New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns stepped into the squared circle Saturday night and delivered a pair of chokeslams that helped WWE’s Danhausen secure a victory at Saturday Night’s Main Event inside Madison Square Garden.
Towns made a surprise appearance during Danhausen’s No Disqualification match against JD McDonagh. The bout had already spilled into chaos with interference from Dominik Mysterio of The Judgment Day. After a series of distractions involving the Minihausens and a cloning machine prop featuring a stuffed cat, Towns emerged to a massive ovation from the MSG crowd.
The 7-foot Knicks center wasted little time. He immediately chokeslammed McDonagh, then turned his attention to Mysterio and drove him through a table with a second chokeslam. Towns then “cursed” McDonagh in true Danhausen fashion before the “Very Nice, Very Evil” performer finished the match with a Death Drop for the pinfall victory.
WWE captured the moment on social media with the post: “IT’S KATHAUSEN!!! Karl-Anthony Towns is here to backup @DanhausenAD!!”
IT'S KATHAUSEN!!! 🟠 🔵
Karl-Anthony Towns is here to backup @DanhausenAD!! @KarlTowns | @nyknicks pic.twitter.com/1Ve4YNweDZ
— WWE (@WWE) July 19, 2026
The appearance capped a remarkable crossover between the newly crowned NBA champion Knicks and WWE. Danhausen had become linked to the Knicks during their title run after “uncursing” the franchise amid their playoff surge. The team went on to win its first NBA championship since 1973, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Finals. Towns, a key piece of that roster, and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson both featured in the celebration of that connection.
Brunson also appeared on the same card, joining World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns in a segment that saw them turn back an attack from Seth Rollins and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
Towns’ in-ring work drew strong reactions online, with fans praising the cleanliness of the chokeslams from the big man who spends his nights battling in the paint rather than on the canvas.
The moment blended New York’s two biggest sports stages — the Garden’s basketball floor and its wrestling ring — into one memorable night for Knicks and WWE fans alike.
