Fans were excited when the news came out that Dwayne Johnson‘s daughter would join NXT. Ava Raine is a fourth-generation wrestler of the Anoa’i family of Samoan wrestlers. Many believed she would follow in her father’s footsteps as a babyface. However, she debuted as part of the heel stable The Schism. Now, after months as a member of what fans consider NXT 2.0’s version of The Wyatt Family, will she take the reins?
The stable Schism is over with the fans. As the comparisons between the dearly departed Bray Wyatt’s iconic stable continue, Will she succeed in keeping the legacy alive?
Original plans for Ava Raine in NXT
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Raine debuted in NXT in October 2022 after training in the WWE Performance Center in 2020. She made her TV debut as a masked figure helping out Joe Gacy and his heel stable called The Schism. While fans were excited about her debut, no one expected her to enter as a heel compared to her father’s debut.
Before joining NXT, Raine was friends with Gacy. The two devised an idea for a stable similar to the 2003 Horror movie ‘House of Thousand Corpses.’ The movie features a family of sadistic individuals sparking terror in unsuspecting victims. The film gained a cult classic status and is loved by hardcore horror fans. Similarly, the initial idea for the stable would be a family of edgy cult members. In retrospect, this idea sounds very similar to The Wyatt Family.
Gacy was the guest on the August 23 edition of Out of Character with Ryan Satin. During the episode, he said, “Together and came up with this idea of a cult-type group. Originally, it was me, her, and this other guy.” However, the plans had changed by the time they both debuted on the NXT roster.
Continuing on the topic of working with Raine, Gacy said that with NXT 2.0, the venture of working together didn’t seem like it would happen. However, Raine approached Gacy at the PC and told him about her inclusion in Schism. Gacy said, “That’s awesome’ because originally it was going to be me and her trying to do something anyway.” Even though Gacy believes The Schism and The Wyatt Family are different, the similarities cannot be ignored.
The Schism vs. The Wyatt Family, the similarities and differences
The WWE universe first saw The Wyatt Family in November 2012 in NXT. They debuted on the main roster the following year in July. The Clut leader gimmick dates all the way back to wrestlers like Kevin Sullivan and The Dungeon of Doom, Gangrel and The Brood, and Raven. Some even consider CM’s Straight Edge Society to be a cult stable.
When looking at The Schism and The Wyatt Family side by side, there are many similarities between the two prominent leaders and their right hand. However, the intentions of both are different. As mentioned earlier on the same podcast, Gacy touched upon the topic of being compared to The Wyatt Family. He said, “Oh, he’s a dark character. He has a beard, he’s heavyset, and he has tattoos. He’s just like Bray Wyatt.”
The statement concerned what fans thought when he debuted his character. He explained how both characters are dark, and since Wyatt did it first, fans would naturally compare the two. When looking at the two stables, fans have pointed out how similar they act in their in-ring storylines.
While fans of the WWE loved The Wyatt Family and the mystery they brought to the storylines, similarly, NXT fans have put The Schsim over already. As with The Wyatt Family storyline of setting Eric Rowan and Luke Harper free, fans expect to see tension in The Schsim in the following months with someone breaking away from the group. Despite Gacy’s attempts to explain the difference between the two stables, Ava Raine made it clear that Wyatt inspired many things.
Ava Raine tributes Bray Wyatt as the inspiration for The Schism
With the passing of Wyatt, the WWE universe went into shock. Fans and other wrestlers could not process the idea of losing such a brilliant wrestler at 36. Triple H was the first to announce the news to the WWE community when the news broke. Many wrestlers such as Booker T, Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Seth Rollins were devastated upon hearing the news.
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Taking to social media, the wrestlers put out heartfelt tributes to Wyatt and their experience working with him. Just like her father, Raine also posted a story to Instagram. She began by praising the thought and detail Wyatt put into his characters. After breaking away from The Wyatt Family, he introduced the WWE universe to The Fiend. To date, the gimmick is considered one of the best and scariest on the main rosters. Even The Undertaker wanted Wyatt to continue the surreal gimmick legacy.
Continuing her post, Ava said that she deeply admired how Wyatt turned pro wrestling into an art. While most wrestlers stick to a regular gimmick, Wyatt always kept to the surreal. Introduced as a cult leader, he transformed it into something fans loved. She said that without Wyatt’s influence, there would be no Schism or Raine.
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This could be taken as an admiration for the character that helped influence The Schism. As mentioned earlier, fans have already drawn comparisons between the two stables. This nod to Wyatt hints at his work and legacy’s impact on the future generations of the WWE. In the aftermath of Wyatt’s tragic death, fans will hope that The Schism carries Wyatt’s legacy while carving their own place in the business.
Watch This Story: I’m Heartbroken: Devastated by Bray Wyatt’s Untimely Demise, Dwayne Johnson Drops an Emotional Tribute for His Ex-Colleague
