Jim Ross has weighed in on Danhausen’s WWE merchandise dominance, telling Grilling JR listeners that if he were running WWE, he would have Danhausen in every building the minute the doors open, while acknowledging that AEW dropped the ball by not giving Danhausen a real opportunity to get over.
The topic came up after Conrad Thompson walked Ross through Cody Rhodes’ recent ESPN comments, in which Rhodes called Danhausen the king of the WWE merchandise game, saying Danhausen is “beating us all.”
Ross detailed his read on the success of Danhausen merchandise.
“Somebody on the road this weekend, who the hell was it, but they were telling me about Danhausen’s popularity and the real numbers that he sells product and how those numbers are coming out real. I’m happy for the kid. I don’t say never, but it’ll be a long shot if his marketing and his look is the whole nine yards, he’s getting into these waters, and hearing he’s selling lots of shit, and that’s a sure sign of somebody getting over without question, because you already invested good money to go to the event.”
He talked about his booking recommendation for Danhausen.
“He’s a very fortunate young man. He’s come along at the right place at the right time to get noticed and remembered, so I don’t know how long this runs or lasts. It may last a year, it may last longer, it may not last that long. You can’t judge the audience and what they’re thinking. Maybe he was this hot all along, but when he was in AEW, he didn’t get a real opportunity to get over and to create that identity that he has to have, but hey, good for him.”
Ross then made his clearest booking statement on Danhausen.
“I don’t know if it’ll ever make a lot of money as a wrestler. He’s an attraction, and if he gets his toe in the water, gets in the water deep enough, he’s got a chance, it’s a long shot, but we already see the beginnings of it, and if I was WWE, I’d have his ass on the road wherever the doors are open, civic centers and high school gyms and everything else, and I’d let some of this entirely up. So good for him, young guy, and if he was ever going to have a legit chance to become a star, this is it.”
Ross also addressed why AEW may have dropped the ball on Danhausen, noting the issue as a difference in Tony Khan’s booking philosophy.
“Oh, absolutely. I’m sure now he wishes he had moved on that persona, but he didn’t, and now it’s just too late.”
If you use quotes from this article, please credit Grilling JR and include a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
