Why Danhausen’s arrival in WWE could change pro wrestling forever

His WWE debut introduced him in a way that showed he brings real personality and entertainment value to wrestling

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When significant world events like Operation Epic Fury in Iran are in full gear, there are other stories that can get lost in the shuffle. Some of them still make it to the forefront, but interpretations often range from thought-provoking to wildly inaccurate.

Such is the case with one of the more interesting non-political stories in recent days: Danhausen joining the WWE.

I’ve written about Donovan Danhausen (yes, that’s his real name!) before. He worked as a nursing assistant in Detroit while wrestling on Independent shows starting in 2013. He won some titles on the Indies, including the Full Impact Pro Florida Championship. He had notable runs with Ring of Honour and AEW, especially his memorable debut at Beach Break on Jan. 26, 2022, during the match between Adam Cole and Orange Cassidy. He’s worked with well-known wrestlers like Ethan Page, Johnny Gargano, Ricochet, Brody King, Gangrel and Hornswoggle. He formed popular tag teams with AEW wrestler Orange Cassidy, as well as Jake “Warhorse” Parnell, who had his own brief encounter with fame in AEW against Cody Rhodes in 2020.

Although Danhausen is a good wrestler, that’s really not his strong suit in pro wrestling. It’s the fact that he’s a born entertainer with a creative vision and great sense of humour.

Danhausen tried out several ring names, including Kid Gorgeous, before coming up with his current persona. He was described by the New York Times in Jan. 2023 as a “ghoul, maybe, or some kind of gremlin,” which seems about right. Danhausen once amusingly depicted himself as “Conan O’Brien possessed by a demon,” which led to an April 2021 appearance on the latter’s weekly podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.

One of Danhausen’s popular gimmicks has been to attach the suffix “-hausen” to certain words. To say nothing of his demands for a blimp, carrying around jars of teeth, saying he’s “very nice” and “very evil,” pointing at wrestlers and putting curses on them and comedy skits with personalities like RJ City.

This isn’t the pro wrestling of yesteryear. Rather, it epitomizes what sports entertainment is all about. Danhausen truly gets it and can run with it better than almost anyone. He’s a master of humorous wrestling promos, witty banter and catchphrases. Several other wrestlers who either work for, or are associated with, WWE, such as Ron “R-Truth” Killings, Santino Marella and Mr. Iguana, have succeeded on this level, too.

This may partially help explain why Danhausen’s AEW run came to an abrupt end. He was never utilized properly after his debut. He suffered several injuries that kept him out of action. Things soured in the last year or so, and time was reportedly added on to his contract for reasons that have never been properly explained. Sometimes it’s just better to part ways and move on.

Danhausen finally signed with WWE this year, likely aided by the support of his friend and WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk. He was the big surprise coming out of a crate that had been delivered a few weeks prior, but couldn’t be opened until Elimination Chamber in Chicago on Feb. 28. When commissioners Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis opened the crate, it revealed a coffin that opened up on its own. This led to a loud laugh and voice-over saying, “you are cursed!,” one of Danhausen’s signature remarks.

Six female Ghoulhausens, including Danhausen’s wife, Canadian burlesque dancer Lauren Jiles, came out first, followed by the wrestler himself. They walked and danced up to the ring, the music stopped, they disappeared and people in the audience started booing.

Why? Some fans likely didn’t enjoy what they saw, or wanted to hear Danhausen speak, or were just confused by this skit. Comparisons to some of the worst debuts in pro wrestling history, including The Gobbledy Gooker at WWF’s Survivor Series 1990 and The Shockmaster at WCW’s Clash of the Champions XXIV in 1993, were immediately brought up. Some wrestling fans went ballistic, and wrestling journalists like Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez were far from complimentary.

It was one of the most bizarre reactions in years. I honestly thought (and posted on X) that WWE and Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Lévesque got exactly what they had hoped for. Danhausen’s debut received millions of views on social media. There were huge amounts of discussion, positive, negative and indifferent. They now have the opportunity to use another wrestler who has personality and real entertainment value in a global entity.

Many wrestlers saw the benefits in signing Danhausen, too. “I see a lot of ‘professional’ wrestlers dissing the success of their peers,” Ricky Morton of the legendary tag team the Rock ’n’ Roll Express wrote on X on Mar. 1. “If you f’n work hard, dedicate time to your career, put some effort in a gym, & go get em.’ Opportunities will present themselves. Congratulations @DanhausenAD.”

This was immediately endorsed by recently retired WWE and TNA legend AJ Styles. Others who spoke up in a positive fashion included Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Matt Hardy, Scarlett Bordeaux, Cheeseburger, Blue Meanie, Warhorse, Steph De Lander and Bully Ray.

Danhausen’s WWE debut wasn’t the disaster that some made it out to be. It had served its purpose by briefly introducing him to fans of a wrestling promotion who may have been unfamiliar with him. Everything just needed some time to simmer-and for Danhausen to use some of that ol’ black magic to his advantage.

That’s exactly what happened during Danhausen’s Mar. 2 promo on WWE’s Monday Night Raw. He became the talk of the town after a short one-minute segment. A few humorous lines with Pearce. A quick skit with Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh of The Judgment Day faction. He put a curse on Mysterio and disappeared. Adding to the drama was the fact that Penta pinned Mysterio for the Intercontinental title on the same show. Did Danhausen’s curse have some effect? Time will tell.

Oh, and one of Danhausen’s demands has already been fulfilled. He and Triple H did the famous finger point on social media that other top wrestlers and new acquisitions receive. Danhausen’s arrival in WWE could change pro wrestling forever. All he needs is that blimp, and world domination could be on the horizon!

Michael Taube is a political commentator, Troy Media syndicated columnist and former speechwriter for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He holds a master’s degree in comparative politics from the London School of Economics, lending academic rigour to his political insights.