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Windham Rotunda “Bray Wyatt” Passes Away

Photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment

TAMPA — It has been a crazy week for pro wrestling. First, it was the passing of the legend Terry Funk. Now Bray Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, has passed away.

On August 24, Windham Rotunda passed away due to a heart attack. With the WWE having learned of his passing, they scrapped the action for their storylines for their upcoming show, Friday Night Smackdown. Instead, they created a perfect show, paying tribute to Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt.

They began the night with the traditional 10-bell salute. Then the lights went out, and the lights shone on the infamous rocking chair as the fans were seen holding their phones up, becoming the fireflies from Rotunda’s character.

Every match paid tribute to the two men who blazed their own path in the world of professional wrestling. The first match began with Rey Mysterio, seen with a Bray Wyatt armband, taking on young up-and-comer Grayson Waller. Mysterio used a clothesline followed by a running senton, the same moveset as Bray Wyatt.

Video packages of Bray Wyatt’s best moments, in and out of the ring, were played on the tron. The most significant clip, is The Undertaker passing the torch to Wyatt, on Wyatt’s last episode of Monday Night Raw.

Out comes LA Knight.

“I held myself together well tonight, until I saw the pictures of his family, because my heart breaks for that. But as I look around tonight, I can hear it, and I can see it. I know that I can feel the spirit of Bray Wyatt in this building,” he says.

After a TMZ clip of The Miz plays on the tron, he pays another tribute to his former rival, “One more thing Miz. A wise man once told me, “The next time you see me, run.””

LA Knight, the last man to face Wyatt, would face Wyatt’s first opponent, Finn Balor. LA Knight would go on to win the match with his finishing maneuver, Blunt-Force Trauma.

As he celebrates, walking up the ramp, the lights go out again, this time with a spotlight on the lantern that Wyatt used during his time in WWE, and a picture of Wyatt in the ring, being shown on the tron.

WWE is using all proceeds from the sales of Wyatt’s merchandise, to go to Rotunda’s wife, Jojo Offerman, and his family. If you, or anyone you know would like to honor and pay tribute, you can go on shop.wwe.com, and type Bray Wyatt, into the search bar.

We join the rest of the wrestling world in mourning the loss of Windham Rotunda, and extend our condolences to Rotunda’s family, friends, and fans.