World Wrestling Entertainment star Bray Wyatt died Thursday, WWE announced. He was 36.
Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, died “unexpectedly,” according to an article on the WWE website that did not mention a cause of death.
“WWE is saddened to learn that Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 24, at age 36,” WWE said. “WWE extends its condolences to Rotunda’s family, friends and fans.”
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.
Wyatt came from a family of wrestlers, including his grandfather Blackjack Mulligan, his father Mike Rotunda and his younger brother Bo Dallas.
Rotunda was a famous wrestling legend in his own right, known as IRS due to his gimmick as being a tax collector from Washington DC who harassed wrestlers and fans as “tax cheats”.
Born in Brooksville, Florida on 23 May, 1987, Wyatt was a state wrestling champion in high school and earned a football scholarship to Troy University.
However, he left his course before graduating to become a professional wrestler, making his professional debut in 2009.
He fought under several names including Husky Harris, Alex Rotunda, Duke Rotundo and The Fiend.
As Bray Wyatt, he portrayed the villainous leader of a cult faction named The Wyatt family with Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman, and the late Luke Harper (aka Brodie Lee).
After being released from WWE in 2021, he made a long-awaited comeback at the pay-per-view Extreme Rules event last October, where he debuted a new version of his character.
He had recently missed several months due to illness but was close to returning to the WWE before his death, according to Wrestling News.
Last year, Wyatt broke character to discuss his mental health struggles, commenting: “I lost a lot of things. I lost my career, I lost two people who were very, very close to me, and I lost my way.
“I got to a point where I thought that everything that Id’ ever done here otherwise I thought was all meaningless.”
Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, said he had been informed of Rotunda’s death by his father.
“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,” he wrote.
“Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.”
Wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp later said that the 36-year-old had died of a heart attack, after a brush with Covid that exacerbated existing heart conditions.
“There was a lot of positive progress towards a return and his recovery,” he said. “Unfortunately today he suffered a heart attack and passed away.”
Wyatt is survived by his fiancee and former WWE ring announcer Joseann Offerman, their two children, Wyatt’s two children from a previous marriage, brother Bo Dallas (Taylor Rotunda), and sister Mika.
