Fresno Beehive

Former COS football player is new WWE champion

Former College of the Sequoias football player Windham Rotunda, also known to wrestling fans as Bray Wyatt, captured the World Wrestling Entertainment title Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in Phoenix, Ariz.
Former College of the Sequoias football player Windham Rotunda, also known to wrestling fans as Bray Wyatt, captured the World Wrestling Entertainment title Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, in Phoenix, Ariz.

A former College of the Sequoias football player is the new World Wrestling Entertainment champion.

Bray Wyatt, born Windham Rotunda, captured the title Sunday when he pinned A.J. Styles at WWE’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

Wyatt will likely defend his title against Randy Orton on April 2 at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Fla.

Wyatt played football at COS for two seasons, where he earned second-team All-America honors at offensive guard. He transferred to Troy University before going into professional wrestling.

Before playing football with the Giants, Wyatt won a Florida state title in high school wrestling. His father, Mike Rotunda, wrestled professionally for several years.

While he never made it to the NFL, Wyatt does have a favorite team: the Oakland Raiders.

Anthony Galaviz: 559-441-6042, @agalaviz_TheBee

This story was originally published February 13, 2017 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Former COS football player is new WWE champion."

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