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AEW/Ricky Havlik
Tonight is AEW Grand Slam, and though Bryan Danielson never officially accepted the challenge laid out by Nigel McGuinness, it's all but certain that the two old rivals will lock up for the first time in almost 15 years. While there have been seeds planted for a long time, the direct build to this non-title bout has been quick, with much of the promotion taking place on social media as well as TV over the last two weeks.
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McGuinness took the time to post a video on his X account ahead of tonight's show, offering the audience another side of himself while explaining the true motivations behind his desire to wrestle Danielson once again. The "AEW Collision" commentator and former ROH World Champion stated that he's been talking trash to Danielson for a long time, but there's something he hasn't been entirely honest about.
"The truth is that all of it was to hide the fact that my lack of success and my failure to achieve what you did, Bryan, was no one's fault but my own," McGuinness said. "Because I was a coward. I was afraid, and I hated myself for it, because I knew I could never get back those 13 years. And I can't now. But if you show up, Bryan, I can still have the dream — prove that I was your equal."
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From 2011 until AEW All In last month, McGuinness had not wrestled a match. Though many fans believed that a case of Hepatitis B was preventing the wrestler from getting back in the ring, McGuinness recently indicated he retired for other reasons and he had been able to resume in-ring activity for quite some time; he had just chosen not to. McGuinness is now set to take part in his first singles match in 13 years — as long as Danielson accepts the challenge.

