AEW’s Bryan Danielson thanks WWE in Players Tribune post

As he prepares for his first-ever AEW match Wednesday, Bryan Danielson wrote an extensive thank you letter to WWE on the Players Tribune Tuesday.

The premise was that as Danielson is preparing to embark on this new run, he is feeling excited but also had some other emotions as he will wrestle somewhere other than WWE for the first time in more than a decade.

He thanked Vince McMahon (who he called The Big Man) “who I know hates to be acknowledged. I won’t say much, but thank you for the conversations, the life lessons (about both what to do and what not to do), and the best hug I’ve ever received. I wish more people could see you how I see you.”

He thanked the wrestlers for “Savate-Kick Saturdays and locally roasted coffee,” for being a family when they are away from family, making him look good when he didn’t feel good, for making him laugh, having deep conversations and pointless debates, and for “all the small things that make life as a wrestler just a little bit more fun.”

He thanked the production people, producers, talent relations, everyone behind the scenes, and creative “for accepting me into the group, for sharing with me the lessons you’ve learned, and for the fun times we had talking about wrestling and non-wrestling subjects alike. It’s a difficult job, writing and producing WWE television, and I’m consistently blown away by your ability to make a seamless production out of such chaos!”

He also thanked the fans for “pushing his career to new heights,” for cheering him at WrestleMania 30, for booing him against Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania 35, for crying with him when he retired and for celebrating when he was cleared to return.

“Thank you for hijacking that show in Seattle — the last time my dad ever got to see me wrestle. He signed his first autograph that night: Buddy Danielson, Daniel Bryan’s dad,” he wrote.

While he hoped fans would follow him to AEW, he understands if they don’t.

“I loved my time in WWE. Needless to say, it changed my life. I met my wife, had unbelievable experiences and made great friends. Some of you, I may see again…. and I hope that I do. But these last two years have taught us not to take that for granted. So I just wanted to tell you all how much you’ve meant to me. I’m grateful that you allowed me into your lives, and that you came into mine. I’ll cherish these memories forever,” he wrote.

Danielson faces AEW World Champion Kenny Omega in a non-title match at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.