When Danhausen appeared from out of a wooden box at Elimination Chamber, it left an empty reaction… one that’s not really his fault
By Ryan K Boman | March 3, 2026
By now, every serious wrestling fan is well aware of the debut of former AEW star Danhausen in World Wrestling Entertainment. After weeks of being teased by the presence of a wooden mystery crate, the buildup focused on it like some huge reveal. Unfortunately, WWE tipped their hand in the episodes leading up to the ‘Very Nice, Very Evil’ character’s emergence at Elimination Chamber, essentially letting the fans and media know that they were holding a joker.
Firstly, Danhausen is one of the more entertaining and unique characters we’ve seen in a long time, so the reception from the crowd should have been huge, right? Well, it didn’t quite go that way.
After some polite opening applause, the confused crowd turned on the character. Those who knew his work were likely upset he didn’t get more time. But, a vast majority of the naysayers were people who didn’t get it, because they had no idea who Danhausen is — or what the nature of the gimmick is.
With his intelligence and perseverance, Danhausen was able to become an underground hero on the Indy level and an interesting side star in All Elite Wrestling. His highjinx often went viral, as you couldn’t help but laugh at this little guy who comes off like a mix between Dracula and Ferris Bueller. It’s an oddly dark, comedic character that you really have to experience to understand.
Sadly, what often looks like greener pastures (i.e., more money & fame) turns out to be a no trespassing zone. That’s especially true now that the stars aren’t just wrestlers anymore; they’re commodities. While the current state of free agency and massive contracts have benefitted the wrestlers in enormous ways, it can cause them to find themselves in shark-infested waters. And that’s where it appears Danhausen is swimming right now.
Danhausen should bounce back
There’s a better chance that Danhausen will find his footing rather than be a flop. Once the new audience gets a taste of his peculiar, macabre humor, he could end up being a beloved member of the roster. Especially in an era where regular viewers, in general, are embracing the more comedic side of professional wrestling.
Instead, his move to WWE and initial stumble is an example of one of the drawbacks of modern free agency. Changing teams isn’t always the right fit, in pro sports and in the grappling world. While a Danhausen appearance in All Elite Wrestling always drew a happy response on TV, it was met with some indifference in his new environment.
Modern Free Agency can sometimes be a cautionary tale
The incident also illuminates how strange the petty bidding wars between the industry’s two biggest promotions are. It seems they are content to add pieces that they don’t need, just because it could somehow ‘hurt’ the other company or make themselves look better. And for years, AEW got away with marketing itself as the Promised Land for wayward WWE stars. One that follows the creed: Come here, and we’ll pay you a ton of money and let you work when you want to.
While that’s partially true, AEW and owner Tony Khan have been called into question by wrestlers, fans, and media members just as much as WWE in recent years. As it turns out? They are just another wrestling company like all the rest. There’s no heaven in their clouds, either.
The same can be said for WWE, who have incessantly added AEW talent to its NXT roster and let them just sort of marinate there. Names like Ethan Page or Blake Monroe (Mariah May) are great signings, but is there a long-term plan in place for either of them? Or were they signed just because they looked like they could turn out to be something special in AEW? Is it more about nurturing blossoming talent, or simply nipping it in the bud?
Perhaps the most glaring example of all is Jade Cargill. The current WWE Women’s Champion entered the company via AEW to great fanfare and mainstream media attention, due to her amazingly sculpted physique and tremendous potential. At 5’10” and an absolutely shredded 170 pounds, she looks like she was manufactured by U.S. Steel. So her signing was viewed as a huge feather in the WWE’s cap and a big loss for AEW.
However, Cargil has shown a lack of advancement in the ring and has been a little injury-prone. She’s also viewed by some as a prima donna who was handed success based more on her look than her ability. As she continues to be shielded from title defenses or tough situations, the fans aren’t turning a blind eye to it. They see her as another example of the promotion’s penchant for pursuing power lifters over more polished pros. Unfortunately for Cargil, she’s starting to look less like the next big thing and more like a modern-day, female version of Tom Magee.
At this point, free agency should be considered buyer beware, for both the promotion and the performers. While money may buy you a lot of things, it can’t purchase the personal satisfaction of doing what you love… the way you want to do it.
But in major wrestling companies today, the motivation for signing talent isn’t usually aimed at the wrestler’s best interests. Sometimes, they can be Very Nice. But often? They end up Very Evil.
Ryan K Boman is a writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Laughter & Love.
His previous work has appeared at MSN, Yahoo! Sports, the Sporting News, Heavy, and the Miami Herald. Follow him on X @RyanKBoman
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