World Wrestling Entertainment star Bray Wyatt dies aged 36

Bray Wyatt, former World Wrestling Entertainment champion and widely considered one of the most creative minds in the ring, died Thursday. He was 36 years old.

WWE announced that Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, died “unexpectedly” on Thursday, but did not mention the cause of death.

“WWE is saddened to learn that Windham Rotunda, also known as Bray Wyatt, passed away Thursday, August 24 at the age of 36,” WWE said. “WWE sends its condolences to Rotunda’s family, friends and fans.”

Rotunda’s death was announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, by WWE manager Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

“Our thoughts are with his family and we ask everyone to respect their privacy at this time,” the statement read.

Wyatt, who held WWE’s top prize in 2017 and again in 2019, was also known by his other in-ring personality “The Fiend”. His last TV performance was 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.

The news of his sudden death sent shockwaves through the professional wrestling world, prompting reactions from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Mick Foley, and wrestlers of all promotions.

Wyatt was the son of Mike and Stephanie Rotunda.

Wyatt’s grandfather, Robert Deroy Windham (Blackjack Mulligan), his father, and two of his uncles (Barry and Kendall Windham) all wrestled in WWE. His grandfather also played college football at UTEP and attended the New York Jets preseason.

Wyatt wore a red shirt on the Troy football team in 2007.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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