WWE superstar Danhausen has responded to backlash after an old interview about his trademarked facepaint resurfaced online, with some fans believing he was preparing to take legal action against Magic: The Gathering.

Danhausen, whose real name is Donovan Danhausen, is known for his black-and-white facepaint, comedic curses, jars of teeth, and “Very Nice, Very Evil” persona. He joined WWE earlier this year after previously wrestling for AEW and Ring of Honor.

The resurfaced clip came from a 2025 appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. During the interview, Danhausen explained that he had already been wearing his signature makeup when he saw a Magic: The Gathering card with a strikingly similar design. The card was identified in the repost as Juri, Master of the Revue.

Danhausen says the trademark protects him

The clip prompted some fans to accuse Danhausen of claiming that Wizards of the Coast copied his character. He pushed back against that interpretation on X.

“If you’re mad about this, you’re stupid,” Danhausen wrote. “This isn’t so Danhausen can Willy nilly try to sue people. It’s literally so no one can yell at Danhausen.”

He later replied to another fan, writing, “Bingo. Danhausen loves Magic.”

Danhausen’s facepaint trademark predates his WWE career. The USPTO filing was submitted under his real name in 2020 and describes the mark as a stylized face used across merchandise and wrestling entertainment.

During the original interview, Danhausen also said he was the first wrestler to trademark his facepaint. He claimed Sting later worked with the same attorney to protect his own signature look. Danhausen’s makeup is inspired by the demon Pazuzu from The Exorcist.

The clarification arrived during a major week for Danhausen, who hosted a WWE YouTube special, appeared in a Danhausen-themed SmackDown episode, and hosted NXT Halloween Havoc.