At WrestleMania 30, Bryan Danielson reached the zenith of his WWE trajectory. However, the journey to the showcase of the immortals wasn’t smooth sailing, as the legendary wrestler had bouts with extreme discomfort and pain leading up to the event.
The spectacle witnessed Bryan securing a victory over Triple H in the inaugural match, followed by his triumph against Randy Orton and Batista in the closing main event. This accomplishment crowned him as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
The pivotal moment of Bryan’s victory was, in part, attributed to the fan-driven ‘YES! Movement’. This overwhelming support from the WWE Universe compelled the company to spotlight Bryan in the main event.
In a conversation with TV Insider, fellow professional wrestler Jon Moxley shed light on the depth of Bryan’s struggle during the WrestleMania build-up back in April 2014, saying:
“I don’t think people understand how much he has gone through physically. I remember the run-up to the WrestleMania he headlined. I was with him pretty much every night, and he was banged up. He was getting through it to get there.”
“A lot of people don’t understand the actual physical toll this could take on your body. I don’t think people knew how much he was suffering. You would never know it by looking at him. I was there and saw and understood what he went through.”
Unfortunately, Danielson’s championship run was abruptly halted months later when he had to relinquish the title because of injuries. These injuries led to his retirement within two years.
Moxley’s own WrestleMania 30 experience was a dominant one, teaming with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns to decimate The New Age Outlaws and Kane.
Presently, Danielson has taken a break from All Elite Wrestling (AEW) consequent to his defeat to Moxley at WrestleDream. Danielson anticipates undergoing neck surgery this year.
Bryan has recently opened up about his 2016 retirement and the challenging times that followed. To learn more about his thoughts and journey since then, you can click the provided link.
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