Windham Lawrence Rotunda (May 23, 1987 – August 24, 2023), better known by hisring nameBray Wyatt, was an Americanprofessional wrestler. He was best known for his tenure inWWE from 2009 until his death in 2023.
After a hiatus from August 2018 to April 2019, Wyatt returned with a newsplit personality gimmick, which saw him switch between the two characters of aMr. Rogers-esque children's TV host named Bray Wyatt and a grotesque monster resembling anevil clown calledThe Fiend. He was released from WWE in July 2021, but returned inOctober 2022 with a new character that claimed to be his "real-life" self, though he gradually reincorporated his previous personalities in addition to new ones. In what would become his only televised match during this return, he defeatedLA Knight inJanuary 2023. He took a medical hiatus in February due to aCOVID-19 infection, and died of a heart attack caused by complications from that infection in August at the age of 36.
Windham Lawrence Rotunda was born inBrooksville, Florida, on May 23, 1987.[5] His younger brother,Taylor, is also a wrestler who performs under thering name Uncle Howdy inWWE. He attendedHernando High School, where he won a state wrestling championship at 275 pounds (125 kg) in 2005, the year of his graduation.[5][6][7] He also playedfootball as a defensive tackle and guard. Rotunda played at theCollege of the Sequoias for two seasons, earning second-teamAll-American honors as a sophomore offensive guard at the Californiajunior college.[7] He earned a football scholarship toTroy University, where he playedcollege football for two years.[5][6] He left Troy 27 credit hours short of earning abachelor's degree after deciding to become a professional wrestler.[7]
On June 2, 2010, he joinedNXT, a WWE show where a developmental wrestler, named Rookie was paired with a WWE wrestler, called Pro, under the name Husky Harris, withCody Rhodes as his Pro.[10][11] He was eliminated from the competition on August 17.[12] Harris reappeared in the season finale ofNXT with the other eliminated rookies and joined in on the attack on theNXT winner, Kaval.[13]
While onNXT, Rotunda continued wrestling in FCW while retaining the Husky Harris ring name. In September 2010 following his elimination fromNXT, Harris began afeud in FCW with Percy Watson when he attacked Watson while teaming with him in a tag team match, which led to Watson being pinned for the loss.[14] When Harris and Watson faced off in a match, they were bothcounted out as they brawled out of the arena,[15] which led to ano disqualification match that Harris lost.[16] The feud ended in October, with Harris defeating Watson in alumberjack match.[17]
Rotunda as Husky Harris during his tenure as part ofThe Nexus in November 2010
At theHell in a Cellpay-per-view on October 4, a disguised Harris andMichael McGillicutty interfered in a match betweenJohn Cena andWade Barrett, and helped Barrett win, forcing Cena to join Barrett'sfactionThe Nexus per the pre-match stipulation,[18] becoming members of The Nexus weeks later.[19] He worked as a member of The Nexus, including whenCM Punk became the new leader of the stable until the January 31 episode ofRaw, when Harris was written off television after Randy Ortonpunted him in the head.[20][21]
Following the punt by Orton onRaw, Rotunda returned to FCW and in March 2011 adopted thegimmick of thehockey mask-wearing Axl Mulligan, but the character never made it toFCW TV, and Rotunda continued to play the Husky Harris character onFCW TV.[22] In August 2011, Harris became embroiled in his brother Bo's (thenFCW Florida Heavyweight Champion) feud withLucky Cannon andDamien Sandow.[23] The two brothers later teamed up to defeat Cannon and Sandow.[24] Later, Harris voiced his displeasure of Bo's relationship withAksana,[25] and when Bo suffered alegit injury his title wasvacated and a tournament set up to determine the new champion, during which Harris defeatedBig E Langston to make it to the final,[26] afatal four-way match againstDean Ambrose,Leo Kruger andDamien Sandow, which he lost afterRichie Steamboat (who was at ringside to aim for Ambrose) performed asuperkick on Harris instead.[27] Despite Aksana managing to get Steamboat to attack Harris again, he still won atriple threat match against Ambrose and Sandow to earn a match for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship against Kruger,[28] which Harris lost when he was distracted with Steamboat's interference once again.[29] As a result, Harris and Steamboat began feuding, with their first match ending in ano contest.[30] Kruger later defeated the pair in a triple threat match to retain the title.[31] However, Harris defeated Steamboat in aNo Holds Barred match.[32] After the pair continued to frequently attack each other, they were suspended for 30 days.[33] Upon their return, Harris defeated Steamboat in abullrope match to end their feud.[34] On February 2, 2012, Harris and Bo Rotundo defeatedBrad Maddox and Eli Cottonwood to win the vacant FCW Florida Tag Team Championship for the second time.[35] They successfully defended the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship againstAntonio Cesaro andAlexander Rusev,[36] but lost the championship toCorey Graves andJake Carter on March 15.[35]
Bray Wyatt andLuke Harper at anNXT event in October 2012
In April 2012, Rotunda was repackaged as Bray Wyatt, who initially associated himself with Eli Cottonwood in FCW.[37][38] When WWErebranded FCW intoNXT,[39] Bray Wyatt debuted on the July 11, 2012, episode of the rebootedNXT taped atFull Sail University, where he defeatedAiden English.[40] In July, Wyatt suffered a tornpectoral muscle and required surgery.[41] Despite the injury, Wyatt continued to appear onNXT, founding a faction known asThe Wyatt Family in November, withLuke Harper as his first "son" andErick Rowan as his second.[42][43][44] Wyatt had his first match back from injury on the February 21, 2013, episode ofNXT, where he defeatedYoshi Tatsu.[45] Wyatt suffered his first loss on the March 13 episode ofNXT toBo Dallas.[46] On the May 2 episode ofNXT, Wyatt lost toChris Jericho.[47] On the May 8 episode ofNXT, Harper and Rowan defeatedAdrian Neville andOliver Grey to win theNXT Tag Team Championship.[48][49] On the July 17 episode ofNXT (which was taped on June 20), Harper and Rowan lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to Neville andCorey Graves.[50][51]
The Wyatt Family atWrestleMania XXX, with Wyatt (center) sitting on the top turnbuckle
From the May 27 episode ofRaw, WWE airedvignettes promoting the upcoming debut of The Wyatt Family.[52] The vignettes showed The Wyatt Family'sbackwoods origins and Rowan wearing alamb mask.[53][54] On the July 8 episode ofRaw, The Wyatt Family made their debut by assaultingKane.[55] The Wyatt Family continued their attacks on wrestlers such asR-Truth,Justin Gabriel,Drew McIntyre,Heath Slater andJinder Mahal while sending cryptic messages to Kane asking him to "follow the buzzards".[56][57] Following another assault,[58] Kane challenged Wyatt to his first main roster match, aRing of Fire match atSummerSlam on August 18, 2013,[59] which he won following interference from Harper and Rowan.[60] After the match, Harper and Rowan again attacked Kane, carrying him away.[61] Wyatt next targetedKofi Kingston,[62][63] who he defeated atBattleground on October 6.[64]
Harper and Rowan lost toCM Punk andDaniel Bryan atSurvivor Series on November 24.[65] The Wyatt Family defeated Bryan in ahandicap match atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15.[66] On the finalRaw of 2013, Bryan defeated Harper and Rowan in agauntlet match so he could face Wyatt, but they interfered for adisqualification and attacked him until Bryan gave up and joined the group.[67] Wyatt punished Bryan after they failed to find success, leading to Bryan attacking the other members of The Wyatt Family on the January 13 episode ofRaw to signal him breaking free of the group.[68] AtRoyal Rumble on January 26, Wyatt defeated Bryan.[69] Later that night, The Wyatt Family costJohn Cena hisWWE World Heavyweight Championship match againstRandy Orton, with The Wyatt Family attacking Cena afterwards.[70] On the January 27 episode ofRaw, The Wyatt Family attacked Bryan, Cena andSheamus during anElimination Chamber qualifying match againstThe Shield, meaning Bryan's team won by disqualification and The Shield lost a chance to enter theElimination Chamber match.[71] At Elimination Chamber on February 23, The Wyatt Family defeated The Shield.[72] They later interfered in the Elimination Chamber match, which caused Cena to be eliminated.[73]
Wyatt facing off againstJohn Cena at WrestleMania XXX in April 2014
After Elimination Chamber, Wyatt feuded with Cena, with Wyatt wanting to prove that Cena's heroic act was a facade characteristic of "this era of lies" while also trying to turn Cena into a "monster".[74][75] Wyatt went on to accept Cena's challenge for aWrestleMania match,[76] with Cena successfully resisting the urge to become a "monster" and overcoming interference from Harper and Rowan to defeat Wyatt atWrestleMania XXX on April 6, marking Wyatt's firstpinfall loss on WWE's main roster.[77] The feud continued after WrestleMania XXX based on the story that Wyatt was capturing Cena's fanbase, which was exemplified by Wyatt leading a children'schoir to the ring on the April 28 episode ofRaw, with the children later putting on sheep masks.[78] AtExtreme Rules on May 4, Wyatt defeated Cena in asteel cage match after repeated interference from the rest of The Wyatt Family and a "demonic" child.[79] Cena's feud with Wyatt continued with aLast Man Standing match being set up forPayback on June 1, where Cena buried Wyatt under multiple equipment cases to win the match and end the feud.[80] On the June 13 episode ofSmackDown, Wyatt defeatedDean Ambrose to qualify for the2014 Money in the Bankladder match for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship on June 29,[81] which Cena won.[82]
The following night onRaw, The Wyatt Family attacked a returningChris Jericho.[83] This led to matches between Wyatt and Jericho atBattleground on July 20, which Jericho won,[84] and atSummerSlam on August 17, where Wyatt won a rematch despite Harper and Rowan being banned from ringside.[85] The feud with Jericho ended on the September 8 episode ofRaw, when Wyatt won a steel cage match by escaping the cage.[86]
Beginning on September 29, vignettes were shown of Wyatt "setting Harper and Rowan free".[87][88] Wyatt returned alone atHell in a Cell on October 26 during the main event match between Dean Ambrose andSeth Rollins, costing Ambrose the match.[89] In the following weeks, Wyatt taunted Ambrose while offering to "fix" him like he had done with Harper and Rowan.[90][91] On November 23 atSurvivor Series, Wyatt defeated Ambrose by disqualification after Ambrose used a steel chair to attack Wyatt.[92] AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 14, Wyatt defeated Ambrose in aTables, Ladders and Chairs match.[93] Wyatt once again defeated Ambrose on the December 22 episode ofRaw in aMiracle on 34th Street Fight.[94] The feud culminated in anambulance match on the January 5, 2015, episode ofRaw, which Wyatt won to effectively end their feud.[95]
AtRoyal Rumble on January 25, Wyatt competed in theRoyal Rumble match at #5 and lasted for almost 47 minutes, eliminating six other contestants before being eliminated byBig Show andKane.[96] Following the Royal Rumble, Wyatt began a series of cryptic promos, referring himself as "The New Face of Fear"; atFastlane on February 22, Wyatt emerged from a casket and challengedThe Undertaker for a match atWrestleMania 31 on March 29,[97] which The Undertaker accepted,[98] but Wyatt was unsuccessful in defeating The Undertaker.[99] Wyatt defeatedRyback atPayback on May 17.[100]
AtMoney in the Bank on June 14, Wyatt interfered in the Money in the Bank ladder match and attacked Roman Reigns (who had defeated him in a qualification match onRaw) as Reigns was close to retrieving the briefcase.[101] AtBattleground on July 19, Wyatt defeated Reigns with the help of former Wyatt Family member Luke Harper, reforming the team (without the injured Erick Rowan who soon returned).[102] AtSummerSlam on August 23, Wyatt and Harper lost to Reigns and Ambrose.[103] The following night onRaw, Wyatt introduced a new Wyatt Family member namedBraun Strowman, who attacked Ambrose and Reigns.[104][105] AtNight of Champions on September 20, The Wyatt Family defeated Reigns, Ambrose and Jericho.[106] AtHell in a Cell on October 25, Wyatt lost to Reigns in aHell in a Cell match to end their feud; later that night The Wyatt Family attacked The Undertaker after his Hell in a Cell match withBrock Lesnar and carried him backstage, reigniting their feud.[107] The next night onRaw, Wyatt was confronted by former rival Kane, who was attacked by the Wyatts and also carried backstage.[108] On the November 9 episode ofRaw,The Brothers of Destruction returned and attacked The Wyatt Family.[109] AtSurvivor Series on November 22, Wyatt and Harper lost to The Brothers of Destruction.[110]
AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 13, The Wyatt Family defeatedTeam ECW in aneight-man tag team eliminationtables match.[111] Wyatt and Luke Harper lost toBrock Lesnar atRoadblock on March 12 in a handicap match.[112] AtWrestleMania 32 on April 3, The Wyatt Family confrontedThe Rock, who defeated Rowan in an impromptu match in six seconds; the Wyatts were fended off by John Cena and The Rock.[113] On the April 4 episode ofRaw, The Wyatt Family attackedThe League of Nations, starting an unexplained feud between the two factions and showing signs of a face turn.[114] On April 13, during a match against Reigns at alive event in Italy, Wyatt suffered an injury to his right calf and was pulled off WWE's European tour.[115] His injury prematurely ended the feud.[114] The Wyatt Family returned on the June 20 episode ofRaw, starting a feud withWWE Tag Team ChampionsThe New Day, who interrupted Wyatt during his return speech, reverting the group back to heels.[116] The New Day later confronted The Wyatt Family at their compound[117] before the Wyatts defeated them atBattleground on July 24 in a six-man tag team match.[118] In the2016 WWE draft, Wyatt and Rowan were drafted to theSmackDownbrand while Strowman was drafted to theRaw brand.[119]
On the August 16 episode ofSmackDown Live, Wyatt walked away from Rowan after he lost his match againstDean Ambrose, leaving Rowan's sheep mask on Wyatt's rocking chair.[120] Wyatt confrontedRandy Orton,[121] who he called "damaged" and challenged him to a match atBacklash, which Orton accepted on the August 30 episode ofSmackDown Live.[122] At Backlash on September 11, Wyatt attacked Orton before the match, winning by forfeit.[123] Wyatt then faced Kane in a No Holds Barred match, which he lost when Orton interfered.[124] Orton then challenged Wyatt to another match atNo Mercy on October 9, which he accepted and won with the help of the returning Harper.[125] On the October 25 episode ofSmackDown Live, Orton interfered on Wyatt's behalf in his match with Kane and joined The Wyatt Family.[126][127]
AtSurvivor Series on November 20, Wyatt and Orton were the sole survivors for Team SmackDown in the traditional5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination match after Orton saved Wyatt from aspear from Roman Reigns.[128] The pair then began focusing on stopping the momentum ofAmerican Alpha, and to a bigger degree capturing theSmackDown Tag Team Championship, defeating them in a match to become #1 contenders.[129] AtTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 4, they won the championship fromHeath Slater andRhyno, marking Wyatt's first title win in WWE.[130] Wyatt and Orton retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against the former champions on the December 6 episode ofSmackDown Live but on the December 27 episode ofSmackDown Live, Orton and Luke Harper (who defended the championship under theFreebird Rule)[131] lost the title to American Alpha in a four corners elimination tag team match.[132] This started dissent between Harper and Orton, who faced each other on the January 24, 2017, episode ofSmackDown Live, which Orton won, leading to Wyatt deliveringSister Abigail to Harper, exiling him from the group.[133] On January 29, Wyatt entered theRoyal Rumble match at #21 and lasted until the final three: Wyatt and Orton cooperated against Roman Reigns, who eventually eliminated Wyatt but was himself eliminated by Orton, who thereby won the match and a title match at WrestleMania.[134]
On February 12 atElimination Chamber, Wyatt won theWWE Championship by defeating John Cena,AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose, andBaron Corbin in anElimination Chamber match; it was the first singles title in Wyatt's wrestling career, and the first world title of his career.[135] This raised the possibility of Orton challenging his teammate Wyatt but on the followingSmackDown Live, after Wyatt successfully defended the WWE Championship in a triple threat match involving John Cena and AJ Styles (despite a pre-match attack by Harper), Orton pledged allegiance to Wyatt and refused to face him at WrestleMania 33.[136] However, this was revealed to be a ruse as Orton destroyed The Wyatt Family compound, including Sister Abigail's grave, two weeks later,[126][137] and defeated Wyatt for the title atWrestleMania 33 on April 2, ending Wyatt's reign at 49 days.[138][139] On April 10, Wyatt was moved to the Raw brand as a part of theSuperstar Shake-up; his title rematch atPayback on April 30,[140] billed as a House of Horrors match, was changed into a non-title match;[141][142] Wyatt defeated Orton after being helped byJinder Mahal ending their feud.[143]
AtExtreme Rules on June 4, Wyatt failed to become the #1 contender for theUniversal Championship in afatal five-way match won bySamoa Joe.[144] After Seth Rollins was unveiled on the cover ofWWE 2K18, Wyatt targeted him and defeated him both atGreat Balls of Fire on July 9[145] and again on the followingRaw.[146] Wyatt then began a feud withFinn Bálor, resulting in a match between the two atSummerSlam on August 20,[147] which Bálor won under his "Demon King" persona.[148] Wyatt again lost to Bálor atNo Mercy on September 24.[149] They were set to have a third match atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on October 22, but Wyatt was unable to compete due to an illness concern and was replaced in the match byAJ Styles,[150] bringing the feud between Wyatt and Bàlor to a quiet end. Wyatt returned on the November 13 episode ofRaw, facingJason Jordan in a losing effort.[151]
In November, Wyatt began a feud withMatt Hardy,[152] resulting in Hardy's "Broken" gimmick reemerging.[153] The two fought again atRaw 25 Years on January 22, 2018, which Wyatt won.[154] On January 28, Wyatt entered theRoyal Rumble match at #8, but failed to win after Wyatt and Hardy eliminated each other simultaneously.[155] AtElimination Chamber on February 25, Wyatt lost to Hardy.[156] On the March 19 episode ofRaw, after losing to Hardy in an Ultimate Deletion match, Wyatt was pushed into the "Lake of Reincarnation", where he disappeared.[157] AtWrestleMania 34 on April 8, Wyatt returned and turnedface after he interfered in theAndré the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, helping Hardy win.[158] They formed a team and won the vacantRaw Tag Team Championship on April 27 atGreatest Royal Rumble, defeatingCesaro and Sheamus.[159] They lost the titles to The B-Team (Bo Dallas andCurtis Axel) in their first pay-per-view title defense on July 15 atExtreme Rules.[160] On the July 23 episode ofRaw, they invoked their rematch clause against The B-Team, but were unsuccessful.[161] Soon after, Hardy took time off to heal his injuries, disbanding the team.[162] The reason WWE disbanded the team was because they grew tired of them both pitching several ideas for their characters.[163]
In April 2019, ominous vignettes began airing across WWE programming depicting a sinister buzzard puppet, a witch doll, and other toys.[164] Later that month, Wyatt began to appear in pre-recorded segments as the host of a surreal children's program known asFirefly Fun House, sporting different hair and a shorter beard with a leaner physique.[165][166] The segments featured the aforementioned puppets, called Mercy the Buzzard (a reference toWaylon Mercy, an inspiration for Wyatt's previous gimmick) and Abby the Witch, with Ramblin' Rabbit and Huskus the Pig Boy introduced later (the latter a reference to Wyatt's previous gimmick of Husky Harris),[166] as well as one forMr. McMahon that occasionally appeared.[167] During the initial segment, Wyatt destroyed a cardboard cutout of his old self with a chainsaw, cheerily telling viewers all they had to do for him to "light the way" was to "let me in".[168] TheFirefly Fun House segments became more sinister, with one featuring Wyatt painting a picture to "express his suppressed feelings", which was a painting of the Wyatt Family compound being burned with Sister Abigail inside—a reference to hisWrestleMania 33 feud with Randy Orton. Another featured him having a picnic with expressionless kids,[169] while another revealed that Wyatt was able to control his darkness.[170] He then appeared in more sinister clothing and a demonic mask resembling anevil clown,[171] a persona he called "The Fiend" that was here "to protect us".[170]
The Fiend competes in a match in 2019.
On the July 15 episode ofRaw, Wyatt, as The Fiend, attacked previous rival Finn Bálor with aSister Abigail, re-establishing himself as aheel.[166] AtSummerSlam on August 11, The Fiend quickly defeated Bálor.[172] Over the next several weeks, The Fiend attacked severalWWE Hall of Famers and legends includingKurt Angle,Jerry Lawler, Kane, andMick Foley, also adopting Foley's finishing maneuver, The Mandible Claw.[173][174] The Fiend then began a feud withUniversal Champion Seth Rollins by attacking him on September 15 atClash of Champions.[175] AtHell in a Cell on October 6, they faced each other in a Hell in a Cell match, but the match ended inreferee stoppage after The Fiend was buried under several weapons and hit with a sledgehammer by Rollins.[176] Despite the match ending, The Fiend rose as officials checked on him to chase down Rollins and again incapacitate him with the Mandible Claw.[177] The finish was noteworthy for the response from the fans in attendance, who booed loudly and chanted negatively.[178] After he was drafted to theSmackDownbrand during the2019 Draft,[179] The Fiend defeated Rollins on October 31 atCrown Jewel in afalls count anywhere match to win the Universal Championship.[180][181] The title was subsequently transferred to SmackDown, due to Wyatt being a member of the brand.
After his title victory, Wyatt introduced two new belt designs; the first one, which his Firefly Fun House character held, was a blue-strapped version to signify its move to SmackDown, while the other was a custom belt for The Fiend.[182][183] The latter design featured his face in place of the center plate and on a black and red worn leather strap, as well as his phrases "Hurt", "Heal" and "Let [Me] In" on the strap (the word "Me" being represented by The Fiend's face).[184][185] Wyatt retained the title against Daniel Bryan on November 24 atSurvivor Series.[186] After Bryan accepted a rematch on the followingSmackDown, The Fiend attacked Bryan and ripped out his hair.[187] With Bryan absent the following week, Wyatt started a short feud with The Miz, culminating in a non-title match atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15, where Wyatt, wrestling for the first time as his Firefly Fun House character, defeated Miz.[188] After the match, Bryan, with a buzz cut and short beard, made his return and attacked Wyatt.[189][190][191] AtRoyal Rumble on January 26, 2020, The Fiend defeated Bryan in astrap match to end their feud.[192]
On the February 7 episode ofSmackDown, Hall of FamerGoldberg challenged The Fiend for the Universal Championship during an onscreen interview, which was scheduled for theSuper ShowDown event on February 27,[193] where The Fiend character suffered his first loss to Goldberg, ending his reign at 118 days.[194] The following night onSmackDown, The Fiend confronted a returning John Cena and challenged him to a match atWrestleMania 36 that Cena accepted–a rematch from 2014'sWrestleMania XXX.[195] On the second night of the event on April 5, rather than a traditional wrestling match, the two faced off in a surreal trip through history as moments from Wyatt's and Cena's history were played out.[196] The Fiend ultimately defeated Cena in the end, marking Wyatt's first and only WrestleMania victory.[197]
On the April 10 episode ofSmackDown, Wyatt challenged new Universal Champion Braun Strowman, who won the title at WrestleMania.[198] A title match was scheduled between the two atMoney in the Bank on May 10,[199] which Wyatt (as his Firefly Fun House character) lost.[200] He returned in a Firefly Fun House segment on the June 19 episode ofSmackDown to confront Strowman, reintroducing his original "The Eater of Worlds" gimmick and reinstating their rivalry.[201] On July 19 atThe Horror Show at Extreme Rules, Wyatt defeated Strowman in a non-title "cinematic match" called the Wyatt Swamp Fight.[202] On the July 31 episode ofSmackDown, The Fiend attackedAlexa Bliss, who Strowman had an affection for.[203] Two weeks later, after Strowman attacked Bliss with a gorilla press to antagonise the Fiend, the lights went out and the Fiend appeared in the ring in Strowmans place, seemingly to help Bliss. Strowman then appeared on the big screen where he and The Fiend were laughing together.[204] AtSummerSlam on August 23, The Fiend defeated Strowman to win the Universal Championship for the second time.[205] After the match, they were both attacked by a returningRoman Reigns.[206] AtPayback on August 30, The Fiend defended the title against Strowman and Reigns in a triple threat match, which he lost after Reigns pinned Strowman to win the title. Thus,ending his second reign at 7 days.[207]
In September, his ring name was officially shortened to The Fiend – indicating a complete transition into what was formerly perceived to be Wyatt's alter ego.[208][209] The Fiend returned on the October 2 episode ofSmackDown and attackedKevin Owens.[210] After attacking Owens, he extended his hand to Alexa Bliss, which she took and smirked as they disappeared.[211] The Fiend had his first match onSmackDown the following week, defeating Owens.[212] As part of the2020 Draft in October, The Fiend was drafted to theRawbrand.[213] He soon reignited his old feud withRandy Orton, and atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 20, Orton defeated The Fiend in aFirefly Inferno match before setting his body on fire.[214] AtFastlane on March 21, 2021, The Fiend returned as atweener, sporting charred skin and singed clothes; he attacked Orton with a Sister Abigail during his intergender match with Alexa Bliss, allowing Bliss to win by pinfall.[215] Another match between The Fiend and Orton was scheduled forWrestleMania 37.[216] On the second night of the event on April 11, The Fiend returned and regenerated back to his pre-burned look; however, Bliss appeared during his match and black liquid began to pour down her face, distracting The Fiend and allowing Orton to win with an RKO. After a brief staredown between The Fiend and Bliss, the lights went out and the pair disappeared.[217] On the following episode ofRaw, Bliss declared that she no longer needed him and Wyatt's cheery Firefly Fun House persona returned in aFirefly Fun House segment, stating he was looking forward to a fresh start.[218] This marked Wyatt's final appearance in this stint with WWE, as he was released on July 31.[219]
In September 2022, WWE began playing ana cappella version of "White Rabbit" byJefferson Airplane at live events and during commercial breaks of televised shows,[220] whileQR codes were also hidden in various locations on episodes ofRaw[221][222] andSmackDown.[223][224] Each code led to websites containing imagery, minigames, and riddles that all vaguely referenced Wyatt and were seemingly connected to the upcomingExtreme Rules event on October 8.[225] At the closure of the event, Wyatt returned to WWE as aface, accompanied by live-action versions of his Firefly Fun House characters and a new mask, revealing himself as the person behind the "White Rabbit" teases.[226] Wyatt's return included a masked character,Uncle Howdy, portrayed by his real-life brother Taylor (previously known as Bo Dallas).[227][228] AtRaw is XXX, the 30th anniversary ofRaw, Wyatt interruptedLA Knight in a segment withThe Undertaker, in which The Undertaker seemingly gave Wyatt his approval in what many called a "passing of the torch" moment.[229] At theRoyal Rumble, Wyatt defeated Knight in what ended up being Wyatt's final televised match.[230]
After his feud with Knight, Wyatt began a storyline withBobby Lashley heading intoWrestleMania 39, but he quietly disappeared from television before the event and his storyline with Lashley was dropped. On the February 17, 2023, episode ofSmackDown, Wyatt and Howdy laid outHit Row, followed by Wyatt challenging the winner ofBrock Lesnar vs.Bobby Lashley, which took place at that year'sElimination Chamber, to a match atWrestleMania 39, which would be Wyatt's final appearance in WWE.[231] Reports later indicating that his sudden disappearance was due to Wyatt dealing with a real-life illness.[232] On August 19, it was reported that Wyatt was closing in on a return after spending most of his time since February battling a life-threatening illness.[232]
Professional wrestling style, persona, and reception
Wyatt setting up his "Sister Abigail" finishing move onBig E
Wyatt's character from 2012 to 2018 was a villainouscult leader who believed himself to be the "nagging conscience of an immoral world".[165] As the leader ofThe Wyatt Family, he had main subordinates inLuke Harper andErick Rowan, as well asBraun Strowman for a brief time. Wyatt used a lantern to light the way in the dark arena during entrances; he would invariably be accompanied by fans in attendance lighting the flashlights on their cell phones, which were affectionately referred to as his "fireflies".[233][234] He would finish off most of his promos telling opponents and audiences to "follow the buzzards", his signature catchphrase.[235][236][237] The character drew comparisons toRobert De Niro's portrayal of the characterMax Cady from the 1991 filmCape Fear and fellow wrestlerWaylon Mercy.[235][238] He would use aswinging reverse STO as a finishing move that would be referred to as Sister Abigail.[239]
Following a hiatus from summer 2018 to spring 2019, Wyatt returned with a change in character. He started hosting the "Firefly Fun House" where he would perform as a friendly-mannered children's television show host, similar to Mr. Rogers.[166] Soon after, he debuted a masked alter-ego called The Fiend, a demon clown who had supernatural characteristics and remembered all the wrongdoings that others had inflicted on Wyatt in the past.[240] During The Fiend's entrance, he would carry a severed head resembling Wyatt's old cult leader self with a lantern inside its mouth and used aheavy metal cover of his old theme music byCode Orange.[165][241] He also adopted themandible claw as a finishing move.[173] During in-ring bouts, The Fiend was presented as having unnatural endurance and strength, being able to withstand multiple finishing moves, weapon attacks and more, before kicking out of pins at a one count. Several of The Fiend's matches were also done under a red lighting.[176] After Wyatt returned in 2022, a new character called Uncle Howdy would appear, based onRichard Kiel's portrayal of Captain Howdy in the 1983 filmHysterical. Howdy would be portrayed by Wyatt's real life brother Taylor, better known asBo Dallas.[242]
While Rotunda's character work had been widely praised, the in-ring booking of his characters received criticism. JournalistDave Meltzer said that although his Fun House/Fiend character was "fantastic" and he was a "genius" as a performer, it did not "make his matches great".[244] In particular, hisHell in a Cell match againstSeth Rollins at the2019 Hell in a Cell event was universally panned by fans and critics, due to its "horrid" booking and contentious ending that saw the match being stopped by the referee after Rollins attacked The Fiend with numerous weapons, despite Hell in a Cell matches usually ending viapinfall orsubmission.[176][245][246] Some commentators stated that the match had significantly damaged the character of The Fiend.[247] The match was namedWorst Match of the Year by readers of theWrestling Observer Newsletter.[243] It was also voted the Gooker Award winner for the year on WrestleCrap. Additionally, various critics opined that Wyatt's constant losses were harmful to his character and mystique.[248][249]
In 2020, readers of theWrestling Observer Newsletter recognized The Fiend as theWorst Gimmick of the year, making Wyatt the only performer to have won both Best Gimmick and Worst Gimmick with the same character.[250]
Rotunda made his video game debut inWWE '12 (as Husky Harris)[251] and later returned, as Bray Wyatt, inWWE 2K15,[252]WWE 2K16,[253]WWE 2K17,[254]WWE 2K18,[255]WWE 2K19,[256] andWWE 2K20. His alternate persona The Fiend was a pre-order bonus forWWE 2K20.[257] The final persona of Wyatt and Uncle Howdy were released as downloadable content inWWE 2K23. Wyatt appeared posthumously inWWE 2K24 andWWE 2K25. The new attire and appearance Wyatt had planned to use for a new iteration of The Fiend was added toWWE 2K24 in October 2024, and toWWE 2K25 in March 2025.[258]
Rotunda, in his only film role, also has a brief posthumous voice cameo as a prison guard in the 2023 filmDiary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever, released a few months after his death.[259]
Rotunda married Samantha Pixley in 2012, and they had a daughter in 2010 and a daughter in 2013 before she filed for divorce in 2017.[260] Rotunda and WWE announcerJoJo Offerman were reported to be dating during this time.[261] They later had a son in May 2019,[262] whose godfather is wrestlerBraun Strowman,[263] and a daughter in May 2020.[264] They were engaged from 2022 until his death in 2023.[265]
Rotunda died of aheart attack in his sleep at his home inBrooksville, Florida, on August 24, 2023, at the age of 36.[266][267][268] His death was announced on X by WWE's chief content officer,Triple H, following a phone call he had received from Rotunda's father,Mike Rotunda.[269] Rotunda had been dealing with an undisclosed illness since February, which was reportedly life-threatening. Just days before his death, reports were published stating that he was making progress in his recovery. Shortly after his death, it was revealed that the illness was due to an earlierCOVID-19 infection, which had exacerbated a pre-existing heart condition.[266] He had been hospitalized for a heart issue one week before his death, and was advised to wear a specialized vest containing a self-activatingdefibrillator; at the time of his death, he was not wearing the vest, which police found in his car.[267][270]
Fans atWembley Stadium inLondon using their phone flashlights to honor Rotunda duringAEW'sAll In event, three days after his death
Many wrestlers paid tribute to Rotunda on social media, such asDwayne "The Rock" Johnson,Ric Flair,Kane,Braun Strowman,Alexa Bliss,Kevin Owens,Mick Foley,Seth Rollins, andBooker T.[271][272][273][274] The August 25 episode ofSmackDown honored both Rotunda andTerry Funk, who had died one day before Rotunda; the show opened with aten-bell salute for the pair. Per WWE tradition, all on-screen talent stood at the top of the entrance ramp during the salute; Wyatt's former tag team partnersErick Rowan, and Strowman who was still recovering from a fusion neck surgery and Rowan who was not signed to WWE at the time, was also present. Wyatt's iconic rocking chair was placed in front of the ramp while the crowd sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", a song often affiliated with Wyatt throughout his WWE career. Further tributes and behind-the-scenes footage aired during the show, with Wyatt's final opponentLA Knight wrestling in the main event againstFinn Bálor, who was the first opponent of Wyatt's "Fiend" persona.[275][276]
WWE also announced that any further proceeds from Rotunda's merchandise sales would be given to his family.[277][278] A few months later, Rotunda's father revealed that WWE had signed Rotunda to a Legends contract and arranged for all proceeds from the contract to go to his children.[279]
WrestlersBraun Strowman,Karrion Kross, andShotzi, alongside WWE's head of long-term creative Rob Fee, got matching tattoos of Rotunda's Wyatt logo. On the August 28 episode ofRaw, WWE again paid homage to Rotunda, replaying the tribute video fromSmackDown and turning off the arena lights to see the "fireflies" while his rocking chair again sat on the ramp. Several wrestlers would pay tribute to Rotunda, most notably by wearing armbands with his name on it.Seth Rollins mentioned Wyatt during his promo segment, while hisWorld Heavyweight Championship bore side plates with Rotunda's Fiend logo.Becky Lynch wrestled in the main event againstZoey Stark and paid an emotional tribute to Wyatt after the match by holding his armband in the air. In a video posted by WWE's youtube channelBayley,Drew McIntyre,Kevin Owens,Sami Zayn and others reflect on the incredible impact Bray Wyatt had on their lives, careers and WWE.
Other wrestling promotions, includingAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) andImpact Wrestling, also paid tribute to Rotunda at their first live shows after his death, which both took place on August 27; at AEW'sAll In, theHouse of Black paid tribute to Wyatt in their ring entrance, accompanied by tens of thousands of "fireflies", whileBuddy Matthews held Wyatt's lantern.[280] Impact'sEmergence also opened with a ten-bell salute to commemorate Rotunda and Funk.[281]
Make-up artist and actorTom Savini, who worked with Rotunda for the creation of the Fiend gimmick, commemorated him on Twitter.[283] The bandCode Orange, who made his later theme songs, also paid tribute to him.[284]
John Squires of horror websiteBloody Disgusting wrote that Rotunda was a "truly one of a kind talent inside—and outside—the squared circle [...] the 'Eater of Worlds' will go down in history as an all-time great character in the annals of professional wrestling".[285] B.J. Colangelo of film website/Film described Wyatt as "wrestling's horror icon" and wrote that "over the course of his career in WWE, Bray Wyatt truly became the new face of fear, and incorporated horror into the world of wrestling in a way that no one before him ever could".[286]
On April 1, 2024, WWE released adocumentary titledBray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.[287] Narrated byThe Undertaker, the film examines both Rotunda's career and personal life and features interviews with his family and various WWE personalities.[288][289] The documentary revealed that Wyatt had been planning to revive the character of The Fiend with a new mask, outfit, and props.[290] After two months of teases implying that WWE intended to honor Wyatt's vision of leading a faction with wrestlers portraying real versions of hisFirefly Fun House puppets,[291] his brotherTaylor returned as the Uncle Howdy character in June 2024 and began leading said faction, which was dubbedThe Wyatt Sicks.[292][293]
During the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony on April 5th, he was honored by his family (who were there for the induction of his father Mike Rotunda, and his uncle Barry Windham, as part of the US Express) with the crowd showing his traditional "fireflies," and his music being played. The fireflies entrance would eventually be adopted byJey Uso, whowithdrew fromThe Bloodline to begin hissingles run in late summer 2023, at the start of his match againstDamian Priest atBacklash France the next month.[294]
^Tedesco, Mike (October 26, 2015)."WWE RAW Results – 10/26/15". Wrestleview.Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. RetrievedOctober 26, 2015.
^Namako, Jason (May 16, 2013)."WWE NXT RESULTS – 5/16/13 (BIG E VS. SANDOW)". WrestleView.Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. RetrievedJune 9, 2013.Wyatt says that ... This is not the face of a human being, this is the face of a MONSTER!! This is the face of the eater of worlds. Every time from now on that you gaze into my face, I don't care who you are, how BAD you think you are, you can never hurt me because I am already dead.
^Chiverton, George."CHIVERTON'S NXT WEEKLY RANKINGS & EVALUATION 7/11: Latest evaluation of new NXT talent".Pro Wrestling Torch.Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. RetrievedJune 9, 2013.Bray Wyatt has been a source of great excitement for me in his run-up to this debut with fantastic video packages and promos creating a mysterious atmosphere around the preacher-based character. He's evil, scary but not over the top. He comes across as having genuinely done something evil like murder, but justifies it through the faith he follows (which faith we aren't told).
^Meltzer, Dave; Alvarez, Bryan (October 7, 2019)."WOR: Hell in a Cell 2019 and more!".Wrestling Observer Radio.Archived from the original on October 7, 2019. RetrievedOctober 8, 2019.
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