Freddie Prinze Jr: Creative Issues With Vince McMahon & Kevin Dunn Led To Bray Wyatt's WWE Release

Creative issues with Vince McMahon and WWE Vice President Kevin Dunn contributed to Bray Wyatt's release, according to former writer and Hollywood star Freddie Prinze Jr.

While mostly known for his movie roles, Prinze Jr. had multiple stints in WWE as a writer between 2008 and 2012. The actor still has contacts within the company and he indicated on The Ringer Wrestling Show that creative issues with Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn led to Bray Wyatt being let go. 

Prinze Jr. initially hinted at problems between McMahon and Wyatt after Host Ariel Helwani asked if there was any doubt in his mind about Roman Reigns beating John Cena at SummerSlam. 

"Zero percent outside, unless something crazy behind the scenes happens where they're gonna punish him because he didn't work the way they wanted him to work," Prinze Jr. said. "It's happened before. It happened to a guy who doesn't work there anymore... He had multiple personalities, he was a second-genner and named after a horseman."

After further probing from Helwani, Prinze Jr. added: "I can't tell you everything I know. I know Bray, I wouldn't say we're friends but we're acquaintances, but I still have friends at the company. Like I said earlier, if you're willing to work a specific way, even if you have a bad match, in the eyes of the top two dudes at the company it's a good match because you're doing business their way. If you're wanting to step out of that lane and widen your river or just show there's some other streams, even if you have a great match, it's just a good match. And when you stick to your guns time and time again, they're gonna stick to theirs. 

"Look, Vince is a product of the '80s. It's Reaganomics, when there's problems he throws money at it. It's an old-school way of thinking. It sometimes works. It sometimes doesn't, but they're men that will double down, him and Kevin. And for better or worse they will always double down," he continued.

"I don't think Bray had a good enough hand to play poker with them in that game. And that's why he lost the first time in a weird way in Abu Dhabi [Saudi Arabia] and that's why things kind of went south from there. His segments weren't suffering, his performance wasn't suffering. I just think if you're not willing to play ball then they let you know, 'Hey, you're not trying to play ball. We're not gonna help you out. We gave you this platform and you're not using it the way we want you to use it.' And it's business, you can understand that."

Wyatt was released by WWE in late July, just before he was scheduled to return to TV. Reports following the former Fiend's release noted Wyatt and Vince McMahon's relationship ran "very hot and cold" and Bray was said to be very protective of the Fiend character when it came to creative.