Do You Want Bray Wyatt to Return to WWE After Failed Reboot?

Since disappearing from WWE TV on the Road to WrestleMania, Bray Wyatt's status with the company has been a hot topic of conversation among fans.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful confirmed in late May that the 36-year-old remains with WWE despite being left off the internal roster post-draft and that an undisclosed illness has been the reason behind his absence.

There's been no timetable for a return to television, with some fans wondering whether he'll be back at all.

This comes mere months after his return to WWE in October 2022 and being reintroduced in thrilling fashion at Extreme Rules. The "White Rabbit" campaign was one of the most innovative angles the company has executed in years, but the follow-up was underwhelming.

The summer of 2023 will mark a decade since Wyatt debuted on WWE TV, and in that time, he's had his fair share of peaks and valleys from a booking standpoint. He now finds himself at another pivotal point in his career, and once he's cleared to compete again, fans will have to decide whether another reboot is truly worth investing in.

How a Hot Return Fizzled Out

The execution of Wyatt's highly anticipated WWE return last fall was pure perfection. Everything from how it was built up for almost a month through nothing but cryptic vignettes to the ultimate payoff on the Extreme Rules pay-per-view was masterful.

The aftermath was never going to match that level of excitement, but his first promo on SmackDown the following Friday came close. In speaking straight from the heart, it was the most realistic he had sounded his entire career.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from that point forward.

There was an opportunity to do something interesting by having Wyatt fight his inner demons and continue playing a more straightforward version of himself, but it wasn't long before he was back to talking in rhymes and rehashing his tired Firefly Funhouse persona.

The identity of Uncle Howdy was never revealed, either. Perhaps that was the plan before Wyatt took time off, but WWE waited too long for fans to care even if it did eventually get around to it.

Regarded as one of Triple H's best rehires early on, Wyatt's second stint with the company so far cannot be considered anything but a disappointment. However, it's important to note that his run can still be redeemed.

His Absence Has Not Been Felt Since Before WrestleMania

To say Wyatt has not been missed by fans would be inaccurate, but it's not as if his absence from WWE TV has been felt much at all in the last three months.

His last few appearances on programming came in early March when he taunted Bobby Lashley on Raw and SmackDown ahead of an outing between the two at WrestleMania 39. The match was never officially announced, but it was clearly the direction WWE was headed.

Of course, Wyatt taking time off forced those plans to be canceled. WWE had no backup bout for Lashley, and he was relegated to winning the pointless Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal instead.

Truthfully, though, the 'Mania card was better off without Wyatt vs. Lashley on it.

The 2023 WWE draft has come and gone, and the new rosters for Raw and SmackDown have taken shape. With the red brand now having a World Heavyweight Championship and the blue brand still having the Bloodline storyline to fall back on, Wyatt's absence has not made a major difference.

However, both shows can benefit from having Wyatt back in the fold, provided he's utilized correctly this time around.

Why There's Still Worth in a Wyatt Return

Wyatt's WWE return hasn't been a complete flop, despite how sorely it was lacking creatively prior to his absence.

The weeks preceding his return at Extreme Rules in October made for an exciting stretch of WWE TV, with fans attempting to decode every hidden message on a weekly basis. It led to a renewed interest in the product, and along with The Bloodline, he made SmackDown must-see television for the final few months of 2022.

Along with Stephanie McMahon attributing a 20 percent viewership increase for Friday nights to Wyatt, he surpassed The Bloodline as WWE's top merchandise seller early on in his return, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Regardless of how fans feel about the former Fiend's booking, he's one of the biggest stars on the roster, and the reactions he receives any time he appears prove that.

While WWE doesn't necessarily need Wyatt, he can provide a proper boost to whatever show he's on. He wasn't back for too long before things went sour, so it wouldn't be fair to write him off as "damaged goods" at this point.

While WWE attempts to build up new talent, using established stars to work with the up-and-comers is the best course of action. Wyatt will still be a commodity once he returns and would be a nice addition to the main event scene on either brand.

Wyatt still has plenty of value in spite of how he's been handled. It's simply a case of WWE righting its wrongs with him before it's too late.

What WWE Would Need to Fix for Return to Be Redeemed

To ensure Wyatt's next return to television is a success, there are several issues WWE must address.

In the five months Wyatt was back on SmackDown, he wrestled just one singles match, and it was essentially a five-minute squash against LA Knight at the Royal Rumble. He's undoubtedly an attraction, but there's no reason for his contests to be so spread out.

Promos are his greatest strength and allow him to connect with the audience like few others can, but they start to blend together when he isn't saying much of note. Giving him a streamlined creative direction could help with that and not dealing so heavily with supernatural storylines.

The top takeaway is that Wyatt should be afforded creative freedom, but there needs to be a better balance between what he's in control of and what WWE has in mind. If the two sides can't come to terms on certain elements of his character, it will make for a mess on screen.

Pairing Wyatt with someone who can bring the best out of him is also important, especially in the ring. He and Knight had quality chemistry together, and there are a number of others he'd work just as well with.

Above all else, it would be foolish for Wyatt to move backward by resurrecting The Fiend or any other gimmick from the past. He'll only remain relevant by moving forward and reinventing himself once again.

When Wyatt is in his element, he's exceptional. That's what it will take to get his run back on track, and that day could soon be coming.

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Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.