The wrestling world is abuzz following the official removal of Danhausen from the AEW roster page as of Saturday. The “Very Nice, Very Evil” star had been part of the promotion since January 2022, but his profile was deleted from the official website following a series of cryptic social media posts on Friday suggesting he had finally attained his “freedom.”
The 35-year-old’s departure comes after a tumultuous period with the company. In August 2025, it was reported that Danhausen had requested his release, which was initially denied. Instead, AEW reportedly extended his contract into February 2026 to account for time lost due to a torn pectoral muscle suffered in 2023. Throughout Friday, Danhausen fueled speculation by sharing an image of the Genie from the 1992 film Aladdin being freed from his shackles, along with the song “Freedom Slam” by the band Freedom.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer addressed the potential of Danhausen making a jump to WWE under the creative direction of Paul “Triple H” Levesque. While noting that he might not fit the mold of a traditional top star for the current regime, Meltzer highlighted the performer’s unique value.
“He’s absolutely not the kind of wrestler that Paul Levesque would want as a top star. But he can be a comedy character, could get over as a cult figure early and would likely sell a lot of merchandise. I expected discussion regarding him and that in the end they’d give him a try,” Meltzer wrote.
The timing of Danhausen’s free agency has led many to link him to the mysterious “mystery crate” storyline currently unfolding on WWE television. A human-sized crate has been moved between Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown with explicit instructions that it must not be opened until February 28—the date of tonight’s Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event in Chicago. Danhausen, a Detroit native and close friend of CM Punk, is currently the betting favorite to emerge from the box.
As of today, neither AEW nor Danhausen have issued a formal statement regarding the contract expiration, though the removal from the roster page is historically a definitive sign of a talent’s exit.
