As Chicago witnessed the arrival of Danhausen in WWE, the reaction was far from overwhelmingly cheerful at first. However, the quirky wrestler quickly made up for it through positive backstage interactions with fellow performers. Interestingly, his debut might never have happened without a recommendation from CM Punk.
The current World Heavyweight champion has long been known for taking a strong interest in creative decisions. Throughout his career, Punk has often contributed ideas and suggestions to help make storylines feel more authentic. That same mindset may have played a role in Danhausen’s arrival, as the Straight Edge star is believed to have had some involvement in bringing the eccentric wrestler to WWE.
Danhausen Credits Cody Rhodes And CM Punk For Key Roles In His Career
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it might be a huge possibility that CM Punk pushed the idea of bringing Danhausen to WWE. Given his control and overall position in the creative team, his influence over any decision draws some extra attention, which might have been the case with Danhausen’s signing.
The former AEW wrestler has previously stated how CM Punk and Cody Rhodes have helped him down the road and pushed for AEW to sign him.
During an interview in 2024, Danhausen revealed, “To their credit, Cody Rhodes said, ‘Are you doing something tonight?’. I said, ‘No, my leg is broken.’ He said, ‘I’ll make sure you’re doing something tonight.”
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He further added, “So, Cody, I think, had a little bit to do with helping me get a job there. I believe Pepsi Phil had something to help with that.”
As the viral superstar has finally arrived on WWE, he has reunited with several AEW talents, including Punk, Rhodes, Aleister Black, and Royce Keys.
Danhausen’s Merchandise Sales Have Surprised WWE
Despite not having the kind of reception they expected, WWE personnel were pleasantly surprised after seeing the merchandise sales of Danhausen within a week of his arrival. While this might not be surprising for AEW fans, as they witnessed him selling nearly as much merchandise as MJF did for AEW in 2023.
His Raw debut saw Danhausen “curse” Dominik Mysterio, a moment that quickly gained attention after the former WWE Intercontinental Championship holder went on to lose the title to Penta later in the night.
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On SmackDown, Danhausen was later assigned a mentor, none other than The Miz. While the former WWE Champion did not appear particularly thrilled about the role, the former All Elite Wrestling star seemed genuinely excited about the opportunity and eager to become his protege.
Fans are now curious to see how the on-screen chemistry between The Miz and Danhausen develops in the coming weeks.
