WWE SmackDown Smacks and Downs: The ladder climb to unemployment

Smack: Bray Wyatt continues to be involved in strong feuds with fantastic storytelling

I wasn’t expecting much from the opening “Moment of Bliss” segment with Universal Champion Braun Strowman. However, to my surprise, Strowman’s acting was’t atrocious. He seemed calm and genuine in his happiness for becoming champion. He’s always had great chemistry in the ring and on the mic with Alexa Bliss, and it was a nice callback to Team Little Big.

He really excelled once he noticed the gift, at first doing a slight double-take and then crediting Bliss for the gift. Bliss was fantastic (as she usually is on the mic) when she hesitantly informed Strowman she actually didn’t get him a gift. Bonus points for her confused look as she turned to Nikki Cross to ask her if she was the one who brought the gift.

Was it highly predictable the black sheep mask was going to be the gift? Very much so. Did that detract from the segment? No, that’s very much not the case. Again, sometimes predictable is good.

Last week, Wyatt made his intentions known that he wanted “his” Universal Championship back (he never had a rematch with Goldberg). In doing so, he reminded fans everywhere it was he who brought Strowman to WWE (kayfabe) as the “black sheep” of The Wyatt Family, showing highlights of them from years ago.

Honestly, if it wasn’t the black sheep mask Strowman pulled out the box, this segment would have made absolutely no sense. Strowman pulling out the mask not only maintains a coherent story, but also rewards fans for their knowledge of these two wrestlers and their past interactions, much like it did for Wyatt-Cena.

As with Cena, Wyatt is showing in his two weeks of “interactions” with Strowman that he absolutely excels in the psychology of professional wrestling and telling a gripping story. Strowman might be the “Monster among Men,” but even a monster has to deal with psychological issues that can be their downfall.

Lastly, it makes sense why Strowman is facing Wyatt as opposed to The Fiend. Their history together has never involved The Fiend, and unlike Cena, Strowman was not a catalyst or even a factor in the creation of The Fiend.

Then again, maybe something happens in their match at Money in the Bank or on the following episode of SmackDown.

Maybe Wyatt hearkens to The Wyatt Family being broken up through a Superstar Shakeup as the tipping point for Wyatt in creating The Fiend. He can blame Strowman and say if it wasn’t for him trying to outshine the rest of the family, the breakup may have never happened.

For someone who wasn’t sold on Strowman as champion, I am being roped into his first feud thanks to the marvelous work of Wyatt. Yes, Strowman deserves credit for playing his part well, but he hasn’t been this interesting since his intense rivalry with “He Who Must Not be Named,” Roman Reigns.