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WWE pays tribute to late Bray Wyatt, Terry Funk during 'SmackDown'

ProfilePhotoby: Nick Geddes08/26/23NickGeddesNews
Bray Wyatt
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Friday’s edition of WWE “SmackDown” was an emotional one following the recent deaths of former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt and WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk.

The entirety of the WWE locker room and staff opened up “SmackDown” standing on stage as the company performed a 10-bell salute. An opening monologue from Michael Cole led into a tribute video package for Wyatt — born Windham Rotunda — who died unexpectedly Thursday at the age of 36.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful provided details on Wyatt’s passing in the hours after the news broke.

“I was given permission to reveal that earlier this year Windham Rotunda [Bray Wyatt] got COVID that exacerbated a heart issue,” Sapp wrote on Twitter. “There was a lot of positive progress towards a return and his recovery. Unfortunately today he suffered a heart attack and passed away.”

Wyatt captured his first and only WWE Championship at the Elimination Chamber premium live event in 2017, defeating John Cena, AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin in an Elimination Chamber match. Randy Orton defeated Wyatt at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, bringing an end to his reign after 49 days. Wyatt took part in several signature matches at the “Grandest Stage of Them All,” competing against Cena at WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans and The Undertaker at WrestleMania 31 in Santa Clara.

WWE honors Bray Wyatt, Terry Funk during emotional episode of ‘SmackDown’

Later on in the show, Cody Rhodes, who regularly performs on “Monday Night Raw,” came out to the ring to honor the career and legacy of Funk, who passed away Wednesday at 79 years old. Cody Rhodes’ father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, had a historic feud with Funk in Championship Wrestling from Florida. The “American Nightmare” told a few stories of his time around Funk before a video package played showing the hardcore legend’s career highlights.

Funk, whose career began in 1965 and spanned over 50 years, is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential professional wrestlers of all-time, winning the NWA World Heavyweight, ECW World Heavyweight, WWE Tag team and NWA United States Championships.

In addition to his feud with Rhodes, Funk had iconic rivalries with Harley Race, Jerry “The King” Lawler and “Nature Boy” Ric Flair among others. Funk and Flair’s I Quit Match at WCW Clash of Champions IX in 1989 still holds up as one of the greatest matches of all-time.