When Covid-19 forced a worldwide lockdown in March of 2020, it seemed as if everything around was going to be temporarily put on hold. However, the WWE continued matches as if nothing had happened.
Whilst criticized at first and their handling still being a point of scrutiny, their continuance has been an escape for many viewers. In this era, WWE still managed to put on some brilliant matches, some of which we will look at today.
Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena – WrestleMania 36
Just weeks before WrestleMania, lockdown started in the US, throwing the whole wrestling landscape into chaos. However, it soon was announced that the WWE’s biggest event of the year would indeed occur but with no fans present. Although this would negatively impact nearly all other matches as they took place in awkward silence, it greatly benefitted the match between ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt and John Cena.
Billed the ‘Firefly Funhouse match’, this was the first of many cinematic style matches of the modern era. Less of a match, this parodies WWE’s mistreatment of Cena as ‘The Fiend’ takes us on a long journey to see John’s career pan out. Unbelievably out of character for the WWE, this Wyatt takes shots at Cena’s mishandling – building off of storylines from 6 years earlier (showing that despite fan complaint, WWE can do long-term storylines).
Whether it is Wyatt showing Cena in his debut attire, in an NWO shirt to symbolize his polarising run as a face or Bray displaying Cena’s moments of grief – it was thoroughly entertaining throughout with easter eggs and references for those who have been complaining about the leader of the Cenation for years. Cena actually lost to top it all off, taking a rare pinfall to finally put Wyatt over properly. ‘The Fiend’ had accomplished his goal, furthering him as a character.