Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback Will Deliver at WWE Payback

My most recent Main Event podcast was a Payback preview and was posted on Wednesday, May 13. I felt good about it, got the majority of it done in basically one take and despite server issues, it was up by late afternoon.

Little did I know that Ryback versus Bray Wyatt would be added to the card later that day. So since I did not have the chance to analyze that match, I thought I would do it here.

Don't sound so excited.

I can't really blame you, though. No one really seems to be all that hyped for this one and honestly, WWE hasn't exactly done a stellar job in prepping us to see it. The usual formula has been in place from the beginning; Bray cuts one cryptic promo after another on an unknown Superstar until finally he shows his hand and attacks the guy.

Then that guy attemtps to retaliate, only to be outsmarted at every turn. As simple as it sounds, it works practically every time. But this time? Not so much.

Ryback is not The Undertaker. For that matter, he's not Dean Ambrose or Daniel Bryan either. He doesn't have a long history of getting over, no established main event career to fall back on. Ryback is a talent that's just not quite there yet.

So what's he doing feuding with Bray, you ask? Because he's trying to get there.

It's not that Wyatt is a star maker. The Eater of Worlds hasn't been used in that capacity since he and the family arrived on the main roster. It's been apparent by the level of competition he's faced that the company's intention was to turn him into a star and for the most part, it's worked.

So now the intention is to apparently use Bray to help someone else. Make no mistake about it; this feud is not about Bray, it's about Ryback. Bray is already set, his gimmick is over and his main event potential is ready to be tapped when and if WWE ever wants to.

Ryback is the one standing still here. He's gotten better over the last few months and the crowd is more accepting of him than ever before but he's still going nowhere. He needs a jolt, a charge to get him going and right now the only one capable of doing that is Bray.

The problem is, no one's feeling it. All anyone can see is Ryback and his lack of charisma. So if WWE wants this to truly get over then both guys must step it up at Payback.

They have to deliver and they have to do it in a big way. The brief encounter they had on the May 11 edition of Monday Night Raw may not have been much but it did give a great glimpse into the kind of match they're going to have.

If they continue the pace they had that night then they will not disappoint at Payback. This one is not about the anticipation of seeing them face off, it's about seeing if they can make something good of it when they do face off. The pressure is on them to bring it home and with any luck, they will do just that.

The fact is, both guys are here to stay. Neither one has really reached his prime yet and that's good news for the WWE faithful. They may not have an obvious chemistry right now but get them in the ring together and see what they can do. They're hungry, they're willing and they're ready to make an impact. They will probably do more than most believe they can.

This is Ryback's time to shine. His number has been called before but this time he's playing with a little more support and a little more swagger than he's had in the past. He needs to come up big at Payback.

Bray will do what he does best; entertain. He's used to the spotlight and now he has the chance to help someone else get accustomed to it as well. There is hope for Bray Wyatt versus Ryback and that wil be evident on May 17 at Payback.

Maybe it's time to get excited after all.