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AEW Men’s World Championship
Jon Moxley versus Bryan Danielson (c)
It’s too soon. Or is it?
I know a lot of people were convinced hearing “Final Countdown” on Dynamite: Title Tuesday that this would truly be the end for Bryan Danielson as a full-time competitor in All Elite Wrestling. A challenge from Jon Moxley, who turned the Blackpool Combat Club against him. Who added the Bastard PAC and Marina Shafir. Only Wheeler Yuta standing by his side. It feels like not just a final countdown but a final stand for the AEW Men’s World Champion.
Except it doesn’t.
Jon Moxley has not earned this title shot. He tricked Darby Allin into giving him a match instead of Darby waiting to see if Danielson was cleared or talking to Tony Khan about delaying the match to WrestleDream. Well, tricked is a heavy word. He just sort of offered it out and Darby took it because he was riding on his emotions. Moxley since June has only wrestled one match in AEW and it was to beat Darby for that title shot, a shot Darby earned back in July.
For Moxley to walk up and beat Danielson in Washington state would certainly be a great amount of heat, and would put an end to the Danielson chapter, but I don’t that’s really what we are about to see at WrestleDream. Moxley thinks he’s ready for this. Moxley thinks he’s got this on lock. He’s done enough to confuse everyone into his actions and intentions. He’s got the upper hand and plans to keep it.
Danielson on Dynamite however showed the same thing he did before All In. His opponent woke up the Dragon in him. And when you wake up the Dragon? The Dragon devours you. You can be unstoppable. Untouchable. Unflinching. You still get eaten up.
There is of course the fear of Wheeler Yuta just putting on a brave face and planning to actually betray Danielson and rejoin his brothers of the Blackpool Combat Club. That fight he put on Claudio and PAC was just a ruse. He took those shots to the stomach for the plan. I really hope it isn’t. This is the best we’ve got from Wheeler Yuta and he deserves a chance to shine, and not be shadowed by Claudio, PAC, and Jon Moxley. It would be better to see him stay on the side of good than just fall in line again. It would also be a weak way for Danielson to close the chapter on his title run and full-time career just from a Wheeler Yuta betrayal.
I usually leave predictions for the prediction thread (to be out tomorrow) but I just don’t believe this is the end for Bryan Danielson.
If it is, though? It’s probably best for AEW. Jon Moxley as the heel champion opens the doors for a lot of guys. Swerve Strickland once he’s done with Hurt Business. Jay White once he’s done with Hangman Adam Page. Will Ospreay especially would be perfect against Jon, especially since Mox isn’t a guy that’s going to let Ospreay dominate the creativity of the storyline. Ospreay would be playing by Moxley’s rules, so it won’t be a feud about protecting friends or fear of using wrestling moves.
I see far more mileage in Moxley as AEW Men’s World Champion for the next four to six months. With Danielson it’s like we’re just waiting to see what the end is going to be for him. If it’s not in Washington state I could see him having a rematch with Moxley at Full Gear, or maybe even facing Hangman Adam Page before the year is over. If that match happens? You best bet Hangman is winning.
Even in writing this, I’m now leaning towards maybe it is the end for Danielson, because there really isn’t that many choices of top heels to beat him. Do you really have Maxwell Jacob Friedman return from filming Happy Gilmore 2 and beat Danielson? Probably not. My mind has been focused on the fact I do believe Danielson is working Wrestle Dynasty, the New Japan Pro Wrestling + Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre + All Elite Wrestling show on January 5, 2025. Would it not make sense for him to still be considered full-time in AEW if he’s doing it? But then I also thought hey if he loses in October and shows back up in January for a one off that works.
Hey, it’s a good thing to have a main event match where you don’t know what the outcome will be. All Out we knew Danielson was retaining. All In it felt like Danielson was winning but also felt like Strickland could retain. This is a lot more like that. Danielson could win and get the big heroes victory in his home state or Jon Moxley is the destroyer of all happiness by beating Danielson in Tacoma, in his home state, takes his title, and takes his full-time career.
Flip a coin folks.
Oh, last thing. I don’t think Blackpool Combat Club has a higher power or a great leader. I don’t think Shane McMahon or Sami Callihan or Josh Barnett or anyone like that is coming to be the leader. I think Moxley is being intentionally confusing. I’ve also been terrible at predicting the BCC stuff (the fact it’s still the BCC and not a new name, if Mox was heel, if Eddie is involved, etc.) so hey watch me be also wrong that there isn’t a leader of the group. That said? It doesn’t need one. It’s weird enough having Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir basically act like a 2024 version of Triple H with Chyna so I’d rather not take another element of the late 90s WWF for this.
