Bryan Danielson Reveals Why He Left WWE for AEW

Bryan Danielson knew his time in WWE had run its course—and he wasn’t shy about revealing exactly what pushed him to sign with AEW instead.

During an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Danielson talked about what went into his decision to walk away from the company where he became a household name. It came down to his body, his kids, and one unforgettable moment watching Cody Rhodes hit a Frankensteiner on Penta.

He admitted that after years of grinding under WWE’s intense live event schedule, the pandemic made him reevaluate everything. With AEW offering a lighter travel load—at the time just working Wednesdays—it was a no-brainer. Speaking on the transition, Danielson explained:

“There was also the idea at the time—you know, the pandemic was just kind of ending and they were starting to do live shows again. I didn’t know if WWE was going to start doing the live events and stuff again, because that schedule… At that point, we had two kids and I was like, I don’t want to do that schedule anymore.”

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Family aside, his curiosity about whether he could still hang in AEW’s faster-paced, more athletic style was a major driving force. One specific moment caught his eye and wouldn’t let go.

“I had watched Cody wrestle Penta. And Cody—and I used to ride with Cody—he did this like, they’re both standing on the top and Cody does this top rope Frankensteiner on Penta. Like, is that what—is that what you have to do? Like, and part of it is scary and part of it is like intriguing. Like, oh, can I do this? I used to be able to do this style. Can I still do this style?”

Bryan knew the end of his in-ring career was nearing, so he didn’t want to sign a deal just to coast. He wanted to test himself one more time.

“I always kind of wanted to push myself. I knew it was probably the last wrestling contract I’d ever sign.”

AEW’s presentation and wrestling-centric approach was the right fit. Less stress, fewer miles, and a chance to work the style that made him fall in love with wrestling in the first place.

“That was a very appealing schedule to me for my family.”

Danielson’s leap to AEW wasn’t about money or a grudge. It was about purpose—finding a platform that let him perform at a high level while still being a father and husband.

Bryan Danielson’s choice to leave WWE speaks to something a lot of wrestlers face but rarely say out loud: sometimes the biggest move you can make is stepping back from the grind to protect what really matters.

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