Photo credit: WWE.com.

Bray Wyatt Beats Daniel Bryan, Retains Universal Title at WWE Survivor Series

Mike Chiari

"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt defeated Daniel Bryan at WWE Survivor Series on Sunday to retain the Universal Championship.

Bryan threw everything he had at Wyatt, including the running knee. He even targeted the titleholder's right hand—the same hand The Fiend uses for the Mandible Claw—and called upon the combined forces of the "Yes! Movement."

That didn't stop The Fiend from countering a running knee into the Claw. Bryan was unable to force his way out of the move, and the referee counted his shoulders down for three.

The two men have plenty of history, but it wasn't until recently that they crossed paths again, and that was at the design of Wyatt.

On the Nov. 8 edition of SmackDown, The Fiend interrupted a discussion between Bryan and Sami Zayn by putting the former in the Mandible Claw. That set the stage for a verbal confrontation between them the following week.

On Miz TV, the host questioned why The Fiend attacked Bryan and suggested it was because he saw weakness in him and wanted to be the one to end him once and for all. The former WWE champion disputed that and said he felt it had to do with the fact both he and Wyatt were "mentally unstable."

Wyatt then appeared from the Firefly Fun House and said The Fiend remembered what Bryan had done to him. That was seemingly a nod to the storyline six years ago that saw Bryan join The Wyatt Family only to attempt to destroy it from the inside.

Bryan has been conflicted recently with regard to whether he should embrace the Yes Movement again. Wyatt tried to get him to partake last week, but he refused.

Instead, Bryan asked Wyatt if he would fight him and put the Universal Championship on the line, to which he responded with a resounding "yes" chant.

Wyatt beat Seth Rollins to win the universal title at Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and with Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Championship against Rey Mysterio at Survivor Series, it was anyone's guess who would step up to face the holder.

The Fiend handpicked Bryan as his opponent, and it is tough to argue with the decision since he previously brought the best out of Wyatt from an in-ring perspective when they faced each other in 2014.

Although Wyatt retained against Bryan on Sunday, the match may have been just what the challenger needed to find his identity and embrace the fans who are trying to get 100 percent behind him once again.

             

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