The end of AEW Dynamite included a segment with the new AEW World Champion, Bryan Danielson. He captured the title mere days ago from Swerve Strickland at AEW All In, with over 50,000 fans singing along to “The Final Countdown.” He’s been candid about his wrestling career and that the end is much closer than the beginning so fans have wondered what’s to come with his title reign. Would he win it and automatically retire? Was retiring just a rouse? Danielson answered all the pressing questions that have plagued everyone’s minds since Saturday and he was even paid a visit by his first challenger.
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The crowd enthusiastically cheered for Danielson as he made his way to the ring with “yes” chants. Danielson talks about his family being at Wembley to see him win. After the match, his daughter Birdie said it was the best day ever. While it could have been because of the Peppa Pig double decker bus, it doesn’t change the fact winning was his favorite moment of his entire career. When he was asked about what’s next, he is candid about his contract expiring on August 1st. He needs neck surgery sooner than later and his family is ready for him to come home.
He’s done a lot of thinking, especially about when he came to AEW. He’s loved wrestling his entire life and the fact that AEW exists makes wrestling and his life better. When he thinks of all the things the people that started AEW did and he sees his peers and future performers he realized it’s probably time for him to go home — but not yet! He will not retire as champion, he will fight for the title as much as he can. He’s still got a lot of heads to kick in. So at AEW All Out in Chicago, Illinois, he calls an open challenge. He wants to be the best AEW World Champion of all time.
The camera cuts to TNT Champion Jack Perry. Danielson doesn’t know his future but Jack knows his. He says Danielson never believed in him. He claimed his own future in AEW. He calls his shot — his future is to be AEW World Champion and he plans on being the one to retire “The American Dragon.” Perry beats him up from behind, knocking him out. Grabbing the TNT title and the AEW World Championship, he holds them high above he and Danielson’s heads.
Obviously Perry and Chicago have a bit of a messy history. The city is the hometown of current WWE star CM Punk who wrestled in AEW up until last September. He was let go from the company ahead of AEW All Out after a backstage altercation with Perry that had left him suspended. While the fans have given a pretty mix reaction to both men over the last year in AEW, it’s almost certain that he will get thunderous boos in the NOW Arena.
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