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Credit: WWE.com
“I’m not so sure what their investments are as far as their talent is concerned, but perhaps we can give them some more,” Vince McMahon said earlier this week during a Q2 2021 investors call (h/t WrestlingInc.com for the transcription).
It appears his company may just have done that.
WWE once again shocked the wrestling world with the release of a former world champion Saturday, this time in the form of “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt.
The former WWE and Universal champion had not been seen on television since a head-scratching loss to Randy Orton at WrestleMania 37 back on April 7, but his stature within the company was such that an outright release as part of WWE’s ongoing “budget cuts” still stunned fans and co-workers alike.
On-screen partner in crime Alexa Bliss, former teammate-turned-foe Braun Strowman and former women’s champion Mickie James were among those who took to Twitter to address the breaking news.
Beyond the unexpectedness of the release is the potential for Wyatt to take his talents elsewhere and continue to contribute to the industry. Or, maybe, to captivate a new audience in Hollywood.
In the wake of Wyatt’s sudden dismissal from a company he has called home since 2009, here are three landing spots the enigmatic performer may find himself in sooner rather than later.
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On the surface, Impact Wrestling may appear too small to house an industry giant like Bray Wyatt.
He may be damaged goods creatively thanks to WWE’s inability to see through any of visions, but he has battled the top stars in WWE and held the company’s top two heavyweight titles during his run. He is an established star who could easily demand a pretty penny from any company he wishes to perform for.
So why Impact? Easy, the creative freedom.
The company has never shied away from the over-the-top characters and storylines. There is the “Demon Assassin” Rosemary and “Undead Bride” Su Yung. They have both dabbled in black magic with the Sinister Minister himself, Father James Mitchell.
Characters have been killed off and brought back to life. They’ve even been teleported on occasion. Then, there was the whole Wrestle House story that demanded quite a bit of television time over the summer of 2020.
Wyatt would almost certainly have the creative freedom necessary to not only reimagine one of his own personas but create one from scratch and see it to fruition according to his vision. Matches against former world champions like Sami Callihan, Rich Swann and Eddie Edwards, or X-Division champions like Ace Austin, Chris Bey and Josh Alexander, would be fresh and exciting.
The possibility of a feud with Tommy Dreamer, the Innovator of Violence himself one of the most creative minds in the business, would be appealing to fans familiar with everything the ECW original has done in his Hall of Fame-worthy career.
All of the options are on the table for Wyatt in Impact, those of both supernatural and realistic origins. A lighter travel and taping schedule that would allow him to be at home with his young family would not hurt, either.
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Pigeonholing Wyatt into a supernatural role, or professional wrestling at all, would be doing a disservice to the storyteller that he is.
When he first arrived on the WWE main roster following his time in NXT, he portrayed a disturbed, enigmatic cult leader inspired heavily by the Max Cady character in the 1991 film, Cape Fear. He used big words, spouted complex theories and appealed to the broken parts of men.
He was a captivating performer who clearly invested all of himself into getting that character over with the fans. And he did, on a grand scale. There’s a reason he was immediately thrust into feuds with Kane, Daniel Bryan and John Cena.
WWE Creative shortcuts may have halted his upward momentum but they did not extinguish Wyatt’s captivating presence. He commanded the attention of the audience every time he was on television. His eyes, his facial expressions and the body language he presented in that character and, later, as the host of The Firefly Funhouse are indicative of a guy who could very easily go on to a film or television career.
He may not have classic Hollywood looks by any means but Wyatt has that “it” factor and devotion to character work that could very easily score him roles on the silver or big screens.
The likelihood that he would ever star alongside Meryl Streep in an Oscar-winning period drama are extremely low but the critically acclaimed performer could find considerable success working in independent film, where he can sink his teeth into a character without having to worry about it being adversely affected by the whims of an old billionaire who ripped up the script five minutes before showtime.
That may not be the most exciting option for wrestling fans who would love to see the third-generation competitor remain in the business that his father and grandfather had tremendous success in, but it is an option for a performer who may very well be leery of the backstage shenanigans and empty promises that were so prominent in McMahonland.
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While Impact Wrestling and Hollywood are certainly options for Wyatt in his post-WWE career, the most obvious landing spot is All Elite Wrestling.
The company is coming off of three consecutive weeks as the No. 1 show on cable, has the wrestling world in a tizzy over the rumors of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan‘s rumored signings, is preparing to launch its second TNT show Rampage on August 13 and will make its New York City debut on September 22 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.
It is, arguably, the hottest wrestling promotion in the world and a landing spot for the disenfranchised and underutilized. Look no further than Malakai Black, who shook off two years of creative hell in WWE to sign with the company just under a month ago.
With two cable TV shows, two successful YouTube shows and a growing wrestling empire, AEW needs as much talent as it can get to keep things fresh and fans excited about the future. Wyatt, conversely, will be looking to make a splash if he does intend to continue his in-ring career.
There is no place that he could do that more than in AEW.
Yes, he would likely find success in New Japan Pro-Wrestling because of his size and look, but that promotion isn’t nearly as hot or popular as it was at the height of Kenny Omega’s time as IWGP heavyweight champion and his series with Kazuchika Okada.
He could easily sign with Ring of Honor or Game Changer Wrestling. He could do spot shows at indies or appear at conventions for premier booking fees.
But it feels like Wyatt has unfinished business in the sports entertainment industry. It feels like he will be more motivated than ever to show his former employers just who exactly they let walk out the door. Not just a top merchandise mover or former world champion, but a visionary mind with the ability to change the industry in a way he was never going to be allowed to in his now-former place of employment.
AEW is absolutely the place for Wyatt to do just that and the number of fresh opponents (The Elite! Page! Rhodes!), stories and opportunities that await him make it the most exciting and invigorating option for fans, too.
And then there is The Dark Order, a group headed by the late, great Brodie Lee. While the idea of replacing the former TNT champion is unappealing to many, for a totally understandable reason.
If there ever was going to be someone to fill those giant shoes, it would be a man whose career will forever be linked to Lee’s.
With so much untapped potential at play, it is impossible not to imagine Wyatt popping up in Tony Khan’s company, even if it is not immediately following this completely unexpected release.
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