AEW star Bryan Danielson, who has been sidelined with a serious injury for nearly a year, has admitted that he feels he has accomplished everything he could in professional wrestling.
Danielson has been out of action since October 2024, when he was injured in a match with Jon Moxley. At the time, “The American Dragon” said there was a 50/50 chance he would ever wrestle again. Now, in a new interview with SENQ 693, Danielson revealed that he feels at peace with the idea of retirement.
“Nope. Not a single thing. There’s not a single thing [left]. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have some incredible moments. When I was forced to retire before, I wasn’t ready to be done. But with the last six months of my career being in as much pain as I was, that kind of put me in this thing like, ‘Okay, I think I’m ready to be done.’
I’m very fulfilled by my career, I’m very fulfilled by my life right now. I get to stay in professional wrestling, which I still love. On the plane here, I was watching old wrestling to show younger talent—things that people used to do in wrestling that have been lost but would work really well today.”
Danielson noted that when he first retired in 2016, he and his wife Brie Bella did not yet have children, which made stepping away from the ring even more difficult. Now, with a family life outside of wrestling, he feels complete regardless of whether or not he ever wrestles again.
Danielson is currently on an Australian media tour promoting AEW’s upcoming Grand Slam Australia event in Sydney and the House Rules show in Brisbane, both scheduled for February 2026.
