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Windham Rotunda, a WWE superstar who performed as Bray Wyatt and is highly revered as one of the most innovative performers in professional wrestling in the past decade, passed Thursday, WWE said.
Bray Wyatt made WWE better
A futuristic mastermind and equally nostalgic storyteller, Wyatt was known to toe the line between tormented insanity and unflinching self-awareness.
While some dismiss professional wrestling for its choreographed nature, Wyatt’s very real and sustainable impact reverberated with WWE audiences throughout his career.
He established himself as a top shelf performer in WWE after he was introduced on the company’s “RAW” program in 2013.
Initially, Bray was the leader of the Wyatt Family, a cultish group that also included Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. (Harper, whose real name was Jon Huber, died in 2020 at the age of 41.)
Always a crowd favorite, he never cheated fans of an appearance and continued to push limits beyond the comfort zone of tried and true expectations.
Wyatt is mourned by WWE superstars and universe
Wyatt excelled as a phenomenal narrator and was able to reshape himself into the image of an ever-evolving leader of fireflies.
Weaponizing Mick Foley’s unlimited creativity along with The Undertaker’s most sinister instincts, Bray Wyatt was influenced by few and unlike any other WWE superstar before him.
Wyatt’s creativity eventually evolved into an even more wickedly unpredictable character known as the Fiend, who not only wore a demonic mask but embodied the very essence of fear.
A legend inside any arena he walked into around the globe, Wyatt’s introductions were absolutely captivating, perhaps only akin to the Dead Man.
Wyatt was a true artist, taking chances and delivering the art of storytelling through sordid thoughts, disturbing imagery, and a visceral insistence to bulldoze boundaries.
Bray Wyatt was last seen on WWE earlier this year.
Wyatt’s accomplishments in WWE include multiple championship reigns and high-profile feuds with John Cena, the Undertaker, Randy Orton and, in one memorable WrestleMania moment, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Following news of Rotunda’s death, Johnson posted on X, “I’m heartbroken over the news of Bray Wyatt’s passing. Always had tremendous respect and love for him and the Rotunda family. Loved his presence, promos, in ring work and connection with @wwe universe.”
“Very unique, cool and rare character, which is hard to create in our crazy world of pro wrestling,” he added.
He was 36 years old.