Danhausen Hints At AEW Contract Expiration As WWE Rumors Swirl

By Sam Palmer
Danhausen at AEW Worlds End 2023 AEW

2026 is about to get a lot more nice, and a lot more evil if Danhausen's social media pages are anything to go by.

Danhausen has been part of the AEW roster since 2022, but outside of a cameo appearance at ROH Final Battle in December 2024, he has not been seen at all and rumors of him potentially leaving the company have been rife for some time. Those rumors may now be reality as Danhausen has hinted on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account that he might actually be a free agent.

It was reported in December 2025 that Danhausen's contract with AEW would be expiring at some point in February 2026. This came a few months after other reports that despite months of inactivity, his AEW contract was actually extended, preventing him from leaving the company at the end of last summer like he was reportedly intending to. Danhausen has been very honest about his lack of TV time in AEW, stating that he was told by the company to simply work on the independent scene which he was fine with, but he wasn't happy that the creative team in AEW couldn't find at least one thing for him to do, no matter how major or minor that might have been.

As for what's next for Danhausen, all signs are pointing to WWE, and more specifically the mysterious crate that arrived on "WWE Raw" two weeks ago. Danhausen is the odds on favorite to be inside the crate, which will be opened at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event in Chicago on February 28, and after reports claiming that Danhausen will likely receive an offer from WWE when he officially becomes a free agent, it looks as if the "Very Nice, Very Evil" character will begin a new journey in his career very soon.

Opinion: Will Danhausen Do Well In WWE?

Danhausen on AEW Rampage AEW

There is always a sense of excitement and optimism for a wrestler when they jump from one company to another, both from the fans and the wrestler in question. The idea of starting a fresh new chapter in their career, stepping into a different world with different opportunities is both exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time, and it's a feeling that virtually everyone can relate to on some level. In the case of Danhausen going from AEW to WWE, it looks like a perfect move at first but will that excitement last?

Let's start with the obvious point, and arguably one of the main reasons why WWE are so interested in signing Danhausen, he sells a boatload of merchandise. He is one of the most marketable wrestlers of the modern era who can appeal to virtually everyone. Comedy fans, horror fans, children, toy collectors, obviously wrestling fans, he's the type of character that is very easy to market and given TKO's love of milking its fans for every penny they have recently, Danhausen will be all over the WWE product if the company gets their way.

Danhausen also has the added benefit of being from AEW, which might not sound like a big deal but in the immediate short-term that will help him massively. Virtually everyone who has made the switch has gotten the red carpet treatment from the moment they walk through the door. Penta, Rey Fenix, Ricky Saints, Blake Monroe, Aleister Black, Rusev, Royce Keys, Ethan Page, even the likes of CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, all of them have been given big pushes as soon as they arrive. That's probably down to WWE wanting to make its company look more appealing to performers than AEW, but outside of a select few of those names mentioned, only a handful have actually done anything meaningful.

Punk and Rhodes have obviously done very well for themselves, as has Page in "WWE NXT," but the rest of them came in with a lot of fanfare and are now just kind of there. Penta has literally been feuding with either El Grande Americano or the people that portray that character and those associated with it. Rusev wanted to wrestle more but now just loses, as does Fenix but with more high-flying. Black has been injured this year but didn't exactly walk into the main event scene on "WWE SmackDown." Keys has been in the company for nearly a month and hasn't wrestled on TV yet. Starks is still talking about his potential in developmental despite the fact he's 36, and Monroe lost the NXT Women's North American Championship by accident and is no closer to getting that, or any major title back around her waist.

Danhausen will arrive with a lot of buzz, have that AEW treatment that everyone else got, but the shine will fade and he'll probably be in "NXT" or AAA in a comedy tag team with Mr. Iguana. But if that's what he wants, then fair play to him.

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