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BRYAN DANIELSON DISCUSSES WHY THE NEXT THREE YEARS WILL BE CLIMAX OF HIS CAREER, JOINING AEW, THE MISTAKE THAT LED TO WWE RETIRING HIM, HOW HE FEELS TODAY, KHAN VS. MCMAHON, THANKING WWE AFTER EXITING THE COMPANY, DYNAMITE GRAND SLAM AND TONS MORE

Bryan Danielson appeared this afternoon on WFAN Radio in New York City this afternoon to promote AEW Dynamite Grand Slam.

Danielson was asked about switching from WWE to AEW.  He said that was a complicated decision that wouldn't be great for sound bites but a bit part of it is AEW is just fun and watching it, he knew he would have something special against Kenny Omega.  That was the match he wanted after watching Omega's ascension over the last decade and having it in NYC is the right plane and time.

Danielson was asked about the thank you he wrote to say his goodbyes to WWE.  Danielson said he felt he needed to say these things publicly, not just for the people in WWE but the fan base.  There's a level of tribalism and some fans felt almost betrayed.  He wasn't able to say goodbye to everyone at WWE, the camera men, the catering people who made Vegan meals for him for years, people on the creative team he loved.  These were good people he formed great relationships with.  You form complicated, deep relationships with people like Vince McMahon and the wrestlers and you want to acknowledge them.

When asked to compare Vince McMahon and Tony Khan, neither of them sleep much and they each take on so much.  What is difference is how you communicate with them.  Vince is intimidating and speaks deliberately and doesn't answer without thinking.  He said he didn't remember meeting Khan several years ago but when he was about to go out at the All Out PPV, Khan was exploding and screaming with energy.  

Danielson said that there was no convincing Khan had to do to get him to AEW.  The hard thing to do was getting past his loyalty to Vince McMahon after all the great things he did for Bryan and his family.  He considered being an independent wrestler and making his own schedule.  He also considered not coming back for several week.  There was a time where he was gone every week of his daughter's life and then he got to spend time with her every day and now that he's gone again, they Facetime and she misses him.  He considered taking time off until his son entered pre-school but then he risked coming back at 45 and not being at the same level athletically as he is at 40.

Danielson was asked about CM Punk in AEW.  He said they will work well together.  Even if Danielson didn't come in, he knew Punk would do well.  You could see Punk's passion for wrestling bleeding out of him on the independents.  In WWE, Punk wasn't the same guy.  Now, he's happy and that passion bleeds through again.

On Vince McMahon, Danielson was asked if there was closure.  Danielson said the exit was positive.  He had good relationships with so many people.  So many people think in terms of companies but he thinks in terms of WWE.  He's has positive conversations with people since he's left, including Kevin Dunn.  There are ways to leave and still be friends with people.

Danielson was asked about taking time off to let your body heal.  He was asked the lowest point physically was Wrestlemania 30, which was his highest profile.  He had nerve issues in his neck and lost strength in his arms.  He couldn't unlock his car in his right hand, so he had to have neck surgery to prevent permanent damage.  His other issues were concussion-related and he was forced to retire "because he lied to them" and said that was a big lesson for everyone.  They still felt he could wrestle but told him they couldn't trust him anymore with his own body.  Danielson said he's 40 now and he feels infinitely better than he did at Wrestlemania 30.

Bryan said that he's dedicated 10% of the money he's earned to improve his health, brain health and hyperbolic chambers.  By the time his son wants to wrestle with him the way Bryan wanted to wrestle his dad, Bryan will be 55 and he wants to be there physically and mentally for his children.  He wants to be able to talk chemistry with his daughter when she's old enough to ask questions for homework.

Bryan was asked about the E! reality series he's done with the Bellas.  Bryan said the experience is "too much" and perhaps it's because he's also a pro wrestler who would come home and be tired from the road and now you are preparing to be back on camera again or being filmed again.  He joked about being asked to change his clothes so it doesn't appear everything is filmed at the same time.  He said he made great relationships with people who worked on the show, including two guys named Cody and Justin, and loved talking to them - but once you start highlighting all the relationship issues.  He said he wants to look at his wife through the prism of when he first met her and the aura and glow she had, but with that show, they focus on the negative and ask them to go back to focus again on the negative again.  He said there should be a study about those on reality shows and whether they have gotten divorced.

Danielson was asked about the AEW locker room and whether it's different from WWE.  He said there's a lot more people in the locker room and was like, "Whoa it's crowded" and joked about changing in the shower.  He said there's a lot more younger talents.  Danielson said he will form relationships with talents over time.  There has to be a bond established over time, as he formed one with his mentor, William Regal.  To name anyone he wants to mentor, he would be leaving out so many others.  He mentioned MJF, Darby Allin as being great already.  He praised Dante Martin's aerial maneuvers and said Martin has done thing Danielson has never seen before and he's only 20 years old.  Daniel Garcia reminds Bryan of himself when he was that age.  The personalities have to bond over time and no situation is the same.  He would have had many more breakdowns had it not been for the counsel of William Regal who implored him to look at things from a different perspective.

On the level of competition, Bryan Danielson said most companies make their money from TV deals and in a few years, there's going to be a battle for who gets what and who has the better ratings will determine that.  He loves that Khan's view of wrestling is a fan's perspective and a modern way of setting it up.  WWE is more of an entertainment show with an interview segment that sets up the entertainment for the night.  Ruby Soho and Malakai Black are getting opportunities in AEW where they were underutilized in WWE.  One day, it will go the other way where someone who is underutilized in AEW may go to WWE.  He's not going to lie.  He's going to see someone in WWE doing something and feel that he can do it better.

Danielson said that he feels he's proven to everyone he's pretty good at what he does.  In wrestling, you have to be good at wrestling, plus get over the idea of being in his underwear pretending to fight when he's normally a shy guy as well getting over his fear of speaking publicly.  He's become a much better person because of pro wrestling but it also points out your flaws, physically and mentally.  He has to break it down and figure out how to better handle it when he's hurting or feeling demoralized.  He sees the next three years as his last as a full-time pro wrestler, but the climax of his career will be that period and it all starts tomorrow vs. Omega.

Danielson was asked about AEW's new relationship with the Owen Hart Foundation.  Danielson said that as someone who has followed the situation, he thinks it's really cool.  Owen's wife had taking a step away from WWE but wrestling fans loved Owen so much, so to see her re-engage with wrestling fans through AEW and for the betterment of others is pretty incredible.

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