WHICH WAS MORE historic: Bryan Danielson’s AEW World title triumph at All In, or his WWE World title win at WrestleMania 30? That will be debated forever. But, at least in the moment, Danielson’s performance at London’s Wembley Stadium on August 25 seemed every bit as dramatic as what happened in New Orleans back in 2014.
Nothing about Danielson’s victory at All In was inevitable. Danielson retiring after a hard-fought loss would have been consistent with the “American Dragon’s” inner samurai. And we saw the defending champion Swerve Strickland—still riding the momentum of his own title win four months earlier—going full-throttle heel for much of the bout.
It was a strike-fest at the beginning, with Danielson targeting Strickland’s arm. The turning point came when Strickland’s manager, Prince Nana, retrieved the timekeeper’s bell and Strickland executed a Death Valley Driver on Danielson … onto the bell on the edge of the ring! Danielson bled profusely while holding his neck.
Strickland dragged Danielson closer to his wife, , and his two children, and , taunting and trash-talking. Danielson dodged a Swerve Stomp from the top rope and retaliated with a series of “Yes” kicks. He then went back to punishing Strickland’s arms. Medical
