Backstage update on Bray Wyatt’s WWE Hall of Fame induction - Reports
WWE will present the 2024 Hall of Fame induction ceremony during the WrestleMania 40 weekend in early April, and rumors continue to swirl on a major induction for Bray Wyatt.
The Eater of Worlds was a successful high school wrestler and football player. The future WWE Champion then went to college on a football scholarship, but decided to become a pro wrestler, so he left Troy University just 27 credits short of earning a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism. Wyatt's WWE developmental contract began in late 2008. Working as "Tank Mulligan," he debuted with a win over Abraham Washington, and in June 2010 he was sent to the original NXT. The "Husky Harris" gimmick lasted until April 2012 when he was re-packaged, and The New Face of Fear was born.
Wyatt tragically succumbed to cardiac issues on August 24, 2023, when he was 36 years old. As WWE gets closer to the WrestleMania 40 weekend, there has been a push for the company to posthumously induct the leader of The Wyatt Family into the Hall of Fame 2024 class.
The rumors on Wyatt possibly going into the Hall of Fame picked up today when it was reported that WWE is working on an interesting new project about the two-time Universal Champion, which sounded like it could be related to an induction. However, Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp recently mentioned how he had broached the subject to someone that was really close to Wyatt. The person said they have not been told if Wyatt will be inducted as of yet, but they would love to see it.
Wyatt's last match came on February 26, 2023 at a non-televised live event in Rockford, IL, where he opened the show by defeating LA Knight in a Lights Out Match. His last TV bout was the infamous Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match, which came on January 28 of last year at Royal Rumble. Knight was also defeated by The Man of 1,000 Truths that night.
Update on WWE's new Bray Wyatt project
The rumors and speculation on a possible Hall of Fame induction for Bray Wyatt have grown with the news of his legends deal and his new project.
It was reported earlier how WWE was working on a Wyatt project in the last week, with real-life brother Bo Dallas. Uncle Howdy reportedly filmed an interview and the company had a camera crew in Pittsburgh. PWInsider speculated that WWE was in Pittsburgh to film material with Jason Baker and his Callosum Studios. Baker worked to create masks for Howdy and The Fiend, as well as other creative material for Wyatt.
Windham Rotunda's father, Mike "IRS" Rotunda, recently appeared on Wrasslin' Talk podcast and discussed how WWE placed his son under a legends contract. He credited the company for assisting the family, adding that proceeds from Wyatt's legends contract will go to his four kids.
"It’s been really hard. We miss him every day. Growing up in the business, you always book stuff during the week because you’re going to be wrestling on the weekends and TV. Windham [Bray Wyatt] and Jojo were supposed to get married yesterday. We miss Windham horribly, every day. Windham was the first one and we would bring him on the road at six months old. They would come with me and stay on the road, wherever I was wrestling, and it’s so hard to wake up out of this nightmare and he’s still not there," he said.
Rotunda continued:
"I have to give WWE credit. They’ve done awesome, helping our family out with a lot of different stuff. They put Windham on a legends contract and all the proceeds go to…Windham has four children. Luckily, we have them," he said.
The third generation star had two daughters with his first wife, Samantha, and then had a son and daughter with former ring announcer JoJo Offerman. Wyatt and Offerman were engaged to be married on December 7 of last year.
Do you think Bray Wyatt should go into the Hall of Fame this year? Who are your picks for the 2024 Class? Sound off in the comments section below!