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Bryan Danielson's upcoming match at All In against Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship was already brimming with emotional weight, and on Saturday night, Danielson added a new wrinkle. In an interview with Jim Ross on Saturday's edition of "AEW Collision," Danielson spoke candidly about his injury history and disclosed that, before the end of 2024, he will likely need neck surgery.
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"I put my body through a lot, you know?" Danielson said. "A lot of the wrestlers who have wrestled for a long period of time — a lot of them haven't done the crazy things I've done on the independents, just to get noticed ... Even the way I feel right now, I mean, the odds are I'm gonna have to get neck surgery before the end of this year."
After 25 years in the business, Bryan Danielson feels he's as mentally strong as he's ever been! But can his body handle the ultimate CHALLENGE that is the #AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland at #AEWALLIN!?
Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TNT!@bryandanielson | @JRsBBQ pic.twitter.com/gNONmhOTiC
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) August 11, 2024
Danielson did not disclose further details about his health. While some fans will doubtless suspect that Danielson genuinely needs surgery, believing instead that his words are part of the storyline, WrestlePurists' Ibou says he's heard otherwise.
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"AEW insists to me this is a shoot which sucks so much," Ibou posted on his private X account (formerly Twitter). "He cut back on his workload big, and was originally supposed to do Blood and Guts."
Despite his anticipated surgery, Danielson is still expected to compete against Strickland at All In in Wembley Stadium, where Strickland will put up his title while Danielson puts up his remaining career. Danielson has remained adamant that he's already in the last year of his career as an active wrestler; while his TV character has been clear about his intention to "never wrestle again" should he lose to Strickland, Danielson himself has expressed that full-time retirement is unlikely. Potential neck surgery, however, depending on its severity, could throw a wrench into "The American Dragon's" retirement plans.
After hearing about Danielson's anticipated surgery and ongoing health complications, Strickland took to social media, simply posting a green checkmark beside the word "noted."
✅️ noted https://t.co/DTPqWawb5F
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) August 11, 2024

