Bryan Danielson stunned the world at All Out when he debuted for AEW, now the former WWE Champion has given his three reasons for joining the upstart organisation.
Danielson had been rumoured to be joining the company over the past several months with reports surfacing around the same time as reports stating that CM Punk was set to become All Elite as well. Punk made his own debut for the promotion in his hometown on the second episode of AEW Rampage and had later alluded to Danielson joining him after the crowd showered him with “Yes” chants.
Bryan Danielson made his entrance at All Out to even up the odds after The Elite – now bolstered by the also newly-arrived Adam Cole – were dismantling Jurassic Express and Christian Cage. After Danielson and company cleared the ring they stood tall as the show went off the air.
After the cameras stopped rolling, Bryan Danielson addressed the Chicago crowd, giving his reasons for joining AEW:
“I loved where I worked before and I’m very grateful. I’m one of the people who loved where they worked before and still left, and there’s a couple of reasons why.”
“One, the incredible talent that’s here in AEW. One of the reasons that makes it so appealing to come to AEW is because of the work these men [pointing to Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy] the last two years. It’s because of the people who have been here since day one, from the people who came here early and believed in AEW. I’m talking about Chris Jericho who came here from day one. I’m talking about Jon Moxley who came here. I’m talking about young men and women who are busting their asses on the independent circuit and AEW gave them a chance and boy have these guys delivered.”
“So when you see me here, and you see CM Punk here, and you see Christian Cage here, and when you see Ruby Soho here, when you see all those people here, who I really want you to thank is the original members of AEW.”
“The second reason I came here is because Goddamn you guys are the best fans in the world. So I’ve been hidden in a trailer in the back and I’ve been watching the show and you guys have been great for every single match and as a performer, you have no idea how much that means to us so I just want to say thank you and that’s the second reason [Danielson joined AEW].”
“Which brings me to the third reason I’m here. I am a wrestler. I never left wrestling, I took wrestling wherever I went, I said wrestling when I wasn’t supposed to say wrestling and now I am here to Goddamn wrestle!”