Bryan Danielson has dropped the AEW World Championship and he is a free agent following tonight’s WrestleDream 2024 PPV.
The American Dragon not only lost the championship to his former friend Jon Moxley at the event but he was also written off TV with the turn of Wheeler Yuta and a brutal post-match attack from Mox and his allies. According to Fightful Select, Bryan had legitimately been working without a talent contract through his AEW title run after his deal expired in August. Though Danielson has expressed multiple times that he isn’t planning to go back to WWE anytime soon.
The health issues the 43-year-old had detailed prior to the match were legitimate, according to the report and the doctors had stopped him from working Blood and Guts. While Bryan was cleared to wrestle in regular matches, the AEW star apparently wished that he hadn’t done a couple of them as WrestleDream approached.
Bryan Danielson’s AEW title run began at All In where he made Swerve Strickland tap out. Strickland had pushed for the match to end that way than any other conclusion. Danielson in turn had wanted to drop the title to Moxley which happened tonight.
The wrestling veteran has said many times that he’ll eventually require surgery for his neck issues. Now that his full-time run has come to an end, Bryan can take the time off required for the procedure and the recovery.
AEW is hoping that the former WWE star will continue wrestling for them periodically and resume additional duties when he is ready to do so.
While Mox won the title at the show, the higher power he’s been referring to was not revealed tonight. We’ll have to follow along the story to find out more of what’s been planned for the new AEW World champion and his faction.