Ranking Bryan Danielson's 10 Greatest WWE, AEW Matches Ahead of Potential Retirement (2024)

When all is said and done, Bryan Danielson will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time.

His various stints in Ring of Honor, WWE and All Elite Wrestling have spawned countless championship wins and instant classics, all while being beloved by the fans. Proving he can excel on the grand stage allowed others from the independent scene to follow in his footsteps and experience similar success.

Danielson even battled back from a career-ending injury in 2018 and went on to do some of his strongest work ever.

His in-ring retirement will soon be definitive, though, and this time it will be on his terms. He has declared that he will never wrestle again if he fails to dethrone Swerve Strickland as AEW world champion at All In on Sunday.

Regardless of the outcome, the end is near for The American Dragon, giving fans a chance to appreciate his illustrious run and accomplishments until then. In WWE and AEW specifically, he reached the highest levels of superstardom and contested matches that cemented an incredible legacy.

These are Danielson's top-10 best bouts across both promotions.

Brock Lesnar (WWE Survivor Series 2018)

Days out from Survivor Series, Danielson knocked off AJ Styles for the WWE Championship and cheated to do so, shockingly turning heel in the process. That turned the champion vs. champion pay-per-view main event into Danielson vs. Brock Lesnar, and their dream match did not disappoint. Despite having a heel vs. heel dynamic, they worked wonderfully together and Danielson pushed Lesnar to his absolute limit.

Eddie Kingston (AEW Rampage, Oct. 29, 2021)

Rampage featured some stellar matches early on in its existence, with Danielson vs. Kingston arguably being the best of the bunch. It was a first-round contest as part of a tournament to crown a No. 1 contender to the AEW World Championship, and they left it all in the ring. They'd have a handful of other outings in AEW, but the original was their most memorable.

The Miz (WWE Night of Champions 2010)

While not as much of a technical masterpiece as other matches listed, his singles debut on a WWE pay-per-view against The Miz was the first time he was allowed to truly showcase his skills. The A-Lister was the perfect foil for him at that point in his career and capturing the United States Championship gave Danielson his first of many major moments in WWE.

Zack Sabre Jr. (AEW WrestleDream 2023)

Danielson was scheduled to take on Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door 2022 before an injury caused the contest to be canceled. Thankfully, AEW went back to the bout for WrestleDream 2023 and the two put on a wrestling clinic. What they lacked in style they more than made up for in substance. It was a mat-based marvel.

Roman Reigns (WWE SmackDown, April 30, 2021)

Reigns and Danielson had exceptional chemistry every time they faced off. They eclipsed their fantastic Fastlane 2015 affair with Danielson's WWE swan song on SmackDown in April 2021 with the Universal Championship on the line. Even with no fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they produced a gem of a match that sent him out in epic fashion.

AJ Styles didn't take lightly to Danielson ending his year-long run as WWE champion by nefarious means, and thus a rematch was made official for the following month's Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view.

The event traditionally saw the top matches carry extreme stipulations, but Styles vs. Danielson stayed a standard singles match. That ended up being for the better as they stole the show with their outstanding outing.

Danielson wrestled with an urgency that he didn't seem to have as a babyface, while Styles had been overdue for an opponent of Danielson's caliber to remind the world what he was capable of as well.

Danielson retaining the title in his first defense was never in doubt, yet that didn't stop Styles from coming close to clinching the win and keeping the crowd in suspense.

After pulling everything out of his arsenal in an attempt to beat Styles, it was a simple roll-up that won him the match. They didn't resort to any shenanigans and instead played it straight, resulting an excellent match between two excellent wrestlers.

Ricky Starks was amid a heated feud with CM Punk heading into All Out 2023 that was set to culminate in a strap match.

Unfortunately for Starks, Punk was abruptly let go from the company one day before the event, forcing a replacement opponent to be named.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, who Starks previously attacked, emerged to announce that Danielson would be taking Punk's spot at the PPV and that they would still be bound by a leather strap.

Danielson and Starks had zero history with each other prior to this point, but they fought as if it was the blow-off to a blood feud. Danielson held nothing back while brutalizing Starks, who endured every ounce of punishment the future Hall of Famer was dishing out.

Even in defeat, Starks' star status was solidified, though AEW did nothing to capitalize on what could have been a career-altering performance. Danielson has always been a master of elevating his adversaries and was the ideal opponent for Starks on such an occasion with Punk out of the picture.

With a proper buildup and better aftermath, this could have ranked higher on the list.

SummerSlam 2013 concluded with Triple H costing Danielson the WWE Championship, and in the months that followed, The Game did everything in his authoritative power to ensure he didn't hold gold again.

It was a spectacular story—except WWE didn't have a plan in place to pay it off.

CM Punk walking out on the company at the onset of 2014 caused the WrestleMania card to shift drastically. Punk was confirmed to face Triple H at The Show of Shows, but much like with Starks almost a decade later, his departure paved the way for Danielson to replace him.

Danielson had to overcome a mountain of adversity en route to WrestleMania, but his toughest task was toppling Triple H. To make matters more interesting, a spot in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event was also at stake.

The two ring warriors opened the evening on a high note with a terrific match in which Danielson not only held his own against the multi-time world champion but also brought the best out of him.

Triple H suffering the clean loss was the ultimate endorsem*nt of Danielson.

At a time when WWE TV was largely in the doldrums creatively, fans looked to the talented likes of CM Punk and Bryan Danielson to carry the company throughout 2012, at least from an in-ring standpoint.

Punk made history by holding the WWE Championship for the entire calendar year, but the greatest rival he had during that period was undoubtedly Danielson.

The build left a lot to be desired, but when the bell rang, it was almost as if they were transported back to their Ring of Honor days. They put on a phenomenal match that the crowd was invested in because they appreciated the straightforward nature of their wrestling.

Danielson was fresh off an unforgettable 2-out-of-3 Falls match with Sheamus at Extreme Rules the month prior, so although the outcome to this title clash was no different, he again had a star-making performance and gained a ton of credibility with the audience in defeat.

The heights Punk and Danielson managed to reach in WWE opened the eyes of officials to the recruiting standouts from the independent scene with equally-decorated backgrounds.

Danielson's debut in AEW at All Out 2021 couldn't have been better executed.

Moments removed from Adam Cole arriving and aligning with The Elite, Danielson surfaced to a thunderous reaction and immediately made an enemy out of Kenny Omega.

The then-AEW world champion was riding high as a heel and thus fans were excited about the possibility of them eventually mixing it up.

That said, no one expected them to face off as quickly as they did.

Omega was announced as Danielson's first-ever opponent in AEW at the Grand Slam edition of Dynamite in Arthur Ashe Stadium, albeit without the top title on the line. Nonetheless, it was a PPV-worthy attraction being given to fans for free on television.

The energy in the building before they even came to blows was unmatched. The fans knew they were about to witness something special, and they did.

It was a perfectly wrestled match, marred only by the time-limit draw. Various circ*mstances prevented them from having a rematch, but that original encounter will go down as one of the best in Dynamite history.

Danielson got over massively with the WWE audience in 2012, but instead of keeping him at the main event level, he was transitioned into the tag team ranks in the latter half of the year.

Although his pairing with Kane exceeded all expectations, he was destined for bigger and better things.

He was finally afforded that opportunity when he was handpicked by then-WWE champion John Cena as his opponent at SummerSlam 2013.

Cena hadn't lost since taking the title from The Rock at WrestleMania 29, so it was a match that could have well gone either way despite Danielson's white-hot momentum.

The American Dragon did all he could to stay on Cena's level and didn't look out of place in the slightest.

They capped off what was a memorable SummerSlam. Not only did Danielson defeat Cena for the championship, but he also did so decisively.

If it wasn't already apparent, Danielson showed with the win that he was world title material. Granted, his reign was cut short by Randy Orton's successful Money in the Bank cash-in, but that merely endeared the underdog to the fans that much more.

In a matter of months, Danielson went from being one of the most popular babyfaces on the AEW roster to portraying a dastardly heel in his feud with "Hangman" Adam Page over the AEW World Championship.

He racked up a series of impressive victories in his first few months with the company and earned himself an opportunity to compete for the title at the 2021 installment of Winter Is Coming, where they wrestled to a time-limit draw.

It was a tremendous match, yet they outdid themselves in the rematch on the Jan. 5, 2022 edition of Dynamite.

Danielson was already on an amazing roll, but his performance further cemented his value to the promotion. As for Hangman, this was what he needed to set the tone for the remainder of his reign and keep his own hot streak going.

Their bloody brawl saw Danielson get vicious, only for Page to retaliate and put him away to score the win. They've traded victories back and forth since then, but this was their defining encounter that kicked off the TBS era of Dynamite with a bang.

Following his triumphant victory over Triple H in the WrestleMania 30 opener, it was hardly set in stone that lighting would strike twice and he'd be able to leave as WWE world heavyweight champion as well.

The odds were certainly in his favor with that being the story that made the most sense to tell, but WWE is notorious for not giving fans what they want at certain times, so the crowd couldn't be sure.

However, it was the moment that the night needed after The Undertaker's iconic undefeated streak was broken by Brock Lesnar. That crowd in New Orleans was then desperate to see Danielson get his just due so the show could have a satisfying conclusion.

Although it was a Triple Threat match, Randy Orton and Batista teaming up on Danielson at several points made it more of a Handicap match. The Authority went to great lengths to guarantee failure for WWE's resident "Yes!" man, but Danielson destroyed every obstacle and emerged the new champ.

The visual of Danielson leading the crowd into a frenzy and celebrating with his new hardware will be remembered forever.

There have been many remarkable Iron Man matches over the years, but none better than Danielson vs. MJF from AEW Revolution 2023.

Danielson's quest to become champ was simple, but MJF thrived as the heel who would take pleasure in ensuring he was unsuccessful. It was a match made in heaven, and their chemistry was on full display for the 60 minutes they wrestled for.

They were hardly hindered by the length, either. The two men kept the action engaging for the audience throughout and made every minute matter.

Once they reached the 60-minute mark, they were tied with three wins apiece, leading to the referee calling for overtime. They picked up the pace at that point and had an incredibly exciting closing stretch that saw MJF tap out Danielson with his very own submission.

This Iron Man matchup was beautifully crafted and Danielson was right in his wheelhouse. That's to take nothing away from MJF, who simultaneously silenced his naysayers who claimed he couldn't go the distance—and he did.

The biggest bout Will Ospreay could have upon joining AEW was Danielson, and company president Tony Khan wasted no time in setting up that anticipated encounter for Dynasty.

Nothing was up for grabs, but there didn't need to be. The story sold itself with two of the very best in the world waging war to determine who the superior athlete was.

Similar to some aforementioned matches, the crowd was completely immersed before they got going. As they stared at each other from across the ring, the atmosphere was electric. It was indeed a happening.

What followed was over 30 minutes of sheer brilliance. Both men had an answer for everything the other was throwing at them, and it was a thrill from start to finish.

Between the high-octane aerial offense and the in-depth storytelling, they fired on all cylinders. Fans weren't wrong to compare it to Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker from WrestleMania 25 immediately afterward; it was that magical.

Ospreay besting The American Dragon propelled him toward the AEW World Championship, which he fell short of capturing at Forbidden Door.

If Danielson sticks around beyond All In, these two running it back should be considered a top priority.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.