Wrestling Veteran Slams Tony Khan For Not Letting Top Star Leave AEW Amid WWE Rumors: "It's Backward Thinking"

Rumors about a top star not being allowed to leave AEW have been doing the rounds for a while, and a wrestling veteran has now weighed in on the matter and called it backward thinking.

The star in question is Danhausen, who became popular in the Jacksonville-based promotion due to his gimmick. However, the 35-year-old's career never entirely took off in AEW due to constant injury setbacks. Danhausen has not been seen on AEW TV since 2023, and his contract with the promotion was supposed to end in July this year. Despite this, it was reported earlier that Tony Khan had refused to let Danhausen leave his promotion and that his deal was extended due to injury time.

The news caught the attention of Dutch Mantell, who addressed the matter on his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast. The veteran stated that he didn't understand what Tony Khan was thinking by extending Danhausen's contract.

"They extended his contract for him to stay at home. Really? I don't know Tony's thinking, but to me, that’s not forward thinking, it's backward thinking," said Mantell.

Check out his comments in the video below:

Dutch Mantell Believes AEW's Danhausen is Perfect For WWE

In a separate edition of his Story Time With Dutch Mantell podcast, the veteran also claimed that Kid Curious would be a perfect fit in WWE if he leaves Tony Khan's promotion.

"I've always liked the character. So, where did he get that character? He just came up with it? It's a good one. So, I'd like to see him in WWE. He's tailor-made for them anyway," he said.

With All Elite Wrestling seemingly not having any creative plans for Danhausen, it remains to be seen if the star will be allowed to leave the Jacksonville-based promotion soon and join up with the sports entertainment juggernaut.

If you use the quotes from the first half of this article, please give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription and credit Story Time With Dutch Mantell.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Arsh Das