WWE: How Bray Wyatt Adopted Mick Foley's Mandible Claw When He Became The Fiend

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley took to Facebook on Tuesday to share a memory of his time working with Bray Wyatt. When Wyatt returned from hiatus in 2019 and debuted his Firefly Funhouse & Fiend personas, he adopted the Mandible Claw as a finisher while wrestling in his demonic persona That was a move Foley had used for years during his legendary career and "The Hardcore Legend" recalled how Paul Heyman pitched him the idea. 

"In 2019, I received a phone call from Paul Heyman, asking me how I would feel about Bray's new incarnation as 'The Fiend' using my old mandible claw finisher. I think I gave Paul a three word answer: 'I love it.' If I remember correctly, it was in that same phone call where Paul asked how I would feel about being on the receiving end of my own finisher. I believe I gave him that same three-word answer a second time: 'I love it.' So, a few days later I became the first victim of The Fiend's mandible claw, and will always be proud to hold that distinction," Foley wrote. 

Foley was one of many stars of the past and present to pay tribute to Wyatt both on social media and in front of live WWE crowds since the news of his tragic passing broke last Thursday. 

"Every time I do my entrance and this song comes out, I see some lights in the crowd. Even before this week... I always thought of Windham,' he said before breaking down in tears. And in a weird way, it was a tribute to him, something that I took for him, but I promise you guys I will think of him for the rest of my career every single time I see these fireflies," Seth Rollins tearfully said before thanking the fans in attendance at a live event over the weekend. "Until next time, follow the buzzards."

"(Wyatt) showed me everything that I had to do and there were a lot of things I had to do. Before TLC, he asked me if I knew how to set up tables," Becky Lynch told the crowd in Memphis after last night's Monday Night Raw went off the air. "When I said I didn't he said, 'Come with me.' He spent the whole afternoon accompanying me and showing me how to set up a table. That night, I was sent crashing through the table and tonight I sent a girl crashing through the table (Trish Stratus). This one was for Windham, thank you guys so much."

WWE has announced that all proceeds from Wyatt's merchandise will go directly to his fiancee JoJo Offerman and Wyatt's four children. 

WWE Payback 2023 Card

• World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
• Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. Damian Priest & Finn Balor (Steel City Street Fight)
• Women's World Heavyweight Championship: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
• United States Championship: Rey Mysterio vs. Austin Theory
• Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus (Steel Cage Match)
• LA Knight vs. The Miz
• The Grayson Waller Effect w/ Cody Rhodes