Barry Windham: How is the former WWE Superstar related to Bray Wyatt?
The Windham family is one of the most prestigious wrestling dynasties, and Barry Windham is a proud and respected member of the lineage. The son of the late Blackjack Mulligan and brother-in-law of Mike Rotunda, Windham was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of The Four Horsemen in 2012.
Given that he is related to Mulligan and Rotunda, the Hall of Famer must also be related by blood to Bray Wyatt, another renowned figure in the wrestling industry. But strictly, how is Wyatt related to Barry Windham?
Windham is Bray Wyatt's maternal uncle. Bo Dallas, the former Universal Champion's brother, is also his nephew. The 62-year-old wrestling legend, apart from their blood relationship, also trained Wyatt to become a professional wrestler.
The Uncle Howdy character is seemingly inspired by Barry Windham
Uncle Howdy looks an awful lot like Bray's uncle Barry Windham https://t.co/ZypUyBviBm
The 35-year-old Wyatt is currently entangled in a riveting angle with Uncle Howdy. He is a sadistic, mysterious Night-King-like figure who has called out the former WWE Champion for being a liar. Bray Wyatt claims to have changed, but Howdy suggests that his inner demons are far from dead and will ravage him soon.
Many fans felt that Howdy was Wyatt's new alter-ego, while others speculated that it was Bo Dallas. Meanwhile, one popular theory suggests that the mysterious entity is Barry Windham. Although it may not be the Hall of Famer, the character is possibly inspired by Windham.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful also drew attention to the physical similarities between the former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion and Uncle Howdy. Windham has played eerie gimmicks in the past, such as The Stalker in WWF. Considering this character, it is unsurprising that Wyatt drew inspiration from his real-life maternal uncle to build another compelling moniker.
Barry Windham recently suffered a heart attack
A link to a GoFundMe - twitter.com/mikarotunda/st…
Sadly, the WWE and NWA legend recently suffered a heart attack, and Mika Rotunda is collecting funds for Windham's treatment. He is currently admitted to the ICU, and fans are praying for a speedy recovery for the Hall of Famer.
Mika also shared the disturbing news about her uncle:
"With deep sadness I regret to inform that my uncle, WWE Hall of Famer, Barry Windham suffered a massive heart attack Friday evening. While traveling through the Atlanta airport, his darkest fear became a horrific reality as he went into cardiac arrest. He is currently in the ICU and has undergone an emergency procedure to save his life. As a family, we are impatiently waiting to hear that he will be okay. But as of now, the future is uncertain."
We at Sportskeeda wish Windham a speedy recovery and offer emotional support to his friends and family during these trying times.