Bray Wyatt Opens Up About His Time Away From WWE

The Eater of Worlds is back. After over 18 months away, Bray Wyatt made his return to WWE at the conclusion of WWE Extreme Rules, arriving with a new mask, monicker, and overall vibe. Wyatt's comeback promo on the following WWE SmackDown showed a side of him that he had never exposed to audiences. He was vulnerable, emotional, and raw. This "real" version of Wyatt continued in the subsequent weeks, but that's not to say the familiar spooky elements haven't been present. Wyatt has continued to unravel layers of himself over the past four months, but has yet to step back inside the ring for a televised crowd.

That changes at WWE Royal Rumble, as Wyatt takes on LA Knight in his first pay-per-view bout since 2021's WWE WrestleMania 38. Before that match goes down, Wyatt reflected on his first four months back in the company.

"There is a certain reluctancy to me where there hasn't been in the past," Wyatt said on Out of Character (h/t Fightful). "It's part of any athlete. When you're away from something for so long, there is something in the back of your head that is like, 'Am I still it? Am I still what I am, what I should be?' For the majority since I've been back, I was kind of there, and the weeks have progressed. I've started to come into my own again and remember why I do this."

During those 18 months away, Wyatt went all but dark. He rarely posted on social media and did not participate in any public projects.

"During my time away, I had opportunities to do really cool things, movies and TV shows and stuff, and I wouldn't," Wyatt reflected. "Because I felt broken. There was something that was shut off and I didn't understand why."

Despite those struggles, Wyatt emphasized that he is the best version of himself today.

"That time period was such a conundrum for me, and I wasn't myself," Wyatt noted. "It took me a while to remember what makes me, me. It was a long journey, but it's led me here to this moment. This is the best I've ever felt."

Wyatt takes on LA Knight in a Mountain Dew Pitch Black match this Saturday at WWE Royal Rumble, streaming on Peacock.