Jon Moxley Shakes Up AEW Grand Slam; Paves Way for Dream Match

Darby Allin will put his AEW World Title shot on the line against Jon Moxley at Grand Slam

Jon Moxley lays down a challenge to Darby Allin / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Bryan Danielson was supposed to face Darby Allin for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship at AEW Grand Slam in two weeks time, but Jon Moxley had plans of his own.

Moxley has been calling out Darby Allin for weeks and on the 9/11 episode of Dynamite we finally found out what the former AEW World Champion wanted to talk about. Naturally, he wanted to discuss Darby's status as the No. 1 Contender.

"I don’t have time to explain but I’m going to need you to hand over that title shot to me,” Moxley said to a bewildered Allin, who immediately declined to just give away his chance at the top prize in AEW.

Darby told Moxley that he earned the opportunity to fight for the title at Grand Slam - by winning the Royal Rampage on the 7/29 episode of AEW Rampage - and dared Moxley to try and take it from him if he wanted it so badly.

"You want me to earn it? Darby, my man, I will earn it. Me and you, New York City, Grand Slam, your World Title shot on the line," Moxley said. "I will show you where you are on the food chain. Very far below me. You will never be AEW World Champion."

Having never come across a risk he wasn't willing to take, Darby agreed to the match.

Jon Moxley has been on a war path since returning to action a few weeks ago and his motivations are becoming more clear by the day. He wants to take back AEW from the 'out of control egos' that have permeated the company.

The suffocation of Bryan Danielson at All Out was not an act of malice, according to Moxley, but instead was a necessary step in his eyes due to Bryan not having the stomach for what the Blackpool Combat Club has planned next.

Moxley taking Danielson's place at Grand Slam signaled that the AEW World Champion would be out of action for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Should the American Dragon be able to gain medical clearance by September 25, he will go one-on-one with... NIGEL MCGUINNESS!

Nigel McGuinness challenges Bryan Danielson to a match at Grand Slam / Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Cue up the Michael Scott/Office memes AEW fans, because after years of trash talking Danielson on commentary, Nigel has finally chosen his moment to do something about the limitless hatred he has for the AEW World Champion.

After speaking to Tony Khan backstage, McGuinness went down to the ring to lay down a challenge to Danielson with him no longer having an opponent for Grand Slam.

“How long I’ve had to wait and watch Bryan Danielson enjoy the success that should have been mine. Danielson is afraid of me! He is afraid of the one match that everyone wants to see. But Tony Khan isn’t afraid. Tony Khan knows a money match when he sees one."

The former ROH World Champion stunned wrestling fans across the globe when he returned to the ring for the first time in 13 years at All In at Wembley Stadium in London. Now he's finally ready to avenge his 2009 loss to Bryan Danielson at ROH Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown.

Will Bryan Danielson be ready to compete at Arthur Ashe Stadium less than two weeks from today? Yes.... the answer is most definitely, yes.

Current card for AEW Grand Slam (9/25):

• The Young Bucks defend their AEW Tag Team Championships against Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher (The United Empire won the Tag Team Casino Gauntlet Match on 9/11 Dynamite to earn the opportunity)

• Jon Moxley vs. Darby Allin for a shot at the AEW World Championship

• Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness

You can follow Rick Ucchino on X and on Instagram: @RickUcchino

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