Bryan Danielson, despite reaching the pinnacle of WWE by headlining WrestleMania 30 in 2014, has shared that this moment held little personal significance for him. Though the event, where he won the WWE World Championship, is memorable for fans, Danielson’s own feelings about the match are complex due to various pressures and circumstances he faced at the time.
Danielson spoke openly about the experience in an interview with Sun Sport, explaining that several personal factors diminished the emotional value of that night. He highlighted the tension created by restrictions placed on his then-fiancée, Brie Bella, who was not allowed to join him in the ring despite his sister and niece being permitted.
“I main evented WrestleMania 30 with WWE. And honestly, it doesn’t mean that much to me,”
Danielson said.
My sister and my niece got to come into the ring, right? But I was about to marry my wife the following Friday and they wouldn’t let her come down to the ring. They didn’t want her to be in the thing. And then on top of that, it wasn’t just that — it was like, I was going through a ton of neck pain and all these other things. So these things that seem like cool moments to a viewer, there’s all this other stuff going on in a wrestler’s life or in a performer’s life that could make that moment not as valuable to them as it is to the people viewing.
—Bryan Danielson, Wrestler
Why AEW All In 2024 Has Greater Personal Significance for Danielson
Danielson emphasized that the match which meant the most to him was the main event against Swerve Strickland at AEW All In 2024, held at Wembley Stadium in the U.K. Unlike WrestleMania 30, this event included his wife Brie Bella and their children Birdie and Buddy, contributing to the deeply emotional nature of the occasion. He also expressed pride in Strickland’s development since their previous encounter in October 2023.
“So I would say that at All In, it’s the whole circumstance,”
Danielson reflected.
It’s knowing that my career’s coming to an end. It’s knowing that this might be the last time that my kids ever get to see me wrestle. It’s them being there. It’s the crowd reaction. I mean, the U.K. crowds are just the best, right? It’s all of those things. It’s Swerve Strickland’s performance.
—Bryan Danielson, Wrestler
Danielson’s Role and Status in AEW After All In 2024
In the AEW All In 2024 match, Danielson captured the AEW World Championship but later lost the title to Jon Moxley. The championship then changed hands again when Hangman Page defeated Moxley at All In 2025. Danielson contributed to that match by helping to counter interference from the Death Riders, showing his ongoing influence within AEW.
Though involved physically in these recent events, Danielson confirmed he has retired from full-time wrestling. However, he left open the possibility of future appearances, indicating his career is not completely closed but firmly transitioned to a less active phase.
