"Windham Lawrence Rotunda, widely recognized by his ring name Bray Wyatt, was an American professional wrestler who was signed to WWE from 2009 until his passing in 2023. He was highly regarded for his captivating and enigmatic persona, leaving a lasting impact on the world of professional wrestling."
May 23, 1987: Birth of Windham Rotunda
Windham Lawrence Rotunda, later known as Bray Wyatt, was born on May 23, 1987.
2005: High School Wrestling Championship
Windham Rotunda became a state wrestling champion in 2005 while in high school.
2008: Early Wrestling Career
Windham Rotunda began his professional wrestling journey in 2008, working under various ring names.
February 5, 2009: Florida Championship Wrestling Debut
Rotunda made his debut in Florida Championship Wrestling on February 5, 2009.
June 2009: Tag Team Championship
Windham and Bo Rotundo won the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship in June 2009.
2009: WWE Debut
Windham Rotunda started his WWE career in 2009.
June 2, 2010: NXT Debut
Rotunda, as Husky Harris, debuted on NXT on June 2, 2010.
September 2010: Feud with Percy Watson
Husky Harris started a feud with Percy Watson in FCW in September 2010.
2010: Birth of Wyatt's First Daughter
Bray Wyatt's first daughter was born in 2010.
2010: Main Roster Debut
Rotunda made his debut on WWE's main roster in 2010.
March 2011: Axl Mulligan Gimmick
Rotunda briefly adopted the Axl Mulligan gimmick in FCW in March 2011.
August 2011: Involvement in Bo Rotundo's Feud
Husky Harris became involved in his brother Bo's feud in FCW in August 2011.
2011: The Nexus
As Husky Harris, he was part of The Nexus in 2011.
February 2, 2012: Second Tag Team Championship
Husky Harris and Bo Rotundo won the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship for the second time on February 2, 2012.
April 2012: Repackaged as Bray Wyatt
Windham Rotunda underwent a transformation in April 2012, becoming Bray Wyatt.
July 11, 2012: Bray Wyatt Debuts
After being repackaged as Bray Wyatt, he debuted on the rebooted NXT on July 11, 2012.
2012: Bray Wyatt Debuts as Cult Leader
In 2012, Bray Wyatt debuted his character, a villainous cult leader. He led The Wyatt Family, with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan as his main followers. Fans would light up arenas with their phones during his entrances, creating a "fireflies" effect.
2012: Developmental Territories
Rotunda spent time honing his skills in WWE's developmental territories until 2012.
2012: Wyatt's First Marriage
Bray Wyatt married Samantha Rotunda in 2012.
February 21, 2013: Return from Injury
Bray Wyatt returned from a pectoral muscle injury on February 21, 2013.
August 18, 2013: SummerSlam
On August 18, 2013, at SummerSlam, Bray Wyatt faced Kane in his first main roster match, a Ring of Fire match. Wyatt emerged victorious with the help of interference from Harper and Rowan.
2013: Wyatt Wins Best Gimmick
Bray Wyatt's cult leader character won him the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Best Gimmick award in 2013.
2013: Birth of Wyatt's Second Daughter
Bray Wyatt's second daughter was born in 2013.
2013: The Wyatt Family Debut
Bray Wyatt, along with Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, debuted as The Wyatt Family in 2013.
2014: N/A
In 2014, Bray Wyatt engaged in a memorable feud with John Cena, culminating in matches at WrestleMania XXX, Extreme Rules, and Payback. Wyatt aimed to expose Cena's heroic persona as a facade and convert him into a "monster." Despite early victories, Wyatt ultimately lost the feud to Cena.
January 5, 2015: Raw
On January 5, 2015, the long-standing feud between Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose reached its pinnacle in an ambulance match on Raw. This final encounter marked the end of their rivalry, with Wyatt claiming victory.
2016: N/A
The year 2016 saw Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt Family involved in various storylines, including feuds with Brock Lesnar, The League of Nations, and The New Day. Notably, Wyatt suffered a calf injury that year, briefly halting his momentum.
January 24, 2017: SmackDown
On the January 24, 2017, episode of SmackDown, tensions within the Wyatt Family reached a boiling point as Randy Orton faced Luke Harper. Orton's victory led to Bray Wyatt exiling Harper from the group, signifying a shift in the family's dynamics.
2017: Wyatt's Divorce
Bray Wyatt's wife, Samantha, filed for divorce in 2017.
January 22, 2018: Raw 25 Years
On January 22, 2018, at the Raw 25 Years anniversary event, Bray Wyatt continued his rivalry with Matt Hardy, securing a victory against him.
August 2018: Hiatus
Bray Wyatt took a break from wrestling in August 2018.
2018: Wyatt Returns, Debuts Firefly Fun House
After a hiatus, Bray Wyatt returned in 2018 with a new character. He became a friendly children's show host in the "Firefly Fun House" segment.
2018: End of Wyatt Family Era
After a successful run as a cult leader, Bray Wyatt's time with The Wyatt Family came to an end in 2018 when he went on hiatus.
April 2019: Firefly Fun House Debut
In April 2019, Bray Wyatt debuted a new persona, the host of a children's program called Firefly Fun House, alongside puppets Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, Ramblin' Rabbit, and Huskus the Pig Boy. He shed his previous Wyatt Family persona, appearing with shorter hair and beard and a leaner physique. He also introduced a sinister masked entity called "The Fiend", claiming it was here to "protect us".
April 2019: Return with New Gimmick
Wyatt came back in April 2019 with a new character.
May 2019: Birth of Wyatt's Son
Bray Wyatt and JoJo Offerman welcomed their son in May 2019.
2019: The Fiend Wins Best Gimmick
Bray Wyatt's captivating and terrifying Fiend character earned him his second Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Best Gimmick award in 2019.
2019: Criticism of The Fiend's Booking
Despite the popularity of Bray Wyatt's Fiend character, its booking in 2019, particularly in the Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins, drew criticism for harming the character's mystique.
2019: The Fiend is Unleashed
In 2019, Bray Wyatt introduced his masked alter-ego, The Fiend. This demonic clown possessed supernatural abilities and sought revenge for past wrongs against Wyatt.
2019: The Fiend's Reign of Terror
Throughout 2019, The Fiend established himself as a dominant heel, attacking rivals like Finn Bálor and various WWE legends. He engaged in a brutal feud with Seth Rollins, culminating in a controversial Hell in a Cell match and his victory for the Universal Championship at Crown Jewel.
January 26, 2020: Universal Championship Defense
On January 26, 2020, at the Royal Rumble, The Fiend successfully defended his Universal Championship against Daniel Bryan in a strap match, ending their intense feud.
May 2020: Birth of Wyatt's Daughter
Bray Wyatt and JoJo Offerman had their second child, a daughter, in May 2020.
2020: The Fiend Wins Worst Gimmick
In a controversial turn, readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter voted Bray Wyatt's Fiend character as the Worst Gimmick of 2020, making him the only wrestler to win both Best and Worst Gimmick with the same character.
July 2021: Release from WWE
Wyatt was let go from WWE in July 2021.
September 2022: The White Rabbit Returns
In September 2022, cryptic clues and QR codes referencing a "White Rabbit" began appearing on WWE programming, leading to speculation about Bray Wyatt's return. At the Extreme Rules event, Wyatt returned with a new look and live-action versions of his Firefly Fun House puppets, confirming himself as the individual behind the teases.
2022: Uncle Howdy Arrives
A new character, Uncle Howdy, emerged alongside Bray Wyatt in 2022, adding another layer to his persona.
2022: Wyatt and Offerman's Engagement
Bray Wyatt and JoJo Offerman got engaged in 2022.
2022: Return to WWE
Wyatt made a comeback to WWE in 2022.
August 19, 2023: Nearing a Return
On August 19, 2023, reports emerged that Bray Wyatt was nearing a return to WWE after battling a life-threatening illness since February.
August 24, 2023: Death of Windham Rotunda
Windham Rotunda tragically passed away on August 24, 2023, at the age of 36.
2023: Wyatt's Posthumous Film Cameo
Bray Wyatt had a brief posthumous voice cameo as a prison guard in the 2023 animated film "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Christmas: Cabin Fever".
2023: Final Match and Hiatus
Bray Wyatt had his last televised match in 2023 before taking a hiatus due to health issues.
2023: Jey Uso Adopts the Fireflies
In late summer 2023, Jey Uso adopted Bray Wyatt's signature "fireflies" entrance, a tribute to the late wrestler, at the start of his singles run.
2023: Wyatt's Passing
Tragically, Bray Wyatt passed away in 2023.
April 1, 2024: Release of "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal"
On April 1, 2024, WWE released a documentary titled "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal," exploring Bray Wyatt's life and career.
April 2024: Posthumous Plans Revealed
In April 2024, the biopic "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal" revealed that Wyatt had intended to revive The Fiend character with a new mask, attire, and lantern before his untimely passing.
June 17, 2024: Return of Uncle Howdy and Firefly Funhouse Puppets
On June 17, 2024, at the Raw following Clash at the Castle in Scotland, Bray Wyatt's brother, Taylor, returned as Uncle Howdy, alongside live versions of the Firefly Funhouse puppets, forming a new group called the Wyatt Sicks, signifying a new chapter for Bray Wyatt's legacy.
2024: Wyatt Honored at Hall of Fame
During the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Bray Wyatt was honored with his signature "fireflies" and music, a touching tribute to the late wrestler.