AEW Champ Swerve Strickland Contemplates Ending Bryan Danielson's Career

In a matter of hours, Swerve Strickland will defend his AEW World Championship at AEW All In, with the added stipulation that Bryan Danielson, the challenger, will retire from pro wrestling if he loses. During a recent interview with "Barstool Rasslin," Strickland revealed that he was "100%" comfortable with potentially ending Danielson's in-ring career.

"What's more unique in my championship reign than ending the in-ring career of one of the greatest of our era, of Bryan Danielson, one of the greatest to ever wrestle inside of a wrestling ring?" Strickland asked. "He's one of the pioneers. To me, his era of Ring of Honor, he was the pioneer for what you get on wrestling television now, not just in All Elite Wrestling, but in every company that you see."

"That independent style, that hard-hitting, the grappling, that pace, that style has truly been revolutionized," Strickland continued. "It's made it to mainstream now. That's like a huge thank you to a Bryan Danielson for being one of the pioneers of that. It's part of the reason why I do what I do, how I wrestle the way I wrestle, and why I look up to a lot of these guys the way that I do."

In addition to his personal admiration for Danielson, Strickland noted that part of his match motivation also stems from pride, as he and "The American Dragon" both hail from the state of Washington. While Danielson originates from the city of Aberdeen, Strickland is a native of Tacoma. As such, Strickland is eager to position himself as the "king" of the Pacific Northwest. To do so, he believes he must first take out Danielson at AEW All In from London's Wembley Stadium.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Barstool Rasslin" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.