Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt: Preview and Prediction for WWE Roadblock 2016

Brock Lesnar and Bray Wyatt are two names that many fans likely believed would never be booked against each other. They came from two different backgrounds and inhabited two different worlds. Lesnar is the main event menace, while Wyatt is the heir apparent to The Undertaker, and they've had no reason to cross paths.

But March 12 will change all that, as they will face off on WWE Network's Roadblock event. It may not quite be a dream match, but it is full of possibilities and intrigue.

This is the end result of what happens when the company experiences one main event injury after another. John Cena, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, Sting, Randy Orton and Cesaro all went on the shelf in recent months. WWE's solution to the gaping holes left behind was not necessarily to bring up NXT stars; rather, it just tweaked the booking of the remaining stars.

Lesnar versus Wyatt is a major tweak.

WWE is going outside the norm for this one, and only time will tell if it was the right move. Roadblock will determine what happens next.

The Preview

When The Wyatt Family attacked Brock Lesnar on January 18, it was perhaps one of the most surreal moments WWE fans had seen in years. Lesnar had no heat with Bray and thus had no reason to suspect his family would target him.

But it's unknown whether Wyatt attacked because Lesnar was in Roman Reigns' physical vicinity or if it was out of design. The only thing fans knew for sure was that this was indeed a massive twist on an otherwise predictable storyline.

It was no longer about Reigns wanting retribution against Lesnar; now it was about an unexpected threat from the outside.

The dynamic of Lesnar's character changed from that point on because, for the first time in a long time, he appeared human. The Wyatt Family brought him down to earth and left him for dead in the middle of the ring.

Brock's star did not fall of course; too much work had been done to showcase him as the company's most unstoppable force. But it did elevate Bray in the minds of many who were happy to see him finally reach a new level.

But it was what happened six days later that really shocked the world.

Brock's elimination from The Royal Rumble match at the hands of The Wyatt Family was beyond unexpected. Fans voiced their displeasure at the move, but this is what WWE does better than anyone else.

The company went right when it was believed to be going left. WWE threw another major twist at fans and left everyone wondering why. This was more than just taking Lesnar out of the equation so Triple H vs. Roman Reigns could become a reality. This was a new direction that would have unreal consequences in the weeks to come.

What began as a mysterious matchup with no reasoning was now gaining traction.

The Prediction

The biggest concern here for fans is what good can come of this.

Does WWE have an endgame in mind for this match? Is this leading to a bigger rivalry at some point? Or is the company just throwing misdirection at fans to keep them guessing about what could potentially happen at WrestleMania?

After all, if Wyatt were to somehow beat Lesnar, what would that do to his match against Dean Ambrose? Does that guarantee Brock will go over on April 3? If Lesnar does indeed take Wyatt out—as many believe he will—where does that leave Bray in terms of positioning? Would anyone really care about who he's booked against at Mania?

Brock is the proven main event star with tremendous upside, and he could give that rub to Bray, who desperately needs it.

The only real method of attack that Bray has is his family. Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman are all capable of beating The Beast Incarnate down. They can put him at an immediate disadvantage, giving Bray the opportunity to come in and pounce on him.

The two men do not match up physically; Brock would annihilate Bray in any other situation.

But The Wyatt Family is the insurance policy, and it will likely be heavily utilized at Roadblock. Even if Brock does win the night, the fact that he suffered a beating could be used as a way to slow him down at WrestleMania. 

The commentary team could put over the fact that Brock is indeed human and could still be suffering the effects of the melee when he gets to Mania. That could perhaps open the door for Ambrose to win on April 3, cementing him as a top guy in WWE.

But that ultimately does nothing for Bray Wyatt.

Bray has come too far and has too much potential to just be left out in the cold. Even a loss at Roadblock does not have to slow him down; he could get involved later in the night in Triple H's title defense against Ambrose and even cost him the championship.

If that were to happen, then the wheels would be set in motion for Triple H vs. Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania, while Ambrose defends the belt against Lesnar and Reigns.

It may seem like a long shot, but considering Bray's recent run-in with Hunter on Raw, the fact is many fans are speculating on a face turn for The Eater of Worlds. If that is the case, his star would rise perhaps faster than expected, yet it would be fully plausible at the same time.

Despite what happens after Roadblock, the truth is Lesnar needs to go over. Bray can come out of it looking good with a renewed sense of purpose and direction, but Brock must continue to look unstoppable going into his match with Dean at Mania.

The bigger he is, the more it puts Dean at a disadvantage. This makes him the underdog, and he will thrive in that role.

Brock vs. Bray may not appear to have much rhyme or reason, but it's new and different. In a company searching for ways to keep fans captivated despite the injuries, new and different is very good indeed.

Tom Clark can regularly be found on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available for download on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.