At the age of 36, three-time WWE world champion Bray Wyatt passed away.
Despite the fact that he had been absent from the ring since February due to an unspecified health issue, the wrestler’s family described his death as unexpected.
The news was revealed by WWE content officer Triple H, who said on social media that Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, had “unexpectedly passed”.
One of those paying respect to the legend was Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock.
Johnson said on X, then known as Twitter, that he was “heartbroken” and “always had tremendous respect and love” for the wrestler.
I loved his presence, promos, in-ring work, and connection with the @WWE universe,” he added. Very rare, cool, and special character that is challenging to develop in our wild world of pro wrestling.
I thought so highly of Bray Wyatt, said WWE analyst Mick Foley. He was a real visionary and among the most alluring figures in wrestling history.
Wyatt was born into a family of wrestlers that also included his father, Mike Rotunda, his younger brother, Bo Dallas, and his grandpa, Blackjack Mulligan.
As an independent wrestling star, Rotunda was known as IRS for his persona as a tax collector from Washington, DC, who hounded wrestlers and fans as “tax cheats.”
Wyatt, who was born on May 23, 1987, in Brooksville, Florida, won the state wrestling championship as a high school senior and received a football scholarship to Troy University.
He did, however, leave his education before completing it to pursue a career as a professional wrestler, making his debut in 2009.
There will never be another Bray Wyatt. pic.twitter.com/eV7vAOTrOe
— WWE (@WWE) August 25, 2023
Husky Harris, Alex Rotunda, Duke Rotundo, and The Fiend were just a few of the aliases he used in combat.
With Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman, and the late Luke Harper (also known as Brodie Lee), he played Bray Wyatt, the evil head of a cult group known as the Wyatt family.
He made a long-awaited reappearance at the pay-per-view Extreme Rules event in October after leaving WWE in 2021, where he introduced a new incarnation of his persona.
According to Wrestling News, he was on the verge of rejoining the WWE before his departure, despite having recently missed several months due to illness.
Wyatt revealed last year that he had lost his career after breaking character to talk about how he had overcome his mental health issues. My confidence was gone. Two very, very dear friends of mine passed away. I got lost.
“And I reached a point where I realised that everything I had ever done, whether it was here or elsewhere, had no purpose. I’ve never done something that has been important to anyone. I was incorrect, too.
When he had finished moping around, he added, “I made the decision to get back out into the world and see… individuals everywhere who would say, ‘Thank you, Bray, guy. When are you due to return home?
“And then once in a while I would meet someone who was truly remarkable,” she continued.
Bray Wyatt for WWE Hall of Fame 2024. Give Bray the respect he deserves. pic.twitter.com/XjgMJueSAU
— Wrestlelamia.co.uk (@wrestlelamia) August 25, 2023
Triple H, whose true name is Paul Levesque, claimed his father had told him about Rotunda’s passing.
“Our WWE family member for life, Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt, unexpectedly passed away earlier today,” he posted. I just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda,” he added.
“Our thoughts are with his family, and we ask that everyone respect their right to privacy at this time.”
Following a run-in with COVID that aggravated pre-existing heart issues, wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp subsequently claimed that the 36-year-old had passed away from a heart attack.
He added that there had been “a lot of good progress” in his recovery and comeback. “Unfortunately, he had a heart attack today and died.”
Former WWE ring announcer Joseann Offerman, Wyatt’s fiancée, their two children, Wyatt’s two children from a previous marriage, brother Bo Dallas (Taylor Rotunda), and sister Mika are the ones left behind.
Rob Fee, director of longterm creative in WWE & close friend of Bray Wyatt (who’s sadly no longer with us) says tonight’s #SmackDown will be really special 🙏 pic.twitter.com/RWP5fKTP0o
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) August 25, 2023
FAQs
Q : Who was the spouse of Bray Wyatt?
A : Samantha Rotunda was the spouse of Bray Wyatt. In 2017, they separated.
Q : What was Bray Wyatt’s spouse’s name?
A : The spouse of Bray Wyatt was Samantha Rotunda. They split apart in 2017.