The One Mistake Triple H and WWE Must Avoid With Wyatt Sicks Booking

Not all that long ago, the stunning debut of the Wyatt Sicks would have been met with equal parts hype and dread.

But not in this golden era of WWE storytelling under the guidance of Triple H.

Provided all involved avoid one critical mistake.

Under different creative controls that fans experienced for decades, the Sicks would have suffered from inconsistent stories, potentially morphed into boring (or perhaps even comedic) characters and struggled in the ring to find a balance between realistic and supernatural.

The group’s inspiration—Bray Wyatt—was proof enough of that. This was especially so in The Fiend’s run of dominance. While the supernatural persona was a blast to see on weekly, unique segments, fans know the notorious hits of booking for the character.

Most notably, that epic stinker against Seth Rollins that spoiled Fiend’s believability and even sent Rollins into a tailspin that saw him eventually rework his entire character.

With Fiend, WWE of old did its notorious overwhelm fans with this thing that got a huge pop one time. He was nearly invulnerable in the ring and out of it while also pursuing WWE gold, which felt oddly out of character. Once Fiend had gold, the notorious moment that was Goldberg beating him for the title was an all-timer of a stinker.

So, the critical mistake WWE can’t make with Sicks booking is simple—take it slow.

The group’s murderous-looking debut was an amazing start (and a testament yet again to the jaw-dropping overhaul of WWE presentation). They can’t run around brutalizing the backstage area and notable Superstars on a weekly basis, but as a way to say hello, it was pretty momentous.

Luckily for fans, this golden era of modern pro wrestling has been ushered in by the company’s newfound respect for methodical long-term storytelling.

The best example is the Bloodline around Roman Reigns, of course. Sure, some fans bemoaned decisions here or there over the course of its ongoing, epic run, but it’s pretty hard to argue things like Sami Zayn’s ascension and otherwise weren’t fantastic.

The Bloodline casts a historic shadow. But it’s far from the only example. Similar care helped uplift The Judgment Day and continues to do so even with Rhea Ripley out thanks to the inclusion of Liv Morgan around Dominik Mysterio. That, while other inter-group dynamics like Damian Priest’s solo run remain compelling, too.

Other notables, to name a few, include the measured pace to everything around Chad Gable and the line-blurring feud around Drew McIntyre and CM Punk despite the complete absence of a match.

So no, WWE doesn’t figure to have Uncle Howdy running around getting his Fiend on anytime soon. Ok, maybe Erick Rowan does that here and there, but it would make some sense. Any actual matches would be mindful of the other Superstars involved who are tasked with fighting something supernatural-adjacent, too.

WWE @WWE”WE’RE HERE.”

UNCLE HOWDY just arrived on #WWERaw in a shocking, spectacular moment. pic.twitter.com/kNv3mheahO

What it could do, though, is carefully drum up the anticipation until the reveal of a possible sixth member (Alexa Bliss would seem to be a favorite, right?). It could slowly have the group encouraging members of the roster to team up to take them down, preferably in a way that isn’t just leading to something like a branded PLE such as Survivor Series.

What it could also do is really introduce fans to some of these Superstars that more casual audiences might not understand just yet. Everyone knows Nikki Cross, sure, but letting Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis really shine could be a good thing.

That’s been another benefit to this new era of creative. Jey Uso doesn’t even hint at becoming what he is today without the Bloodline saga. The bumps for Zayn, Cody Rhodes and others have been dramatic, too. Priest probably doesn’t ascend, nor does Mysterio really find this niche. Examples abound.

So, who knows? In a few years, maybe a similar thing will happen to the Superstars involved here. Maybe Howdy himself enjoys a career renaissance.

For fans, it has to feel good to know that something this critical, important and with so much historic potential is in good hands. Unlike the Bloodline and others, it’s not the guinea pig to see what works.

If anything, it has the potential to be the victory lap and crowning achievement of the new era.