Bray Wyatt (real name Windham Rotunda) has passed away according to WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
In a shocking post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Triple H wrote the following:
“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. Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.”
Wyatt was unable to perform at WrestleMania 39, and was removed from television weeks before the event despite being in the midst of a high-profile feud with Bobby Lashley. Though Wyatt remained out of action for months, as recently as early August the forecast for his return seemed promising. Wyatt was described as being closer to a comeback after seemingly overcoming a life-threatening medical absence.
Sadly, Wyatt ultimately passed away. The cause of Wyatt’s death is currently unknown.
A wildly popular figure in modern-day WWE, Bray Wyatt’s merchandise was a top seller even after his shocking release in 2020. Wyatt would go on to make his return to the company at the onset of the Triple H Era, where WWE dropped subtle hints centered around a “White Rabbit.” Fans quickly deciphered that Wyatt was on his way back, and the anticipation paid off with historic ratings for the September 23, 2022 broadcast.
WWE’s 2.535 million viewers for SmackDown was the highest of the year to this point, and the highest since 2020. Though Wyatt did not appear on the broadcast, as many had speculated based on the “9/23” vignette, Wyatt went on to make his triumphant return at WWE Extreme Rules less than a month later.
Wyatt was one of the most popular and successful WWE Superstars of the modern era. Wyatt was so beloved, in fact, WWE’s mind-boggling decision not to crown him as WWE Universal champion against Seth Rollins led to some of the most intense backlash the company has ever seen. The Fiend went on to win the WWE Universal Championship at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, though this iteration of Bray Wyatt continued to face turbulence until his final appearance at WrestleMania 37.
A creative force of nature, Wyatt’s imaginative approach to pro wrestling was often his best friend and his worst enemy.
“One of the most… I mean this in the best way possible… crazy, creative people I’ve ever been around,” said Triple H in an interview with Ariel Helwani of BT Sport. “(His) mind just never stops thinking of creative. But it’s like being in a whirlwind of stuff, so without the harness and without somebody to point the tornado, it’s just all over the place (laughs). He’s a victim of his own mind and his creative, and it’s just everywhere.”
