Dave Meltzer, in his latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided a health update and status of Bryan Danielson, following his AEW World Championship loss to Jon Moxley at the WrestleDream pay-per-view.
The report notes that with Danielson’s full-time in-ring career done, he is set to undergo an MRI that will help determine next steps as it pertains to neck surgery.
Meltzer said the following:
“As far as what happens with Danielson involves the state of his neck. He is going to have an MRI done to see the damage. He had an MRI done not too long ago and it showed damage all the way down his neck. What happens next depends on if the level of damage is the same as it was or if it has worsened, and if [so], by how much. The hope is that he won’t need surgery and can heal up strong enough with stem cell treatment therapy. But if not, he’ll have to undergo surgery. If or when he can return to the ring depends on how well all of this goes. They and he had always said regarding this match that it would be the end of his full-time career, and not the end of his career.”
Meltzer further notes the original plan was for Danielson to lose the World Championship to Darby Allin at WrestleDream, but the direction changed “with the idea of putting as much heat as possible on Moxley and the [Blackpool Combat Club] in an attempt to jump-start interest in the promotion.”
Before his match against Jon Moxley at WrestleDream, Danielson did a sit-down interview with Shawn Garett of KIRO 7 News in Seattle, WA. At the time, Danielson said he was not sure if he would ever wrestle again if he lost the AEW World Championship.
“The idea is that whenever I lose this title, whether it’s sometime down the road or whether it’s tomorrow against Jon Moxley, that’ll be it for me as a full-time wrestler. The reality is right now I need neck surgery and that’s coming sooner rather than later. So there’s going to be a point where this is untenable for me. And after the neck surgery, we’ll see where we’re at...Will I ever wrestle again once I lose the title? I don’t know. You know, my, my heart says “yes”, because I love wrestling, but I put my body through a lot to get to this success that I’ve had. And at some point you you have to — what is it? — know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.“