Daniel Bryan is one of the best wrestlers who has ever lived but he has endured a career of many ups and downs.
Bryan’s relationship with WWE was tumultuous. He was twice released by the company in the 2000s, the second time for being too violent in a segment on television in 2010 in which he strangled ring announcer Justin Roberts with his own tie during Nexus’ invasion of Monday Night Raw.
Yet, Bryan would return a few months later to kick-off the start of what would become a legendary run.
In one of the most iconic Wrestlemania moments in history, Bryan defied the odds to become WWE Heavyweight Champion at Mania 30, defeating both Randy Orton and Batista in the main event after earlier prevailing over Triple H to earn his spot in the match.
However, his reign would cruelly be cut short as a series of serious neck injuries would force him out of action and he was stripped of the title. Bryan returned to action in 2015 and eventually won the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at Mania 31 to complete the WWE Grandslam of holding every title.
But there was more bad news to come.
Did Daniel Bryan retire?
After being off television for a month as he was ‘medically unable to compete’, Bryan relinquished his title on May 11, 2015, just over a month after winning it.
Bryan later revealed his injuries were concussion related but remained adamant he would return to the ring. Yet, on February 8, 2016, Bryan officially retired from wrestling due to medical reasons. He announced the news in an emotional speech on Raw in Seattle, in his home state of Washington.
He would later reveal that he had suffered at least 10 concussions during his wrestling career but could have suffered even more that were undiagnosed and he made his decision after a discovery of a lesion on his brain.
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But it’s a story that wouldn’t end in heartbreak.
The comeback
After his agonising retirement, Bryan could not stay away from his passion for long. He would serve as a commentator during the Cruiserweight Classic and then became Smackdown Live General Manager following the brand split in mid-2016.
For the next two years Bryan never gave up on his dream to return to the ring. He continued to evaluate his health and his brain and did whatever it took to be declared fit to compete. On March 20, 2018, he finally was cleared by three independent neurosurgeons, neurologists, and concussion experts as well as WWE’s own head of medical.
Bryan made his long-awaited return at Wrestlemania 34, teaming with fellow Smackdown general manager Shane McMahon to defeat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
Bryan would spend the next three years in WWE, becoming WWE Champion for a fourth time and turning heel in the progress. He would lose the belt to Kofi Kingston in a classic encounter at Wrestlemania 36. A year later he failed to win the belt back in a triple threat with Roman Reigns and Edge and then lost in a single match to Reigns on April 30, 2011, which would be his final match in WWE.
After the expiration of his contract, Bryan joined All Elite Wrestling, making his shock debut at All Out 2021, returning to his moniker ‘The American Dragon’ Bryan Danielson.
He has gone on to have a string of incredible matches in AEW including against but not limited to: Kenny Omega, MJF, Zack Sabre Jr, Ricky Starks and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. He competed at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom against Kazuchika Okada in January.
Danielson remains in AEW, despite going on to suffer further concussions, as a member of the Blackpool Combat Club but has stated 2024 will be his last full-time year in professional wrestling.
