Bray Wyatt's Babyface Turn Key to Reintroduction as WWE Main Event Star

There is no reason WWE should be relying on a babyface turn to reinvigorate the Bray Wyatt character and reintroduce him as a credible main event star. 

That the conversation surrounding Wyatt's legitimacy as one of the top stars in the industry is even in question three years after his debut on WWE television is ridiculous. He is a powerful and believable speaker whose ring work speaks for itself, particularly when he is healthy, so there is no reason the third-generation professional wrestler should not already be headlining WrestleManias and competing for world heavyweight championships.

The complete and utter disregard for his character and the mishandling of it, not to mention The Wyatt Family as a whole, is further proof of WWE Creative's inability to create stars at a time when the company could most use them.

As asinine as the booking of Wyatt has been over the last three years, the impending babyface turn teased on the April 4 episode of Raw, which continued one week later, introduces an opportunity for Wyatt to re-enter the main event scene he never should have left.

WWE has always—and will always—emphasized the importance of its top heroes. Hence so much effort and focus going into guys like Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, John Cena and, in years past, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Undertaker and The Ultimate Warrior.

They are the Superstars who generate interest in the product, sell merchandise and pack arenas, so Vince McMahon and his merry band of writers will always put more effort into getting them over than they will heels, who, especially over the last decade, WWE has recycled in and out of storylines, regardless of how many times babyfaces have beaten them down and abused them.

Wyatt was one of those heels, sacrificed to the making of a household name, Reigns, or reaffirming the legacy of Cena. He was built up, only to be broken down in a feud with Kane and Undertaker that did nothing to help anyone involved.

Now, he has the opportunity to be on the other side of the proverbial fence, an immensely popular babyface who will benefit from the care and coddling of McMahon and WWE Creative.

If the response Wyatt received during his tag team match on Monday was any indication, his push will take the least amount of effort from the boss and his minions. Fans in Los Angeles' Staples Center erupted as he received the hot tag from Reigns. Wyatt responded in kind, exploding into the match and laying waste to anyone in his way.

He flattened Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus of The League of Nations, all the way playing to the crowd in a way that never came across as pandering or forced. He was feeding off of the audience, and the result was as organic a reaction for a supposed babyface as the height of Daniel Bryan's popularity early in 2014.

The fact of the matter is that fans have been waiting for an excuse to cheer Wyatt. They love partaking in his act, throwing their iPhones high in the sky, the flashlight app cutting through the darkness and giving the impression of thousands of fireflies guiding The Reaper of Souls to the squared circle. They even filled arenas with song, singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" in unison, a sign of support for Wyatt.

At WrestleMania 32, The Rock even eluded to the fans' admiration for Wyatt, one of the clear points made during an otherwise rambling promo.

As Wyatt embarks on a different path than any his character has ever taken before, the one thing he must resist is management's desire to turn every major babyface star into a cookie-cutter good guy who smiles and begs fans to cheer for them. The moment that happens, the character is stripped of everything that has helped it maintain its popularity, despite all of the booking speed bumps it has encountered.

If it can manage to maintain its credibility with the audience, there is no reason the character cannot grow, evolve and find consistency at the top of the company, the closest thing to The Undertaker the company has had since the inaugural years of Kane. A dark persona fans disenfranchised with the one-dimensional heroes the company produces means Wyatt could follow the buzzards all the way to sports-entertainment immortality.

Credit: WWE.com

It remains to be seen just how serious the calf injury (reported by WWE.com) he suffered in Milan is, but even if he is forced to step away from the show for a period of time, a hot comeback that allows him to continue building momentum toward a complete babyface turn would benefit him more than a straight shift in character will.