The Booking Blueprint For Danhausen to Be a WWE Success Story After Lackluster Debut

WWE's mystery box was finally opened at Elimination Chamber, and the man inside turned out to be who everyone thought it would be: Danhausen.

While the debut segment itself definitely fit with the character he has created, the way WWE went about it didn't do him any favors.

The crowd gave a lukewarm response, and a big reason why is that a lot of WWE fans simply aren't familiar with him.

It's not like WWE signed Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay or one of All Elite Wrestling's other more recognizable acts. It signed a guy who had a total of 21 AEW matches, some of which were only on YouTube, and he hasn't appeared on television in well over 400 days.

Even though the debut fell flat, that doesn't mean the character can't be successful. In fact, Danhausen has a lot of qualities that can make him a star in WWE, but it's up to the company to book him the right way if it wants to get the most out of him.

Give Fans Some Background Information

One easy way to give the WWE Universe a little information about Danhausen would be to film some video packages.

This is a tried and true way to convey a lot of information while also giving the crowd an idea of what kind of character we're dealing with.

Do you think The Wyatt Family would have been as successful right away without several weeks of intriguing video packages to establish their gimmick? Probably not.

Danhausen isn't just another cookie-cutter wrestler in trunks with a generic rock song for his entrance. He's an unorthodox character who collects teeth in a jar, wears face paint, talks with a goofy cadence, and likes to curse his opponents.

If you went into Saturday's premium live event with no prior experience of him, you likely came away confused as to what he is all about. A few well-produced videos can make a huge difference.

Consistency is Key

One of the easiest ways for a new act to fail in WWE is inconsistent booking. Introducing someone to the audience and then only using them sporadically makes it almost impossible for fans to develop a connection to the Superstar.

WWE has a big roster, so we aren't going to get everyone on TV every week, but those first few months are vital for any new talent to form that bond with the crowd.

WWE needs to make sure Danhausen is booked regularly in order for him to have any chance of success. The period between now and WrestleMania 42 is going to be very important to his future.

Decide Whether He Is Just a Comedy Act

For those who aren't familiar with Danhausen, there are two basic versions of the character. There is the comedy version, and then there is the darker, more horror movie-inspired version.

The latter only showed up once in AEW, but the appearance was met with praise. If WWE wants him to just be a comedy character, that's fine, but if it plans to use the other version of Danhausen for more serious matches and segments, it needs to ensure the crowd knows that version exists soon.

This is another way video packages could be key to his success. Allowing him to show both sides of his gimmick outside of the ring will make it much easier for fans to accept either version.

Finding the Right Opponents

Danhausen is going to be a particular kind of character, at least at first, so WWE needs to choose the right opponents who will work well with his gimmick.

The Miz is one of the biggest team players in WWE. He will always do whatever is asked of him to put over his opponents, which makes him perfect for this role.

He will use his over-the-top facial expressions to sell Danhausen's curses, and he is a good enough worker to make whatever he uses as a finisher look devastating.

Another good option would be El Grande Americano. WWE's fake luchador is a comedy gimmick at its core, making it ideal to match up with another comedic character.

R-Truth is WWE's resident comedic performer, Otis and Akira Tozawa tend to be booked in those kinds of situations, and Kit Wilson is exactly the kind of person you would expect Danhausen to face.

WWE has no shortage of good options to set up his first few feuds, but if it tries to put him in the ring with someone like Rusev or Sheamus right out of the gate, the gimmick is not going to work as well.

Merchandising is Important

WWE already has merch available for Danhausen, which is a good start, but it's going to want to make sure it capitalizes on the opportunity.

For most of his time in AEW, the 35-year-old was consistently one of the highest merchandise sellers on Pro Wrestling Tees, even when he was never being used on television.

A lot of Danhausen loyalists are going to be excited at the prospect of being able to buy higher quality merchandise, and hopefully, a wider variety of products, too.

Even if he is not someone the company sees as a WrestleMania main event star, he can still be one of the most profitable for it.

First 6 Months

Now that Danhausen has officially debuted in WWE, the company needs to develop a game plan for his initial push.

These next six months could be the most important period in his WWE career because it's going to establish whether he sinks or swims in the biggest promotion in the world.

How he is used, who he faces, and how often he wins are all factors, but the most vital thing to his success is going to be whether he connects with the crowd.

It's up to management to give him those opportunities, whether it's with promos, matches or video packages. Danhausen obviously wants to be successful and will capitalize on every chance he is given, but he can only do that if WWE commits.

It might take some time for this kind of gimmick to gain momentum on the main roster, but with the right booking, he could end up being one of WWE's most popular acts.

---

What did you think of Danhausen's WWE debut? Who should be his first rival?