Watch: Bryan Danielson Brings Back Iconic WWE Chant at AEW Collision

Following the main event of AEW Collision, which saw Bryan Danielson defeat the House of Black’s Brody King, Danielson addressed the crowd in Garland, Texas. In off-air footage posted to AEW’s YouTube, fans can be heard chanting “thank you Bryan” as a worn out Danielson looks out into the crowd with his swollen eye. He tuns it on the crowd and thanks them, he’s spent some of his favorite moments in his career in the Dallas metropolitan area. 

“I hate to say it but my favorite place to wrestle is in Seattle,” Danielson says to a chorus of boos from the crowd. “But if I couldn’t wrestle in Seattle, my favorite place to wrestle would be right f—ing here.” The crowd cheers and starts a “Yes” chant which makes Danielson laugh and he eventually joins in with them. “Damn it guys, you know I’m not allowed to do that! Oh the hell with it, nobody’s gonna tell on me are they?”

The “Yes” chant was synonymous with Daniel Bryan in WWE, a chant that led a revolution for his character’s development. When Danielson debuted at AEW All Out 2021, he did his usual walk out but the one thing missing was his “yes” chant. That has continued to remain the case throughout his time in AEW, only ever having used it a select few times, including against MJF in their Iron Match and against Kazuchika Okada.

During an interview on Wrasslin With Brandon Walker following his debut, Danielson noted that he wanted tor respect WWE’s intellectual property. They asked him to, even for things that can’t legally be enforced. “I’m not doing it myself because I respect WWE’s intellectual property,” Danielson said. “I don’t think anything legally…they haven’t threatened anything legally. I had a great conversation with Kevin Dunn before I debuted with AEW. I was very up front with WWE on ‘I want to let you guys know I’m leaving. This is my debut date.’ They asked me, politely, to respect their intellectual property even on some things that couldn’t be legally enforced. I’m trying my best to do that. There are also certain expectations fans have of me that they want to be able to do and I’m happy they still get to do that. I’m going to do my best to avoid swinging my arms in the air.”

In a backstage promo following his Continental Classic match, Danielson opens up about his match with fellow BCC member Claudio Castagnoli next week. He also got candid about his future in AEW, once again noting he’s closer to the end than the beginning. “Usually you guys catch me while I’m meditating, but I wasn’t meditating because I was getting yelled at by Doc Sampson,” he said. “I know when I get back to the locker room, I’m gonna be getting yelled at from my wife. When I get home tomorrow, my daughter is gonna see me and cry. My son, he’s going to say, ‘Argh! Matey!’ and then try to hit me in the eye, but I know what’s coming. My wife’s going to ask me, ‘Why?’

“The answer is also a question,” he continued. “‘What are you going to do with this one wild and precious life?’ For me, I’m going to fight. That’s what brings me joy. That’s what makes me feel alive and I’ve got it for less than a year now. I can feel the end coming, but the end’s not yet. I’m still in the game. I still have a chance to make it to the semifinals of the Continental Classic. Do you know how long I’ve wanted to be in a tournament like this? With these men, somebody like Brody King, just going after me knowing I’m hurt and going after me with everything that he’s got. Do you know how much I love that? It might hurt but I love this.” (h/t: Fightful).