Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt Feud Wisely Made High Priority

In the final image of Monday's Raw, Bray Wyatt knelt next to an unconscious Roman Reigns, his arms outstretched, his piercing eyes pointed at the ceiling, a sinister laugh echoing.

Closing with that shot speaks to the prominence that this feud is getting. It speaks to how highly WWE views both men. 

Despite the fact that it's not a fight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship or one featuring the company's golden boy, John Cena, Wyatt vs. Reigns is getting plenty of attention heading into Battleground 2015. WWE is smart to highlight these two stars this much, as it's a story that showcases new blood and has the potential to launch both men upward.

Monday's Raw was a prime example of how WWE is treating this battle of emerging stars like a semi-main event.

Wyatt got his usual chunk of airtime to deliver one of his trademark unsettling rants. In talking about his issues with his father and his animosity for Reigns, The Eater of Worlds got a chance to show off his ability to enthrall.

He haunted us once more, cackling as he said, "Look, Daddy! I got my wings back."

Its not uncommon for Wyatt to get that space to work with, though. It's the fact that he's often limited to this kind of performance alone that has hurt him in the past.

Wyatt doesn't get in the ring nearly enough. As seen on his CageMatch.net profile, he has wrestled just six times on Raw in 2015.

Seeing him appear only on the big screen, speaking to us from some undisclosed, fog-filled location, creates a disconnect over time.

That was far from the case on Monday night, as Wyatt tore his way into the main event despite not officially being part of the action. Seth Rollins and Kane teamed up against Reigns and Dean Ambrose in Raw's big bout. This was partly about the two heels' repaired relationship, but in the end, The Eater of Worlds was the central figure here.

He interrupted the bout to lay his hands on Reigns.

Credit: WWE.com

The monster pounced, hurling Reigns into the ring steps, tagging him with right hands, keeping his claws dug into the hero's skin. Wyatt made sure Reigns felt his presence and that fans would be talking about him more than the tag team match that closed the show.

Wyatt smashed his foe into the announce table, setting up an easy win for Rollins and Kane.

A team of referees sent him away, but Wyatt returned. After The Authority slammed Reigns through a table, Wyatt was back to scavenge on an already beaten beast. He continued his interrupted assault, dragged Reigns to the center of the ring and celebrated over his fallen body.

This high-profile opportunity is not something most non-title rivalries receive.

Unless someone like Cena is involved, a championship-free feud like this is usually positioned as more of an afterthought. Ask Goldust and Stardust, who received just a speck of attention from the WWE creative team heading into Fastlane. Dean Ambrose and Luke Harper experienced the same treatment before Extreme Rules, as they were thrown onto the card with minimal hype.

With Reigns vs. Wyatt, WWE is being far more attentive and far more creative.

Reigns is unraveling right in front of us. The fact that Wyatt has been holding a picture of Reigns' daughter with a menacing look in his eye is distracting, angering and disturbing him. And Reigns can't seem to go anywhere now without seeing a photo of himself with the eyes cut out and "Anybody but you" scrawled across it in red.

WWE has kept up the momentum of this tale with moments like these.

On last week's Raw, Reigns went chasing after Wyatt mid-match before stumbling onto a tea party straight out of a horror movie. Just days later, Reigns' fury earned him an ejection from SmackDown.

The overall story is gathering steam, and in result this match feels like a big deal. That's a smart strategy that showcases both Reigns and Wyatt, even if they aren't involved in any title picture right now.

Each Superstar is a potential cornerstone going forward, so the more that WWE highlights them and makes sure they get intriguing storyline elements, the better. Creating lasting images and implanting memories into the audience's mind, as the rivalry has done so far, makes it easier to use this battle as a stepping stone to something bigger.

Rollins' and Brock Lesnar's names rightly sit on the Battleground marquee. Wyatt and Reigns, though, are getting second billing and being treated like the top-tier stars they will become.