WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) has passed away at the age of 36, according to a statement released by the company. WWE expressed their sadness over the loss of Rotunda, hailing him as a defining superstar of his generation who achieved numerous feats in the organization, including winning the WWE Championship in 2017.
The news was also shared by WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). Levesque, known by his wrestling name Triple H, received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda, Bray’s father, who broke the tragic news. Levesque extended his condolences to the Rotunda family and requested privacy for them during this difficult time.
At this point, the cause of Bray Wyatt’s death has not been disclosed.
Bray Wyatt’s last match took place at the Royal Rumble in January, where he competed against rising star LA Knight in a “Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match.” Following the event, Wyatt had not appeared in the ring due to reported health issues.
Following the announcement of Rotunda’s passing, tributes began pouring in from his fellow wrestlers and friends in the industry. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson expressed his heartbreak over the news, noting his respect and admiration for Wyatt’s presence, promos, and connection with the WWE universe. Johnson also mentioned the recent passing of legendary wrestler Terry Funk, remarking on the difficult time for the wrestling community.
Alexis Cabrera, known professionally as Alexis Bliss, who performed alongside Rotunda during his time as The Fiend character, expressed her shock and loss for words on social media.
Rotunda’s wrestling career began with the WWE’s developmental brand NXT in 2010, where he wrestled under the name Husky Harris. He later joined the main roster in 2014 as the enigmatic cult leader Bray Wyatt, leading the Wyatt Family faction. Wyatt’s captivating promos and catchphrases, such as “follow the buzzards” and “he’s got the whole world in his hands,” made him one of the leading talkers of his generation.
Throughout his time in WWE, Rotunda achieved several championship victories, including the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship. In July 2021, Rotunda was released from the company but made a highly anticipated return in October 2022, adopting the character of The Fiend, a demonic persona.
Rotunda came from a wrestling family, with his father Mike Rotunda being a WWE Hall of Famer known by his wrestling name IRS. His grandfather was renowned wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, and his uncles were Barry and Kendall Windham. Rotunda’s brother, Taylor Michael Rotunda, also worked in the wrestling industry under the name Bo Dallas.
Bray Wyatt is survived by his partner, former WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman, and their two children. He also had two other children from a previous relationship.