When Danhausen emerged from a mystery crate at Elimination Chamber 2026, WWE fans didn’t know what to expect.
The former AEW star brought his signature brand of “very nice, very evil” antics to WWE, and with it came something fans had seen before but never in a WWE ring—the infamous Danhausen curse.
What started as a comedic gimmick quickly became something WWE superstars started taking seriously.
After the first victim lost his championship shortly after being cursed, wrestlers began avoiding Danhausen like he carried actual bad luck.
WWE Superstars Cursed by Danhausen
Here’s everyone who’s fallen victim to the curse so far.
Understanding Danhausen’s Curse in WWE
The curse isn’t some elaborate ritual. It’s theatrical, simple, and effective.
Danhausen extends his fingers, widens his eyes dramatically, and stares down his target while performing the gesture.
It looks ridiculous, but that’s the point.
In storyline terms, the curse brings misfortune and bad luck to whoever receives it.
Danhausen himself has explained that it “gets into their brain,” causing opponents to overthink and make mistakes at critical moments.
It’s psychological warfare wrapped in supernatural comedy.
The beauty of the curse is its flexibility. Sometimes it works immediately. Other times, it lingers like a cloud over a wrestler’s head.
Either way, it’s become one of Danhausen’s most recognizable traits since joining WWE.
How Danhausen Debuted in WWE?
Danhausen’s arrival at Elimination Chamber 2026 caught everyone off guard.
General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis opened a mystery crate expecting equipment or supplies. Instead, they got Danhausen.
The initial reaction was mixed. Some fans booed. Others seemed confused.
But by his second appearance on Monday Night Raw, the response shifted.
His third appearance had fans cheering. WWE audiences warmed up to his unique character faster than expected.
Every WWE Superstar Cursed by Danhausen
| WWE Superstar | When They Were Cursed | What Happened After |
|---|---|---|
| Dominik Mysterio | Backstage segment before IC title defense | Lost the Intercontinental Championship to Penta |
| The Miz | After refusing to mentor Danhausen | Outcomes still developing |
| “Original” El Grande Americano | During a backstage encounter | Undisclosed misfortune |
| Grayson Waller | March 16, 2026 Raw in San Antonio | Accidentally caught in a curse meant for Kofi Kingston |
| Random fan | Unknown circumstances | Unknown consequences |
Dominik Mysterio: The First Victim
Dominik Mysterio holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first WWE superstar cursed by Danhausen.
Before his Intercontinental Championship defense against Penta, Dominik encountered Danhausen backstage and made a critical error—he mocked him.
Dominik dismissed Danhausen as nothing more than comic relief, not a real threat. Big mistake.
That same night, Dominik lost his Intercontinental Championship to Penta. The timing was too perfect to ignore.
This loss set the tone for how seriously other WWE superstars would treat the curse going forward.
When you’re the AAA Mega Champion and you still lose your WWE title right after being cursed, people notice.
The Miz Refuses and Gets Cursed
The Miz, always confident in his status as an A-Lister, thought he could simply ignore Danhausen.
When presented with the opportunity to mentor the newcomer, Miz turned him down flat.
He made it clear he wasn’t interested in mentoring “some goth kid who hadn’t been invited to the party.”
That rejection didn’t sit well with Danhausen, who promptly cursed The Miz and reminded him of what happened to Dominik Mysterio.
Unlike Dominik’s immediate championship loss, The Miz’s curse has been playing out differently.
WWE has kept fans guessing about when and how the misfortune will strike.
Grayson Waller’s Accidental Curse
Grayson Waller became the most recent victim during the March 16, 2026, episode of Raw in San Antonio.
What makes his situation unique is that the curse wasn’t even meant for him.
Danhausen was attempting to curse Kofi Kingston after Kingston refused to let him join The New Day.
Just as Danhausen was completing the gesture, Kingston pulled Waller into the path of the curse. Waller took the full impact instead.
This incident proved the curse doesn’t need to be intentional to work.
Wrong place, wrong time, and now Waller’s dealing with whatever misfortune comes next.
Why WWE Superstars Take the Curse Seriously?
After Dominik’s championship loss, something shifted backstage.
Wrestlers who might’ve laughed off the curse started keeping their distance from Danhausen. Nobody wanted to risk being next.
The curse works because it creates doubt. Even if a wrestler doesn’t believe in supernatural nonsense, they’ve seen what happened to Dominik.
That seed of doubt affects performance. They second-guess themselves. They overthink moments where they’d normally act on instinct.
It’s smart character work. The curse doesn’t need to be real for it to have real consequences in WWE storylines.
Key Takeaway: The Curse as Storytelling
The genius of Danhausen’s curse in WWE isn’t the gesture itself.
It’s how WWE has positioned it as something that actually affects outcomes.
When a curse leads directly to a championship change, it stops being just a comedy bit.
WWE has found the balance between comedy and consequence.
Danhausen can be funny and weird while still mattering to actual storylines.
That’s difficult to pull off, but they’ve managed it so far.
The curse gives Danhausen instant credibility without having to prove himself through traditional wrestling means first.
It’s character work that creates stories, not just laughs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What exactly is Danhausen’s curse?
It’s a theatrical gesture where Danhausen extends his fingers, widens his eyes, and “hexes” his target. In the storyline, it brings bad luck and misfortune to whoever receives it.
- Has the curse actually affected match outcomes in WWE?
Yes. Dominik Mysterio lost his Intercontinental Championship the same night he was cursed, which established the curse as having real consequences in WWE storylines.
- Can you curse yourself if you try to do the gesture?
According to Danhausen’s character logic, only he can properly execute the curse. Others attempting it wouldn’t have the same supernatural effect.
- How many WWE superstars has Danhausen cursed so far?
Five individuals have been cursed: Dominik Mysterio, The Miz, “Original” El Grande Americano, Grayson Waller, and one random fan.
- Did Grayson Waller deserve to be cursed?
Not really. Waller was accidentally cursed when Kofi Kingston pulled him into the path of a curse meant for Kingston. Pure bad luck.
What’s Next for the Cursed Superstars
WWE has been smart about not revealing all the curse’s effects immediately.
Dominik’s championship loss happened right away, establishing credibility.
But The Miz’s curse has been building slowly, keeping fans wondering when his misfortune will strike.
This list will grow as Danhausen continues his WWE run.
The curse has become his calling card, his way of mattering in WWE without needing to win matches constantly.
It’s storytelling that works because WWE has committed to making the consequences real.
For now, WWE superstars have learned a simple lesson: don’t mock Danhausen.
Don’t refuse him. And definitely don’t get in the way when he’s cursing someone else.
The list of superstars cursed by Danhausen in WWE will keep expanding as long as wrestlers keep making that mistake.