Why would the company give the axe to a wrestler that has unquestionably been of the most beloved brawlers in recent years? Now, coupled with Wyatt's former colleague Alexa Bliss sharing her reaction with the internet, some rumors have surfaced regarding The Fiend's release.

As far as an "official" reason for why Bray Wyatt was released, Fightful.com (via ewrestling.com) reported that the WWE's Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis phoned Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) and told him he'd been released due to budget cuts. This would make sense from a practicality standpoint, as many of the other recently released WWE talent have noted the same factor sparking their firings, and it's no secret the WWE lost out on tons of money after being forced to halt their touring and live shows throughout the bulk of 2020 and early 2021. Still, it doesn't fully explain why Wyatt of all people was sacrificed, especially just before one of its biggest events of the year, SummerSlam 2021.

But it allegedly wasn't only about budgetary reasons, as the rumor mill also points to creative disagreements. Playing into past rumors, the WWE reportedly wanted to bring Bray Wyatt back in August, presumably for SummerSlam, but it's claimed that Wyatt was being protective over exactly how his character returned, and that he was upset with some of the ideas that the creative team proposed to him. That said, it was also noted that no one from the WWE's creative team spoke to Wyatt personally, so it's presumed that these opinions were shared in passing but possibly weren't addressed directly. And that probably wouldn't surprise a lot of wrestling fans that have consistently been frustrated with how Wyatt has been utilized by the WWE in the past, most notably for the fact that he rarely ever comes out on top in his various rivalries.

In fact, the last time audiences saw Bray Wyatt on television was when he was betrayed by his possessed partner-in-crime Alexa Bliss during his big match at WrestleMania 37 against Randy Orton. Bliss (real name Lexi Kaufman) posted a response to the news of Wyatt's release on Twitter, but then quickly locked down her page soon after. Here's what her message stated:

Bliss' reaction, as well as those of many other WWE stars, proves just how sudden and unexpected Bray Wyatt's release was, and is a sign that the working relationship between Wyatt and the WWE is officially kaput, at least for now. Of course, wrestlers can come and go from the company at a moment's notice, so its possible audiences may see him again in a completely different federation, especially given the amount of talent that the AEW has allegedly gathered in recent weeks.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more details that may emerge on Bray Wyatt, and for more rumors about what's happening for SummerSlam.

WWE superstar Bray Wyatt has been a popular heel in the company for years now, and he's currently still one of its top competitors. So ever since Wyatt lost his match at WrestleMania 37 due to Alexa Bliss' interference, and thereafter dropped off the map, fans have been a little concerned. People want answers as to why Wyatt and his persona "The Fiend" have been absent from WWE events since the annual pay-per-view, and it looks like we now have an answer.

Fans possibly became even more concerned about Bray Wyatt's status within the WWE after the brand dropped Braun Strowman's contract alongside those of other big names. PWInsider.com had some encouraging news to report on the matter, and if the outlet's sources are correct, it may give some insight as to what's happening with Wyatt and the company.

If this report is accurate, then it seems WWE fans have nothing to worry about in the long term. Bray Wyatt is reportedly in good standing behind the scenes at WWE with wrestlers and decision-makers alike, and his hiatus apparently isn't related to the result of his WrestleMania 37 match. Instead, he's being held off television intentionally and is taking an extended break from the schedule.

As far as why that's happening, we can only speculate. It's possible the WWE decided to pump the brakes on Bray Wyatt and The Fiend in order to hype up an eventual return later in the year. We recently reported the brand has big plans for SummerSlam 2021, and I would think a surprise return from Wyatt at that event would definitely excite fans just as much as some of the rumored matchups.

It's also worth noting that Bray Wyatt's absence could also be saved for Alexa Bliss' ongoing storyline within the women's division. The WWE has slowly but surely developed Alexa's feud with prominent women within the brand while teasing the scope of her mysterious "powers" via her creepy doll Lily. Since Bliss betrayed Wyatt, leading to his loss to Randy Orton at WrestleMania, The Fiend's return could be meant to interfere in Bliss' next major title opportunity as a form of retribution.

While any of those storyline-centric plans could be true, it's also possible Bray Wyatt's recent break is tied to the real-life death of his friend and former colleague Jon Huber. Huber and Wyatt traveled and performed a lot together in the WWE as part of The Wyatt Family, and Wyatt memorialized Huber on social media following his death in December of 2020. Wyatt still had ongoing arcs to resolve with his character at that time, so perhaps the overarching goal was to get through WrestleMania and then step aside to take a break and process the loss.

Not to forget that Bray Wyatt is also a father to 4 children, two of which he shares with WWE ring announcer Jojo Offerman. The bottom line is that there could be a litany of reasons going into why Bray Wyatt needed a break from the WWE, and we probably won't know the exact reason he was away unless he decides to share the impetus himself. The important takeaway is that insiders say he's in good standing and that his intentional shift away from TV isn't due to bad blood. It stands to reason he'll return, though we can't say for sure when or how.

WWE has Hell In A Cell happening on Sunday, June 20th, and it will stream on Peacock as well as pay-per-view. That would also certainly be a good event for Bray Wyatt to re-emerge, especially given some of the wild stuff that's happened there in the past, so stay tuned!

Wrestling fans were more than a little upset following The Fiend's latest loss at WrestleMania 37, and apparently, they weren't alone in that sentiment. Bray Wyatt had a message for the world in the hours following his tragic loss, and his cryptic post may mean bad things for his partnership with Alexa Bliss.

As those who watched WrestleMania 37 know, Wyatt's alter ego The Fiend was moments away from victory over Randy Orton when Bliss interrupted the proceedings. The distraction gave Orton just enough of an opening to hit his patented RKO on The Fiend and pin him yet again during WrestleMania. The Fiend and Bliss had a staredown not long after the match, though no words were exchanged before they both disappeared. With that said, this picture posted by Bray Wyatt on Twitter on Monday may have said all he needed to say.

The picture is based on the biblical story of Samson and Delilah, in which the strong Samson is tricked by a woman hired by his enemies. My interpretation is that Bray Wyatt believes that Alexa Bliss' interference was an intentional distraction and one that was meant to help Randy Orton win the match. If that were the case, then it would seem Wyatt is done with Bliss, and the two will no longer be partnered up.

Of course, just because Bray Wyatt believes he was betrayed by Alexa Bliss doesn't mean it's the truth. The Wyatt family lore is nuanced in a bunch of weird supernatural stuff, and I, along with many other WWE fans, think this could be the start to Bliss becoming the mythical Sister Abigail. This could lead to some deeper understanding between the two and even more weirdness down the stretch.

The problem some fans may have with that is while Bray Wyatt's angles and stories are often entertaining, the WWE has more or less made him the punching bag for most major stars. His WrestleMania record is 1-4, and it's getting to a point where any amount of hype is hard to justify when Wyatt rarely holds any WWE titles or accolades across the brand.

Of course, perhaps with this latest twist with Alexa Bliss, there's some missing piece to The Fiend transformation that can finally transform him into the destructive supernatural force the WWE created with The Undertaker. It's safe to say Wyatt has inherited the keys to the kingdom as the brand's resident boogeyman (not to be confused with The Boogeyman). However, the lack of a dominant record has hindered that experience along the way. Perhaps this embarrassing defeat at WrestleMania 37 is the start of a new dominant era, and we'll all eventually thank heavens that WWE decided to pull that stunt with Bliss after all.

More answers on Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss may come on Monday Night Raw, which airs on USA Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. For more on WWE, check out the speculation that a prominent UFC name may soon join the WWE after being called out by one of its superstars.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the second night of WrestleMania 37. Read at your own risk!

WrestleMania 37 gave WWE fans plenty of moments that will be remembered for years to come, so it was inevitable that one of those instances would be a moment that the fandom at large would rather NOT remember. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for that to happen during Night 2, which saw Bray Wyatt's The Fiend taking on Randy Orton to possibly cap off their long-lasting feud. The match itself was unexpectedly baffling and extremely short, and fans became livid after some classic wrestling trickery led to an anti-climatic finish.

The match had a promising start, with The Fiend making his triumphant return with one of the most epic WrestleMania entrances in some time. Fiend emerged from a giant jack in the box. Then, as he looked at Randy Orton, Wyatt unleashed a tribute to Brodie Lee as a subtle homage to the departed wrestler and former member of the Wyatt Family stable. All good so far, right?

Unfortunately, all that hype and build-up for this mega match was not earned, and the match fell surprisingly flat shortly after it started. Fans who were previously going wild over seeing The Fiend possibly getting revenge on Randy Orton were suddenly disappointed when Alexa Bliss, The Fiend's right-hand woman in recent months, inexplicably ALSO emerged from the same jack in the box a few minutes after the match started. She distracted Fiend, giving Orton enough time to hit Fiend with an RKO and end the match in yet another defeat for The Fiend. For just about everyone, the payoff did not at all justify the anticipation.

The above comment might not be safe for work, but it's safe to say that's how the majority of WWE fans felt, at least those who thought Fiend and Orton would make the most of their shared WrestleMania spotlight. Surely, these kinds of double-crosses are nothing new in the WWE, though Alexa Bliss' duplicity was truly baffling for the timing and the outcome. I think most fans wanted The Fiend to win, or at the very least to get a good fight against Orton. So to be expected, watching the supernatural fighter get taken out by a run-of-the-mill ringside distraction was infuriating and insulting.

Undoubtedly, some of the fan frustration is linked to the WWE's apparent need to keep Bray Wyatt from scoring meaningful wins at WrestleMania. Following this latest loss to Orton, his record is now 1-4 for the yearly event, with his only win coming in that also bonkers, cinematic match against John Cena at WrestleMania 36. That's an atrocious record for one of the WWE's best heels of the past decade, and fans are clearly upset about how this latest loss went down.

It should be noted this is not the first time a "Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt" match has disappointed WrestleMania viewers either. The two squared off at WrestleMania 33 back when Wyatt was the WWE Champion, and the match ended after 13 minutes with, get this, a sudden RKO from Orton after Wyatt seemingly had the match in hand. One would think that during the multi-year gap between then and now, it would've been a great callback to have The Fiend learn from Wyatt's past mistakes, but I guess not.

WrestleMania 37 viewers undoubtedly have questions about why Alexa Bliss betrayed The Fiend, and why he was so distracted in the first place, though they may not like the answer going into the next Monday Night Raw. There are theories that Bliss is playing an incarnation of Wyatt's oft-mentioned "Sister Abigail," while another possibility is that Orton has taken control of Bliss through some secret alliance. The latter would mean even more feuding between Fiend and Orton, but fans might be sick of that outcome at this point. Maybe it's time to save Orton-oriented feuds for the day when John Cena decides to come back.

Answers to that confusing WrestleMania 37 twist may come during Monday Night Raw, which airs Mondays on USA at 8:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to tune in. For more on the new-to-streaming event, read up on the rain delay that plagued Night 1 and the unexpected benefit that fans gained from it.

When WrestleMania 36 was forced to go without an audience due to social distancing measured tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, plenty of people in the wrestling community expressed disappointment. How could the WWE’s biggest event have the same entertainment factor without a massive audience, or all the pageantry that accompanies it? Oh, with a batshit-bonkers John Cena match that could have only been done in this capacity.

The two-night, pre-taped WrestleMania 36 really blew viewers' minds with some incredible matches across both nights. Among them was an insanely bizarre showdown between Bray Wyatt, the WWE’s version of a demonic Pee-Wee Herman, and the company's golden boy John Cena. That match featured a ton of WTF moments that everyone should relive, whether they watched the match or missed out on it.

Puppet Vince McMahon Swearing

Many wrestling fans will probably say John Cena and Bray Wyatt's match peaked during the nWo segment in which John Cena recreated Hollywood Hogan's memorable WCW debut. A puppet version of Vince McMahon who was handling ringside commentary exclaimed "This is good shit," which is the type of scripted swearing that modern-era WWE typically sidesteps. Some believe it was actually a deep cut reference to an interview former WWE superstar Dean Ambrose gave after leaving the federation, which is why this stood out

The Smackdown Fist Coming Out Of Retirement

There was a lot of things that were crazy about this fight, but one of the more impressive things was the WWE bringing the old Smackdown fist out of retirement. It was certainly one of the lesser celebrated moments of the night for WrestleMania 36 fans, though more than a few took notice of this impressive commitment in recreating John Cena's debut against Kurt Angle.

Bray Wyatt's Taunt About Nikki Bella

The WWE has been known to get personal with its storylines, though rarely have the ribbings burned this hard when aimed at larger stars like John Cena. In one segment, Bray Wyatt said in a sing-song voice, "You can look but you can't touch," which was a reference to the theme song of Cena's ex-finace and former WWE superstar Nikki Bella. The end of their relationship was a bit of a sore subject for both Bella and Cena, especially considering Cena very publicly proposed to her during WrestleMania 33.

John Cena Pummeling A Pig Puppet

John Cena spent a vast majority of the match trying to land a punch, only to be thrown into another trippy scenario set to the theme from David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. When he finally did land some strikes, Cena looked down only to realize he was pummeling Bray Wyatt's pig puppet Huskus, The Pig Boy. The puppet, which is a recurring character on Wyatt's Firefly Funhouse, is meant to be a take on Wyatt's first wrestling persona Husky Harris.

Bray Wyatt Won, And John Cena Faded Out Of Existence

Bray Wyatt scored a rare win at WrestleMania, and John Cena...faded from existence? The latter was a super bizarre to me and fans everywhere, with nobody really knowing what it means for the wrestler. Did he die, as it were? Is he trapped in some weird dimension? Will he appear down the road and pretend nothing happened? All of these are possible, so we’ll just have to wait and see!

WrestleMania 36 is available to watch for all its WTF replay on the WWE Network. Check it out, and be sure to stick with CinemaBlend to stay on top of all the latest news coming to television and movies.