The AEW wrestler Nick Wayne is the only child of his parents: the late wrestler Buddy Wayne and his widow Shayna Wayne.
A third-generation wrestler, Wyane comes from a family with wrestling prowess (father and maternal grandfather). His dad and mom supported his passion for the ring from his early days.
The high-flyer’s father is no longer in this world to cherish his success, but he did leave him with a legacy to follow.
The elder Wayne died when Nick was only 11, leaving his mother responsible for raising him a fine young man.
Born on July 10, 2005, in Seattle, Washington, the one-time DEFY World Champ’s real name is Nick Finely, but he is widely popular with the ring name “Nick Wayne.”
Wayne made his wrestling debut in 2018 and has wrestled for promotions: Without A Cause, Lucha Libre Volcanica, and Invasion Championship Wrestling.
At 16 years old, on February 12, 2022, he was offered an AEW contract by wrestler and friend Darby Allin.
At that time, Nick was still attending Cascade High School. So, the deal would allow him to go from an apprentice to a pro wrestler after he finishes high school and turns 18.
On July 12, 2023 (two days after his 18th birthday), he made his AEW Dynamite debut but lost to Swerve Strickland.
There, he joins wrestling elites like Sting, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, and Adam Cole, to name a few.
Nick Wayne’s Parents: Buddy Wayne And Shayna
Wayne’s father, Buddy Wayne, is a late wrestler, while his mother, Shayna, is a model.
They were married in the early 2000s. On an Instagram post of September 17, 2017, three months after his death, she posted a picture with her hubby and stated they had been together for over a decade.
She wrote, “3 months today… 13 years…today. I have no words.”
Nick Wayne’s father, Buddy (real name: Steve Finley), made his wrestling debut in 1985 for All-Star Wrestling in Vancouver.
A well-known name throughout the Pacific Northwest, the late wrestler worked for promotions like Championship Wrestling USA.
From the ’90s to 2003, he would make enchantments with his moves in WCW and WWE, joining the likes of Shawn Michaels, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Edge.
In 2006, Buddy co-founded his wrestling academy, Buddy Wayne Academy, in Everett, Washington, with his wife, Shayna.
He never retired officially from wrestling while limiting his appearances in the ring, but it was a veteran show on the play whenever he entered.
It won’t be surprising that pro wrestlers’ families get into the show’s storyline, and so did his spouse.
Born Shayna Edwards, she also comes from a family connection with wrestling- her uncle, Moondog Ed Moretti, was a wrestling legend. She is a model and often has pictures from her modeling ventures on her Instagram.
Detained With His Mother At Airport
On July 24, 2022, Wayne and his mother were detained in Iceland with an emergency landing as they were returning home following the former’s PROGRESS Wrestling debut in Frankfurt, Germany.
It was because someone wrote a bomb threat in a bathroom mirror.
Authorities interrogated his mom, Shayna, believing she might have had some makeup kit used for writing the threats. Later, the wrestler confirmed that the mother-son duo had reached their home safely.
Wayne’s Father Died When He Was 11
During his pre-teens, Nick lost his father, Buddy Wayne, who died of a heart attack on June 17, 2017, at 50.
The late wrestler had a history of heart problems – in fact, he underwent open heart surgery in 2009 and a second surgery in 2013.
His demise left the family in complete shock and sorrow, with his widow Shayna having to bear the parenthood of their only son, who was 11 then.
It is undeniable that Wayne’s wrestling career was a testament to his wrestler father.
As reported, when Nick was nine years old, he began to take wrestling seriously and used to train with his father.
After two years of his dad’s death, he would make his wrestling debut at 13, on April 27, 2018.
Did Nick Wayne Disown His Mother?
On October 18, 2023, during an episode of Dynamite, Wayne sat down with his mother and the host, Jim Ross, where the wrestler seemingly disowned his parents.
They sat to discuss him turning his back on longtime friend Darby Allin at WrestleDream on October 1, as he sided with Christian Cage during Cage vs Allin for the AEW TNT Championship.
In the interview, Nick stated that he had found a new “fatherly figure,” referring to Cage, and added that the latter was a ‘better father figure than his dad ever was.’
“I have a new Father figure in Christian Cage” – Nick Wayne.
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@thenickwayne | @Christian4Peeps pic.twitter.com/OAJ1EP8dOe
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 19, 2023
It followed with Christian joining the segment, trying to take Wyane with him. As his mom, Shayna, busted into tears and tried to stop him, he said, “You’re a terrible mother,” to which she responded with a slap.
Even more, she quickly posted the interview clip on her Instagram.
While it may seem realistic, fans aware of the dramatic wrestling storyline quote it as a dramatic scenario for a new storyline in the future.
