Prior to the “Fiend” character even debuting, Wyatt laid the groundwork for the character on WWE’s YouTube channel in their “Superstar Ghost Stories” series. In his video, Wyatt told the story of “the man in the words,” saying it was a story from his childhood.

Wyatt explained that Abigal rescued him and his family, taking them to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, but that the freedom came with a price. Abigail told them to “beware the man in the woods… for he is the eater.” Wyatt said one day he and his brothers were in the woods when they heard what they thought was a bear, but the noises the creature made were getting louder. Wyatt’s brothers fled, leaving him alone and at first afraid, but then intrigued before following the noises.

Wyatt then describes a tall being on two feet, with long, yellow hair and yellow eyes like a cat that reached out to him. He explained he went back to Abigail in the cabin, who remained calm, and said Wyatt was the man in the woods.

Years before the “Fiend” character ever debuted on TV, watching the video again, it seems like Wyatt is describing a version of the masked monster and the storylines to come. The way a seemingly simple, scary ghost story video on WWE’s YouTube came full circle is again is a nod to Windham Rotunda’s genius as a scary good storyteller.