In 2017, Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt turned a run-down Missouri home into WWE’s “House of Horrors”; the two-bedroom house on three acres was already listed for just $36,000

In professional wrestling, a house can become part of the spectacle as much as the ring itself. That was the case in 2017, when WWE turned a run-down property in Missouri into the setting for a bizarre showdown between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt. According to Realtor.com, the two-bedroom, one-bathroom house in Richmond, Missouri, had been on the property market for about three years by May 2017, with its original asking price of $69,900 reduced to just $36,000. Set on approximately three acres, the property was being sold as a fixer-upper, with considerable renovation work likely to be needed.The listing described the house as being sold “as is”, while the listing broker noted that it remained in rough condition and had water in the basement. Its appearance in WWE’s House of Horrors match between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt brought unexpected attention to a property that had struggled to find a buyer, turning an ordinary real estate listing into a talking point among wrestling fans.A wrestling match that began inside a real houseThe unusual property featured in WWE’s House of Horrors match at Payback on 30 April 2017. The storyline pitted Orton against Wyatt in a horror-themed match at the house. According to WWE, the contest began at the house before moving to the SAP Centre in San Jose, California, where the wrestlers continued in front of the live audience. The filmed sequence showed Orton entering the dimly lit property, searching for Wyatt and being ambushed as the action moved through different rooms. The kitchen became one of the most memorable scenes when Wyatt tipped a refrigerator onto Orton before leaving the house.With dark interiors, disturbing décor, and a well-planned scene, an ordinary residential building became a battlefield on stage. The film segment also managed to create a geographic illusion, with the house segment becoming part of an event happening in California while it was actually located in Missouri. The address was quickly found out by wrestling fans, who found that the house was located in Richmond, Missouri. Accounts at the time said the house was along Business 10 Highway, about an hour from Kansas City, not in San Jose. This revelation gave the property a second life online as fans shared the listing.A fixer-upper with a low asking priceAway from the extravagant presentation by WWE, the property was being marketed as a renovation project. Realtor.com described it as a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house that needed considerable work, with the sale offered on an “as is” basis. By May 2017, the asking price had fallen from $69,900 to $36,000, reflecting the challenges of selling a property in rough condition. The house had reportedly been on the market for about three years before its appearance in the wrestling match, making its low asking price and neglected state an important part of the story behind the televised spectacle.According to Adkins, stage props were used during the production, and the property emerged in good condition. However, real estate broker Wendy Flynn noted that the extent of any structural damage was difficult to assess. The two accounts suggest a distinction between the visible destruction shown on screen and the condition of the building itself. Although furniture was toppled and a refrigerator crashed down on Randy Orton, these staged scenes did not necessarily mean the house had sustained comparable structural damage. Without a clear assessment of the building, its condition after filming could not be established solely from what viewers saw.How a low-value property became a wrestling curiosityThe house’s sudden fame showed how a brief television appearance could draw attention to a property that was struggling to attract buyers. The property quickly drew attention from wrestling fans because of its price, location, and condition. Nevertheless, the extra attention did not solve the practical problems associated with the purchase of the house. Though it offered plenty of space, the need for renovation and reports of basement flooding made a buyer inspection essential. Flynn stated in the Realtor.com report that a home inspection was essential for a potential buyer.Another question the property raised was whether its fame could be turned into money-making opportunities. Flynn joked that someone looking to make a quick buck could buy the property and charge people to see it. This was not necessarily a plan, but it highlighted the unique commercial value the event created for the property. In the end, there were two reasons the Missouri property became famous. First, for WWE fans, it was the eerie location where Orton and Wyatt met. For potential buyers, it was simply a modest property with land and a few issues, priced at $36,000.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.