The Disappearing Act of Bray Wyatt

O Wyatt, where art thou?

We’ve starved for your thought-provoking analogies and stimulating wordplay for far too long. Why must the powers at be halt your creativity and keep you from the masses?

How can one “Follow the Buzzards” if there aren’t any around to follow?

For the first time since WWE “Hell in a Cell” in 2013, Wyatt wasn’t booked for a match on pay-per-view when “Night of Champions” rolled through the Bridgestone Arena on Sept. 21. To top it all off, he was also kept off “Monday Night Raw” the following night in what turned out to be their lowest-rated episode since December of last year.

Wyatt is fresh off the heels of a fairly disappointing and underwhelming three-month program with Chris Jericho, a man who returned to the company to help put over “The Eater of Worlds.” The two had a lot of catching up to do after failing to deliver in their first encounter at WWE “Battleground” on July 20. While their rematch at WWE “SummerSlam” and Steel Cage match on Sept. 8 were significantly better, the damage had already been done.

The interactions between the two leading up to that point didn’t have the hoopla or pizazz that the WWE Universe had hoped for. Instead of vaulting Wyatt into the stratosphere, what the feud wound up doing was raising questions about the character and its sustainability in WWE’s “Reality Era.”

It takes a special kind of superstar to be able to stand toe-to-toe with Wyatt in verbal combat. If CM Punk could turn a microphone into a pipe bomb, Jericho could turn it into the purest of gold. His charisma on the stick, whether it be as a heel or face, never fails to emit a reaction. His promo work is one of the main reasons why he’s had such longevity in the industry.

It just didn’t mesh well with Wyatt, though. Call it a contrast of styles or piss-poor chemistry, but something wasn’t sitting right.

Unfortunately, a majority of the blame will fall on Wyatt’s shoulders. He’s the unproven commodity still searching for his spot in WWE’s pecking order. He was given a future Hall of Famer to work with and didn’t deliver the goods.

On a positive note, Y2J had nothing but kind things to say when he talked about Wyatt during his latest “Talk is Jericho” podcast.

“Working with Wyatt was a really, really cool feud for me. He’s a great performer who really knows his character. He knows exactly what he’s doing in the ring. It’s something different and unique and that’s why he’s getting over so well.”

With Jericho now out of the picture to head back on tour with his band, Wyatt is left with his hands in his pockets as he stands around with little to do.

WWE teased a Wyatt vs. Big Show feud on television before (presumably) cutting it short and moving in a different direction with “The World’s Largest Athlete.”

The most we’ve heard out of Wyatt as of late is a tweet promoting the upcoming “WWE 2K15” video game for next-generation consoles.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez http://t.co/Epz85Cx5BH#WWE2K15

— Bray Wyatt (@WWEBrayWyatt) September 23, 2014

It didn’t with the persona he’s created for himself, but it was at least a sign that his heart is still beating.

So what will it take for Wyatt to garner the support he needs so that he can avoid being trapped in the barren creative depths he currently finds himself in ever again? With big names like Daniel Bryan, Bad News Barrett and Roman Reigns all on the shelf, fans are itching for someone to step up to the plate and grab the bull by the horns.

Is it too late for Wyatt, though? Including house shows, television tapings and pay-per-views, Wyatt has just two victories and 18 losses since “SummerSlam” on Aug. 17. WWE hasn’t been doing such a standup job at making their 27-year-old star look like a force to be reckoned with.

His falling stock has come as a result of A) writers not knowing who to pair him with, and B) his character failing to evolve.

There’s a well of talent ready to be tapped into. It’s now just a matter of allowing Wyatt to do what he does best under the best circumstances possible. Put him in situations where he can dominate through words, motives and actions.

Hopefully.

Follow the Buzzards? Go ahead. Just be prepared for the endless road that lies before you.

 

Christopher Walder is a staff writer for WrestlingRumors.net. He also covers the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association for both Bleacher Report and SB Nation. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports26.