In one of the most shocking moments in an industry known for it, popular WWE performer and former world champion Bray Wyatt has passed away at the youthful age of just 36.
Multi-time WWE champion Bray Wyatt had not been seen on the company’s broadcasts since March with the only reports claiming the beloved talent had battled a mysterious illness that not only put his career but his actual life in jeopardy. However, as recently as this year’s Summerslam, there were rumblings that the man who once had the alter ego known as “The Fiend” was close to making his highly anticipated comeback.
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Tragically, that moment will never come. On Thursday evening, WWE Chief Content Office and wrestling legend Paul Levesque (AKA Triple H) took to his Twitter/X account to announce the stunning news that Wyatt — real name Windam Rotunda — had unexpectedly passed earlier in the day.
Bray Wyatt made his highly anticipated return to WWW in October 2022
“Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda — also known as Bray Wyatt — unexpectedly passed earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.”
– Paul Levesque
Rotunda leaves behind his second wife JoJo Offerman, their two children — Cadyn and Kendyl — as well as his two older children Knash and Hyrie from a previous marriage.
Bray Wyatt made his triumphant return to the company last fall after being one of the surprising releases during a slew of roster cuts following the COVID-19 pandemic. Before his release in the Summer of 2021, he was seen as one of the most unique and gifted performers in the industry, due to his outstanding character work and rock-solid talents inside the ring.
He originally made it to the main roster as a part of the Nexus faction and went under the name of Husky Harris. Eventually, he was sent back down to the company’s developmental system and rose back to prominence with his first iteration of the Wyatt character and the popular Wyatt Family faction.
Once the group — which included Eric Rowan and close friend Luke Harper — reached WWE they had a great deal of success and were a part of popular storylines that included legends like Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. During his time in the company, Wyatt won two tag team championships and was a three-time world champion.
The wrestling world remembers Bray Wyatt
The sadness of Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing has been felt across the professional wrestling spectrum. Following the news, industry icons like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ric Flair, as well as current NXT star Cora Jade have taken to social media to offer their condolences to the family members of the WWE performer.