Anyone who has read some of my editorials here at eWrestlingNews.com over the past few months knows that I make no bones about the fact that I’m not what you would call the biggest fan of pro wrestling these days. At the same time, I’ve made it clear that I still love the business as much as anybody can, but the current product isn’t exactly my cup of tea. With that being said, there’s still a few things here or there that catch my attention and provide the entertainment that I seek as a pro wrestling fan. Sunday night’s match between The Wyatt Family and The Shield is a perfect example of one of those things.
While many weren’t on board as a proud member of The Wyatt Family bandwagon, I can say without hesitation that I’ve enjoyed their act since day one. It was different. Something unique in a sport that feels like everything has been done before. What can I say? I dig those guys, and while many didn’t share the same opinion I had about them from the get-go, most seem to have been converted into full-fledged Wyatt Family fans. Of course there are the usual few exceptions, as there are still some who aren’t fans of the Wyatt clan, but most seem to be on board.
The Shield, on the other hand, is a group that virtually everyone seems to enjoy. They’ve got one of the best talkers in the game in Dean Ambrose. One of the best in-ring performers in the business with Seth Rollins. And perhaps the guy with the most upside in the game today, Roman Reigns. Basically, there’s something for everyone, and thus they’re well-liked from almost every “type” of wrestling fan out there.
The fact that both are groups that are fresh and new, contain three members and haven’t been played out to the point that people are sick of them, made their showdown on Sunday night one that everyone has been looking forward to. It would have been easy for WWE to book an angle with each faction going after the other straight out of the gate, but they actually played this one the right way. Each group had the chance to grow and succeed on their own, making their inevitable collision that much more interesting.
The build-up to this program was damn near flawless. Those brief segments on RAW with each group slowly closing in on the other, only for The Wyatt Family to ultimately back down (making them the obvious heels, as to distinguish two heel groups in the minds of the fans heading into the pay-per-view) were awesome. Speaking of awesome, how many times have you heard a thunderous “this is awesome” chant for a match before it even begins?
The booking of The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield match on Sunday was well laid out. The execution by the performers involved was excellent. The crowd atmosphere truly added to what was a showdown that felt like a true spectacle. It was the perfect match, and one that reminded me why the pro wrestling business is something I’ll always enjoy, no matter how much I may dislike the current product. When a pro wrestling angle is done right, it’s a thing of beauty. That’s exactly what The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield on Sunday night was — a thing of beauty.
If there was one complaint, and I’ve mentioned it in past editorials, it’s that WWE should have saved The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield for WrestleMania XXX. It really felt like a WrestleMania-caliber program even before the match at Elimination Chamber. Either way, I’m thankful that WWE handled this program so well. The best part is that it might not even be over yet. While they clearly kept on track to move into the rumored John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt showdown at WrestleMania XXX, there have been reports that claim we may get a rematch of last night’s six-man tag-team match tonight on RAW. If true, that’s one more reason that tonight’s show really could end up being one of the best RAW shows in a long time.
What did you guys think of The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield from Sunday night? Leave your feedback in the “Comments” section below. You can also hit me up directly at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR.
