AEW's Bryan Danielson Assesses His Future In Wrestling

Bryan Danielson faces a difficult decision at AEW All In. If he doesn't defeat AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, Danielson will be forced to retire per his own stipulation. In an interview with "The Gorilla Position," Danielson said his body is ready for him to start eyeing an exit strategy.

"If I lose, I'm done. Done-done," Danielson said. "For years I thought I would never retire again ... but I've come to the point this last year has been really hard on me physically."

Danielson chuckled as he listed the lengthy matches and brutal injuries he's suffered over the course of 2024, which have "The American Dragon" thinking more about his long-term comfort.

"My son ... he's wild ... When I broke my arm, he can't understand 'Leave this arm alone,'" Danielson said, noting he needs neck surgery soon. "I fear being around my son for that neck surgery."

Danielson says all his injuries happened on routine moves, mentioning a wristlock from Zack Sabre Jr. hurting his previously-broken arm immensely. He questions whether he will be able to have the longevity of wrestlers like Johnny Saint, who wrestled well into their 70s comfortably.

"It shouldn't be that thing that's destroying you, and yet there I was ... It's getting to the point [of] 'What's the tradeoff here?'" Danielson questioned. "What kind of tradeoffs am I doing here?"

Danielson says he first "tried" his dad at 15 years old, and Danielson doesn't want to be so broken down that his son will easily defeat his father.