This week I was working on a top ten moments article until I heard about the tragic loss of Jon Huber better-known to as Brodie Lee/Luke Harper. I was watching the highlights from this past Wednesday’s amazing tribute to ‘The Exalted One’ and I had a change of heart. I think we should revisit a badass rivalry back in WWE, Luke Harper, Erik Rowan, and Bray Wyatt
‘The Wyatt Family’ versus Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns ‘The Shield’.
This is one of the best rivalries of 2014, all six men were hungry and willing to do whatever it took to become the top faction of WWE. The Wyatt’s were invented in the old stomping grounds of FCW, better known today as NXT. ‘The Hounds of Justice’ would not become a cohesive unit until they debuted at the 2012 Survivor Series. Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns would embark on a path of destruction, taking down the likes of Daniel Bryan, Ryback, The Rock, and even ‘The Deadman’ The Undertaker.
Harper, Rowan, and Wyatt would not make their main-roster debut until 2013 where they decimated Kane. The destructive trio would go after various tag-teams, but their primary target was Daniel Bryan. Bryan would eventually join the family only to destroy them from within at the beginning of 2014. This brings us to this colossal feud. I say colossal even though both factions only held two battles, but they were all-out chaotic and car-crash battles.
On the January 27th edition of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt’s cost The Shield an Elimination Chamber qualifying match to battle for the WWE Championship. They attacked their opponents then-World Champion John Cena, Bryan, and Sheamus. Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns were furious and ready to fight their rivals despite the COO Triple H’s disapproval.
On the final Raw heading into Elimination Chamber, the two factions had an intense stare-down which made the WWE Universe red-hot for their explosive match.
If you go back and watch their first encounter, the crowd was shouting “This is Awesome” even before the bell rang and the action started. The Shield would fall short against The Wyatt’s which created dissension within the group. The reason why I loved this feud, is because it wasn’t about who won or lost it was all about this is what the WWE Universe had been clamoring for.
Even though this feud only lasted a little while, we were still treated to some fantastic storytelling and some really fun encounters between both factions. Ultimately after The Wyatt’s picked up two decisive victories, The Shield pulled through and ended the rivalry. Both factions would head off in different directions, but nobody will ever forget this awesome collision.
While we mourn the tragic death of Huber, we must go back and watch some of his greatest feuds such as this one. May ‘The Exalted One’ live forever in our hearts and -1 Brodie Lee Jr. carry on his father’s legacy!
