When former AEW wrestler/personality Danhausen made his debut at WWE’s Elimination Chamber on February 28, it’s safe to say the reaction was…not good.
After weeks of teasing what was in the big box, the Chicago crowd reacted poorly to the reveal of a talent that, to be accurate, had been off AEW television for a long time, if the live audience was even watching that product in the first place. While hardcore wrestling fans know Danhausen’s gimmick of “very evil, very nice” and “cursing” other talent, it seemed that the WWE audience was either unsure of who he was, didn’t care who he was, or were vehemently angry that it was indeed Danhausen who came out of the box. When the segment completed, there were very loud, very audible boos.
That’s never a good start.
But then, less than 48 hours later, Danhaussen was put to good use on Monday Night Raw, where he had an excellent interaction with both General Manager Adam Pearce and the Judgement Day. In just a few moments, we saw what Danhaussen could be good for – backstage antics and some laughs.
The audience reaction, heard in the background, was far more positive than the debut. As for the cursing gimmick? Dom Mysterio would go on to lose his Intercontinental championship to Penta that very night.
The Danhausen trainhausen continued over to SmackDown, where the character held his own and got the audience invested when he and The Miz, both gifted on the mic, got to work together at the behest of Nick Aldis.
When lots of talent are desperate for television time, Danhausen has consistently been on and over with the audience within just a few minutes. Last night on Raw, he showed up and did another curse, this time on the Original EL Grande Americano.
So what does all this mean? Well, for me at least, it meant that Danhausen’s Chicago debut was a horrible anomaly, hijacked by a crowd that felt apathetic all night long, at least to my ears. It also seems that the notion of “you only have one chance to make a good first impression” isn’t entirely accurate, since audiences have been embracing the character in short order, finishing his “you are cursed” catch phrase at every instance. That part surprises me, mind you? Did the entire WWE Universe research Danhausen quickly so as to get in on the fun? Or maybe there’s more of a crossover between the WWE and AEW audiences than I realize.
Some pundits don’t understand the appeal of Danhausen, and I can’t explain it myself. As a wrestler, I’m sure not how many times I’ve actually seen him work in the ring, but I know it’s not a lot. However, I did appreciate the comedic horror vibe of the character when I saw him in AEW; in fact, I bought his shirt immediately. For me, it was the vibe he brings to the table, and I think WWE fans have already caught on to that, considering how quickly people are moving to buy his merchandise. He’s never going to be a world champion, and if he does score wins and titles, my guess is that they’ll be by fluke rather than merit. A good wrestling television show is a mix of things, though; in-ring action, solid promos that move storytelling, comedy that’s sometimes good, and oftentimes not. Hopefully, Danhausen will bring some very evil, very nice laughs when he appears on screens.
Or else, we’ll all be cursed.
