On this week’s WWE SmackDown, Uncle Howdy appeared as the feud between LA Knight and Bray Wyatt continued.
Howdy is still a popular hashtag on social media today. There’s no word on who played Howdy on SmackDown, but the most popular theory is that it’s Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas. It should be noted that this has not been confirmed, but Dallas has long been expected to be involved in the Wyatt storyline.
SmackDown featured previously unseen footage from the previous week, when Knight entered a room to find Howdy waiting. Knight was tied up, his mouth duct-taped, and wearing a green mask in the footage sent to the announcers. The person who was filming poked and taunted him. Knight then entered the ring and called Wyatt out, saying he’s a former WWE Champion and one of the most popular Superstars of all time, but all he’s done since his return is dress like a damn circus freak, whine and cry with a victim complex, and say a bunch of nothing that never gets to the point. Knight then accused Wyatt of hitting him with cheap shots while denying it was his fault.
Knight then summoned Wyatt to the ring. Wyatt said he misses Chicago but is sick of Knight, who insists he is not responsible for the recent attacks. Wyatt attempted to enter the ring with an ultimatum for Knight, but was attacked and thrashed in the corner. Then Howdy appeared on the big screen, taunting Knight and asking if he wanted to see something truly terrifying. Knight resumed stomping on Wyatt, who was now grinning. The screen went black, and Howdy appeared in-person for the first time at the entrance. Howdy laughed and then tipped his top hat towards the ring. Wyatt laughed as he sat in the corner, looking back and forth between Howdy and Knight. SmackDown went to commercial with Howdy laughing from the entrance-way as a terrified Knight exited the ring.
Many viewers on social media were disappointed because they expected a reveal Friday night, but it never came. Wyatt returned to WWE on October 8 at Extreme Rules, and it appears that unless he and Knight wrestle on the final SmackDown of 2022 on December 30, he will not work a match until 2023. He hasn’t wrestled since losing to Randy Orton on April 11, 2021 at WrestleMania 37.
The Wyatt vs. Knight storyline will continue on next week’s pre-recorded episode of SmackDown. Full spoilers for next Friday can be found here, and a non-spoiler match preview for next week can be found here.
The following are clips from last night’s SmackDown:
So, this was just posted to _comewithme on TikTok… ? pic.twitter.com/O74V3Xlo6p
— WWE (@WWE) December 16, 2022
UNCLE HOWDY IS HERE! #BrayWyatt #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/fZjXsCgT9K
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 17, 2022