After multiple reports in regards to Bray Wyatt and his WWE departure have been disputed, Fightful asked for more on the situation, and what could have led to the top star's release.
The creative team had been told this past summer that Bray Wyatt was been cleared and that he'd be returning to the company prior to his release. He was seen at a few post-Mania episodes of WWE Raw, and we're told that he and Randy Orton among others involved with the WrestleMania match were not happy with the creative direction or outcome of that match, which changed two days before the show. At one point, Fightful was told there was "never a true creative endgame for that story" that went on six months. Initially after that match, Orton was supposed to take time off, but it was Wyatt who ended up getting time away, while Orton remained and began a team with Riddle. In addition, we've heard of WWE Superstars that actually approached Orton and Wyatt, saying they felt bad that the WrestleMania match was getting changed.
There were numerous people backstage who said that Wyatt was outspoken when he thought creative was bad, and by the end, some felt Vince McMahon just didn't like him due to that.
Creative was also told about some major frustration around the "burned Fiend" angle, specifically the size, weight and movement of the suit. Though Wyatt hasn't confirmed this himself, the creative team was told that he believed it was too heavy, was going to look bad and it would be difficult to move inside it, so it was scrapped.
Talent was told that Wyatt's release was a "budget cut," thought we don't know if that was specifically cited to Wyatt himself. This created a gigantic amount of frustration with the roster, staff, and employees alike, with nearly 20 reaching out to Fightful directly, saying there had to be more to it than that considering that he's a known money-maker.
A consensus was that almost nobody in the company truly believed this was a budget cut, citing Wyatt's popularity, merchandise sales among reasons. Wyatt was well known within the company to move merchandise when he was an active performer, and several other long-time stars said that they don't feel like their jobs are safe any longer, despite of their positions on the card or prior pushes.
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