AEW has officially cut ties with Bear Boulder following reports of his arrest last month.
Fightful Select confirmed that AEW terminated his contract after learning that he had been arrested for battery by strangulation on January 14, 2025.
According to information obtained by Ringside News, Thomas Wansaw was arrested in Orange County, Florida, on January 14, 2025, following a domestic violence incident involving his fiance, Rainy Henderson.
Deputy J. Rincon of the Orange County Sheriffs Office responded to the scene after Henderson called 911. Upon arrival, law enforcement found visible injuries on her neck and hand, including red marks, scratches, and a bruise.
In her statement to deputies, Henderson said that she and Wansaw got into a heated argument that escalated when he pushed her to the ground. Things took a horrifying turn when Wansaw reportedly placed his foot on her throat, causing her to lose consciousness for several minutes. When she regained consciousness, she managed to retreat outside and call for help.
During the investigation, Henderson claimed this wasnt the first time Wansaw had been physically violent with her, stating that similar incidents had occurred between five and ten times throughout their relationship. She also noted that when Wansaw attended anger management classes, his behavior was different.
Despite her initial cooperation, Henderson later expressed concerns about Wansaw going to jail, saying it would create financial strain for them. She even asked deputies if she could recant her statement to prevent his arrest but was informed that the process was already in motion.
Wansaw himself admitted to placing his foot on Hendersons neck, acknowledging that she lost consciousness. He said that after realizing what had happened, he picked her up and placed her on the couch. He also mentioned that Henderson had allegedly pulled a knife on him earlier that day but refused to elaborate or press charges.
As a result, Wansaw was arrested and charged with Battery by Strangulation (domestic violence) under Florida State Statute 784.031. He was transported to the Orange County Detention Facility without incident.
Boulder, real name Thomas Wansaw, had been part of the Iron Savages tag team alongside Bear Bronson since 2017, first competing as Bear Country before their rebrand. The duo had been featured in AEW since 2020 and worked regularly on Ring of Honor programming over the past year.
Prior to his firing, Boulder had spoken about his time in AEW and ROH, reflecting on their journey in the company. Boulder discussed their AEW contracts on The Shining Wizards podcast nearly a year-to-date, saying, We kept coming back (to AEW), and after a while, we got contracted.
With Bear Boulder now gone from AEW, the future of Iron Savages is completely up in the air. While Bear Bronson could continue solo or find a new tag partner, Boulders abrupt firing leaves major uncertainty surrounding the teams status in ROH and beyond. AEW wasted no time cutting ties, making it clear that theyre not tolerating this kind of controversy.
What do you think about AEWs decision to fire Boulder? Should Bear Bronson continue solo, or will AEW find a new partner for him? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
