Folks, you could cut the tension in Arthur Ashe Stadium with a knife. The New York crowd held their collective breath as Nigel McGuinness, with a confidence you could serve on a platter, demanded the referee count Bryan Danielson out. But just when you thought it was time to call in the search party, BOOM—“The Final Countdown” hit, and Danielson strolled down to the ring with that unmistakable “I’m about to break someone in half” vibe. And spoiler alert: he did.
The AEW World Champion faced off against McGuinness, marking their 12th singles showdown, a feud that’s older than some TikTok influencers. McGuinness didn’t waste any time aiming straight for Danielson’s soft spots—most notably his neck (held together with more tape than an overpacked Christmas gift) and his right arm, still smarting from his classic bout with Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door. But Danielson, being the wrestling cyborg that he is, decided kicking out at one after a McGuinness rebound clothesline was just the thing to stun the crowd and add a few more gasps to the night.
McGuinness threw everything at Danielson, including moves so British, they should’ve come with a cup of tea. But in the end, the veteran couldn’t seal the deal. Both men collapsed in exhaustion at one point, but Danielson, because he’s basically a human pretzel maker, twisted McGuinness into a LeBell Lock that had the Englishman tapping faster than he could say “cheerio.”
And just as the crowd thought they could breathe again, who should appear but Christian Cage, contract in hand, aiming for his shot at the AEW World Championship. Unfortunately for AEW’s favorite father figure, Kip Sabian had other plans—namely, swiping Cage’s pen like he was late for an autograph session. Cage chased Sabian backstage, only to find himself face-to-face with PAC and Claudio Castagnoli, who’ve apparently perfected the “we’re just here to stare menacingly” look. Castagnoli and PAC, by the way, were part of the Blackpool Combat Club that decided betraying Danielson at All Out 2024 was a fun team-building exercise. But hey, no drama on this night—just glares and contract-stealing hijinks.
As for McGuinness, this was his first singles match in over a decade, and while he didn’t come out on top, the fact that he’s even stepping back in the ring is enough to make anyone wonder—will we see him lace up the boots again, or is this the final curtain call?
For now, Bryan Danielson continues his reign as AEW World Champion, stretching his impressive 32-day title run. He won that belt after retiring Swerve Strickland in a Title vs. Career match at All In—but the real question is, can anyone stop him?