This past Saturday night on Collision, Bryan Danielson had some bad news for pro wrestling fans: his time as an in-ring performer is winding down. In an emotional but surprisingly upbeat promo, The American Dragon let the AEW faithful know that he will be winding things down as an active competitor over the next year. With that said, he plans on going out swinging. Danielson invoked several Odyssey references, describing how he would be battling The Cyclops and tied to the mast of the ship to confront the sirens’ song. He concluded by calling out Zack Sabre Jr., who he will face at Wrestle Dream on October 1.
Sports Illustrated reports that, after speaking with several people close to the situation, Danielson is indeed expected to wrap up his time as a full-time performer in the next year but may remain a “special attraction” for the company. It goes on to say that Danielson has become one of Tony Khan’s most trusted advisors, and even though his time as an in-ring competitor may wrap up in 2024, he is expected to stay with AEW for the foreseeable future.
Danielson and Khan both hinted at the former WWE World Champion’s time as an active competitor wrapping up during the AEW: All Out media scrums. Much like he said in his Collision address, the importance of spending time with his growing daughters is important to him, and he made a promise to his oldest that when she turned seven, he would start to wind things down. She is currently six years old, putting less than twelve months on the clock.
The two men also discussed Danielson’s schedule and how he enjoys driving his daughters to and from school during the week. So, for that reason, it appears Danielson will become more of a regular on Saturday nights’ AEW: Collision, where he was already working in a creative capacity alongside Khan and former AEW star CM Punk. With Punk no longer in the All Elite mix, Danielson’s star power will also help fill the void that The Second City Savior’s presence left with his exit. Once Danielson steps out of the spotlight in a year, it will be interesting to see who Khan and AEW make Collision’s new centerpiece.