Sadly, Windham Rotunda – Bray Wyatt – passed away on August 24, 2024. It was a shock to everyone in the wrestling world. Wyatt’s absence from the WWE has been kept secret, but there were never any indications that the former WWE Champion was seriously ill. In fact, all signs pointed to Bray Wyatt making a grand return sometime soon.
The sudden passing of the popular WWE star is still hard to process. That’s because Bray Wyatt left such a mark in the wrestling industry as a whole. Sure, there were some mishaps in the way WWE handled Bray Wyatt’s character. Still, Wyatt’s career is one destined for a hall of famer, because the former WWE Champion made an unforgettable impression that will forever mark an important milestone in the wrestling world.
The Character Work Of Bray Wyatt
Rotunda is a third-generation star who had strong potential the moment audiences first got wind of him in the early days of NXT. Then known as Husky Harris, the future WWE Champion opened eyes with his incredible promo ability. Wyatt always felt different because his charisma and cadence when he speaks stand out from the stoic and scripted characters on the main roster.
Arguably, Wyatt’s best character was his cult leader status under the Wyatt family. With Luke Harper – another man that’s gone too soon – Erick Rowan, and Braun Strowman, this faction was a complex start to his journey. The creepy videos that built up the cult family were outstanding. The dynamic of the four men was impeccable. Even the Hawaiian shirts that Wyatt usually wore made his characters stand out.
Admittedly, when the company leaned into the supernatural stuff, that’s when Bray’s character started to take a hit. While moments like Randy Orton burning Wyatt’s house down were cool; his matches against “The Viper” were an overstuffed story filled with mostly nonsensical and laughably bad effects.
The Fiend Is One of The Best WWE Characters Of The Modern Generation
Then The Fiend happened. The Firefly Funhouse videos were some of the most captivating segments that WWE ever produced weekly. Bray Wyatt’s creativity was simply off-the-charts amazing; the way he was able to add interesting layers to his characters on a weekly basis was a joy to see. Before his official re-debut at Summerslam 2019, The Fiend was the most compelling and popular character on the WWE roster.
His match against Finn Balor was perfect. A squash match that exemplified his style and the tremendous storytelling leading up to the incredible debut. Wyatt was never able to truly figure out how to properly incorporate the story of the fiend into his matches, but the entire period of The Fiend’s run was packed with some of the best stories the company has ever told. His WrestleMania 36 match against John Cena was one of the best cinematic matches ever made.
Bray Wyatt’s Matches Were Equivalent To Films
credit: WWE
As I stated previously, when Bray’s matches leaned towards the supernatural stuff, then it was more so a miss. However, who could forget the first-ever Shield vs. The Wyatt Family match at Elimination Chamber in 2014? Two of the best factions of the modern generation tore the house down that night.
Matches against Cena (WrestleMania 30), The Undertaker (WrestleMania 32), or Daniel Bryan (Royal Rumble) showcased that Wyatt was a strong performer inside of the ring. The former WWE Champion knew his character inside and out; from the backward crawl to the kiss before hitting sister Abigail. The way Bray Wyatt was able to organically fuse his storytelling capabilities was awe-inspiring.
The former WWE Champion is a once-in-a-generation talent that pushed wrestling in a new direction that captured the attention of fans everywhere. Not every moment in Bray Wyatt’s career is perfect, but the man behind the mask showcased that he was a creative genius who was made for a professional wrestling ring. It’s a sad day that Bray Wyatt is no longer with us, but we’ll never forget the incredible moments he left behind.
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