Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion Bray Wyatt has passed away at the age of 36. Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque made the news public on social media.
Wyatt, who's original name is Windham Rotunda, had been out of the wrestling action for several months due to a life-threatening illness. However, before his passing, there were reports of his return to the WWE ring.
"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," Levesque wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time."
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Wyatt, the 2017 WWE champion, was also known as “The Fiend.” His last televised performance came at the 2023 Royal Rumble.
“Known for his captivating performances and incredible in-ring presence, Wyatt was a defining superstar of his generation,” WWE said.
Wyatt was the son of Mike and Stephanie Rotunda.
Wyatt’s grandfather Robert Deroy Windham (Blackjack Mulligan), father, and two of his uncles (Barry and Kendall Windham) all wrestled in WWE. His grandfather also played college football at UTEP and saw preseason action for the New York Jets.
Wyatt redshirted on the Troy football team in 2007.
The likes of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Mick Foley and other notable wrestlers paid their tributes to Wyatt on X:
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When Your Great Friend And Someone Your Son’s Age Dies Within 2 Days, It Really Makes Me Reflect & Think About Life! Don’t Take Any Second For Granted! Rest In Peace Terry Funk & Bray Wyatt! pic.twitter.com/U2FpzeibmY
