Bryan Danielson - better known to WWE fans as Daniel Bryan - did what many thought was impossible in 2018 when he returned from a career-ending brain injury. Multiple concussions led to seizures and a brain lesion, but he was cleared and wrestled for WWE until 2021.
Deciding he wanted more than the company offered at the time, he signed with AEW and finally became AEW World Champion at this year's All In PPV. However, he lost the title to Jon Moxley months later at WrestleDream 2024 in what was billed as his final pro wrestling match.
During a recent interview with Metro, the American Dragon and former leader of the Yes Movement said he's come to terms with his in-ring career likely having reached its end.
"I have no inclination right now, and no desire to wrestle right now," he admitted. "The last six months of my career built up to that I actually, I look at it now as a blessing. Because the six months leading into my last match were so hard and my neck was so bad. And, I mean, there’s things that I couldn’t physically do."
"[My] neck is wrecked. I’m making progress, but that still doesn’t mean I won’t have to get neck surgery. I’m trying to avoid it," Danielson said in a separate interview. "When I was forced to retire the first time, I didn’t want to. I kept fighting, both internally and outwardly, to return. Now, I’m at peace with it. When the last match came against Moxley, I was ready. And that’s a good place to be."
While it sounds like Danielson has made peace with his pro wrestling future not necessarily being in the ring, it sounds like the door has been left—slightly—ajar.
"The reality is that, say you have a big main event and something happens where somebody gets hurt, and Tony [Khan] says, 'Hey Bryan, we need you for this thing, is there something you could do?' Yeah, there’s something I could do. I just have to be careful."
"It’s risk versus reward at this point, right? So I want to be able to live comfortably with my wife and kids," he explained. "One of the things our society has a real problem with is realizing when enough is enough, and I’m very satisfied with my career, and I think enough is enough. I did 25 years of wrestling, and I loved it, and I’m satisfied, and it feels like enough right now."
We'd hope that AEW President Tony Khan wouldn't put Danielson in a position where his well-being is at risk, and its a little frightening that the pro wrestler would consider saying yes to such an offer.
Moving forward, it appears Danielson will remain with AEW rather than make his long-awaited WWE return. However, a WWE Hall of Fame induction has to happen somewhere down the line.