Bryan Danielson has closed the book on his full time wrestling career in an emotional and violent twist at AEW WrestleDream.
The 43-year-old star, who is best known to WWE fans as Daniel Bryan, was previously forced to retire due to injury in 2016 before making a sensational comeback two years later.
He left the sports entertainment juggernaut in 2021 and joined rivals All Elite Wrestling, and on Saturday night he lost to Jon Moxley in a world championship bout with wider implications.
After winning the title at Wembley Stadium in August, the American Dragon vowed he would be retiring from his full time career whenever he lost the gold.
That was the case this weekend, as Moxley defeated him and launched a brutal attack with fellow Blackpool Combat Club alumni Wheeler Yuta, including a repeat of last month’s plastic bag stunt.
Despite the best efforts of the likes of Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy and more, Danielson was left lying and even placed on a stretcher as the show ended on a sour note.
While some fans were furious at seeing his decorated career end like this, others were simply left emotional knowing they’d witnessed his final match as an active, full-time wrestler.
Crying in my room on my own at 5am. i’m so grateful to have experienced Bryan Danielson’s full time career in real time, it feels like witnessing history,’ wrote @phenexqueen on X. ‘I watched a legend be born every week and that’s the most amazing thing ever. Thank you for everything Bryan.’
‘#aewwresltedream Thank You Bryan Danielson Career is over put Moxley Over New AEW World Champion. You can hear silence and tears,’ tweeted @CowboyFanz11.
Fan @sirelbowdropz added: ‘I just finished #AEWWrestleDream and I am in tears… #ThankYouBryan,’ while @AB10os, wrote: ‘The end of an era. All I can say is #ThankYouBryan. American Dragon Forever. YES!! @AB10os
While @TCorcoran2000 ranted: ‘I’m literally crying and enraged, I really hope this isn’t Danielson’s last match. Like, why turn Wheeler Yuta heel at the expense of Danielson’s final full time match?! If this is Danielson’s goodbye, then this is one of the worst ways to send off an all time great.’
Danielson has been open about his plans to step back from a full-time schedule, particularly after his recent October 2 match with Kazuchika Okada.
He told Yahoo Sports’ Uncrowned: ‘Midway through the match, I started losing strength in my legs. There’s a point later in the match where I’m trying to kick him and I can’t turn over my kicks.
‘That’s something that I have the body mechanics to do because I have been doing it for so long, but here I am and I can’t turn my hip over for this kick.
‘When I got to the back, I went to the trainer right away and they worked on me for like 30 minutes. They said it was stemming from the neck stuff.’
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