While watching Michael Cole lead an expansive tribute show to honor the memories of Bray Wyatt and Terry Funk, with dozens of WWE Superstars standing in unison as the promotion rang a ten-bell solute to their fallen alumni, one face notably missing from the assembly was Alexa Bliss, the do-it-all diminutive former champion who worked with The Fiend during his final angle before being released in July of 2021.

Now granted, many assumed this was because Bliss is pregnant, as she announced earlier in the summer, but in reality, her absence had more to do with logistical issues than anything else, as she was unable to get a last-minute flight. Still, this didn't stop Bliss from taking to her Instagram to deliver a tribute to her fallen friend and collaborator, as he played a big role in her WWE career up to that point.

“Before tonight's episode of SmackDown, I just wanted to come on here and say a few words. I was planning on attending tonight's episode of SmackDown, but unfortunately, with the last-minute flight options, it wasn't really possible to get me there in time before the show ended, so I wanted to come on here and just talk about Windham a little bit and what tonight means,” Alexa Bliss said on Instagram Live.

“And first I wanted to say I'm sending out so much love to Windham's entire family, you know, we are all here for you and so sorry for your loss. I know tonight is going to be a celebration of Windham and the Bray Wyatt character and everything Windham has done in his life and career in WWE, so I'm going to try to keep this as positive as I can.

“Windham is an incredible person who we have all loved for years, and he is just so friendly and lights up a room, and is so creative, and he was a creative genius who brought us all these amazing gifts of Bray Wyatt for the last so many years. And I think the character of Bray Wyatt that Windham has given us is incredible, has been so fascinating to see, and has brought us all so much joy to watch. And working with Windham was so… it was magic. It was magic because being able to watch him in his creative element and being able to work with him really expanded my creativity. And being able to just watch him work and work beside him was just truly, truly an honor, and I still say to this day was the most fun I've ever had in my entire career in WWE. And I am so thankful that he allowed me and trusted me to come in and be a small part of his vision and his creativity.”

Though Bliss and Wyatt weren't linked for long, as they only became engulfed in a storyline until roughly a year before his initial release, the concept behind the pairing stuck for much longer, with Lilly dolls still listed on the WWE website as available for purchase, even though they are currently sold out. Even with Wyatt gone and Bliss out indefinitely, it's clear the former's impact on the latter will be far-reaching well into the future.

Alexa Bliss believes Bray Wyatt's loss leaves a huge hole in WWE.

Continuing on with her retrospective tribute to Bray Wyatt, Alexa Biss noted that, while the WWE Universe will continue on and enjoy the contributions he brought to the table, it will never truly fill the hole he left, as he was a true one-of-one original.

“And now, unfortunately, there is a huge void in our world and the WWE Universe that no one will ever be able to fill because Windham was so special, and everything he brought to us was so special, and I think we should all be so grateful for that,” Alexa Bliss said. “His creative genius of the Wyatt Family and The Fiend and the Firefly Funhouse has really opened up our minds and opened our eyes to a whole nother world in this industry that none of us ever thought was imaginable. And I just wanna say, Windham, you know, you've brought so much joy to everyone around you and to the millions who have loved watching you week after week and have loved watching your journey and just see your creative genius unfold. And we will just continue to celebrate your life, your legacy, and the amazing human you are, and we will continue to light up the sky with fireflies. And we all love you, Windham.”

What will the WWE Universe look like without Wyatt? Well, fans have been afforded a look over the past five or so months, as he hasn't been on television in any form since just before WrestleMania 39. While the product has still been good, that hankering to see what Windham Rotunda has cooking up his sleeve next will unfortunately never be scratched again.