The wrestling universe continues to mourn the loss of Windham Rotunda, popularly known as Bray Wyatt, who left a lasting legacy before his untimely passing on August 24 at the age of 36. A poignant tribute unfolded at AEW’s Full Gear as Swerve Strickland paid homage to Wyatt during a Texas Deathmatch against Hangman Adam Page.
Wearing red and black striped tights reminiscent of Wyatt’s Fiend persona, Strickland embarked on a symbolic journey to honor the creative genius that Wyatt brought to the wrestling world. Despite not sharing an extensive career overlap with Wyatt, Strickland acknowledged the profound influence Wyatt had on him, emphasizing the spiritual connection that seemingly fueled their Texas Deathmatch.
Speaking to Sam Roberts on Not Sam Wrestling, Strickland reminisced about Wyatt’s impact on the wrestling landscape, particularly during The Fiend’s peak. Strickland expressed admiration for Wyatt’s brilliance and the risks he undertook on a weekly basis across both Raw and SmackDown. Wyatt’s ability to introduce a new era of horror to the industry resonated deeply with Strickland, a sentiment he carried into the tribute match.
He said:
“I didn’t know Bray as close as a lot of people like Brodie Lee, there were people influenced by him from his time there, but some people have known him since FCW or NXT and they have that personal connection. To me, I remember when The Fiend was really going, there was a lot of chatter that it wasn’t for them, as a fan. I was like, ‘No, this is brilliant work.’ I don’t think people really appreciated the brilliance he was bringing to the screen and a lot of risks he was taking, week by week, which is not easy to do. Weekly television on two shows. It wasn’t just Raw or SmackDown, he was doing both shows with his material. Bringing that to the real world. I really appreciated that, and I think he was ahead of his time.
“I just wanted to show appreciation that the love and influence wasn’t lost. I put that as part of my gear, and I was in the locker room with him during my time at 205 [205 Live], he always gave me hugs. He was awesome. At one point, I had to help him with a Fiend mask. It was COVID and we were all in that box together. There were times I had to help him with that. There were times I would see him in Gorilla coming back when they were testing the red lighting after the show and getting that going. I’ve seen a lot of those processes with him. He was always a good brother in the locker room. He was fun, really cool. That was one of those things of, ‘you’ve always influenced me through all of this.’ No matter what, if it was their taste or wasn’t, I’m a horror person, and I was really happy to see a new age of horror brought to the screen in an industry that I love and I was like, ‘Man, that was a revolutionary.’ 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.”
“It’s very rare that it hits across the board and gets a ten from every outlet and every fanbase. It’s just impossible in this day and age. Just know, it hit the right people. It hit the notes with people that really cared. The ones that it did hit, it changed their lives. That’s what matters. It definitely did for me. It changed my viewing and the possibilities of what we could really do in this medium and this industry. I’m going to take a piece of that and revamp it in a way that fits me.”
Beyond the symbolic gear, Strickland shared personal moments with Wyatt in the locker room during their time together at 205 Live. Recalling instances of camaraderie, including helping Wyatt with a Fiend mask during the COVID era, Strickland painted a picture of Wyatt as a supportive and fun presence in the locker room.
The positive reception of the match served as validation for Strickland, who acknowledged the rarity of unanimous acclaim in the modern wrestling landscape. He emphasized that the match hit the right notes with the audience that truly cared about Wyatt’s legacy, even if it didn’t resonate universally. Grateful for the transformative impact Wyatt had on his viewing experience, Strickland pledged to carry a piece of that revolutionary spirit forward in his wrestling career.
In a triumphant culmination, Strickland secured victory over Page, marking not only a personal milestone but also a meaningful tribute to the enduring legacy of Bray Wyatt in AEW.
