Bray Wyatt has found success in the main event picture for WWE with The Fiend character. Fans love the alter ego and the overall theatrics that come with Wyatt’s new persona. The Firefly Funhouse segments showcase Wyatt’s sillier side with a parody of Mr. Rogers before The Fiend shows you his vicious side during matches. WWE loved the work of The Fiend enough to make him Universal Champion after a few months of debuting.
We will look at more details about Wyatt’s life outside of the ring. The life and career of Bray has seen many ups and downs. Few wrestlers will ever reach his level of having world title reigns and WrestleMania matches against legends. Time will tell if he can hold this spot in the long term to create a legacy. Find out more about his life with some behind the scenes facts abouts The Fiend.
15 Named Braun Strowman his child's godfather
The bond between Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman formed when the latter joined the Wyatt Family faction. Wyatt’s most recent child Knash was born in 2019. Strowman was selected by Bray to be the godfather of the newest unofficial Wyatt Family member. Given Braun’s history with children (see Nicolas at WrestleMania 34), maybe Knash will become a future tag team champion.
14 Was an amateur wrestling champion
Bray Wyatt’s passion for professional wrestling saw him trying his luck in amateur wrestling during his high school years. The path was actually quite successful for Wyatt winning various championships and state accomplishments. Bray eventually changed wrestling paths since the love for professional wrestling was the end game.
13 Goldberg inspired his tattoo
Goldberg ending Bray Wyatt’s Universal Championship reign in humiliating fashion upset many WWE fans. Wyatt didn’t seem thrilled on social media after the loss, but he once did show love for Goldberg. A social media post from Bray revealed the tribal tattoo often hidden under his shirt was inspired by Goldberg’s tattoo in the same shoulder position.
12 Offered kind gesture to bullied fan
Bray Wyatt rarely breaks character, but he did for a fan of his going through some tough times. A mother reached out to Wyatt on social media about her son being bullied for his Autism and that his Fiend shirt was ripped by another student. Wyatt went out of his way to send six t-shirts to him to help during the unsettling time.
11 Draws inspiration from movie characters
One cool element to Bray Wyatt’s creative process is how he comes up with his concepts. The original Wyatt character was based on Robert De Niro’s portrayal of Max Cady in the film Cape Fear. Wyatt is now utilizing children’s television shows and horror movies as inspiration for The Fiend persona.
10 Pitched idea to work storyline at Matt Hardy's home
WWE can be a tough place to work when pitching ideas outside of the ring. Matt Hardy revealed he and Bray Wyatt pitched many ideas for their tag team. One idea from Wyatt would have seen him changing characters at the Hardy Compound after entering the Lake of Reincarnation. WWE never committed to the ideas of Wyatt and Hardy which killed their momentum.
9 Asked WWE to let him rebrand multiple times
Few WWE wrestlers ever ask to go back to NXT or spend time on the sidelines to change their characters. Bray Wyatt came up with his original gimmick in NXT after leaving the main roster run of Husky Harris behind. Even the creation of The Fiend saw him off television for almost a full year before coming back fresh.
8 Shut himself off from communication with others during time off
The long break away from WWE saw Bray Wyatt breaking off contact with many of his friends. Wyatt felt it was worth being on his own to figure out how to come back as a completely new persona. The locker room was curious about his changes when Bray returned with The Fiend as his gimmick moving forward.
7 Had promising college football career
Bray Wyatt played competitive football in high school and college like many other wrestlers of the past. The success of Wyatt saw him accomplishing great things like earning second-team All-American honors in college as a guard. Troy University offered him a scholarship to transfer, but he left college early to become a wrestler.
6 His brother Bo Dallas partially inspired Firefly Fun House persona
The old Bolieve gimmick of Bo Dallas of NXT saw him playing an overly cheery character that rubbed others the wrong way. Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt channeled some of that energy for the Firefly Fun House segments. That character before Bray becomes The Fiend is even more valuable since it sets up the PPV matches.
5 Works with his father I.R.S
Former WWE star I.R.S. remains with the company in a backstage role as a producer. The heel promos of I.R.S. were great and helped him get huge heat throughout his WWE career. Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas get to work with their father whenever he is the producer or just gets to offer input into their matches.
4 Ugly love triangle led to divorce
Bray Wyatt saw his private life become public when having an ugly love triangle play out. His ex-wife Samantha filed for divorce after Wyatt was reportedly caught having an affair with WWE ring announcer Jojo. Details became public and lawyers got involved since it was a bitter breakup with no love left between the former couple.
3 Controversial lawsuit over unpaid child support
Things grew even worse for Bray Wyatt’s personal life after he was accused of not paying his owed child support. The ex-wife of Bray was to receive $15,000 per month, but Wyatt spent about $6,000 instead. Wyatt’s spending on his new girlfriend was referenced by his ex with accusations of him buying a horse even though he claimed he couldn’t afford the full child support.
2 Had a child with Jojo during time off
The absence of Bray Wyatt from WWE television allowed him to start a new chapter of his life with Jojo. They welcomed their first child together into the world. Knash is the son of Wyatt and Jojo previously mentioned for having Braun Strowman as a godfather. Jojo has yet to return to WWE since becoming a mother.
1 Vince doesn't always understand him
Vince McMahon sometimes struggles to connect with the new generation of wrestlers and their ideas. Matt Hardy revealed McMahon flat out said “maybe I’m out of touch” after the spectacle between Hardy and Bray Wyatt found success on Raw. Wyatt has struggled trying to pitch ideas and changes for his character. McMahon burying The Fiend in a squash match loss to Goldberg shows he still doesn’t get Bray.
Sources: Wrestling Observer, Talk is Jericho, Fightful, PW Torch