The November 28 episode of WWE SmackDown ended on a cliffhanger. Solo Sikoa stood in the middle of the ring after defeating Sami Zayn to become the sole survivor in the elimination match. But he wouldn’t be alone long, as the Wyatt Sicks, now accompanied by Uncle Howdy, returned to attack him. The fans in attendance cheered, but like a lot of things in WWE, the Wyatt Sicks no longer feel special.
That feeling, a unique feeling across the entire WWE product, was what made Bray Wyatt special. That was especially true during his run as The Fiend, and that final run especially. That translated over to Uncle Howdy, and The Wyatt Sicks. The group was a popular faction, even though the “spooky” aspects didn’t necessarily fit within the sports-based presentation of professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Unfortunately, that feeling of “special” is long gone and it has become more apparent each week.
Nothing about The Wyatt Sicks fit in what WWE was doing, and that was clear from the start. Now, more than a year since the group’s debut, it seems like the faction is stuck in the purgatory that is the WWE midcard. That isn’t an insult to the faction’s talent, not at all. But this is more akin to what is happening on SmackDown, the land where 90 percent of the show’s booking just isn’t resonating.
The talent in this faction is there. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, and Dexter Lumis all found different ways to resonate with the crowd. Even in the face of some of the worst booking during those situations. Bo Dallas is an excellent performer, the first NXT Champion, but that feels like so long ago and a different career. Even Rowan has had strong performances in the past. All the pieces are there, so what isn’t working? The finger has to be pointed at the booking across the board.
Part of this is due to who they are being booked against. The shark has long been jumped on the MFTs. The Bloodline Angle was one of the best in the business, but the MFT aspect of the angle isn’t working. Nothing about Sikoa or the rest of the faction feels like a threat to the roster. Whenever they show up, the show becomes a drag. And this is supposed to be the foil that builds overwhelming interest in The Wyatt Sicks?
It’s also unfortunate that this faction is perhaps the only thing that is keeping each of these individuals on television. Without this faction, it’s easy to summarize that Road Dogg wouldn’t even find a way to have them on television as often as they are. The upper ranks of the men’s division on both SmackDown and Raw are stagnant, and this group wouldn’t break through without each other. It is an unfortunate cycle that has truly pushed them into a difficult situation.
Fans will cheer for The Wyatt Sicks every time they appear, but it has not translated into a major run yet. The group does not feel as special as it once did, and the creative direction of SmackDown will limit their ability to rekindle what they started with back in 2024.