Does Bray Wyatt need the "Family" he's got ?

[chibet]

Personally, I have been enjoying the vignettes and other wyatt promotions. I followed them through nxt and enjoyed every minute of it, aside from a huge part. The "family". I have absolutely no interest in seeing these two wrestle. That huge red beard looks as horrible as his in ring talent, plus DB has that look on lock down.lol. I don't see anyone in the group as being interesting or having a future outside of the wyatt family gimmick except for Bray Wyatt himself. If they wanted to keep it truly creepy, have that dude keep the sheep mask on and change something about the other one where he just doesn't look like a grease monkey from anywhere USA. I want only the best for this gimmick because it is the most interesting we have seen in some time, but i always felt that, while watching them on NXT, when the "family" was ready to debut on Raw , it wouldn't be with the two guys they have been running with.

P.S- I remember during nxt season with Eli Cottonwood, some friends of mine and I pretty much wrote this entire fantasy gimmick for him that sounded very much like what they are going for with the wyatts. low and behold they include him with Bray initially but now he's out of the picture. shoulda kept cottonwood around. GREAT name, GREAT presence. These two....well me not even caring enough to remember their names should say enough.

Does Bray Wyatt NEED a stable to be successful ? if so, are these two the right guys ?

 

[Nate DaMac]

Isn't his gimmick that of a cult leader? How can one be a leader if he doesn't have any followers?

Those dudes are just big dumb oafs he has as his enforcers. They're perfect for him.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Isn't his gimmick that of a cult leader? How can one be a leader if he doesn't have any followers?

Those dudes are just big dumb oafs he has as his enforcers. They're perfect for him.

Exactly.

When you look at Rowan and Harper, the current looks of their characters alone, they have the appearance of a couple of backwoods, rough as shit hillbillies who are in "need of guidance". Being from Kentucky, I've come across my fair share of people who cling to "prophets" like the character Wyatt is portraying. What are cults stereotypically made up of? Weak minded people in desperate need of someone to help them find their way in life. Like the followers of Charles Manson, Wyatt's "family" will do whatever he says and whenever he says it without question.

The fact that Rowan and Harper happen to be two very big, physically imposing men who, as characters, see Wyatt as this guiding light in their lives only helps to make them perfect means of enforcing his will. For instance, his will was to obliterate Kane on Raw this past Monday and they carried it out like good followers are supposed to.

 

[Starkist]

The whole point of this guy is to be like a Charles Manson moniker. He is supped to have a FAMILY. The two really big guys serve their purpose. They do what he says and that's that. They are big, scary and that's perfect for his stable. They've debuted on Monday, it's okay to not remember their names. I don't, I just remember that they were two big, scary looking dudes. Perfect for Wyatt and his family.

Who would you rather be in his group, a bunch of skinny non intimidating wrestlers? That'll work better wouldn't it?

 

[crippler]

The other 2 are not to be the stars they are guys who rarely speak and don't need the look you are looking for they have the creepy feel to them they are a perfect fit for Bray Wyatt it sounds to me your wanting another Ravens flock than the Wyatt family the enforcers are not to have a great look just be big bruisers that can beat people up for Bray the only problem with Rowen and Harper without Bray they will be nothing without him unless they get with a Paul Heyman or Zeb Colter

 

[chicagokmc]

Good question. For those that care anything about history, this backwoods, eerie character has been done by WWE before with Waylon Mercy back in the 90's (a 3rd repackaging of the wrestler Dan Spivey). Point is, Mercy had no stable and without one the shtick wears thin a little faster, I think. The problem in general with this type of character is that it is built for promos, not live events. In a promo you can stage the scene and rehearse it until you get it perfect. Unless Wyatt does something really bizarre, its hard to show creepy in the ring. You end up with what we saw Monday night, squashing/domination of people and we've seen that plenty of times before.

 

[Blade]

Yes. Yes he does. As has been said, he has the gimmick of a brainwashing leader who takes these backwoods yokels and he's turned them into machines with just his words. If he didn't have followers for us to see, he wouldn't be a very good leader.

Plus, just the fact that he has these big guys to do his work for him while he watches from his rocking chair with that smile makes him all the more creepy. The two things that make Wyatt's gimmick are his promo skills and the fact that he has the Family.

 

[Desyar]

Of course he does. It's part of his character.

Heyman will probably hire them this MITB to attack Punk and cost him the match or something. Actually, nah. Lesnar should do that. THE OG PAUL HEYMAN GUY!

 

[SharkLasers]

As many people above said, as a cult-leader, he kinda does need cult followers.

As for whether they have a future after the Wyatt Family, Luke Harper: Yes, Erick Rowan: Probably Not.

Harper is a great big man, watch some of his matches from NXT or the indys for proof. He also speaks with some intelligence and doesn't sound like the traditional low, deep, dumb rumble of the likes of Big Show. Harper will do fine.

Rowan on the other hand, probably won't do as well. He was struggling down in NXT until joining Wyatt and Harper. After the Family, he is a poor man's Harper, in my opinion.

 

[Барбоса]

The problem in general with this type of character is that it is built for promos, not live events. In a promo you can stage the scene and rehearse it until you get it perfect. Unless Wyatt does something really bizarre, its hard to show creepy in the ring. You end up with what we saw Monday night, squashing/domination of people and we've seen that plenty of times before.

This suggests that you did not see any of Bray Wyatt's outings in NXT. He proved very adept at maintaining that ridiculously creepy character in the ring. Not sure we are going to see all of it on the main shows and personally, I think Wyatt should be kept out of the ring as much as possible. Not because he isn't any good - he pulls it off brilliantly - but because I would like to see him act as a sort of "Big Boss," only wrestling when his minions have been dispatched and then revealing himself to be an even bigger monster than either Harper or Rowan.

 

[chicagokmc]

This suggests that you did not see any of Bray Wyatt's outings in NXT. He proved very adept at maintaining that ridiculously creepy character in the ring. Not sure we are going to see all of it on the main shows and personally, I think Wyatt should be kept out of the ring as much as possible. Not because he isn't any good - he pulls it off brilliantly - but because I would like to see him act as a sort of "Big Boss," only wrestling when his minions have been dispatched and then revealing himself to be an even bigger monster than either Harper or Rowan.

I trust your judgment on NXT, I haven't really watched it in a long time. I am going off over 35+ years seeing characters in the ring. its hard to do creepy in ring at the WWE main level because the crowd reaction ring to ring is impossible to predict. and these guys have to win and that is solely based on what kind of push these guys are really going to get.

Focusing on the original question, I don't think this family as-is will cut it long term. If healthy I would add the Big Show to this stable. Show would add instant credibility and would immediately make them a threat to everyone, including the Shield. And that would add someone else to their group who can get in front of a mic. And to your point that could Bray in the position of being able to spend more time talking and being creepy.

 

[Pedigree1]

Oh hell yah he needs them. What good does it do if a psychotic cult leader has no followers. Even for a PG era themed this stable is very spooky n scary. I have no idea what kind of mask that guy wears looks like a goat mask but whatever. The wyatt family is supposed to be scary,and very intimidating looking. When Bray was in rocking chair while Harper and Rowan attacked Kane,he just sat there with a evil smile on his face.

 

[nxtgeneration]

I hope, as "Leader" he either puts the 2 in tag matches or wrestles by himself. dont let him do the shield and always be in 3 man tag

 

[Jaffa]

For those who don't watch NXT I watched an episode today as it airs on tv here this week was a six man tag featuring the Wyatt Family together. However Harper and Rowan are the NXT Tag Champs and often tag together while Bray sits in that rocking chair of his. Bray also competes as a singles wrestler however he was injured for a good portion of the last 12 months he did however have a great match with Chris Jericho. I don't think Harper and Rowan are great or anything but neither one of them are bad either but I do think that Harper is the stronger of the 2.

 

[RickRaspberry]

Luke Harper can flat out rassle. He'll be fine after all of this.

Like someone said...a cult needs followers. As for Eli Cottonwood...he couldn't wrestler a lick. He was much much more one dimensional than Rowan and Harper.

 

[Dirk]

Yeah, I dig Luke Harper too. I've been pondering the same question as the OP ever since I saw the new Husky.

Most stables utilize the abilities and resources of a lot of people to promote ONE person, that's why I'm not a fan of them, because you essentially have to bury a lot of guys just to get one guy over. That's also one of the reasons the Shield is doing so well, because even though Ambrose is being built as the bigger deal, Reigns and Rollins aren't just there to make the leader look good, like in SES or Nexus.

In the long run, I think Wyatt will ditch the heavies, maybe even in favour of an upgrade. No stable lasts forever, but look at Wyatt - he was in a horrible stable himself as a complete nothing and now he's getting a nice push on the main roster, albeit three years later. Luke Harper should take heart in that.

You want to see something REALLY scary?

Lesnar should do that.
THE OG PAUL HEYMAN GUY!

 

[rge2010]

Can't help but feel 'another' 3 man stable is a tad old hat given there are 3 other ones out there right now. And they are all heel too!!!

I would have preferred this if there was another member or maybe two as a point of difference. It seems they are following the same ormula as The Shield and we will see random 3 man teams face the Wyatts at PPV.

Already rumoured to be facing Kane and two others at Summerslam. What's the guessing they will be Big Show, Orton, Sheamus etc.

 

[Absolute_Xero]

They are a 3 man stable right now. WWE is teasing a Kane injury and produced a rumor that He (Along with 2 other wrestlers) will be facing the Wyatt family at SS. Who's to say that Kane doesn't show up at MITB Sporting a new mean streak, Win the damn thing, cash in and win the championship, only for it to be revealed in dramatic fashion that this "Injury" was more of an abduction/re-conditioning, bringing back the old monster, adding to the numbers and adding credibility to the faction. Instant top-heel champ with very dangerous backup to face his former best friend (Mr. Bryan if it wasn't obvious) at SS.

Really, Who, on the main roster, would fit the family more than Kane? And he doesn't have to play the lacky to Bray, Just a companion whose eyes were opened.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

Without the family what Bray Wyatt's gimmick be? I mean, eventually he might be able to move on without them but for now, the whole "family" thing and the cult aspect is what is making it intriguing and unique. Those other two bozos don't even need to wrestle. Even if they come out to the ring and act weird and beat up opponents outside the occassionally, while Bray wrestlers, that is fine.

I know the IWC is obsessed with Bray Wyatt but if they get rid of the family already, Bray will be buried and an afterthought within a month.

 

[Absolute_Xero]

As a quick follow up, Kane could light their lantern with his hands, Think of the money they'll save on those oversized matches!

 

[Paralyzer Z]

Of course he does, having almost mindless followers is an essential part of his gimmick.

As hard (or not) as it is to label his gimmick as a that of a religious zealot, a buzzard trailing prophet, or even just a nutjob with a following we can assure that he is a cult leader. Take one look at Harper and Rowan and they fit the role to perfection even down to the look. Harper could pass for an Ozark Hillbilly while Rowan does as well (also managing to resemble a viking Bruce Lee protege). Hell, the whole thing reminds of the Manson family sans "Helter Skelter" and hot women despite the character reportedly being based off some flick called Cape Fear.

They're his tall and absent minded goons, and he does to a certain degree need the awkward love of his lamb mask modeling "brothers and sisters" (as Wyatt said himself) for the gimmick to succeed.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Does the original poster not understand the whole Bray Wyatt gimmick is that of a cult leader? You aren't a leader of a cult without having followers, and it has similarities to the infamous Manson Family, where people were brainwashed by their leader into carrying out his bidding without question.

Bray Wyatt needs his physically imposing followers or else the whole gimmick falls apart, I would preferably like to see 1 or 2 more added in time, maybe a female member as well, as Wyatt's influence grows. I really like the whole creepy side of this character, but it does seem to work better in promos than in the ring. However, that entrance on Raw where, Bray came down just with the lantern was extremely well done.

It's a total character change from Husky Harris to Bray Wyatt and one that could be extremely successful if WWE are patient with it, and let it develop slowly and properly. I wouldn't want to see Bray in the ring every week, he needs to view his followers destroying opponents from his rocking chair, with that evil grin on his face.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

Does the original poster not understand the whole Bray Wyatt gimmick is that of a cult leader? You aren't a leader of a cult without having followers, and it has similarities to the infamous Manson Family, where people were brainwashed by their leader into carrying out his bidding without question.

Bray Wyatt needs his physically imposing followers or else the whole gimmick falls apart, I would preferably like to see 1 or 2 more added in time, maybe a female member as well, as Wyatt's influence grows. I really like the whole creepy side of this character, but it does seem to work better in promos than in the ring. However, that entrance on Raw where, Bray came down just with the lantern was extremely well done.

It's a total character change from Husky Harris to Bray Wyatt and one that could be extremely successful if WWE are patient with it, and let it develop slowly and properly. I wouldn't want to see Bray in the ring every week, he needs to view his followers destroying opponents from his rocking chair, with that evil grin on his face.

I agree. Even though they are feuding with Kane right now, I'd like to see Kane join the group. His character would fit and he'd bring a veteran presence to that group.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

He's a fat nerd who doesn't shower, dresses like Magnum PI (except replace the Tigers hat with an old guy at the race track hat), that thinks he's Robert Dinero from Cape Fear. Of course he needs back up. Maybe it would make more sense for him to drive a Corvette and have back up from a black dude and an old Britishy guy but Wyatt needs somebody. Not just because of the cult gimmick (RIP Punkexus), but because he's a heel that is not very physically intimidating.