Eric Bischoff is openly admitting that Danhausen’s rise in WWE has exceeded his expectations — and he’s impressed with how quickly the character has connected with audiences.
Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on Danhausen’s debut at Elimination Chamber, where the reveal of the mystery box initially received a mixed reaction from fans. Bischoff noted that many viewers were expecting a bigger name, such as Chris Jericho, which led to some early disappointment.
However, Bischoff said what has happened since then has completely changed his perspective.
“What I didn’t anticipate — and where it doesn’t really matter if I was right or wrong — is just how well Danhausen has gotten over since he was revealed. That is surprising to me.”
Bischoff explained that while the mystery box storyline successfully built anticipation, he was concerned the payoff wouldn’t meet fan expectations.
“They created a big mystery, they got the story anticipation, they checked that box — it’s all anybody was talking about. But the reveal, I was concerned, wasn’t going to satisfy the audience.”
Despite that initial reaction, Bischoff pointed out that Danhausen has managed to turn things around in a major way.
“But look at what Danhausen has done. That ‘who’s in the box’ style storytelling device and mystery may not be the reason Danhausen is over as he is, but certainly that character has taken on a whole different life than anyone, probably even Danhausen, expected.”
Bischoff went on to say he’s happy for everyone involved, including WWE, which he believes is benefiting significantly from Danhausen’s popularity.
“And I could not be happier for him, for the fans, and also for WWE because they are printing money with one young Mr. Danhausen.”
Danhausen has become a regular presence on both WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown, even without stepping into the ring yet. His unique character and presentation have quickly made him one of the more talked-about acts on WWE television.
Bischoff also connected Danhausen’s success to a larger trend, noting that former AEW talents such as CM Punk and Cody Rhodes have found major success in WWE. He suggested that momentum may have influenced AEW President Tony Khan’s decision to secure Chris Jericho’s contract.
Danhausen’s rapid rise highlights how much character-driven acts can still break through in modern wrestling. Even after a debut that didn’t fully land, the ability to connect with audiences over time can completely reshape a performer’s trajectory — something WWE appears to be capitalizing on with Danhausen.
