The Wyatt Family to defend SmackDown Tag Team Titles under the Freebird Rule

[cero2k]

source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2016 ... ebird-rule

The Wyatt Family is evoking a rarely-used custom during their reign as SmackDown Tag Team Champions, WWE.com has learned.

While Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton captured the titles for the Family at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan have sanctioned Luke Harper as champion as well, making him eligible to defend the titles alongside Wyatt or Orton under the Freebird Rule.

Named for WWE Hall of Famers The Fabulous Freebirds, the rule stipulates that a faction that holds a championship can assign any of its members to defend the title at any given time. The reigning Raw Tag Team Champions, The New Day, have used the Freebird Rule to great success. Xavier Woods has defended the titles several times alongside either Kofi Kingston or Big E, who won them at SummerSlam 2015.

The Wyatts’ challengers might have rested easier knowing they wouldn’t have to contend with the enigmatic Harper on top of Wyatt himself and The Viper. No more.

[cero2k]

anyone wanna bet that when American Alpha finally win the titles, Luke Harper takes the pin?

[Big Red Machine]

anyone wanna bet that when American Alpha finally win the titles, Luke Harper takes the pin?

I expect that that's the entire reason why this is being done.

[cero2k]

anyone wanna bet that when American Alpha finally win the titles, Luke Harper takes the pin?

I expect that that's the entire reason why this is being done.

which sucks because going by the story, it would work best if Randy just turns on Bray and gives the other team to win, but i guess that does make the win of the other team a bit less important.

[Big Red Machine]

anyone wanna bet that when American Alpha finally win the titles, Luke Harper takes the pin?

I expect that that's the entire reason why this is being done.

which sucks because going by the story, it would work best if Randy just turns on Bray and gives the other team to win, but i guess that does make the win of the other team a bit less important.

But then what's the pay-off to Randy joining them. Surely Randy is a much more effective heel on his own, so if you just want him to be heel, why make him a Wyatt?

[cero2k]

But then what's the pay-off to Randy joining them. Surely Randy is a much more effective heel on his own, so if you just want him to be heel, why make him a Wyatt?

well, the whole infiltration of the Wyatts and destroying them from within, hoping for that Dragon/Wyatt pop when Randy finally turns on him and goes back to super babyface, just in time to challenge Styles for the title

I don't think that at any point they want Randy as a heel for the long term, without Cena and Taker not actually 'back', he's gonna be that big name babyface for Smackdown for a while

[Big Red Machine]

But then what's the pay-off to Randy joining them. Surely Randy is a much more effective heel on his own, so if you just want him to be heel, why make him a Wyatt?

well, the whole infiltration of the Wyatts and destroying them from within, hoping for that Dragon/Wyatt pop when Randy finally turns on him and goes back to super babyface, just in time to challenge Styles for the title

I don't think that at any point they want Randy as a heel for the long term, without Cena and Taker not actually 'back', he's gonna be that big name babyface for Smackdown for a while

Right... but if you don't want him to cost them the titles then why put the titles on them?

[cero2k]

Right... but if you don't want him to cost them the titles then why put the titles on them?

that's the thing i'm not sure the fully thought off when changing the titles, they probably just figured it will make the orton thing look more legit to swerve the fans, and AA can have a big title win against a big heel team, because Rhyno/Slater were faces and the rest of the smackdown teams kinda suck

[Big Red Machine]

Right... but if you don't want him to cost them the titles then why put the titles on them?

that's the thing i'm not sure the fully thought off when changing the titles, they probably just figured it will make the orton thing look more legit to swerve the fans, and AA can have a big title win against a big heel team, because Rhyno/Slater were faces and the rest of the smackdown teams kinda suck

It's a sad state of affairs when the explanation that begins with "they didn't think it through thoroughly" is the most plausible one.

[XIV]

"Evoking a rarely-used custom"

Which our last Tag Team Champions used.

[KILLdozer]

It just doesn't fit for me in any type of way at all. This is Randy Orton. Over ten world champion and ten plus years veteran. Not "random large bearded guy number 4" . It doesn't make any sense just as the booking of this character in this spot. More expounding upon the entire thing would have been better.

Except it's "oh Mr. Viper on my side now Ahhahaha!", And "oh sure I can't beat 'em so I'll join them."

It's too advanced in Orton's career for this. Plus, I'm probably the literal only one with this thought., But part of me believes it's not gonna be all about "purposely costing them the titles."

[KILLdozer]

"Evoking a rarely-used custom"

Which our last Tag Team Champions used.

Which no one else in a very very long time had used, which still makes it rare.

Take off your negative critic glasses.

[Big Red Machine]

It just doesn't fit for me in any type of way at all. This is Randy Orton. Over ten world champion and ten plus years veteran. Not "random large bearded guy number 4" . It doesn't make any sense just as the booking of this character in this spot. More expounding upon the entire thing would have been better.

Except it's "oh Mr. Viper on my side now Ahhahaha!", And "oh sure I can't beat 'em so I'll join them."

It's too advanced in Orton's career for this.

I agree with this part of your statement.

[KILLdozer]

It just doesn't fit for me in any type of way at all. This is Randy Orton. Over ten world champion and ten plus years veteran. Not "random large bearded guy number 4" . It doesn't make any sense just as the booking of this character in this spot. More expounding upon the entire thing would have been better.

Except it's "oh Mr. Viper on my side now Ahhahaha!", And "oh sure I can't beat 'em so I'll join them."

It's too advanced in Orton's career for this.

I agree with this part of your statement.

So all of it?

[Big Red Machine]

It just doesn't fit for me in any type of way at all. This is Randy Orton. Over ten world champion and ten plus years veteran. Not "random large bearded guy number 4" . It doesn't make any sense just as the booking of this character in this spot. More expounding upon the entire thing would have been better.

Except it's "oh Mr. Viper on my side now Ahhahaha!", And "oh sure I can't beat 'em so I'll join them."

It's too advanced in Orton's career for this.

I agree with this part of your statement.

So all of it?

No. Not the part about this being about more than Randy costing Bray the titles, which is why I cut it out.