Bryan Danielson isn’t completely shutting the door on an in-ring return, but his current role with AEW has given him a harsh reminder of what his body can, and can’t, handle.
Danielson joined the AEW Dynamite commentary team on a full-time basis in September 2025, a position he’s said he genuinely enjoys.
However, the weekly travel that comes with the job has taken a noticeable toll on his injured neck, making any potential return to the ring feel increasingly unrealistic.
Speaking with Undisputed, Danielson admitted that before stepping into the commentary role, he had been optimistic about wrestling occasionally.
“The traveling is so hard on my neck,” Danielson said. “Once I started traveling again, I went back to sleeping four-and-a-half hours a night. There was a point around Forbidden Door [last August] that I had delusions of wrestling a couple matches a year. After traveling for commentary, I don’t see how it would be possible. And that’s without bumps.”
The sleep issues, according to Danielson, stemmed from lingering neck pain following his match with Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty 2024.
He explained that the discomfort would wake him up after just a few hours nearly every night for about a year.
Help came through Adam Copeland, who recommended a physical therapist that Danielson credits with dramatically improving his quality of life.
At least temporarily.
“In April of 2025, Adam Copeland sent me to his physical therapist,” Danielson said. “He said the guy was a miracle worker. This guy worked on me for two days in a row, six hours each day.”
Danielson continued, “After the first night, I slept nine hours straight. After the second night, I slept eight hours straight. After that, I was sleeping seven or eight hours almost every night. That’s a game changer for how you feel.”
That progress, however, didn’t fully hold once Danielson resumed regular travel for commentary duties.
Danielson officially wrapped up his full-time in-ring career in October 2024, and while a return remains uncertain, avoiding neck surgery is a top priority for him moving forward.
“I don’t close it off,” Danielson told Undisputed when asked about wrestling again. “Maybe… the traveling itself is so taxing, so I don’t know. We’ll see.”
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