Bryan Danielson has touched down in Australia ahead of AEW Grand Slam: Sydney, and the buzz around him has been impossible to ignore. The American Dragon has been front and centre during AEW’s promotional tour, speaking candidly about the company, his career, and what fans can expect from AEW’s historic first stadium show down under. From heartfelt reflections on his future to fiery declarations about AEW’s growth, Danielson has given wrestling fans in Australia plenty to talk about — and the headlines just keep coming.
Featuring quotes from; Ned & Josh, Jamie Apps of Pario Magazine, Jon Bernard, Nick Stav, and The AM/IN Show
Bryan Danielson on WWE Not Wanting AEW to Exist
While speaking with Ned & Josh during AEW’s Australian media tour, Bryan Danielson didn’t shy away from addressing the often-debated relationship between WWE and AEW. The American Dragon admitted that while most wrestlers in WWE would logically want AEW to succeed — since competition benefits talent across the board — there are some who feel differently.
“I would think most wrestlers in WWE want AEW to keep existing because it’s good for them, but certain people there obviously don’t want us to exist. I’m not saying anything bad about them. I’m just saying, I’m curious as to why they desire that.”
Danielson’s comments highlight the ongoing tension between the two biggest wrestling promotions in the world, while also showcasing his typically calm, inquisitive approach rather than outright hostility.
Bryan Danielson on the Idea of Running Ring of Honor
During an interview with Jamie Apps of Pario Magazine, Danielson was asked whether he’d ever be interested in taking over Ring of Honor — the promotion where he first made his name. His answer was thoughtful, respectful of Tony Khan’s current role, but also revealed his admiration for ROH’s value within AEW’s ecosystem.
“Yeah, I mean that would interest me. I don’t think Tony has interest in that. I think Tony does a really great job of juggling all these plates. He does a pretty great job with it. I’m always open to doing whatever the company needs. So yeah, I would love to do it.”
Danielson went on to praise Ring of Honor as a platform for younger talent, highlighting standout matches from the latest ROH pay-per-view — including Lee Moriarty vs. Xelhua, Bandido vs. Hechicero, and Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa.
“I think Ring of Honor is a really cool product, especially for our younger talent to be able to get them exposure… When you see the talent that you’ve got to work with—everybody’s perspective is a little different. Everybody has their little bit of difference, where you see something and be like, ‘Oh, okay, I would do something a little bit different here.’ But I wouldn’t say that my version of it would be any better than Tony Khan’s version. I’m not here angling for a job to take over Ring of Honor.”
Even as one of ROH’s most iconic alumni, Danielson made it clear that he isn’t lobbying for control. Instead, his comments underscored his ongoing respect for the promotion’s legacy and its role in developing future stars.
Bryan Danielson on His Running Gag with Shane Haste
In the same Pario Magazine interview, Danielson shared a lighthearted story about his history with current New Japan star Shane Haste. It all started back in Perth during his time working NWA shows, when he wrestled Haste and Mikey Nichols. Despite sharing the ring, Danielson admitted he constantly failed to recognise Haste in future encounters.
“I also did some amazing shows in Perth for the NWA and I got to wrestle Shane Haste and Mikey Nichols. They came to WWE for a bit and now they’re in New Japan. It’s really funny because I wrestled them both, and typically when you wrestle people, you remember them. But I have such poor facial recognition.”
Danielson recalled repeatedly introducing himself to Haste as though they’d never met — even after wrestling each other.
“I met Shane Haste at least eight times after that, and every time I was like, ‘Oh, hi. I’m Bryan. Nice to meet you.’ And he’d go, ‘Yeah, we’ve wrestled.’ I was like, ‘Oh, sorry, man.’ Then I’d see him the next time—’Hey, man. Bryan Danielson, nice to meet you.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, I know. We’ve wrestled. We had the same conversation last time.’”
According to Danielson, the mix-up eventually turned into a running gag between them — one he looks back on with humour rather than embarrassment.
Bryan Danielson on Finding Out About AEW Commentary
Danielson also revealed that he discovered his new commentary role on AEW Dynamite in a very unexpected way. Speaking with Pario Magazine, he explained that while the idea had been floated before, the confirmation only came to him at the same time as it did to fans.
“It had been mentioned, but then I found out the same way everybody else found out on Sunday. I got a text message like, ‘hey, man, so you’re going to be at Dynamite this week, right?’ and I was like, ‘huh?’ and then they sent me the tweet that Tony Khan sent out. I was just like, ‘oh, okay. I guess so.’
Tony and I had talked about the possibility of it, but I didn’t know it was a real thing until Sunday. It was Saturday in the United States, but Sunday here in Australia.”
Bryan Danielson on WWE’s Counter-Programming Against AEW
In an interview with Jon Bernard, Danielson addressed WWE’s strategy of counter-programming against AEW. Rather than taking shots, he framed his comments around curiosity — questioning the thought process behind WWE’s moves and whether AEW truly poses the kind of threat that would warrant such measures.
“I think of it and I wonder, right? Like, I’m just curious what the people who are making these decisions, what they’re thinking. In the sense of this, ‘Oh, okay. This AEW thing, it’s real dangerous to our billion dollar business.’ That can’t be it.
The one thing I think is that AEW existing and being this challenger brand, and being as successful as we’ve been, has changed the landscape for wrestling for the wrestlers themselves… but we’re still the challenger brand, catching up on however many years WWE has had.
But it’s interesting, because we’re not at the point of being a threat. It’s one of the things where people who really crave power and a lot of money play these weird games that I don’t understand.
It’s like, okay, we’re going to run all the competitors that might be competitive with us out of this business. Why? It’s good for the wrestlers both in AEW and WWE. It’s been good for them like—okay, if AEW wouldn’t have started, would Cody Rhodes be where he is right now? No. They have a megastar because AEW exists. Would CM Punk ever have come back? Probably not,
— The people in WWE, a lot of the people I know, are great people. So I’d be interested to know what’s the decision-making process in this? But, you know, it’s not my monkey, not my circus, whatever the line is for that, you know what I mean?”
Danielson acknowledged that AEW has undeniably shifted the wrestling landscape, creating new opportunities for talent across the industry, but made it clear he sees the company as a challenger brand rather than a direct threat.
Bryan Danielson on His Struggles in the Match with Kazuchika Okada
Reflecting on a past AEW Dynamite clash with Kazuchika Okada, Danielson admitted that his physical limitations nearly derailed the bout. Speaking to Jon Bernard, he revealed how his lingering neck issues caused an unexpected collapse in his conditioning — something that rarely happens to him.
“There was a point where I stopped being able to do some of the things that I could normally do because my neck was so bad. Shortly before my last match with Jon Moxley, I wrestled Okada on TV, and I never get tired when I wrestle ever, right? But because my neck was so bad, my legs started giving out.
And it was like, ‘Oh no, what do I do now that my legs aren’t working?’ I just thought, okay, I’ll try to get through this. Which was really hard because the story of the match was that he’s the Continental Champion. The first 20 minutes, I needed to be pushing him because the Continental Title was only up for grabs for the first 20 minutes, and I needed to be pushing the pace.
But I couldn’t, because my legs weren’t working. So yeah, if my body was fully functional, I feel like my mind is as good for wrestling as ever—but my body’s not fully functional.”
The story underlines Danielson’s ongoing battle between his wrestling mind — still as sharp as ever — and a body that sometimes struggles to keep up with the demands of his craft.
Bryan Danielson on Who He Believes Are the Best Wrestlers in the World
When asked to name the wrestlers he considers among the best in the world today, Danielson pointed to a wide range of talent across AEW, Ring of Honor, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Speaking with Jon Bernard, he praised both established stars and rising names who have stood out to him.
“As far as the people in AEW, I think Bandido has had this incredible year. He’s the ROH Champion and he just had this match with Hechicero on a Ring of Honor pay-per-view that was just awesome.
And then Will Ospreay, Swerve, Hangman—Hangman’s freaking awesome, Kyle Fletcher, there’s just so many guys. And that’s even discounting the women, right? You look at Toni Storm and Mercedes, and they’re both fantastic.
It’s hard for me to say because everybody wrestles kind of a different style. There’s a New Japan wrestler that I love named Zack Sabre Jr., and I think Zack—he’s wrestling a completely different style than anybody else, and I just find it to be super compelling.”
Danielson’s list underscores both his appreciation for technical variety and his recognition of talent across genders and promotions, highlighting just how diverse the current wrestling landscape has become.
Bryan Danielson on Vince McMahon’s Final WWE Offer
Before committing to AEW, Danielson revealed that Vince McMahon personally reached out to make him one last offer to stay with WWE. Speaking with Nick Stav, Danielson explained how he valued his relationship with McMahon but stood firm on the decision he had already made.
“I had called Vince because he and I had a really good relationship. I called him in early August and let him know, ‘Okay, I’ve made my decision and I’m gonna do this.’ Then he had called me one time kind of in the meantime and said, ‘Hey, what if we offered you this instead?’ It was maybe five days before the pay-per-view and he called me.
I said, ‘Sir, I’ve already agreed to this thing and if I was somebody to go back on this, I feel like you have a decent amount of respect for me. Would you still respect me? One of the things that you respect about me is I honor my word.’ But it was a great conversation and he said, ‘Dammit, you’re right.’”
The anecdote reflects both Danielson’s integrity in keeping his word and the mutual respect he and McMahon shared, even as their paths diverged.
Bryan Danielson on His Most Cherished Crowd Reactions
When asked if there was a specific crowd or night that stood out to him, Danielson recalled two deeply meaningful moments — one from AEW and one from WWE. Speaking with Nick Stav, he shared how both personal and professional milestones intertwined in those memories.
“The one that resonates with me most right now is when I won the (AEW World) title at All In in Wembley Stadium.
This amazing crowd reaction in front of 50-plus thousand people, but my kids are there. And they get to see it. And then they get to get in the ring with me. And then they get to experience the crowd reaction. So as a family, we’re all experiencing this together.
Another crowd reaction that is near and dear to my heart that I think about all the time is the last time my dad got to see me wrestle before he died. It was in Seattle. It was December 2013. They were doing this unification match between John Cena and Randy Orton. And they had all the former champions in the ring, and the crowd started chanting nonstop for Daniel Bryan.
What makes it stand out especially is that my dad was in the crowd, and he was in the crowd with his boss. He told this to my sister shortly after, he goes, ‘I didn’t realize that Bryan was like this’ …. RAW goes off the air and the good guys are out shaking hands, and I see my dad who was like 10-12 rows back, run up and I just give him the biggest hug. And then four or five months later, he passed away.”
From the joy of celebrating a career-defining victory at Wembley with his children to the emotional memory of sharing a final wrestling moment with his father, Danielson revealed the human side of why certain crowd reactions mean more than others.
Bryan Danielson on the Rise of Australian Talent
During an appearance on The AM/IN Show, Danielson expressed his admiration — and curiosity — about the surge of high-level wrestling talent emerging from Australia. He noted how impressive the skill level has been, while also wondering how the industry can ensure that pipeline continues to thrive.
“How does it happen, where are they training at, where do they get the reps to get this good at all this stuff. It’s more of a curiosity in the sense of, okay, how do we build these systems so that this keeps happening, so that more and more Australian wrestlers keep coming up the pipeline like this.
Toni Storm is one of the biggest draws we have in AEW, Kyle Fletcher is just incredible. Harley Cameron, I don’t know if you know this, she speaks Chinese! She does puppet stuff, she can play musical instruments, she can rap, she can do all of these different things.
How are these people coming into the pipeline to where we can present them on our programming and how do we keep that happening. From an administrative perspective, that’s what you look at.”
Danielson highlighted AEW stars like Toni Storm and Kyle Fletcher, along with Harley Cameron’s wide range of talents, as prime examples of Australia’s growing impact on global wrestling.
Bryan Danielson on Having No Wrestling Bucket List Left
Speaking again on The AM/IN Show, Danielson admitted that he no longer has any lingering goals left in professional wrestling. After decades of success and a career filled with defining moments, he explained that both his perspective and personal life have shifted.
“There’s not a single thing. I’ve been very fortunate in my career to have some incredible moments and all that kind of stuff. And I think when I was forced to retire before, I wasn’t ready to be done.
With the last six months of my wrestling career, being in as much pain as I was, that kind of put me in this thing of like, ‘Okay, you know what? I think I’m ready to be done.’ And now I have—like when I was forced to retire before, I was married, but we didn’t have kids yet, right? And so it’s like, you go home and you have that full parenting life and all that kind of stuff. It’s a whole other thing, right?
So yeah, I’m very fulfilled by my career. I’m very fulfilled by my life right now. And I get to stay involved in professional wrestling, which is something that I still love to this day.”
Danielson stressed that while his body has reminded him of his limits, he feels fully content with what he has achieved and finds joy in both his family life and his continued involvement in wrestling.
Bryan Danielson’s trip to Australia has provided fans with a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the mind of one of wrestling’s most respected figures. From candid reflections on WWE and AEW’s rivalry to heartfelt personal stories, from his thoughts on rising talent to his own physical battles, Danielson has been open, honest, and deeply thoughtful.
Across interviews with Featuring quotes from; Ned & Josh, Jamie Apps of Pario Magazine, Jon Bernard, Nick Stav, and The AM/IN Show, Danielson has shown exactly why his voice carries so much weight both inside and outside the ring. Whether he’s praising the next generation, recalling emotional family moments, or admitting he’s at peace with his career, The American Dragon’s words have only heightened anticipation for AEW Grand Slam: Sydney.