Bray Wyatt Will Have a Breakout Performance at WrestleMania 31

Bray Wyatt has a date with death on March 29 when he faces The Undertaker at WrestleMania 31.  The match is the perfect pairing of two gimmicks that are of the same vein and share an otherworldly vibe the likes of which fans have not seen since Mankind feuded with The Phenom.

There is no doubting that 'Taker's appearance at Mania will be huge, as the company seems to be keeping him under wraps until then.  But there can also be no doubt that Wyatt's appearance will be equally as huge due to the amount of work he will likely need to put in.  All eyes will be on The Eater of Worlds, and he will have a breakout performance against The Undertaker.

This one is not about athleticism and high drama; this one is about ground-and-pound and intensity on another level.  Taker's age and physical condition have been the talk of fans all over the world for several months now.  And even though no one knows what to expect until 'Mania, the fact is there's a cause for concern.

credit: wwe.com

Despite the supernatural quality of 'Taker's character and his penchant for consistently rising from the dead, fans know the truth.  Underneath that dark exterior lies a regular man who is fallible and fighting time just like everyone else.

For some, seeing 'Taker in the ring again may not be that big after all.  Maybe The Deadman should just stay buried.

But while Undertaker's physical condition has been called into question, his heart never has.  WWE fans know that he is a lifer, a man committed to the company and to the audience that has made him a household name.  Year after year he comes back, not for a payday, but to do honor to the character that he made famous and to give the crowd another great moment among all the others in his career.

And at WrestleMania, Wyatt must have the best of both worlds.

The Wyatt Family founder must be on his game both mentally and in the ring.  He is facing a man 22 years older than him, a man that is not the same athletic Superstar he once was. Wyatt will need to carry the match in key moments to compensate for this and to keep the crowd entertained.  There will likely be no diving over the top rope for 'Taker, and there may not be any walking that rope either.

But if Wyatt brings the brutality and matches Taker's physicality on the ground, then that won't matter much in the long run.

Mentally, Wyatt must be prepared to tell the story and to do so with all the vigor of a rising main event talent eager to prove he belongs.  He must bring everything he has in terms of facial expressions, his pacing during the match and his technique when grappling with The Deadman.  The WWE faithful must know he's living the moment, and they have to believe he is legitimately feeling every second of the match from the first bell to the last.

And winning the bout is not necessarily required for Wyatt to succeed.  The fact that a legend like The Undertaker agreed to face Wyatt is a statement on his part; it's a stamp of approval on the younger talent.  Just being on that stage with Undertaker will help Wyatt immensely.

credit: wwe.com

'Taker can pick and choose his opponents; it's a right he has earned after all these years. He said yes to facing The Eater of Worlds in a high-profile match on WWE's most important night of the year, and that is a direct reflection of Wyatt's value.

And that value should explode after Mania.

This match should be the catalyst for Wyatt, the moment in which everything changes for him.  After March 29, Wyatt should not drop back down to the midcard; he should be finding his way to the top of it. It's a spot that he would have earned, one that was guaranteed after laying hands on the legendary Undertaker during a time when younger stars don't get a crack at him anymore.

This is Wyatt moving up to the majors.  After this, nothing should be the same for him again.

His performance at WrestleMania will be the best of his career because it has to be.  He will be on top of his game because he has no other choice.  And The Undertaker will do what he can to make Wyatt look good because that's what he does.  When this match has ended, fans will know they have seen something special.

And Wyatt will become something special, even more than he is now.