Bryan Danielson Reflects On Post-WWE Match With AEW Forbidden Door Opponent In 2010

Fans in Long Island, New York attending AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door on June 30 will see a match some fans have called "The Battle of The Dragons," as the "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson will face the "Rampage Dragon" Shingo Takagi in the first round of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. Takagi is one of the many NJPW stars that fans have been waiting to see wrestle Danielson since All Out 2021, when the latter made his AEW debut, but these two men have already faced off once before in a match that took place in Dragon Gate USA in 2010. The match lasted nearly 30 minutes before Danielson picked up the victory, and he has reflected on it ahead of their upcoming bout.

"That was during the time I was fired for WWE after choking Justin Roberts with his tie. It was a very important time for me, and I was very, very proud of that match," Danielson told Sports Illustrated. "What really excites me about this is how much we've both developed as wrestlers since then 2010. If you go through what Shingo has done since leaving Dragon Gate, he went to NJPW, the biggest company in Japan, he won the IWGP junior championship, and then he moved to heavyweight and won the IWGP heavyweight championship. When he's wrestling, I'm watching."

Danielson was re-hired by WWE in time for the 2010 SummerSlam pay-per-view, and would quickly become the WWE United States Champion shortly after, even fulfilling the rest of his pre-arranged independent dates with the title belt around his waist. However, he is excited to compete against the NJPW star once again. 

What makes Bryan Danielson and Shingo Takagi's upcoming bout at Forbidden Door different to their 2010 classic in Dragon Gate USA is the stakes, as they will compete in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, where the winner of the competition will earn a shot at the AEW World Champion at All In in London England. This is not only an environment that Danielson thrives in, having already won the AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament in 2021 as well as reaching the Blue League Final of the inaugural Continental Classic, but it's one that he enjoys more than most. 

"The thing I love about tournaments is it's a real sports-like presentation," Danielson said. "That's my favorite style to watch and to do. Tournaments are really conducive to that." Danielson also reached the final of the Grand Slam Tournament of Champions in 2022, losing in the final to Jon Moxley who became the AEW World Champion in the process. The "American Dragon" has already made it clear that he isn't too fussed about winning World Championships anymore, but does at least want to end his full-time career on a high note as he is tired of fluffing his lines on the biggest stages in AEW.

All in all, Danielson knows he isn't the same man he was back in 2010. He confirmed that his neck isn't 100%, but couldn't pass up the chance to be part of Forbidden Door. "This is my chance to wrestle Shingo again, and Forbidden Door is one of my favorite pay-per-views. That's because of the uniqueness of it. Five years ago, multiple promotions didn't work together to put on a super show. Now CMLL and Stardom are involved. This didn't exist before. I love this show."