Bear Bronson issues statement on Bear Boulder’s AEW release and arrest

Bear Bronson has issued a statement regarding AEW’s release of his tag team partner, Bear Boulder.

Boulder, real name Thomas Wansaw, was fired from the company after AEW learned he was arrested for battery by strangulation on January 13. The victim has been identified as Boulder’s fiancée.

On Sunday, Bronson, who has teamed with Boulder since 2017, shared his statement on social media.

Bronson’s statement reads:

“Hey guys, this is one of the hardest weeks of my life.

I’m heartbroken at the news about my former tag partner. To say I feel blindsided by the horrific details of the incident is an understatement. This is someone I traveled the world with as a team for 8 years, full of matches & memories I held close to me. Someone I trusted around my family. He was a groomsman at my wedding this past October with his fiancée. The arrest report provided by the police has made me sick, depressed, and angry.

My phone has been blowing up nonstop since the news broke – I put out a quick statement yesterday so I could put my phone down, spend quality time in the city with my wife, and process everything.

I’ve been made aware that I was wrong for using the victim’s first name in my statement & I apologize. I wasn’t thinking clearly & just wanted everyone to know she was okay.

As of now, I have been advised to fully step back from the entire situation and can only pray nothing worse happens.

Only professionals can help the situation any further & I am not one. The only thing I can do now is move on and focus on my life.

If there is any confusion, I will clear it up now:

My wrestling name is Bear Bronson, I live in NY, not FL, and I do NOT condone domestic violence under any circumstances whatsoever. Zero tolerance. Causing physical harm to your partner is disgusting & vile; people who love each other don’t do that – plain & simple. Don’t let anyone make you believe there are shades of gray or ‘yeah but’ exceptions to that garbage. It’s not shades of gray, it’s very black & white. I don’t care how you spin it, that’s not love.

I’m in a very happy marriage with my wife Gabby. We shower each other with love & support every single day. Her happiness & safety will be my main priority for the rest of my life.

So if you come across the headlines that broke, please read them very carefully.

If you are a victim of domestic violence and feel stuck in a violent relationship/one that you feel could turn violent, please call out for help before it’s too late.

No ‘but what about the good times,’

No ‘but every relationship has problems,’

It doesn’t get better, it only gets worse.

Put your health & well-being first above everything else.”

Boulder and Bronson started teaming as Bear Country for promotions such as CZW in 2017. They debuted in AEW on an episode of Dark in late 2020 and officially signed with the promotion that May. In 2023, they changed their team name to The Iron Savages and added Jacked Jameson. 

The Iron Savages last appeared on AEW programming in a loss to The Outrunners on the November 27 episode of Collision. Their last match in ROH took place on December 21 when they teamed with Dark Order and lost an eight-man tag to Shane Taylor Promotions. 

Google Icon

Exclusive access to podcasts and newsletters

Subscribe