Tony Khan Says Bryan Danielson Might Not Be Done for Good

Tony Khan just dropped a ton of new info in the Way of the Blade podcast, and it covered everything from Bryan Danielson’s future to Jon Moxley getting a spike bat to the back—and even AEW’s role in upcoming tribute shows.

First up, Khan cleared the air on Bryan Danielson, who hasn’t been in action due to injury. While some fans think he’s quietly retired, Khan isn’t ready to call it: “He’s not on the show, and he’s been injured and maybe retired for good, but he’s never said he’s done for good, and I hope that there’s some possibility he will be able to return.”

He also revealed just how hands-on Danielson still is behind the scenes: “I still work with Bryan Danielson. He’s still a big part of my office… I talk to Bryan almost every day. He’s got a great mind for wrestling… he’s a great leader in AEW.”

Then the conversation got extreme—literally. When asked about AEW’s more violent moments, Khan didn’t back down from defending them. “I don’t want to have any career or life threatening moments in AEW,” he said, but added, “These are incredible chances and risks that the wrestlers take… that’s what makes them the best.”

One moment Khan singled out? Jon Moxley taking a spike bat to the back from Adam Copeland on Dynamite in Omaha. Khan called it a “fantastic moment” and said it helped AEW smash ratings and reach new fans: “It was our highest rated episode of the year… it’s probably the most watched video of the year in AEW… it clearly brought outside fans in and created casual interest. In a perfect world, that’s what these can do.”

Beyond TV, Khan confirmed he’ll be co-producing two tribute shows for Dean Rasmussen alongside host Phil Schneider. AEW talent will be featured on both events. DEAN 2 is set for May 24 as a free outdoor show outside Scottsdale Arena, and DEAN 3 will go down in September in conjunction with the ROH Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view. Both shows will stream for free on the ROH YouTube channel.