Bryan Danielson had a wild 2021 as he went from being a top star in WWE to disappearing from the wrestling business for months to making his debut for AEW.
In the main event of WrestleMania 37 – Night 2, Danielson worked with Edge and Roman Reigns in a triple threat match for the Universal Title. It was Danielson’s second WrestleMania main event. He previously won the World Heavyweight Title from Randy Orton in a triple threat match that also included Batista in 2014 at WrestleMania 30.
Danielson decided not to renew his contract with WWE and took the summer off before signing with AEW instead of staying with WWE.
The Match
While speaking with Sports Illustrated, Danielson noted that the WrestleMania 37 match didn’t mean anything to him.
“That was a match people enjoyed,” says Danielson. “It didn’t mean anything to me. I felt nothing. You have to remember—it was our first time back in front of a live crowd [since the start of the pandemic], and we were in front of thousands of people. I felt nothing during that match. I was trying my best, but it felt like I was going through the motions.
Then I wrestled Roman in the ThunderDome in front of all these screens, and I loved that match. It was the perfect way for me to end my WWE career. Putting together the [WrestleMania] match, I could feel a little bit of my apathy, but that’s happened before and then I walk out there and I feel, ‘This is what I live for.’ That was very weird psychologically.”
Danielson will challenge AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF in a 60-minute iron man match this Sunday at AEW Revolution.
