WWE champion Bray Wyatt dies, aged 36
Wrestler Wyatt became a WWE superstar.
WWE champion Bray Wyatt has died at the age of 36, it has been confirmed.
The death of Wyatt – real name Windham Lawrence Rotunda – was announced by WWE content officer Triple H on Twitter, which was recently re-branded as X.
He said: "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 had not competed since his won over LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match at the Royal Rumble back in January.
The wrestler had been actively recovering from an unspecified illness, but was not yet clear to compete, according to Fightful.com.
Wyatt, who came from a long line of wrestlers - including his father Mike Rotunda, grandfather Blackjack Mulligan and younger brother Bo Dallas - first joined WWE in 2009.
He originally wrestled in WWE under the ring name Husky Harris in the early 2010s, but it wasn’t until he rebranded himself as Southern cult leader Bray Wyatt in 2012 that he became a superstar.
During his time in WWE, he rose to become a three-time world champion, including one WWE Championship and two Universal Championships.
The wrestler is survived by his partner JoJo — a former WWE ring announcer — and four children.
WWE paid tribute to Wyatt following the tragic news of his death, writing in a statement: "WWE is saddened to learn that Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 24, at age 36. WWE extends its condolences to Rotunda’s family, friends and fans."
Some of the world’s greatest wrestling stars also paid tribute to Wyatt, with Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, writing on X, formerly Twitter: "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 universe."
He continued: "Very unique, cool and rare character, which is hard to create in our crazy world of pro wrestling. Still processing losing the goat, Terry Funk yesterday and now Bray today. My love, light, strength & mana to the Rotunda family and Funk family during this tough, heartbreaking time."
Meanwhile, WWE commentator Mick Foley added: "I thought so highly of Bray Wyatt... He was a true visionary; one of the most compelling presences that wrestling has ever seen."
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Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
