Folks, they say heavy is the head that wears the crown, but in Bryan Danielson’s case, it might just be reluctant too. This past Sunday at AEW’s All In, Danielson captured his first AEW World Championship by defeating Swerve Strickland, but if reports are to be believed, the American Dragon was less interested in gold and more in handing off the spotlight.
According to those in the know, the wrestling world’s go-to scoops folks over at “Fightful Select” revealed that Danielson had been pretty clear about not wanting to hold any titles in AEW. That’s right—while most wrestlers are dreaming of championships, Danielson was daydreaming about putting younger stars over. But AEW CEO Tony Khan had other plans, reportedly sweet-talking Danielson into donning the championship belt for a victory that would close out the weekend’s pay-per-view with a bang. And bang it did—although, according to backstage whispers, it was with the kind of bang that had folks joking about a “reverse Montreal Screwjob.” Yes, you read that right.
The backstage banter suggests Khan was so keen on having Danielson as champ that the whole situation was flipped on its head. No shady, last-minute surprises like that famous 1997 incident, but rather a coaxing effort to ensure Danielson reluctantly accepted the title, culminating in that picture-perfect final shot of him holding the belt aloft in Wembley Stadium.
Now, let’s talk about what could have been. Rumors had been swirling about a potential Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay main event, but apparently, that was never in the cards. According to reports, the Strickland-Danielson showdown was locked in as far back as April. Ospreay, however, still managed to electrify his home crowd, snagging the AEW International Championship from MJF—so don’t worry, folks, his main event moment is probably just around the corner.
As for Danielson, his win at All In makes him the fourth wrestler to have held both WWE and AEW world titles, joining the elite company of Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, and CM Punk. But here’s the kicker—Danielson wasn’t exactly clamoring for this accolade. Earlier this year, he expressed that he wanted to focus on elevating younger stars rather than collecting more titles. He cited the success of MJF and “Hangman” Adam Page as proof that the future of wrestling is in good hands—and it’s hands like those he’d prefer to see holding the belt.
The narrative leading up to All In was steeped in speculation that this could be Danielson’s final match, with the stipulation hanging over him like a dark cloud: lose to Swerve, and it’s time to retire. Danielson had openly discussed his desire to step away from the ring to spend more time with his family, particularly his two young children. But for now, it seems retirement will have to wait—at least until he’s done holding the title he never really wanted in the first place.