Bear Bronson is set to depart from AEW, as he announced his contract with the promotion will expire this Sunday, June 1, 2025. This marks the end of an almost five-year association for the performer with the company.
Bronson, alongside Bear Boulder, first appeared in AEW as the tag team Bear Country in December 2020. The duo later underwent a name change, becoming known as the Iron Savages. Their last recorded match for Ring of Honor occurred in December 2024.
The team’s trajectory shifted following events in early 2025. Bear Boulder, whose real name is Thomas Wansaw, was arrested in January and faced battery charges related to an alleged strangulation of his fiancée. AEW released Wansaw promptly after reports of the arrest surfaced.
In February, Bronson issued a public statement condemning the alleged actions of his former tag team partner, expressing that he was taken by surprise by the news. Since Wansaw’s release, Bear Bronson has not competed for either AEW or ROH, though he has remained active on the independent wrestling circuit.
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