A lot more on Bray Wyatt's WWE release

wrestling needs more "characters" rather than peo;ple just playing themselves turned to 10 or whatever. Especiallly for someone who has the talent and range to pull it off like bray. TBH if he shows up somewhere as plain ole bray cuttin a promo about the wwe glass ceiling, i'd be a little disapointed.

e d

“Failed” is probably a subjective term but there are no new gimmicks/characters that move a needle in that promotion anymore. Something gets put in, it might be an idea from a writer/talent and then gets Vincified and bolted onto a talent to run with. They all coincide with ratings trending downwards over a multi year period. They’ll brag on the merchandise side of things but there are many factors to that and I think, ultimately, parents will buy their kids whatever the “hot new merch” is regardless of person at these shows. It’s all about WWE these days is my point and very little about the talent. I’d argue Roman aside, the last real star that made themselves in spite of the machine is CM Punk. Whilst Bryan Danielson is clearly a star, he himself had his own challenges to do it and I think we’ll find in AEW he probably didn’t transcend it as much as everyone thought - Punk will get the mainstream attention of those two. Any talent coming out of that promotion needs to be prepared to really restart their character development from the start because, in my opinion, that’s the only way they’ll truly get themselves over beyond WWE.

David Pick

“Failed character”? I’d say failed creative direction or storyline. But both sides of his current character (both Firefly Funhouse & Fiend) were immensely over, despite poor booking decisions. Please don’t take this comment as advocacy for him not transitioning to something new. But I would say ANY of his characters are anything but “failed”.

Wallace Koalis

Looking just at the character and “what’s next?” I pay very little attention to WWE but this character reminds me much more of Diesel being released from WWF. Yes he was a world champ but the gimmick, the character, the stories, the attire were hokey and him and Razor Ramon forming the NWO with Yellow and Red Hulk Hogan would’ve been awful. It was Kevin Nash and Scott Hall that made that successful. For me, he needs a complete reinvention if he’s going to stay in the industry. Needs to be a much more “real to himself” character and learn how to turn that up to 11. He’s allegedly a very good wrestler and “explosive”. He’s clearly an exceptional talker in the right setting. Hopefully he’s well in his mind and he can build “Windham Rotunda” out of the ashes of, despite being a world champion, was ultimately a failed character.

David Pick

Did Bray want out of his contract at anytime over the last year and a half?

johnny oxbow

I’m not even surprised anymore. I’m not outraged. I can’t say I even care much at all from the on screen aspect. Not because I don’t want to. The company just makes it impossible. I wish him luck, he’s too creative not to find work. I find the supernatural stuff unnecessary for AEW but he can come up with something else I’m positive. Seriously if it weren’t for Fightful content, I’d have already quit WWE/NXT.

Wallace Koalis

God damn. I thought Bray asked to be released but for him to be another "budget cut"? Makes it much easier for me to root for AEW and other promotions.

Sheila Antonio

I'll never understand the fairness of them being able to terminate you anytime they want, for any reason they want, but talent isnt allowed to ljust leave if they want. Gotta love these slanted contracts

e d

Budget cuts my colitis inflicted asshole. They really expect people to be that stupid and gullible?

CSDX

After seeing Joe and others previously released return this seems like a legal loophole to offer them a new lower salary since talent like Bray or Braun migh not agree to a restructure if they were making good figures. This seems like a bad labor practice but since a union does not exist it will continue to happen even though it is a publicly traded company.

Bostorican

They need to stop leaning on the budget cuts crutch as an execuse for releasing people and grow a set of balls. Its disingenuous and people see right through it.

e d

Imagine being Tony Khan and being able to bring in likes of Black, Bryan, Punk & now Wyatt to a company alot of people are already jumping behind. Its falling into AEW hands. Bray is one of the best creatiblve minds of the modern era and im excited to see what he can do with quality long term booking behind him

Simon Willis

“The WWE Universe making it known that they love Hyatt Resorts!” - Monday’s commentators trying to “Boo-urns” the inevitable Wyatt chants

Dan Stabb

I'm done with WWE they will never get a penny from me in the future. They fail creative and talented people who get organically OVER, proven merch sellers everything you want from a talent accept unending conformity/obedience. The tv programming is boring except the 'main storyline' and occasionally a good match or two where the competition has compelling storylines that reward the viewer for watching, matches that have stakes and wins/losses matter. They allow creative people to ply their craft for better or worse and pivot accordingly. They may get big money deals for their content creation but if the content has terrible creative behind it as is being shown, the viewers are gonna turn off and that content will become less valuable. The rumours of TV execs wanting more of a say in programming and certain things changing to appease them which wouldn't have happened 10 or 20 years ago, screams of a company that no longer knows what its doing and while i worry for it's future, the alternatives are looking and presenting better every week.

Chris Sully

It feels like Vince is not just preparing for a sale but leaving the company in ruins on his way out so that no one who comes after him can succeed with it the way he did. They're really making it easier to save my time watching their shows and use that time for more of their competition (no, not sleep like Kahn thinks).

Michael Adams

Says a lot that him being protective of his character was brought up - Vince just can't seem to handle talent being in control and will cut his nose off to spite his face rather than risk getting burnt like he did with The Rock, Austin and Punk, even if it means losing money.

Robo Kop

I never say this… Windham needs to go to AEW… they’re letting people do what they want creatively… to me this is a duel between WWE and AEW, and Vince just gave someone a bazooka…

Siege Hann

I think Braun and Bray would be excellent on impact .

He’ll be a huge get for anyone. Even outside of the wrestling business. Sky is the limit for this guy!

Shaun V.

How do you have creative minds like Bray Wyatt, Matt Hardy, Brodie Lee, and countless others, and you just decide not to use them? This company confuses me.

BeardManDanny824

I don’t blame the guy. He came up with this hot character, super popular, and in less than 2 years, a cheap ripoff of his gimmick was given to Alexa and he was fired.

Rj Kelly

Lol you don’t release one of your most creative people for budget reasons.

Shaun V.

Protective of his character you say? I for one am shocked "Hey, your character has been super hot, but, we're gonna need you to lose due to Alexa springing an oil leak on a box like structure"

Tom Smith

Tell him to keep his chin up, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Bray Wyatt, and we haven’t seen the *best* of him either.

Alex Pawlowski

He's one of the few people I feel would do better with creative liberties, like Matt Hardy has. I quit watching WWE, but would always check in on how his character was being handled. Stigma be damned, I want him to thrive somewhere that will value his mind. All they'd have to do is... Let Him In.

Rincewind

I was going to ask about this too. Apparently Braun said he wants to team up? Given the Braun back to WWE rumors, do you think this impacts Braun's decision?

Ray Callahan Jr

That's just incredibly stupid. Honestly. Didn't they just celebrate all the money they keep making on freaking Thursday? Absolute Bastards.

Will Landrum

Heart breaking

Brady Sprenkle

Him and Braun in AEW as a tag team would be gold though as just a never lose team that runs through the division.

johnny oxbow

I'm done with this company. I really hope he lands in AEW with a character that blows the fiend away.

RyanDubz

I stopped watching WWE ages ago just rely on fightful this just proves my point

Wow

Thomas Middaugh

They couldn’t make him work in any incarnation. Literally the EASIEST FUCKING MONEY EVER and they couldn’t figure him out. They had Jake Roberts promos, Undertakers presence, and top level in-ring in this dude and couldn’t make anything work. They’re screwed and Bray is gonna be a huge money maker for someone else

John Morris

Here's hoping he heard "budget cuts" & said scrap the non-compete

TraptinAmerica

Love this (as long as it isn't health related). WWE = The Titanic 🚢

Josh F

Meltzer is saying more to come

Matthew Graham

wait wait wait, they've wanted to release him before? bro.

Thank you Sean! And I’m pissed!!

How are future talent/wrestlers going to perceive this company going forward? It's like business-suicide

Brian The Dean

Fucking wow

Colt Baudoux

I so fucking wish people could see what this news has done. The Kaleb in my name is my 11 year old Autistic son who LOVES Bray and the character and begged me to try and reach out to the company(and I did over multiple platforms) to see if they could meet online, whatever and nobody replied or even acknoloweged it. Now he lays on my bed fiend shirt on in TEARS

Matthew Graham

Why am I not surprised? This f’n company….

Bryant Heath

What are the chances the firing was a message to the remaining wrestlers that if you resist bad creative that there will be consequences? The budget cuts BS is getting old

jason czech

Screw this company

PM Punk

I need some righteous Pawlowski indignation to save the day

Reece Hayes

WHAT THE HELL

Reece Hayes

it's really hard to support wwe man if it wasn't for Roman right now I would only be watching AEW

Devan Laney

WOW

Randy Moss

This just pissed me off even more..

Busby