Bryan Danielson Makes Announcement about His Future
Bryan Danielson made a shocking announcement on last night’s Collision, sharing that he will begin finishing up his career once his six-year-old daughter turns seven.
A proud husband and father of two children, Danielson has long been open about his desire to spend more time at home with his family.
But the announcement is open to some interpretation. Multiple people close to the situation confirmed with Sports Illustrated that Danielson will be stepping away from wrestling full-time in the next year, yet may remain a special attraction for AEW.
This was a particularly enjoyable Collision, with Bryan’s announcement far from the only standout moment of the night. Samoa Joe continued his elite run, defeating Penta El Zero Miedo in an outstanding match. After being away for the past three months, Jade Cargill made her return, reinserting herself in the TBS title picture. Roderick Strong also had a fantastic match against Darby Allin, a sign that he is evolving into a significant player for the company.
Yet the biggest spotlight of the night belonged to Danielson. In addition to his announcement, he challenged Zack Sabre Jr. to a bout for the inaugural Wrestle Dream pay-per-view on October 1.
Courtesy AEW
The match, which takes place in Danielson’s native Washington, was originally supposed to take place at last year’s Forbidden Door. Injuries prevented that from taking place, but it is now set to occur at the first-ever Wrestle Dream.
And only days removed from their iconic strap match at All Out, Danielson also continued his feud with Ricky Starks. The program also includes Big Bill, who was Big Cass in WWE (and combined with Danielson for an excellent match at Money in the Bank in 2018). Big Bill will challenge Danielson’s Blackpool Combat Club partner Jon Moxley this Wednesday on Dynamite, with the International title on the line in Moxley’s hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Danielson is a major part of the heartbeat of AEW. His connection with AEW CEO Tony Khan is genuine, and he has become one of Khan’s most trusted advisers. He will also be part of AEW for the foreseeable future, even if he plans on stepping away from his full-time schedule in 2024.
