Bryan Danielson avoids retirement, wins AEW World title at All In
Bryan Danielson refuses to go gently into that good night.
With his career on the line, Danielson defeated Swerve Strickland in the main event of All In to win the AEW World Championship. It’s the first championship that Danielson has held in his AEW career. Going back to when he was in WWE, this is Danielson’s first title reign since 2019.
It was a submission that got the victory for Danielson in this instant classic, marking the first time Strickland has ever tapped out in AEW. The match had a title vs. career stipulation where Danielson would have retired if he lost. He now enters the final few months of his full-time in-ring career as AEW World Champion.
Danielson celebrated in the ring with his family after the match. His Blackpool Combat Club stablemates Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta were also there for the celebration. During the match, Danielson’s wife Brie Garcia, their daughter Birdie, and son Buddy were all in the front row cheering him on. The match included a spot where Strickland beat down Danielson at ringside while mocking his family.
There was also a distraction by Hangman Page during the match. Helping to cost his arch nemesis Strickland the title, Page appeared at ringside and needed to be held back by security. The distraction led to Danielson hitting a Busaiku Knee strike for a near fall.
Both Danielson and Strickland had special entrances at All In. Tony Khan again licensed “The Final Countdown” by Europe — which was Danielson’s theme music in Ring of Honor — for this show. Rapper Bun B made an appearance as part of Strickland’s entrance.
Danielson joins Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, CM Punk, MJF, Samoa Joe, and Strickland on the list of wrestlers who have held the AEW World title. Strickland had been champion since April.