Folks, clear your calendars and cancel your plans, because on September 25, AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam is delivering a match that will shake the wrestling world to its core. The reigning AEW World Champion, Bryan Danielson, is stepping into the ring for a dream rematch against none other than his old rival, former ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness. Yes, you heard that right—this is going to be huge.
Now, Danielson was supposed to be defending his title, but with #1 contender Darby Allin putting his opportunity on the line against Jon Moxley, it seems the champ has some free time. Enter Nigel McGuinness, who made his grand return on Wednesday’s “Dynamite” and dropped a challenge that sent shockwaves through the AEW locker room. The history between these two is the stuff of wrestling legend, and McGuinness wasted no time in making it official. Tony Khan’s already drawn up the contract, and the match was confirmed faster than a referee counts to three.
It’s worth noting that Danielson isn’t exactly at 100%. He’s still recovering from a brutal attack at the hands of his former Blackpool Combat Club pals—Jon Moxley, PAC, and Claudio Castagnoli. Moxley even went so far as to asphyxiate Danielson with a plastic bag. These guys aren’t messing around—they’re dead-set on running AEW like it’s their personal playground. But in the midst of this chaos, McGuinness has swooped in like a wrestling phoenix, fresh off his first match in over a decade. He returned at AEW All In during the Casino Gauntlet at Wembley Stadium, a massive moment for fans who’ve missed seeing the British legend in action since 2011.
Danielson vs. McGuinness. Old grudges. New stakes. AEW Grand Slam. Mark it down, people—it’s going to be a night to remember.