AEW Fires Bear Boulder Following Arrest (AEW News)

Fightful Select is reporting that AEW released Bear Boulder from his contract with the company after learning he had been arrested for battery by strangulation on 13 January. The tag-team wrestler's real name is Thomas Wansaw. That's what he'll be referred to for the remainder of this article.

Police were called to Wansaw's home in Winter Garden, Florida on 13 January amidst reports from his fiancé that she'd been "physically battered". Here's what a police deputy on the scene wrote in his report:

“I observed what appeared [to be] several injuries on [deleted] and photographs were taken and uploaded to Axon Evidence to be attached to the report. According to [deleted], she sustained injuries around her neck which included red marks as well scratches just below her neck just above her breast. The back of [deleted] neck was also red and appeared it was battered as well. [Deleted] also sustained a bruise that appeared to be bright red on her right hand. According to [Deleted], she was in a verbal argument with Thomas Wansaw that escalated into a physical altercation when he pushed her to the ground. Thomas Wansaw then placed his foot onto her throat causing [deleted] to lose consciousness and black out. [Deleted] stated she gained consciousness approximately five to ten minutes later and was able to retreat outside to a patio/balcony area and call 911."

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“[Deleted] stated she believes Thomas Wansaw picked her up and placed her on the couch as that is where she was when she regained consciousness. [Deleted] stated this was not the first time Thomas Wansaw has been physically violent with her and it has happened approximately five to ten times over the course of their relationship. [Deleted] also stated when Thomas Wansaw is attending his anger management courses, he is a completely different person. [Deleted] was cooperative but then during the investigation she stated she did not want Thomas Wansaw to go to jail as it will cause a great financial strain on their relationship. [Deleted] did begin to complete a written statement but decided not to finish it because she did not want him to go to jail. [Deleted] did make the comment that if she recanted her story would he not go to jail and she was advised that would not happen at this point.”

The report also noted that Wansaw's statement was consistent with what the victim said. The officer filing that report added in that Thomas "stated he knows what he did was not right, but [deleted] made some negative comments about his job and he became upset".

For reference, Wansaw's Bear Boulder character hadn't worked a match for AEW since taping a bout on 11 January for the 16 January edition of ROH on HonorClub. His last appearance on mainline All Elite television had come when teaming with Iron Savages partner Bulk Bronson vs. The Outrunners.

That match was taped on 27 November 2024, then aired on the 30 November episode of Collision.

Case Remains Open - No Contact Between Wansaw And Victim

The case for Wansaw remains open with the authorities

Wansaw was assigned a public defender and officers initially issued a no contact order between he and the victim. That was later amended on 27 January at the victim's request. Now, Wansaw has been ordered to have no "hostile/violent contact with the victim". It's understood the state had no objection to the victim's request.

AEW moved swiftly to terminate Boulder's agreement with the company as soon as they learned what had happened.