Daniel Bryan’s departure from WWE was a sad time for fans and wrestling enthusiasts alike. During a recent interview with Nick Stan, the former World Heavyweight Champion, talked about how he made Vince McMahon agree to his desire to join AEW back then. Bryan further shared:
This is what I just told him. ‘Sir, I have already agreed to this thing, and if I was somebody to go back on this like I feel you have a decent amount of respect for me. Would you still respect me if I like, like one of the things you respect about me is that I honor my word’… and he said he said, Damn it, you’re right.’
He further stated that McMahon and he had a great last conversation before McMahon agreed with what Bryan wanted to convey. Daniel Bryan in WWE became a legend from that moment onwards.
Daniel Bryan Previously Unveiled How Vince McMahon Dethroned Him After WrestleMania 30
Daniel Bryan left WWE after his contract expired in May 2021. The fallout of relations between him and the company’s decision-makers, particularly Vince McMahon, began way back when he had a major turn in his career at WrestleMania 30.
Bryan talked about the moment when McMahon told him that he wasn’t the face of the company after he became the WWE Champion at WrestleMania 30
In WWE, when I won the World Championship at WrestleMania 30, I wasn’t their guy. Like Vince legitimately sat me down and told me that. It was really funny because the conversation was like, Okay so we have these great plans. And this is like a week after I had won the title or whatever. And he’s like we’ll have a couple of title defenses for you in between now and SummerSlam and then at SummerSlam you’ll wrestle Brock Lesnar and he’ll destroy you and then we’ll build Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns and then Roman Reigns will be the next John Cena.
The former World Champion further stated that when he expressed his desire to become the next John Cena, McMahon couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t considered that possibility until that moment, so he had to backtrack on his words. A feature which, according to Bryan, is rare in the character of Vince McMahon.
These remarks became an immediate talking point within the professional wrestling community, with several fans feeling that Bryan should’ve instead received the kind of push he deserves in the WWE. The grounds for him to eventually leave WWE were created back then.
Daniel Bryan Consolidates His AEW Legacy Further by Signing a New Contract
Expectations were high under the bright lights of AEW WrestleDream 2024. Global fans were aware that they were possibly seeing something unique for the final time. Once known to millions as Daniel Bryan, Bryan Danielson entered the ring for the last chapter of a legendary in-ring career.
What followed was not just a match against Jon Moxley. It was a symphony of skill, heart, and legacy. Every hold, every counter, every strike carried the weight of years spent honing a craft that transcended mere entertainment. And when the final bell rang, and Bryan lay defeated, it didn’t matter. The crowd rose in unison, not for the result, but for the man. They weren’t just saying goodbye to a wrestler; they were honoring a legend.
A new chapter is about to be added to the legendary career of Daniel Bryan. The veteran performer inside the ring will feature at the commentator’s desk in a full-time role starting from September 10, 2025, at AEW Dynamite. With this, the highly anticipated return of Bryan will finally take place, not in wrestling tights but as a commentator. With this association of AEW in a new form, Daniel Bryan will still be telling stories, just in a different way.
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