Singaporean Dante Chen’s run as WWE wrestler ends after 5 years
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Sean Tan, whose ring name in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is Dante Chen, was scouted by WWE officials during a tryout in Shanghai in 2019.
PHOTO: DANTE CHEN/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE – Professional wrestler Sean Tan, the first Singaporean to join the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has finished his five-year run with the outfit after 147 bouts.
In a Facebook post on April 25, he wrote: “Goodbye and thank you, WWE...
“The list of names of people I want to thank is endless. I am proud to be the first Singaporean-born WWE Superstar, and I hope that inspires everyone that anything can be achieved.”
Tan, who on April 10 had urged his 4,700 Facebook followers to get their hands on some “merCHENdise”, did not say what the future held for him in his April 25 post, beyond telling fans to “stay tuned”.
Tan, whose ring name in the WWE is Dante Chen, was among more than 20 WWE wrestlers released by the outfit on April 24.
WWE typically does a mass release of stars every year, according to the American news outlet USA Today.
Other names released this week include Nikki Cross, Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) and Santos Escobar.
The last exercise took place in February 2025.
One of WWE’s rising stars, Oba Femi, took to social media to pay tribute to Tan, saying: “Respect from me always Dante!”
Fans also took to social media to wish Tan all the best.
“You have flown and continue to fly the flag for SEA excellence, could not be prouder of all you’ve done and all you shall do!” wrote user mrsamsee.
Another user, Seraphoem10, wrote: “The accolades speak for themselves. Great run, champ. Godspeed, and catch you down the road.”
The 30-year-old Tan, who was scouted by WWE officials during a tryout in Shanghai in 2019, told The Straits Times in an interview in 2021 that he was inspired to start wrestling after spending much of his teenage years playing video games that featured WWE stars, including his idol Shawn Michaels.
In 2012, he joined professional wrestling school SG Pro Wrestling (SPW), training and competing under the name Trexxus.
In 2021, Tan became the first Singaporean wrestler signed by WWE, and won his first match – competing on NXT – in September that year.
Since then, he has featured in NXT in singles and tag-team action.
Chen beat Trey Baxter in less than a minute with an inside cradle move on WWE NXT.
PHOTOS: DANTECHENWWE/X
In 2024, he faced Bron Breakker, one of the United States pro wrestling juggernaut’s most highly touted young stars, on WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown.
SmackDown is one of two major WWE episodic shows – the other being Monday Night Raw – and Tan’s appearance made him the first Singaporean wrestler to appear on national television in the US.
ST has contacted Tan for comment.
