After a televised passionate speech about the time he has left in the business Bryan Danielson spoke to Sports Illustrated about the clock ticking down on his career.
“I don’t think I’ll ever reach a point where I declare I’m absolutely done,” said Danielson. “I want the ability to show up when I want to show up. Terry Funk is someone I always admired. He retired a million times, but he loved it so much he couldn’t help but keep doing it. And he did it when he wanted. For me, it might be a couple times a year, or it might be years between matches.”
In that promo on Collision Danielson spoke about the promise he made his daughter. It is a promise he will keep. His contract with AEW ends next year.
“In my mind, it’s around August of next year,” said Danielson. “My daughter will say, ‘Daddy, are you going to be done wrestling when I turn seven?’ And I’ll respond, ‘Well, not exactly when you turn seven, but I’ll be on the home stretch,” he said. “I didn’t get a chance to do All In this year. I would like that chance next year. We have a show, WrestleDream, this October 1 in Seattle where I’m wrestling Zack Sabre Jr. If we have another next year in Seattle? Maybe it will be then. My daughter turns seven in May, so it’s a good time to close down the shop.”
In his phenomenal match against Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door of this year Danielson fractured his arm but kept wrestling. He admits that those injuries are stacking up and recovering from them is harder and harder.
“There is the realization that over the past year, I’m getting hurt after every big match I have,” said Danielson. “That’s a sign. I love wrestling, but I do not want to wrestle at the expense of my long-term health. I did the Iron Man match with Max, and then I didn’t wrestle again until Anarchy in the Arena, and even that was a lot of smoke and mirrors. Then I wrestle Okada and I break my arm. The injuries are starting to pile up. At what point is that worth the risk? Especially when my kids want and need me at home.”
