As discussed in our “Knee-jerk reactions” to the post-Superstar Shakeup tag team scene, Raw is nicely set-up for the newly formed Deleters of Worlds tandem of Woken Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt.
Cageside’s video team, Cain A. Knight and Stephanie Hatala, fleshed this idea out a little further in a recent production. You can watch that above. The point they raise which intrigued me is how the pairing will better serve both characters/performers than singles runs would have.
Cain and Stef are a little worried WWE might have Bray turn on Matt quickly - and it’s not an unreasonable fear. But that actually got me thinking further down the line...
The end game here should be to make Wyatt more useful/popular in the future. He’s the 30 year old who’s demonstrated an ability to connect with fans despite erratic booking. With how he wrestles and the creativity he’s been known for throughout his career, Matt’s a useful guy who can help the company and the business for years to come - but he’s still 43. If the story of Deleters of Worlds doesn’t elevate Bray, either WWE is keeping Hardy viable for a feud with his son (or sons) in 20 years, or they really don’t plan to do much more with Wyatt than they’ve done to date.
Perhaps, after a successful year as a team, The Woken One can turn on his partner? Even when he was clearly supposed to be a heel, Wyatt got a lot of support from crowds. Lean into that and write it so Matt is the one who splits the (hopefully by then still) beloved team, so when The Eater of Worlds puts him down, it creates a moment which can cement him as a top act for years to come.
The Shakeup has made it so The Woken Warriors can have the whole world in their hands now; this is just some fantasy booking on how this gimmick can lead to Bray keeping it in his for a lot longer.
Let us know what you think about this idea or the Hardy/Wyatt team in general. And remember to like our Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more illuminating ideas from Cageside Seats!