Bryan Danielson, one of the most celebrated wrestlers of his generation, has provided a candid update on his health and mindset, revealing that he currently has “no desire” to return to in-ring competition.
Danielson has been out of action since losing the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley at AEW WrestleDream on October 12, 2024. Speaking in recent interviews with Metro, Jamal Niaz (JNMEDIAUK), and Fightful, Danielson opened up about the physical toll of his 25-year career and how he has found peace with the possibility that his wrestling days may be over.
“I have no inclination right now, and no desire to wrestle right now,” Danielson told Metro.
He reflected on how the struggles of his final months as an active wrestler actually helped him reach this mindset:
“The last six months of my career built up to that. I actually 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.”
Danielson cited his October 2, 2024 match against Kazuchika Okada as an example:
“What the story should be in that scenario is I’m pushing and pushing and pushing and pushing him, trying to get this fall done in the first 20 minutes… That should have been the story, but my legs just couldn’t do it.”
The severity of his neck injury remains a major factor. Speaking to Jamal Niaz, Danielson said bluntly:
“Yeah, but my neck is wrecked.”
He further explained to Metro that while he hasn’t undergone surgery yet, it remains a possibility:
“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 told Fightful that his priority is clear:
“My priority is my health… My desire is to not get neck surgery… If I could live comfortably without neck surgery, but it means that I wouldn’t get to wrestle again, I think I’d be okay with that trade-off.”
Despite the uncertainty, Danielson emphasized that he is now at peace, a stark contrast to his forced WWE retirement in 2016:
“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.”
Although Danielson has not completely ruled out a return in extreme circumstances, the odds are slim. Speaking about potential appearances at shows like Forbidden Door or All In at Wembley Stadium, he said:
“I’m like, 95% chance no,” Danielson told Metro. “But 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.”
Ultimately, Danielson’s perspective is now shaped by a desire to prioritize his health and family:
“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 to Jamal Niaz.
“I did 25 years of wrestling, and I loved it, and I’m satisfied, and it feels like enough right now,” he added in an interview with the Daily Star.
Although he is no longer competing, Danielson remains active behind the scenes in AEW, serving as a consultant and reportedly being part of the company’s disciplinary committee.
For now, Danielson’s focus is on recovery, family, and exploring other interests like jiu-jitsu—accepting that his legendary in-ring career may have reached its conclusion.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates on Bryan Danielson and all the latest AEW news.
