Does anyone know how true reports that Bray Wyatt will be at the September 29 AEW show when his noncompete would extend beyond this if he was released on July 31? I can’t find any explanation of how this is possible unless people think he has a different noncompete?
I totally get why he would debut as the new leader of the dark order in Brody Lee’s hometown but logistically I’m not sure I follow how it’s possible
You don’t always have a non compete clause. I don’t know the terms of his contract.
The 90 day is them paying you, I think* if you decide to work again before the 90 days are up you’re giving up “Unemployment pay” I’m not sure about Royalties though for Fiend Merchandise that might still be selling
Yeah not sure. It certainly seems like they are setting up the dark order dissension to have him come in as the new leader. It also makes perfect sense and the fans wouldn’t reject him as a BL replacement. Would be amazing if it works out
I feel like depending on his character you would need a Dark order split and only some go with Bray.
I’ve never understood how you can be fired and then still have a no complete clause like how could they possibly enforce that?
It has to do with terms of severance like if you’re being paid for the 90 days, at least in the corporate world
It’s bc they are paid for those 90 days
I’ve just felt like it is setting up Hangman to return and bring them back together.
Bray pulls Uno/Stu one way, Hangman comes back for Silver and Reynolds. Hangman vs Bray as a program.
I don’t want to see Bray in AEW very long
I keep going back and forth about Bray. While on one hand they have the perfect story if he comes in with the Dark order, especially with the Brodie connection. On the other hand his strengths really don’t suit AEWs style, and everything I said about Owens (who’s stylistically is perfect) would apply here in the sense that you can’t bring in everyone. A short run may be the best case scenario for AEW.
He’s too big a star not to bring him in. WWE fans are still chanting for him and have signs.
KO fits better but he’s not a mover really - I doubt anyone tunes in who wouldn’t otherwise just to see him. Kind of like Christian or Pac etc. It’s not like Bryan and Punk or Jericho or Moxley who will cause people to want to see.
Bray is a big enough star with fans who don’t like how he was used that he will draw some eyeballs. Even if it’s short term it’s worth a run
Bray can always choose to challenge the clause. Chances are it doesn’t hold up in court and maybe WWE doesn’t want to even pursue legal action.
There hasn’t been a strong enough competitor for anyone to battle the clause but AEW is clearly there right now.
Bray should go to NWA or Impact. There’s way too many wrestlers in AEW right now.
I definitely feel like Bray is a better fit for Impact, associate him with Rosemary, Havok, maybe Crazzy Steve, they have an established universe of spooky type characters so if he’s still doing anything like the Fiend then that’s where I’d like to see him.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but that is why I think a short term contract on AEW’s end is probably the best thing for them. Honestly, Bray is a guy who is a perfect fit for WWE, it really does suck for him that they let him go.
The problem with Bray anywhere is the problem WWE ran into. He’s too strong a character not to feature and yet not a top tier guy who should be winning feuds. He’s an excellent heel to use to build a babyface but the babyface has to go over. Now if he were a total revamped package I’d argue he’s less valuable and then you’re stuck needing to put him over in the crowded card or you really are just beating him at a lower level. Wwe may have got all they could out of him with diminishing returns each feud.
I think Bray would have excelled in WWE as a mid card act if he feuded with the right guys as a babyface, was closer to a part time performer (in ring), and they kept his “powers” within the realm of reality. I loved when he would appear in the ring and give someone the claw, I hated when they did crap like have him morph into The Fiend in the back of an ambulance or survive being lit on fire.
For example, imagine having the Fiend come out on big shows (like this past Friday’s MSG show) to attack a guy like Corbin, or as a mystery opponent against a guy like Elias or Rykar where he wins in 1min and there is no fan backlash because he squashed a strong babyface. He would be a great attraction. The problem with him is they slotted him as a heel and had babyfaces look like complete idiots against him. I was always huge fan of the firefly funhouses, and I would have been fine with him doing those every week while only appearing once in a while in the arena.
Now I’m guessing your rebuttal will be your point that its law of diminishing returns with him, and I can’t say you are wrong, but I wish they tried my approach opposed to what they did so we would have found out.
To me the Fiend character would have worked far better as a psychological horror character, than he did as a supernatural horror character. Someone who would play mind games with opponents, back them into a corner where they would be thrown off and make mistakes etc. I had an idea around the beginning where he would end up in a program with Kofi when he was champion, and you set up the feud with him attacking the other new day members, maybe do a bit of what they did with Miz where he threatened his family. Basically get the advantage on the champion by making the champion want a match so badly he accepts a match type that is to the advantage of the fiend. Have people scared of what he was going to do, not scared of the actual person per say (no Seth cowering in the ring)
Supernatural characters are bad in wrestling because they don’t make for believable stories.
In horror terms, more Mike Myers, less The Exorcist.
Have the Fiend be the damaged part of Bray’s personality, not a demonic possession or whatever they tried.