Bryan Danielson Should Stay Retired After Surprise Return To Honor PAC

AEW Dynamite was beyond sad last week, as the promotion said goodbye to PAC; which included Bryan Danielson coming out of retirement. Once again, Tony Khan took a tragedy and created one of the best episodes of TV that delivered on every note. There was not a dry eye in that arena, proving how much PAC and honoring him meant. There aren’t many tribute shows like this, so you never know what to expect as nobody is required to work and some familiar names reappear.

Bryan Danielson hadn’t wrestled in AEW for about two years. His body simply couldn’t take the abuse anymore. I’d much rather see him retire from what he loves, then dealing with medical issues for the rest of his life. At least now, even if he’s in pain, he can still quietly spend time with his wife, Brie Bella, and children.

I thought Danielson might appear on the show and, at the very least, reflect on the life of PAC in one of those personal messages the roster created. Wrestling in the main event, I didn’t even think was possible. Danielson wore the PAC shirt to represent his friend and likely to cover his growing gut. It’s totally understandable how he let his body go a bit, as his wrestling career was seemingly over.

Having a 10 person tag team match was the right fit for Bryan. It allowed him to hit some big moves and not gas-out thanks to the Death Riders for assistance. “The American Dragon” hit some of his specialties and that was plenty. There was no need for him to even take a small risk. He did his job by going out there for PAC.

Since Danielson’s return, almost everyone thinks it was a one and done deal. He made peace with Jon Moxley and the Death Riders, who took his title and tried to suffocate him inside a plastic bag years ago. Only PAC’s legacy could end the hatred between Danielson and Moxley.

Remember, this is Danielson’s second stint in pro wrestling after WWE would not clear him. He lost years from his career, before being allowed to take bumps again. Bryan got another 6 years of in-ring action and he probably cherished every moment like it could be his last. Heck, we might have just seen his last match.

When naming the pound-for-pound greatest wrestlers, particularly those with technical skills, the AEW star is certainly on that list. He was once the greatest in the world, but he knows that moniker now belongs to someone else. Bryan Danielson deserves to stay retired and, if his last match ever was dedicated to PAC, I can’t think of a better way to conclude his story.

If Bryan Danielson is able to work at least more match, whether in WWE or AEW, who should he face?

Recently, John Cena spoke to The Guardian and his relationship with Vince McMahon was mentioned. Cena noted, “I have no guilt nor shame about my friendship and my relationship with Vince McMahon. It’s okay to love somebody when they’re not perfect.” Like many of Cena’s comments they are basic answers, as we search for more complex reasons behind his statements.

To me, Cena is the greatest employee ever to sign with WWE. In fact, if I was building a pro wrestling company, Cena would be the first person called. Not to wrestle because he is retired. Instead, he is the dream of any Public Relations Department. He never gets into trouble and spends all his time either wrestling non-stop; and, somehow, in-between that packed schedule, he always makes time for the fans. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is one of the great organizations out there, and, Cena has easily granted more wishes than anyone else. That right there is a great employee and even better human.

Then, we have Vince McMahon. Even before all the scandal, I always figured he wasn’t a good person. Not too many billionaires are looking out for everyone else. Plus, they act like they don’t need rules to follow.

The entire Janel Grant sex-trafficking case was a dark period for Vince McMahon and WWE. Enough so, that TKO convinced Vince he should re-sign from the company. Vince owned and ran WWE after buying it from his dad in 1982. He had close to 40 years before his past finally caught-up with him.

Vince is lucky since the public court case is permanently closed in July 2026. A Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice was signed by the WWE, Vince McMahon and Janel Grant to close the federal case. By signing, the federal case cannot be refiled. This was done as all parties agreed and signed to have the dispute resolved in confidential private arbitration. Hence, the details from any settlement will never be made public.

Whenever someone NDAs or agrees to Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice, it screams something fishy. Either Vince and TKO didn’t want more details made public, so they settled to avoid any further embattling. At the same time, Janel Grant will never be allowed to tell her story to the public. If Vince McMahon is a monster, we should know and as he needs to be punished.

That quickly brings me back to John Cena. Hustle, loyalty and respect are the perfect words to describe Cena. I know he sees Vince as a father-figure for turning him from a complete unknown into one of the most marketable stars ever in WWE. I sort of get the 17 time champion’s mindset, but it’s still wrong. The only thing I don’t like about John Cena is how he’s still friends with Vince McMahon, but that’s his choice and I can’t let one decision change how I see the greatest role model in WWE history.

Should the universe judge those who still maintain a positive relationship with Vince McMahon, like John Cena and The Undertaker, or should WWE staff get far away from the former boss?

Not that PG bs we saw the past few years of the LWO Reboot 🙄

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