In a recent conversation with Sports Illustrated, professional wrestler Bryan Danielson revealed that this year would mark the end of his full-time wrestling career, and also explained why he doesn’t see himself vying for a world championship title as he transitions out. Highlights from this conversation can be found below:
When discussing his upcoming face-off with Shingo Takagi at the Forbidden Door event, Danielson shared, “What I find truly compelling is the journey both of us have made as wrestlers since our early days in 2010. Looking at Shingo’s career trajectory, he left Dragon Gate behind and charged headfirst into NJPW – Japan’s most prominent wrestling company. There, he claimed victory as the IWGP junior champion and later transitioned into the heavyweight category, seizing the IWGP heavyweight championship. I couldn’t help but be an avid viewer every time he stepped into the ring.”
Talking about why he isn’t eyeing the championship title, Danielson said, “I feel like that’s not my role anymore. With the caliber of wrestling in AEW soaring so high, headlining pay-per-view events is becoming increasingly challenging—not something I believe my body can continue handling. While I acknowledge some fans may desire this, I feel it’s not my place. Here’s a revelation: I have no interest in having creative control over my journey. Surprisingly, many believe that I do. But the fact is, it’s tough to be subjective when it comes to oneself in wrestling. To that end, I’ve always entrusted my career decisions to others. Even during my time with WWE’s creative team, I dodged questions about what I desired for my career path. It’s hard to stay objective in such scenarios.”
Expressing his fondness for tournaments, Danielson said, “What I appreciate about tournaments is that they portray a genuine sports-like representation. That’s the style I most enjoy, both as a spectator and a participant. Tournaments offer a well-suited platform for that.”
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