WWE Raw: Breaking Down The Ultimate Deletion

We take a look at the insane and bizarre Ultimate Deletion match that took place this week on WWE Raw.

The months long rivalry between Bray Wyatt and Woken Matt Hardy on WWE Raw came to its climax this week. In the main event of Raw, the WWE Universe witnessed the Ultimate Deletion match which could be described in many ways. Was it wacky? Yes. Was it entertaining? Yes indeed. It was a savory mix of horror and weird elements that worked well at the end of the day. Now there might be some fans who didn’t exactly digest the idea of this match. Then there are fans like me who got to witness the Broken Brilliance in all it’s glory for the first time.

This was something I had never seen before. Personally, I hadn’t followed the whole Broken Universe storyline that much in the past. I had seen bits and pieces of it from clips but to me this was the first time I witnessed Hardy in all his creative glory. The match (segment) was unlike anything else I witnessed prior to today in pro-wrestling.

Remember when the New Day visited the Wyatt Family compound or when that dreaded House of Horrors match took place? This was nothing like it. This was all over the place. It was nice to see the WWE and Hardy stick to the original formula. I’d feared Vince would try to have at least a bit of his creative decision to be added to it.

The original Hardy family was present and even Brother Nero made a cameo. The best part however, was how well they meshed Bray Wyatt’s character into all this. There was a point during the fight where Hardy asked Wyatt if he remembers where he was and then you noticed it. It seemed like this was the House that Orton had burnt down in the past. We were then taken into a segment that probably showcased Wyatt’s mind as he remembered the compound and it’s past.

These subtle moments were all that took to ensure Wyatt was as much a part of this as Hardy was. The ending where Señor Benjamin tossed a globe into Wyatt’s hands and sang “He’s got the whole world in his hands’ was a nice throwback. It suddenly made some relatable connection to one of Wyatt’s most eerie moments against John Cena.

There was an equal mix of subtle comedy as well. I particularly liked the spot where Broken Hardy tried to drive the Mower of Lawns over Wyatt’s body at one point. Yes, it was once again a case of WWE program showcasing attempted murder using a vehicle on Live TV. But if you listen to the background score at the time it was actually comedic. I don’t even know if comedic is the apt term to describe.

The Ultimate Deletion match was bizarre, weird and out of this world. It was all over the realm of creativity and bordered along insanity and logic. But there was always a certain balance at play. The match did a good job of showcasing the entire Hardy compound. Moreover, it projected how good the Broken One is at playing mind games.

However, therein lies one of my main issues with this match (or segment, whichever way you put it). The odds were stacked against Bray almost too visibly. Even Bray himself was comfortable with the idea of heading into the compound, which was also a source of infinite power and wisdom for Hardy. Throughout the match, Wyatt suffered from external parties and interference from the likes of Vanguard 1.

The numbers game was against Wyatt and Hardy looked relentless and savage as he battled the Eater of the Worlds. At some points it almost made me feel like Wyatt was somehow the babyface in peril here. Creative could have worked an angle where Wyatt managed to capture or injure one of Hardy’s accomplices to make this more compelling and have some heat on Wyatt.

Next: WWE Raw Results: Grades and Analysis for March 19

But when all is said and done, the Ultimate Deletion was quite the treat. What lies ahead now for Wyatt and Hardy is a big question. Especially now that Wyatt was thrown into the Lake of Reincarnation and his body was not found, something seems to be in the works. Has Bray Wyatt truly been DELETED? I will address that in this week’s Burning Questions later.