“Hey, you wanna see something really scary?” – Bray Wyatt
The Bray Wyatt character was a backwoods cult leader from the swamps of Louisiana. With help from the legendary Dusty Rhodes, Bray Wyatt became a star, then a phenomenon, drawing inspiration from mostly forgotten ’90s wrestler Waylon Mercy and various horror movie villains.
The Wyatt Family WIKI
Often speaking to his opponents in riddles that carried a much deeper and darker meaning, and flanked by his followers, the late, great Luke Harper, and Eric Rowan, The Wyatt Family made an instant splash upon arriving in 2013 on Monday Night Raw. They all had long, strangely bearded faces and wore dirty, tattered clothes. Rowan even wore a sheep mask to the ring. Leading the charge, Bray and his “family” feuded with some of the biggest names in the WWE, including The Undertaker, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, and The Shield.
Despite being a heel, Bray won the audience over with his commitment to the character and overpowering charisma. Soon, arenas all over the world would be lit up with the cell phone lights of Bray’s fans (or followers) in the audience in a phenomenon that became known as “Fireflies,” and his popularity launched him to main event status.
Bray Wyatt became the WWE Heavyweight Champion of the World on February 12, 2017, at the Elimination Chamber event. That was then. Soon, though, after several bizarre booking decisions by WWE, the Bray Wyatt character had lost its spark and became stale. In late 2018 and into early 2019, Bray Wyatt disappeared from WWE television, but he would soon return with a very different version of the character.
In April 2019, after weeks of vignettes featuring witch dolls, buzzard puppets, and other children’s toys, Bray Wyatt returned as the host of the Firefly Fun House. These prerecorded segments were shot in the style of a children’s program, hosted by Bray, who was now sporting a shorter beard, new hairstyle, and red sweater with a Mister Rogers kind of look. During the Firefly Fun House segments, Bray interacted with the previously mentioned puppets and dolls, Ramblin’ Rabbit, Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, and Huskus the Pig Boy. During the first Firefly Fun House segment, Bray told the audience to “let me in” after cutting a cardboard cutout of the original version of Bray Wyatt in half with a chainsaw.
Each week, a new Firefly Fun House segment would air on Monday Night Raw, and each week the segments grew darker and darker, with Bray referring to an evil, altered ego called The Fiend, made from the most evil part of Bray’s mind. The character change was a success, leading Bray to the WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship not once, but twice.
But, once again, questionable booking led to frustration, and Bray Wyatt left WWE in the spring of 2021.
Bray Wyatt would return to WWE at the 2022 Extreme Rules event after more than a year away. This time, the character was kept more realistic while still maintaining its signature elements. Bray would also bring a new character along with him, Uncle Howdy, who was portrayed by his real-life little brother, Bo Dallas. A story was slowly built between the two characters, but it would sadly never reach its climax.
In early 2023, Bray Wyatt disappeared from WWE television. The reason was that Bray was battling health issues, and Bray Wyatt passed away unexpectedly on August 23, 2023, at just 36 years old.
However, Bray’s impact is still felt in the WWE to this day. On June 17, 2024, Uncle Howdy returned with real-life versions of the Firefly Fun House characters in a group called The Wyatt Sicks. The Wyatt Sicks destroyed the backstage area and left several wrestlers and WWE personnel bloodied before making their way into the arena.
The moment set the world on fire. Not only was the debut of Wyatt Sicks pulled off incredibly well, but it also paid tribute to Bray in the most significant way possible: allowing his legacy and imagination to live on. Today, the Wyatt Sicks continue to light the way for Bray’s legacy and are prominently featured on the SmackDown brand.
Given the dark and spooky nature of his character (and his real-life love of horror movies), Bray had wanted The Wyatt Family to have their own haunted house at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights event. This was a dream of his that would not come true during his lifetime, but this year it did. WWE partnered with Universal Studios to create the Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks’ house. I traveled to Universal Orlando to experience it for myself. And I must say it was a wonderful tribute to Bray Wyatt.
Courtesy Universal Orlando Resort
As you entered the house, you were greeted by Uncle Howdy, giving you the first scare. You then walked through the carnage of The Wyatt Sicks’ debut in a WWE backstage area, as The Wyatt Sicks lurked throughout. Next, you find yourself walking through the abandoned Firefly Fun House as The Wyatt Sicks continue to stalk you.
In the fun house, you were greeted by Alexa Bliss, a female WWE star who was aligned with Wyatt during the Firefly Fun House era. Meanwhile, a TV set on the floor plays the Firefly Fun House segments. Next, you were taken back to where it all began: The Wyatt Swamp.
As you walked through the swamp, footage of original Wyatt Family promos played on the wall as Bray’s original entrance music played in the background. Of course, the relentless haunting by Uncle Howdy continued. Finally, you walked down a dark corridor with the Wyatt Sicks attacking from every side. Then you were greeted by The Fiend for one final scare. And as you exited the house, you saw Bray’s trademark rocking chair sitting empty except for his lantern, still lit and lighting the way for us all.
The house was a wonderful tribute to Bray Wyatt. He may be gone, but because of The Wyatt Sicks and Halloween Horror Nights, his legacy will live forever. So, to wrap this column up, I’m going to share a poem written by the man himself:
Bray Wyatt: Wrestling is not a love story, it’s a Fairy Tale for masochists—a comedy for people who criticize punchlines. A fantasy most can’t understand, a spectacle no one can deny. Lines are blurred. Heroes are villains. Budgets are cut. Business is business. But it can also be a land where Dead men walk. Where Honor makes you Elite. Where Demons run for office, and Rock bottom is a reason to rejoice. WOOOOO! It’s an escape. A reason to point the blame at anyone but yourself for 2-3 hours. An excuse to be a kid again, and nothing matters except the moment we are in. Wrestling is not a love story; it’s much more. It’s hope, and in a world surrounded by hate, greed, and violence, a world where closure may never come. We all know a place that offers both hot and cold beer on tap. For better or for worse.
