WWE has officially announced the first-ever Pitch Black match.
As noted earlier, tonight’s SmackDown on FOX opened with an in-ring segment featuring Bray Wyatt, LA Knight, and Uncle Howdy. During the segment, Knight challenged Wyatt to a match at the WWE Royal Rumble, and Wyatt accepted as he thinks it’s time to show the world just how cruel he can be when he wants to be. The segment ended with Howdy coming out to drop Wyatt with Sister Abigail, as seen below.
In an update, WWE has since announced that Wyatt vs. Knight will be held as the inaugural Pitch Black match.
WWE did not announce any details on the format of the new gimmick match, but they confirmed that the bout is sponsored by the return of Mountain Dew’s Pitch Black flavor.
WWE’s official preview for the Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match reads like this:
Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight (Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match)
At Royal Rumble, Bray Wyatt will battle LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match, as the mysterious Uncle Howdy continues to add fuel to the fire of the explosive conflict.
A contentious conflict has grown between Wyatt and Knight ever since they first stood face-to-face backstage on SmackDown. The exact nature of that conflict, however, has been open to constant speculation.
Wyatt has insisted that he has not been responsible when Knight has been kidnapped, tormented or attacked backstage. Wyatt also claims he is in constant conflict to stop himself from being consumed with his dark past.
The ominous Uncle Howdy suddenly appeared before the WWE Universe as both adversaries were in the ring together. This added more questions than answers, though, as it was unclear whether Wyatt was vindicated by the sudden turn of events.
Regardless of Uncle Howdy’s involvement, Knight emerged on the Dec. 30 edition of the blue brand as Wyatt was apologizing for snapping and attacking a cameraman the week prior with the goal of putting him out of his misery. After Bray aggressively accepted the challenge for a matchup at Royal Rumble and tensions quickly escalated, Uncle Howdy suddenly appeared and attacked Wyatt with Sister Abigail!
What will happen when Wyatt and Knight go head-to-head in a Pitch Black Match? Will Uncle Howdy play a role in the match?
Find out when Royal Rumble emanates live from Alamodome in San Antonio on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, at 8 ET/5 PT, streaming live exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else!
The original commercial for the Pitch Black match can also be seen below.
The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is scheduled for Saturday, January 28 from The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The only other matches confirmed as of this writing are the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match and the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match, with Kofi Kingston as the first confirmed entrant.
For those who missed it, below are related shots from tonight’s SmackDown segment with Wyatt, Howdy (or another character?) and Knight:
The @MountainDew Pitch Black match is coming! 👀 #ad pic.twitter.com/Imu4adoDUT
— WWE (@WWE) December 26, 2022
BREAKING: Bray Wyatt will face off against @RealLAKnight in a @MountainDew Pitch Black Match at the #RoyalRumble! https://t.co/4nO9DbgljJ #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/VNyVittNj1
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2022
The @MountainDew Pitch Black match is coming! 👀 #ad pic.twitter.com/Imu4adoDUT
— WWE (@WWE) December 26, 2022
Bray Wyatt kicks things off tonight on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/r0jxlICh3N
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2022
Looks like Bray Wyatt accepts @RealLAKnight's challenge for the #RoyalRumble 👀#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/unKTALOV4V
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2022
WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!?!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/lenXLKnn5l
— WWE (@WWE) December 31, 2022
"What happened to you man?"@RealLAKnight #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/5btWtRqhea
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 31, 2022
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"#BrayWyatt #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/b7pJuAFjFJ
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 31, 2022
YEAH YEAH YEAH #BrayWyatt #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/jL3rnQFm2e
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 31, 2022
Uncle Howdy just attacked #BrayWyatt! 🤯#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7FD0kTQUCr
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) December 31, 2022
Uncle Howdy #Smackdown pic.twitter.com/IVMKL1HUY2
— Sonya Bayley – WWE Fan 🐑🌈 (@SDevilleLive) December 31, 2022
I see a lot of people saying this wasn’t actually Uncle Howdy. Uncle Harper? Someone else? I wish they would have turned the goddamn lights on 😂 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/kDSu47tCwG
— JDfromNY (@JDfromNY206) December 31, 2022
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