Bryan Danielson: ‘I don’t think it’s my place’ to be AEW World Champion

Bryan Danielson doesn’t believe he should be AEW World Champion at this point in his career.

While being interviewed by Sports Illustrated ahead of Forbidden Door, the 43-year-old Danielson expressed that he doesn’t think being a World Champion is the right position for him anymore, and he doesn’t believe it would be the best thing for his body. Danielson has never held a championship in AEW. His last World title reign took place in WWE from 2018-2019.

Danielson also told Sports Illustrated that, while he has a behind-the-scenes role in AEW, he doesn’t want to have any input on his own creative.

“I don’t want to be in that [world champion] position–I don’t feel like that’s my position anymore,” Danielson said. “The quality of wrestling in AEW is so high, it’s really hard to main-event pay-per-views. That’s not something my body can really do anymore. I know there are a percentage of fans who would like that, but I don’t think it’s my place. And here’s the truth: I don’t want anything to do creatively with my own stuff. I also don’t know where people get the notion that I do. It’s very hard in wrestling to be objective about yourself, so I leave that in the hands of other people.”

Danielson is currently winding down his full-time career in the ring. He’s hoping to compete at AEW All In this August and has mentioned potentially having his last match as a full-time wrestler at WrestleDream this October. The WrestleDream pay-per-view is taking place from the Tacoma Dome in Danielson’s home state of Washington.

Danielson still plans on wrestling on a part-time basis after his full-time career ends.

At Forbidden Door this Sunday, Danielson is facing NJPW star Shingo Takagi in an Owen Hart Cup Tournament first-round match. The tournament winner receives an AEW World Championship shot at All In.

Swerve Strickland, the current AEW World Champion, is defending against Will Ospreay at Forbidden Door.