Kit Wilson says a number of people backstage were unimpressed that Danhausen was given a spot on a premium live event for his WWE debut, and that some of them felt it came at their expense.
Danhausen arrived at Elimination Chamber on February 28 in Chicago, emerging from a coffin inside a crate that had been teased on television since the February 16 Raw. Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis opened it, dancers in face paint filled the stage, and he handed Michael Cole a jar of teeth before the lights went out. The reaction in the building was split and the reaction online was harsher.
Asked on Busted Open Radio whether he had expected Danhausen to get as popular as he has, Wilson said he had not, and went back to that night. The interview was transcribed by Fightful.
“Absolutely not. I was there in Chicago for his debut, and I think that gave us a lot of question marks. It was a lot of people that enjoyed it. There was a lot of people that didn’t. Again, that’s the beautiful thing about this company, about this program is that we all get to have our own opinion.”
“Danhausen came in and there was a lot of us backstage that didn’t feel too fond about him coming in on a pay-per-view, on a P.L.E … maybe taking our spots.”
Wilson named nobody, and turned the answer into a joke at his own expense from there. He wrestled Danhausen in his in-ring debut on the April 10 SmackDown, accompanied by The Miz, and lost after a curse set off pyro behind the ring post.
“So of course, I wanted to be the guy to take on Danhausen. Who had his debut match? Me. Who put him on the map? Me, and now Danhausen is popular than ever. So, I guess you’re welcome?”
The view from the top of the company at the time was warmer than the one Wilson describes from the locker room. Asked about the debut on the Elimination Chamber post-show, Triple H said he thought they were in for a fun time.
Danhausen has not lost a match in WWE since. He beat Dominik Mysterio in the Human Monies on a Pole match at SummerSlam night two on Sunday.
He is 35 and spent his previous run with AEW and Ring of Honor, where injuries cost him long stretches. AEW exercised an option on his contract despite his wish to opt out, and the deal expired shortly before Elimination Chamber.
