Bryan Danielson is the AEW Men’s World Champion.
He is also a marked man.
As we saw on AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, it didn’t take long for one of the first contenders for Bryan Danielson to emerge. Danielson made a promise that he wasn’t going to retire as AEW Men’s World Champion and would defend the championship. His final day as a full-time competitor would be the day someone beat him.
Jack Perry was happy to oblige.
At first I was a bit perplexed by the challenge. Jack Perry just defended the TNT Championship against Darby Allin in a coffin match. Surely he would have a challenger for the TNT Championship to deal with instead of going for the Men’s World Championship? AEW also just a few months back did International Champion vs. World Champion.
But Jack didn’t just beat Darby Allin. He beat number one contender Darby Allin. Allin has a guaranteed shot at AEW Grand Slam in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Beating a contender for the championship should mean something.
The last time Bryan Danielson was pinned in an AEW ring was in the Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing. Who pinned him?
Scapegoat.
So Jack Perry is unquestionably a worthy contender for the AEW Men’s World Championship. He has a win against Danielson and he pinned the number one contender.
But Jack Perry is only name number one in the Bryan Danielson Gauntlet.
Darby Allin will be getting that shot at Grand Slam. I actually thought Darby might be the man to face Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream as both men are from the Washington state area. A real local guy versus local guy matchup.
If Danielson can survive Scapegoat and Darby he has the leader of The Patriarchy lurking in the shadows. Christian Cage won the Casino Gauntlet earning him a title shot anywhere and any time. I doubt he tries to be gentlemanly when it comes to the timing of it. It would be nice to get some form of the Dario Cueto Lucha Underground “give me one week to build the match up” stipulation attached to the Casino Gauntlet shot instead of Money in the Bank rules but I digress.
Let’s say Christian Cage has his shot and also doesn’t beat The American Dragon. Who could be next for Bryan Danielson?
Zack Sabre Jr.
I’m going to start pie in the sky. ZSJ won the G1 Climax 34 in New Japan Pro Wrestling against Yota Tsuji on August 18. Zack also appeared in the Casino Gauntlet so his eyes are certainly on the AEW Men’s World Championship. He has to now focus on the King of Pro-Wrestling show October 14 for a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against current champion Tetsuya Naito.
If Zack Sabre Jr. wins that match, even if he doesn’t? New Japan Pro Wrestling is running the Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, the day after Wrestle Kingdom 19. This event will be NJPW, AEW, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, and Wonder Ring Stardom all coming together for a major Tokyo Dome event.
If Bryan Danielson is still champion? You can have Zack challenge him as he did defeat Danielson back at The New Beginning back in February. And if Zack is still champion? You got a champion versus champion bout for the main event.
Kyle O’Reilly
Kyle O’Reilly has only been in the ring once with Bryan Danielson and it was back in 2006.
The match isn’t listed on Cagematch. The only reason we know it happened is because Kyle knows it happened.
It’s incredible that these two have never ended up meeting in the ring one versus one, even in their current run in All Elite Wrestling. Too often one is injured, or it just wouldn’t have made sense at the time.
With KOR 100% healthy and Bryan Danielson as the AEW Men’s World Champion, I think this is a better time as any to finally have these two have a solo encounter.
If you asked me to pick a date? Dynamite: Title Tuesday in Spokane, Washington before WrestleDream.
Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley just made his return to All Elite Wrestling under mysterious circumstances.
It was interesting he made his return right after AEW All In instead of being in the ring with other Blackpool Combat Club members to celebrate Danielson’s championship win. Maybe that was intentional?
Blackpool Combat Club started due to Danielson and Moxley facing off at Revolution 2022 in an incredible match won by Moxley. The post match had William Regal coming to separate the two men and get them on the same page. Thus the birth of the Blackpool Combat Club.
Regal has been long gone and the Blackpool Combat Club has had a bit of fracturing without anything boiling to the point of a turn. But Moxley didn’t return to AEW on Wednesday looking like a member of the BCC.
Moxley isn’t just a potential opponent for Bryan Danielson. He could absolutely be the man to defeat him and retire him from full-time competition.
Jay White
The only time these two have met on opposite sides of the ring was at World’s End in the Eight Man Tag Match between Continental Classic competitors.
The little bit of time they had in the ring together was absolutely magical.
I don’t know what Jay’s timeline is to get 100% and back in the ring but I would absolutely love to see him mix it up with Danielson off the bat. Even if he doesn’t win? It’ll re-establish Jay White as a top singles competitor.
Andreza Giant Panda
Bryan Danielson did want to fight a bear.
Kenny Omega
Nobody really knows when Kenny Omega is going to be able to return to All Elite Wrestling, or return to the pro wrestling ring.
We’ve heard some updates but it’s hard to say what is kayfabe and what is reality. He could be ahead of schedule and ready to go. He could be unable to take a bump. We really won’t know until we are meant to know.
But if there’s a chance you can run back Kenny Omega versus Bryan Danielson, this time with Danielson as the AEW Men’s World Champion? You have to do it.
There is no match more anticipated (save for maybe Okada versus Omega) in the chamber and once The Cleaner is ready AEW has to make it happen as soon as possible. You can’t risk a potential injury of either man delaying it. Once Kenny is ready? Get him out there and throw down the challenge.
And if Kenny is actually ready to go? Don’t be surprised if Danielson doesn’t get up after a One Winged Angel.
End of the Gauntlet
I don’t know who ends up being the man to finally take out Bryan Danielson.
My mind can imagine guys like Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, and Will Ospreay being the final one to do it.
I don’t know if AEW wants to use this moment to create a top level heel (Moxley, Hangman, Christian Cage, and MJF would all fit the bill for this) who wins the AEW Men’s World Championship and ends Bryan Danielson’s full-time career in a way that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Since he would still be part-time going forward (I presume) you could always plan it for a one year thing where someone ruins Danielson’s title reign and Danielson comes back for revenge one year later.
I could also see a triumphant babyface matchup where Danielson just goes down on his sword to the better man. Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, and Swerve Strickland could all do this. Heck, Swerve might even fit in the heel category if he wants to.
There’s a lot of people he could face as we don’t know exactly how long this run is going to go. I thought WrestleDream was an expected place for him to drop the title but now I could see it going all the way to Wrestle Dynasty.
You know how long this Gauntlet actually could go? Right to All In Arlington. Y’All In. Why?
Do you know how Bryan Danielson got his start in pro wrestling? It was training at the Texas Wrestling Academy in San Antonio, Texas. Texas is a big state, but I’m sure that could mean something to Bryan, to finish off his full-time career in the same state he began his career.
If you’re going to do a gold watch title run? Better make it shine.
Andreza Giant Panda photo from DDT Wrestling footage on YouTube