Bryan Danielson is currently one of the top names on the AEW roster. However, between 2009 and 2021, he was with WWE and wrestled under the ring name Daniel Bryan. Believe it or not, the American Dragon was on the top of the ladder there as well. In fact, in WWE, he held the world title five times, the IC title once, and the US title once. But in 2021, Daniel Bryan decided to leave WWE and joined AEW as Bryan Danielson.
The American Dragon spoke to Renee Paquette on an episode of her The Sessions podcast. Talking to his former WWE buddy, the AEW superstar reflected on his career including his time in WWE. Bryan Danielson discussed his last year in WWE, filming Total Bellas, and much more.
Bryan Danielson shared the reasons that made him leave WWE in 2021
During the show, Renee acknowledged the incredible career Bryan Danielson had working with WWE for over a decade. She then asked the former WWE superstar what made him leave the company in 2021.
Danielson mentioned how people thought he had two options (WWE and AEW) when he decided to quit. However, he considered three, either sign with WWE or AEW or become a part-time wrestler and full-time dad. And with the kind of money both companies were offering, Bryan Danielson joked his wife wanted to kill him.
In the end, it all came down to schedule and “a little bit of creative freedom”. Moreover, considering the time he had spent in WWE, working in a “new world” also intrigued him. What surprised everyone was that Bryan Danielson said he decided to quit WWE because he wanted to bleed.
The American Dragon’s last match in the WWE ring was one of the best matches of that year
Unlike many other WWE superstars who signed with AEW, the American Dragon left the company on good terms. Up until the last day, he was booked as a top superstar. In fact, the last match he wrestled there was against the face of the company.
The April 30, 2021, episode saw Daniel Bryan squaring off against Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. By that time, he had decided to leave the company. Therefore, the match was executed with a title versus career stipulation, which he lost. Even in his last match, Danielson gave everything and produced a match of ages against The Tribal Chief.
Nevertheless, as noted above, Bryan was on good terms with WWE when he left. Not now, but he will certainly make his return to the company at some point. Until then, he is an AEW superstar, delivering outstanding performances every time he steps into the ring.
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