The Final Countdown will have to wait because Bryan Danielson has once again overcome all adversities and won the championship gold medal at the biggest AEW show of the year.
Bryan Danielson has already made it clear that his full-time wrestling career is coming to an end, but it seemed like the American Dragon was planning to go out with a bang when he entered the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, with the winner earning a shot at the AEW World Championship at All In.
Danielson defeated Shingo Takagi, PAC and Adam Page to win the tournament, ensuring he would be the man to face Swerve Strickland at Wembley Stadium.
However, Bryan Danielson raised the stakes for this match by announcing that he would retire if he failed to defeat Strickland, as the All-In main event was now a title versus career match.
Bryan Danielson
Tens of thousands sang Danielson’s hymn to the ring at Wembley during “The Final Countdown” and it was clear who the crowd favorite was, even though Swerve Strickland also claimed the English national stadium as his home.
Strickland took advantage of a brief distraction from the referee when Prince Nana brought him the ring bell to drop Danielson on it, crushing the challenger. Swerve proved how far he was willing to go when he pulled Danielson over in front of his wife, son and daughter to continue the attack.
Fans were left fearing the worst when the referee called for medical attention after Danielson went down with the Vertebreaker, but Strickland cleared the ring to try and finish the job and Danielson’s career. As Danielson reached for his wife and children, Strickland hit three house calls, but the challenger rolled up his shoulder to extend his career.
Bryan Danielson screamed that he loved his family while taking kicks from the champion and enduring intense pressure as the Wembley fans went wild. Adam Page then attempted to provide the ultimate distraction by confronting Strickland, with a future showdown between them all but guaranteed.
Strickland survived the Busaiku Knee, but two more strikes put the champion down before Danielson applied the LeBell Lock and won the AEW World Title. The American Dragon’s career continues.
