The latest WWE and AEW News and Results
Karl is back with a look at the new WWE Network Bray Wyatt documentary which dives into his career, characters, and family which include classic era wrestlers Mike Rotundo, Blackjack Mulligan, and Barry and Kendal Windham. This was a very good documentary that fills in a lot of gaps about the death of Wyatt.
Also, we conclude the Bruno Sammartino biography from the pages of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Though Bray Wyatt has passed away, Braun Strowman can still feel his presence.
Strowman spoke with Chris Van Vliet for an episode of Insight that was published on Thursday. During the conversation, Strowman discussed the “very deep connection” that he had with Wyatt. Strowman feels like he can still see Wyatt and is reminded of him every day:
I see him all the time. It’s crazy — it really is crazy. Like, I don’t know how spiritual anyone is or this and that, but I had a very deep connection with him. I mean, I see him and there’s things that remind me of him and constantly, every day there’s something, I can feel him, he’s still around.
Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) died of a heart issue in August 2023. He was 36 years old.
During his career, Wyatt was a three-time World Champion and one of the most recognizable characters in WWE. Strowman told Van Vliet that being part of the Wyatt Family with Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan is something that changed his entire life:
It changed my entire life. I was this kid that, you know, was told he was never going to make it, never going to be anything, bullied, fat kid growing up. And having a group of guys, three talented, unbelievable human beings take me under their wing and show me the ways through this crazy business. Like, words can’t really explain how grateful I am for that, because I’m not where I am in life without those guys.
Strowman said that, from the day Wyatt saw him for the first time, Wyatt knew he needed him in the Wyatt Family. Wyatt lobbied for Strowman to be in the faction and did everything he could to make it happen.
The documentary “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” premiered on Peacock last month. It began teasing the return of Bo Dallas as Uncle Howdy. Rowan may also be returning to WWE.
Van Vliet’s interview with Strowman was conducted during WrestleMania week. Since then, Strowman has been cleared to return from the neck fusion surgery that he underwent last June.
Strowman made his return on Raw this Monday, taking part in an angle that included NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. Strowman saved Jey Uso from an attack by Logan Paul and Finn Balor after they tried to use Mahomes’ Super Bowl rings as a weapon.
The 2024 WWE Draft concluded on Monday’s Raw episode. Strowman was drafted to the Raw roster.
Bo Dallas’ WWE return may have been teased at the end of Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.
The documentary on Wyatt’s life and career premiered on Peacock today. Dallas opens the film by reading a quote from his older brother.
“‘Wrestling is not a love story, it’s much more, it’s hope, an excuse to be a kid again and nothing matters except the moment we are in.’ A great man once said that. That man is my brother, Windham Rotunda, but you know him as Bray Wyatt,” Dallas says.
The film is narrated by The Undertaker but Dallas is featured throughout.
“He’s not gone because the art left and his ideas will live on forever,” he later says.
Near the end of the documentary, Dallas’ comments suggest he is motivated to carry on his brother’s legacy.
“My fire and love for the business has to burn brighter than it ever has because it’s given me the strength and passion to want to carry his legacy on,” Dallas later added.
A post-credit scene from the film features a silhouette of someone, possibly Dallas, dressed as Uncle Howdy in front of a lantern similar to the one Wyatt would bring to the ring with him. A voice can be heard saying, “Run.”
Fightful Select is reporting that the end of the film was a deliberate tease for Dallas’ eventual return, although it’s not clear when that might be. He’s been under WWE contract since 2022. A WWE source noted to Fightful that the company has not wanted to rush him back following his brother’s death last August.
Here's a sneak peek of #BrayWyatt: Becoming Immortal đĽ
Streaming April 1 on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/woc6mnrL3O
— Peacock (@peacock) March 31, 2024
Mike Rotunda says it’s less stressful for his family knowing that Bray Wyatt won’t be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.
Rotunda recently spoke to Bill Apter about his son’s passing as well as his own upcoming induction alongside Wyatt’s uncle, Barry Windham. Rotunda said he believes WWE thought it was too soon to induct Wyatt this year.
He said:
With Windham passing, I thought they were going to immediately put Windham into the Hall of Fame, which he will be at some point, but I think that WWE reassessed stuff and thought it was too soon to go there with our family and the reactions and the stress on us.
We got a call from WWE and said Hunter wants to do a Zoom call. We were thinking they were going to tell us what was going to happen at WrestleMania and Hunter said, âYou guys are going to get inducted. You and Barry. You were a part of the first ever WrestleMania.’
Itâs very flattering, obviously, and actually less stressful on us because of all the stuff that we’ve had to go through with Windham passing, just the mental capacity of it.
Obviosuly, it’s a great honor because you are getting rewarded for what you spent 40 years doing.
Earlier in the conversation, Rotunda addressed the documentary on his son that will air on Peacock on April 1.
I called Triple H when Windham passed away because I didn’t want all kinds of internet crap going out about him and stuff so Triple H took the reigns and, you know, let everyone know that Windham had unexpectantly passed. Then later, Triple H called and said we would like to do a documentary so his kids know him when they get older.
He continued
WWE has been awesome. They just have been very helpful throught the process with Windham passing. And very generous and I can’t say enough about that. Along with The Rock, he was sending food here every other day, and people reaching out, Undertaker and so many people.
The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024, the first to be hand-picked by Paul Levesque, is set to include Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda, Muhammad Ali, Thunderbolt Patterson, and Lia Maivia. Our own Dave Meltzer wrote a subscriber-exclusive covering this year’s class earlier this month available now for subscribers.
A documentary on the late Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) is set to premiere in two weeks.
WWE has announced that “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” will premiere on Peacock on Monday, April 1. The trailer for the documentary can be seen below:
The documentary is narrated by WWE legend The Undertaker, who was Wyatt’s opponent at WrestleMania 31 in 2015. Undertaker thought highly of Wyatt as a talent from their time working together.
Interviews from Paul “Triple H” Levesque, John Cena, Becky Lynch, Hulk Hogan, and Braun Strowman are featured in the documentary. There are interviews with Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas (Taylor Rotunda), his sister Mika Rotunda, and his fiancee Joseann Offerman as well.
Wyatt passed away at 36 years old on August 24, 2023. His death was due to a heart issue.
Here’s the synopsis for the documentary:
Bray Wyatt is one of the most revered and mysterious characters in WWE history. The story behind that character and the man himself, Windham Rotunda, has never been documented until now. Using never-before seen interviews and exclusive backstage footage, Windham Rotundaâs inspiring story unfolds. This documentary chronicles Windhamâs incredible rise to worldwide fame as a WWE superstar, and the struggles and success that came with being a creative visionary. Sadly, in August of 2023, Windham passed away at the age of 36. In the wake of his untimely death, Windham leaves behind a family still grieving with loss as they celebrate a lasting legacy that continues to create and inspire.
Just days after the documentary’s premiere, Wyatt’s father Mike Rotunda and uncle Barry Windham will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. They’re being inducted together as The US Express during WrestleMania weekend.
The Hall of Fame ceremony is taking place after SmackDown on Friday, April 5. The ceremony will stream live on Peacock.
Seth Rollins paid tribute to Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee at a WWE house show on Sunday.
A day after what would have been Lee’s 44th birthday, WWE presented a house show at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Rollins addressed the crowd after the main event.
Rollins said:
I know they got the lights down real low for us. The mood is set. Has anybody got any fireflies among the audience tonight? I see a couple. I see a few now.
This time of year, loved ones are always on our minds, man. You know what Iâm saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah!
@WWERollins pays tribute to Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee #WWERochester #WWERochesterMN pic.twitter.com/LZMVFw4LLa
— MachoHypeman (@bruski12345) December 18, 2023
WWE house show in Rochester, MN on December 17 results:
On the latest entry into my JNPO pro wrestling year in review series, it’s time to wrap up summer with a look at August, joined this time by Rich Kraetsch of Voices of Wrestling.
It truly was a month of triumph and tragedy as the wrestling world mourned the sudden passing of WWE star Bray Wyatt at just 36 years old — just a day after one of the greatest of all time — Terry Funk — passed away at 79 years old.
It was a triumphant month for AEW thanks to the success of All In at London’s Wembley Stadium — a show that grossed $10+ million in revenue and saw more than 70,000 fans come through the turnstiles.
However, as seemed to be the case with a lot of AEW success, there were tribulations as CM Punk got into a backstage skirmish with “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry just minutes before he was set to kick off the PPV. It would be Punk’s final AEW appearance and Rich & I dive into all the other Punk-related drama through the month.
Join us for this hour+ deep dive into everything that happened in WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, Japan, and more.
I promise this is unlike any other year-end series you’ll hear or read, so catch up on the rest of the series in the archive.
Braun Strowman plans on continuing the Wyatt Family legacy when he returns from injury.
Strowman underwent level-one fusion surgery on his C4 and C5 vertebrae in June and hasn’t wrestled since May. During a recent interview with News18, the 39-year-old provided an update on his condition.
Strowman said:
So I just recently had my five-month check-up, with Dr. Cordoba, at the world-famous Andrews Medical Centre, where WWE graced me to have my surgery with the number one surgeon in the world. So I did my five-month check-up and got medically cleared to start lifting weights. So the bones are fusing nicely in my neck. So I had a cervical fusion on my C4 and C5. So they put a metal plate and four screws in my neck. I had four screws and a metal plate put it in my neck.
In terms of when he could return, Strowman says he’s not sure.
I donât know yet; if I could be back in Rumble, thatâd be great. But like I said, Iâm at the mercy of the doctors and what they say. Iâm listening to them because this was a very serious injury that I had.
The last time Strowman was on WWE programming was the Bray Wyatt tribute show in August. He appeared alongside Wyatt Family member Erik Rowan for a ten-bell salute.
Strowman said of Wyatt:
Oh, I wouldnât be where I am in my career or life without that man. He did so much for me as far as in the business of teaching me to navigate my way through this crazy industry. He taught me how to be a better performer in the ring. But the most that I take away from my time with Bray Wyatt and the eight years that I got to spend with him was to be a better person. Heâs one of the greatest human beings that has ever stepped foot on this earth.
Now, Iâm a godfather to this son, so I know that I have this big responsibility and things like that that I never dreamed that I pray that I never would have to step into. But Iâm honoured at the fact that I was chosen by him to lead if something were to happen to him. So itâs a truly humbling honour knowing that I have that weight put on my back and I carry it proudly. So especially with my return to WWE, like I have, Iâm not only coming back for me, Iâm coming back for him.
Strowman also commented on carrying on the Wyatt Family legacy now that both Wyatt and Jon Huber are no longer with us.
I mean, the Wyatt family was such a near and dear part of my family with four brothers who taught me the ways of the business with Eric Rowan, Luke Harper, and Bray and the amazing thing that we were able to capture on television, on film. And knowing that two of those guys are never going to be able to step foot in the ring again, I have that pressure that I carry, that weight that I carry proudly knowing that Iâm continuing on the legacy of what we had started 10 years ago.
Before his injury, Strowman had been teaming with Ricochet in WWE. His last match was on the May 1, 2023, edition of Raw when they defeated Alpha Academy in Fort Worth, Texas.
Swerve Strickland spoke about his tribute to Bray Wyatt at AEW Full Gear during a recent interview.
Strickland wore red and black striped tights reminiscent of The Fiend for his match against Hangman Page on the show. He would later reveal on Instagram that the gear was a tribute to Wyatt.
https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1726370368020234556
During a recent discussion with Sam Roberts, Strickland spoke about being influenced by Wyatt and his decision to pay tribute to him at AEW Full Gear.
“I remember when the Fiend was really going, there was a lot of chatter of if this was for them as a fan and stuff like that. And I was like, ‘No, this is brilliant work.’ I don’t think people really appreciated the brilliance that he was bringing to the screen and a lot of risk that he was taking too,” Strickland said of Wyatt.
“I think he was ahead of his time and stuff and I just wanted to show appreciation that the love and influence wasn’t lost.”
“I was in locker rooms with him during my time doing 205. He always gave me hugs, he was awesome. At one point I had to help him with the Fiend mask (laughs).”
“He was always a good brother in the locker room. He was fun, he was really cool,” Strickland continued.
“I’m a horror person and I was just really happy to see a new age of horror brought to the screen in an industry that I love. I was like, that was revolutionary and I wanted to take a little piece of that into what I was doing that night. If anything I feel like his spirit powered that match.”
Following his win over Page at Full Gear, Strickland entered the Continental Classic. He’s currently 2-0 in the tournament with wins over Jay Lethal and Jay White. He’ll wrestle Mark Briscoe (0-2) on tonight’s show from Montreal.
WWE has launched a new merchandise collection to celebrate the legacy of the late Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda).
The Bray Wyatt Legacy Collection launched on WWE Shop on Friday and includes several new T-shirt designs. The collection, which is in partnership with the Rotunda family, honors Wyatt’s legacy and will benefit his four children (Hyrie, Knash, Kendyl, and Cadyn).
Wyatt, 36, passed away unexpectedly on August 24. His death was caused by a heart issue.
WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda, Wyatt’s father, told Forbes that he’s happy the new merchandise collection will help keep Wyatt’s spirit alive among WWE fans.
âI go do some autograph signings here and there and Iâve had so many people come up to my table supporting Windham with firefly shirts and guys with tattoos on their arms,â Rotunda said. âItâs pretty cool. This is helpful, what WWE is doing to keep that spirit alive among the WWE Universe which will in turn keep Windhamâs characters alive in their minds. Itâs awesome what theyâre doing.â
Rotunda said celebrating Wyatt’s legacy will also help Wyatt’s younger children remember who their father was.
âEspecially for Knash and Hyrie, this is important,â Rotunda said. âKendyl and Cadyn know who their dad is because theyâre a little older, but you donât remember everything when youâre 3 or 4 years old. With the stuff WWE is putting out there, theyâll be able to look back and see exactly who their dad was. Itâs awesome that theyâre going to get a chance to relive some of their moments that their dad did.â
The August 25 episode of WWE SmackDown was a celebration of both Wyatt and Terry Funk.
Jojo Offerman has shared a beautiful tribute to her late fiance, Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt).
Rotunda, 36, passed away due to a heart issue on August 24. He and Offerman had been engaged since April 2022 and had two children together, a son named Knash born in 2019 and a daughter named Hyrie born in 2020.
“I miss the love of my life so much it hurts,” Offerman wrote on Instagram. “He was everything I ever wanted and everything I never knew I needed, and I let him know that everyday.”
Offerman wrote that she was so blessed to love Rotunda and be loved by him. She cries because she wishes they had more time together, but she smiles knowing how blessed she was to share the time they did have. Offerman promised that she will always show their kids how incredible Rotunda was.
Offerman’s full tribute can be seen below:
Ive written and rewritten this post so many times because there are no amount of words in this world to describe Windham and what he means to me. But Iâve also been avoiding it because in some weird way it makes all of this all too real. I miss the love of my life so much it hurts. He was everything I ever wanted and everything I never knew I needed, and I let him know that everyday. Iâm so grateful that he allowed me to love him fiercely. But I am so blessed he loved me fiercely in return. He was and always will be the best person I know, my best friend, and my soulmate. Windham truly gave me a love that will last a lifetime and oh baby I thank him for that. He was the kindest, funniest, most caring man in the world. He made me feel beyond special every single day. He made everyone feel special, which was one of the million things I loved about him. Our bond was magical, something only the two of us understood. And that beautiful bond brought two perfect babies into the world. Thatâs another thing, he was the BEST daddy to Knash, Hyrie, Cadyn, and Kendyl. Family was EVERYTHING to him. Windham knew me better than I knew myself and he always knew how to calm my storm, as I did for him. He was the only person in the world that I could be unapologetically myself around and not only did he accept it, he loved it. I cry because I wish we had more time baby, but I smile because I was so blessed to be loved by you in the time we did have. I will always love you Windham. I will always show our kids how incredible their daddy is. I will always make sure they know how much you love them. And I will always make you proud just like you made me proud. I love you forever baby, until we meet again
Offerman is a former WWE ring announcer. She last appeared for the company prior to announcing her first pregnancy.
WWE is donating all net proceeds from Bray Wyatt merchandise sales to support four Rotunda’s children and Offerman.
The Rotunda family has publicly thanked The Rock for the support he has offered them since Bray Wyatt’s passing.
Wyatt’s sister, Mika Rotunda, praised The Rock in a social media post on Sunday, writing that he has kept the family’s home filled with groceries for the past two weeks.
Rotunda wrote:
Publicly, my family would like to thank @therock for his kindness, condolences & love the past two weeks. Like he did all peopleâ Windham had a positive impact on him too. And DJ has kept our fridges and homes (yes plural), filled with meals and groceries
Love you, ohana.
Publicly, my family would like to thank @therock for his kindness, condolences & love the past two weeks.
Like he did all peopleâ Windham had a positive impact on him too. And DJ has kept our fridges and homes (yes plural), filled with meals and groceries
Love you, ohana. â¤ď¸
— Mika Rotunda (@MikaRotunda) September 10, 2023
Although The Rock and Wyatt never wrestled each other, they did perform in a segment together at WrestleMania 32 that led to an impromptu match between Rock and Erik Rowan. The Rock hasn’t wrestled since.
Rotunda also posted to Instagram recently to share memories of her brother. She wrote:
“Although I only got thirty years with him, here in this realm and chapter⌠Iâm thankful for everyday of it. Because not one passed that we didnât know the value we held in each others lives. Windham made sure of it. He wanted it to be understood. Loud and crystal clear.”
The Rock posted the following on the day of Wyatt’s passing as well:
Im heartbroken over the news of Bray Wyattâs passing. Always had tremendous respect and love for him and the Rotunda family. Loved his presence, promos, in ring work and connection with @wwe universe. 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.
Im heartbroken over the news of Bray Wyattâs passing. Always had tremendous respect and love for him and the Rotunda family. Loved his presence, promos, in ring work and connection with @wwe universe.
Very unique, cool and rare character, which is hard to create in our crazy⌠pic.twitter.com/i9zlbJIOL3— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 24, 2023
According to comments made by Matt Hardy, Tony Khan went out of his way to provide AEW talent with an opportunity to attend Bray Wyatt’s funeral.
Hardy spoke about attending the service for his former tag partner and the effort Khan made to ensure others could as well during the latest episode of his Extreme Life with Matt Hardy podcast.
“A big shout out to Tony (Khan), he took care of everybody really good,” Hardy said. “He sent a jet down there, carried all the AEW talents up to TV in Indianapolis. I was very grateful for that, and definitely appreciated it. Once again, just showing how good-hearted of a human being he is. He really made it work out so that everyone who wanted to attend could attend.”
According to a post from Braun Strowman on X, a celebration of Wyatt’s life was held on Wednesday, September 6. The service was delayed a week due to the hurricane that hit Florida recently. AEW Dynamite took place later that night at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.
“There were several AEW guys that attended the service, and like the whole WWE was there. It was so crazy to see everybody, this gathering, to get everybody in one room, exchange pleasantries with everybody, it was so sad that we were reunited, everybody, in those circumstances,” Hardy said of the service.
“It was an important moment to let him know as not only my friend but someone I worked with, my tag team partner, someone I really liked a lot, someone I had lots of love for, to be there and let him know that I was there for his ceremony when he passed away to honor him and celebrate his life.”
Wyatt’s sister, Mika Rotunda, posted a tribute to her late brother on Instagram yesterday.
She also posted the following to Twitter.
đ âNo one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear."â° -C.S Lewis
I love you more, @Windham6 pic.twitter.com/rhI4bBIyBF
— Mika Rotunda (@MikaRotunda) September 8, 2023
In an emotional Instagram post on Friday, Erick Rowan (Joseph Ruud) paid tribute to his departed Wyatt Family stablemates.
Despite no longer being with WWE, Rowan was brought into SmackDown last Friday to be part of the company’s tribute to Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda). Wyatt passed away due to a heart issue on August 24.
Rowan explained in his tribute that he and Wyatt originally bonded over their mutual love of horror movies and music while in FCW. Over time, the Wyatt Family’s on-screen partnership grew into a real-life bond. Rowan wrote that, though Wyatt and Luke Harper/Brodie Lee (Jon Huber) are no longer here, he knows they’re always listening and smiling. Rowan expressed how much his heart hurts for Wyatt and Brodie’s families.
“I love you both so much,” Rowan wrote. “This is only Goodbye for Now, I will see you down the road.”
His full tribute can be read below:
Writing this down makes my soul foggy and my heart ache. Over 12 years ago from the island of FCW we would talk of our mutual love of horror movies and music before embarking on this crazy journey that brought us around the world with Jon. In the process something happened, this family we portrayed weekly in the wrestling world became a real life bond. We spent more time together over the next few years than we would our own families. Strengthening our bond as we dealt with life trials and tribulations together. Eventually this family grew with the introduction of Adam. As did our love for one another. Life is sometimes unfair, I want to pick up the phone and talk to my brothers. For when I think of Windham It makes me think of Jon then the reality of the crazy truth that they are no longer with us. Though I know they are always listening and smiling. With their sudden passings I can not state enough how much they loved their families. My heart hurts for their kids, for Jojo for Amanda for their brothers and sisters or anyone lucky enough to call them a friend. I love you both so much. This is only Goodbye for Now, I will see you down the road.
Braun Strowman (Adam Scherr) responded: “Love you brother. Family over everything”
Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery in June but was also brought into SmackDown last week for Wyatt’s tribute. He and Rowan stood together on the stage for the 10-bell salute to Wyatt and Terry Funk.
Rowan also appeared during AEW’s Brodie Lee tribute show in December 2020.
One of the most tragic two-day periods for the pro wrestling industry took place last week, with the death of Terry Funk on 8/23 and the death of Windham Rotunda aka Bray Wyatt the next day.
Funk, who I would call the greatest instinctive pro wrestler who ever laced up boots, was 79.
Funk had been in declining health. His family kept secret about his condition for the most part and what his ailment was, but some of those closest to him were aware that he went into hospice care a few months ago. He had been in assisted living prior to that. It was known at the time that he didnât have much time left to live.
He had been battling dementia for some time, and it had gotten worse in recent months.
He had been in poor health ever since surgery for a hernia in 2016. He had been told by the doctor to rest in bed for two weeks after the surgery. But he had promised Tommy Dreamer that he would appear at some shows for Dreamerâs House of Hardcore promotion later that week.
