WWE Updates on Danhausen After Knicks' Win & Night of Champions, AEW Rumors on Jack Perry's Contract

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

WWE Reportedly Trademarks Danhausen Catchphrase

WWE is attempting to capitalize on the massive popularity of Danhausen following his role in the New York Knicks winning their first NBA championship since 1973.

New disclosures from the United States Patent and Trademark Office show that WWE has filed to trademark "human monies," which is a phrase often uttered by Danhausen:

According to Fightful's Jeremy Lambert, WWE filed two separate trademarks for the phrase. One of them focuses largely on using "human monies" on clothing, while the other would allow for use of the phrase on other merchandise such as posters, programs, books, stickers and other similar products.

Danhausen is known for cursing or uncursing other wrestlers or entities, usually due to the fact that someone pays him "human monies" in order to do so.

Famously, Danhausen cursed the Knicks early in the 2026 NBA playoffs, which led to them falling behind 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks.

However, after he was compensated to do so, Danhausen reversed the curse, the Knicks proceeded to win 15 of their next 16 games en route to their first NBA title in over 50 years.

Danhausen has become a mainstream star of sorts thanks to his involvement, and WWE is wise to get the most it can out of that exposure.

Top Star Removed from Night of Champions Advertising

Amid uncertainty regarding a timeline for her in-ring return, WWE women's champion Rhea Ripley is no longer part of the advertising for the upcoming Night of Champions premium live event.

In a post on X by Wrestle Features, an amended poster was shown with women's United States champion Tiffany Stratton replacing Ripley:

When WWE head of creative Triple H originally unveiled the poster on June 8, it featured Ripley alongside Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan and Trick Williams:

While Rhodes, Morgan and Williams all remain, Stratton is now in the spot that Ripley once occupied.

Of the four Superstars on the poster, Williams is the only one confirmed to be wrestling at Night of Champions, so the change doesn't necessarily mean that Ripley was originally planned for the show to begin with.

Rhea did not appear on last week's episode of SmackDown, and it was revealed by the announce team during the show that she was nursing a knee injury.

No further details were given regarding the exact nature of the injury or how long it might keep her out.

WrestleVotes on Fightful Select (h/t Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats) reported this week that WWE is still waiting to determine whether the injury is severe enough to keep Ripley out of SummerSlam on Aug. 1 and 2.

If Ripley is unable to make it back for one of the biggest shows of the year, it could force WWE's hand in terms of having to strip the title and determine a new champ.

Latest on Jack Perry's AEW Contract Status

Jack Perry is reportedly in talks with AEW regarding a new contract as the expiration of his current deal approaches.

According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t WrestlePurists), Perry's AEW contract is going to be up "at any moment," and he is presently negotiating with the company.

Alvarez expects Perry to re-sign with AEW, but added, "I suppose anything is possible."

The 29-year-old Perry is an AEW original, as he signed with the company when it began in 2019.

Considered one of the company's "Four Pillars" with MJF, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara, Perry has enjoyed a great deal of success over the years, holding the TNT Championship, National Championship and AEW World Tag Team Championships one time each.

One major knock against Perry was his backstage altercation with CM Punk at All In 2023, which resulted in Punk's termination from the company and Perry's absence from AEW programming for several months.

With Punk now in WWE, it would seem unlikely that WWE is a realistic option for Perry, but Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Mrosko) expressed his belief that Punk does not have the power to prevent Perry from coming to WWE if the company wants him.

There is no indication that is the case, though, and all signs point toward Perry re-signing with AEW as the most likely conclusion.