Brady Booker Net Worth 2026: Survivor 51 WWE Star

Introduction

Brady Booker wants people to underestimate him. He’s built his image as a “big dumb jock.” In reality, he holds three college degrees. Now he’s bringing that mix of brawn and hidden strategy to Survivor 51. Here’s what’s confirmed about his wrestling career, his education, and his finances.

Quick Facts

Attribute	Details
Real Name	Brady Booker
Ring Name	Bodhi Hayward
Age	27
Hometown	La Salle, Illinois
Current Residence	Knoxville, Tennessee
Profession	Professional Wrestler
Education	University of South Dakota (Political Science)
Known For	WWE NXT, AEW/ROH, Survivor 51
Net Worth	Not Publicly Disclosed
Nationality	American

Who Is Brady Booker?

Brady Booker grew up in La Salle, Illinois. He played college football as a Division I linebacker at the University of South Dakota, where he majored in political science. That athletic background gave him the size and toughness he’d later need in the wrestling ring.

Wrestling fans know him better as Bodhi Hayward. He signed with WWE NXT in 2021 as part of the Chase U stable, alongside Andre Chase and Thea Hail. WWE released him in 2022. Since then, he’s continued wrestling independently, appearing for AEW and Ring of Honor. He currently holds the 1FW Heavyweight Championship for One Fall Wrestling.

The “Big Dumb Jock” Persona

Booker plays into a specific image. He wants opponents — and now his Survivor castmates — to see him as just a big, tough athlete with nothing else going on. It’s a deliberate misdirection. According to a PEOPLE.com profile, Booker actually holds three separate college degrees, and he’s fully prepared to outwit the people who underestimate him.

That contrast between physical presence and hidden intelligence could become his biggest strategic asset once tribes form in Fiji.

Joining Survivor 51

CBS revealed Brady as part of the 21-castaway cast for Survivor 51, “The Open Era,” on August 26, 2026. The season premieres September 23.

Booker says his family bonded over watching Survivor together growing up. He loves outdoor adventure, physical competition, and pushing himself to his limits. He also believes his wrestling career directly prepared him for the game. Long days, minimal sleep, physical strain, and constant social politicking — that’s just a normal week on the independent wrestling circuit, he says.

Brady Booker’s Net Worth

Brady Booker has not publicly disclosed his net worth. No official financial records are available for him. His income comes primarily from independent professional wrestling, including his current 1FW Heavyweight Championship reign, plus his earlier run in WWE NXT from 2021 to 2022.

Any specific net worth figure attached to his name online should be treated as speculation, not fact. Independent wrestling pay varies enormously by promotion, match frequency, and title status, so his financial picture is best understood as a working professional athlete rather than someone with major outside wealth.

Why People Search for Brady Booker

Wrestling fans are following his crossover from the WWE NXT ring straight into reality competition. Meanwhile, Survivor’s own audience is curious how a trained athlete with real physical and strategic experience will perform against a cast of first-time competitors.

FAQs

Q1: What was Brady Booker’s wrestling name in WWE?

He wrestled as Bodhi Hayward, a member of the Chase U stable in WWE NXT from 2021 to 2022.

Q2: Does Brady Booker still wrestle?

Yes. He currently competes for AEW and Ring of Honor, and he holds the 1FW Heavyweight Championship for One Fall Wrestling.

Q3: How many college degrees does Brady Booker have?

According to PEOPLE.com, he holds three college degrees, despite cultivating a “big dumb jock” public image.

Q4: Where did Brady Booker play college football?

He played linebacker at the University of South Dakota, where he majored in political science.

Conclusion

Brady Booker enters Survivor 51 with a rare combination: real athletic toughness and a strategic mind he’d rather keep hidden. His net worth isn’t publicly known. But between his wrestling career and his football background, he brings a genuinely physical résumé into a game that rewards both brains and brawn.