Dream Story Arc for Bryan Danielson After Shocking Return at AEW All In: Texas

Following a surprise appearance at AEW All In: Texas, fans are already wondering when they could see Bryan Danielson again.

Last October, The American Dragon effectively retired from full-time in-ring competition at WrestleDream when he lost the AEW World Championship to Jon Moxley. Afterward, The Blackpool Combat Club viciously attacked their former stablemate again to close the show and end his illustrious career on a dark and unconventional cliffhanger. 

In his absence, the group became The Death Riders and overwhelmed the rest of the locker room in their bid to remold All Elite Wrestling into the company they envisioned. Their storyline came with its share of criticism, but the main event of All In was the perfect ending. 

Although no one expected it, it was only right that Danielson returned to help “Hangman” Adam Page defeat Mox. After all, this conflict started when the group betrayed him last year at All Out, and some savvy fans have pointed out that his side plates were still on the world title when Page finally raised it over his head. 

So, where does this leave the 44-year-old free agent? The celebrated technical wrestler took some time to overcome his health issues, but he never said he would completely retire from pro wrestling.  

With a part-time schedule possibly in the cards, this is our dream story arc for Danielson’s potential return to the ring. 

Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Another Run in The Continental Classic

The Continental Classic was created with someone like The American Dragon in mind. In fact, he was the first participant announced for AEW’s inaugural round-robin tournament in 2023. 

The tournament allows the best wrestlers on the roster to do what they do best on weekly television. As such, it’s the ideal way to bring Danielson back into the fray and set up an anticipated rematch.

Danielson should enter the gold league and take on wrestlers like Lee Moriarty and Jay White, who he still hasn’t had a one-on-one match with. Most importantly, this could place him face to face with Wheeler Yuta for the first time since WrestleDream. 

This would be a great way to give his old protege the character development we’ve been hoping for since he sided with The Death Riders. Forcing Yuta to confront the man he betrayed in the C2, where his allies can’t interfere, could be the breakthrough he needs. 

Meanwhile, Kenny Omega, who presumably earn a rematch with Kazuchika Okada and wins the unified title by then, makes his way through the blue league. Of course, the finals at Worlds End would be Danielson vs. The Best Bout Machine. 

We’ve been waiting for this rematch since their highly acclaimed matchup at AEW Grand Slam ended in a time limit draw in 2021. This storyline would put them both in the Continental Classic together for the first time since its inception, paving the way for an epic unified championship match.

Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

The Best Technical Wrestler in the World 

At this rate, the idea of Danielson and Omega in the C2 anytime soon may be a lofty prediction. Nevertheless, there’s one more matchup we would like to see again, and it wouldn’t be difficult to pull off. 

The American Dragon could make a surprise return on Dynamite in his gear, march down the ring, and issue an open challenge. The premise is simple; he would express how much he missed the fans and wrestling. He could even do it at a hometown show. 

Orange Cassidy would answer the call because they still haven’t had a one-on-one match, and he wanted to test himself against him. Cassidy also feels he has something to prove because he failed to defeat The Death Riders.

After their match, Danielson could keep making surprise appearances at shows like Grand Slam Mexico. He could pop up on a random episode of Ring of Honor and wrestle Adam Priest, but with every win, he grows frustrated.

The former AEW world champion will keep doing the open challenges until Ryohei Oiwa of TMDK answers him in the lead-in to Wrestle Dynasty and loses. That’s when Zack Sabre Jr. finally confronts him because they still have unfinished business.   

Their series is tied after their match following their match from NJPW The New Beginnings in Osaka. Although Sabre was the victor after their last encounter, he said that he can’t accept the title of “The Best Technical Wrestler in the World” until he beats him via submission during our interview earlier this year.

Danielson grabs a mic and says, “What took you so long?”  In response, ZSJ says, “Let’s settle this once and for all at the Tokyo Dome, Wrestle Dynasty. This time you will tap out.”

Their last two matches were so good that it’s hard to imagine they don’t have one more classic in them, befitting the biggest stage in Japan.