Bryan Danielson
Acting
- Born:
- 1981-05-22
- Place of birth:
- Aberdeen, Washington, USA
Biography
Bryan Danielson is an American former professional wrestler who now works as a commentator on AEW Dynamite. He is also widely known for his time in WWE from 2009 to 2021 under the ring name Daniel Bryan. Danielson began his professional wrestling career in 1999 on the independent circuit and signed an 18-month contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 2000, later making uncontracted WWE appearances until 2003. In 2002, he joined Ring of Honor (ROH), wrestling in the main event of the promotion's first show, The Era of Honor Begins. Considered a cornerstone of ROH, he remained with the company until 2009, winning both the ROH World Championship and ROH Pure Championship—unifying them during his reign—and becoming the inaugural winner of the Survival of the Fittest tournament. His influence led to his induction into the ROH Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2022. Danielson also competed extensively in Japan, winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling NOAH and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) with Curry Man. He captured numerous independent wrestling titles as well, including two PWG World Championships, the FIP Heavyweight Championship, and the wXw World Heavyweight Championship. In 2009, Danielson re-signed with WWE, though he was briefly fired in 2010 before returning later that year. During his WWE run, he won the WWE Championship four times, the World Heavyweight Championship once, and the United States and Intercontinental Championships once each. He also won the WWE Tag Team Championship with Kane as Team Hell No and the SmackDown Tag Team Championship with Erick Rowan, making him WWE’s 26th Triple Crown Champion and 15th Grand Slam Champion. Additional accomplishments include winning the 2011 Money in the Bank ladder match, being named Superstar of the Year at the 2013 Slammy Awards, and headlining major WWE pay-per-views, including WrestleMania in 2014 and 2021. Danielson initially retired from in-ring competition in 2016 due to injuries from multiple concussions that caused seizures and a brain lesion, transitioning to an on-screen general manager role for SmackDown. He remained in that position until 2018, when he was medically cleared to return to wrestling. After his WWE contract expired in May 2021, Danielson signed with AEW, debuting that September and later transitioning full-time into commentary.
Known For
Filmography
AEW All In 2026: London - Buy In
AEW All In 2026: London
AEW Dynasty 2026
AEW All Out 2025
AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2025
AEW All In 2025: Texas
AEW WrestleDream 2024
AEW All Out 2024
AEW All In 2024: London
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2024
AEW Double or Nothing 2024
AEW Dynasty 2024
CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2024
AEW Revolution 2024
NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024
NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18
AEW Worlds End 2023
ROH Final Battle 2023
AEW: WrestleDream 2023
AEW All Out 2023
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2023
All Elite Wrestling: Collision
AEW Double or Nothing 2023
The Bloodline: The Complete Story
AEW Revolution 2023
AEW Full Gear 2022
AEW All Out 2022
WWE This Is Awesome
WWE Rivals
AEW Double or Nothing 2022
WWE Evil
AEW Awards
Hey! (EW)
AEW Revolution 2022
AEW Winter Is Coming 2021
ROH: Final Battle 2021
AEW Full Gear 2021
AEW Grand Slam
AEW All Out 2021
All Elite Wrestling: Rampage
WrestleMania 37: Night 2
WWE Fastlane 2021
Meeting Stone Cold
WWE Elimination Chamber 2021
WWE Royal Rumble 2021
My Way: The Life and Legacy of Pat Patterson
The Best of WWE: 10 Best Matches of 2020
WWE Slammy Awards 2020
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2020
WWE Money in the Bank 2020
WWE WrestleMania 36: Part 1
The Best of WWE
WWE Elimination Chamber 2020
WWE Royal Rumble 2020
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2019
WWE Survivor Series 2019
WWE Backstage
AEW Dark
WWE Hell in a Cell 2019
WWE's The Bump
All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite
WWE Extreme Rules 2019
WWE Stomping Grounds
WWE WrestleMania 35
WWE Fastlane 2019
WWE Elimination Chamber 2019
WWE The Best of Raw and Smackdown Live 2018
WWE Royal Rumble 2019
Chasing the Magic: The Nigel McGuinness Story
WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2018
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2018
WWE Survivor Series 2018
WWE Crown Jewel
WWE Super Show-Down 2018
WWE Hell in a Cell 2018
WWE SummerSlam 2018
WWE Extreme Rules 2018
WWE Money in the Bank 2018
WWE Backlash 2018
WWE Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE WrestleMania 34
WWE Clash of Champions 2017
WWE Hell in a Cell 2017
Carpool Karaoke: The Series
Fight Owens Fight: The Kevin Owens Story
WWE Money in the Bank 2017
WWE: WrestleMania Monday
Southpaw Regional Wrestling
WWE The Day Of
WWE 205 Live
Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere
Total Bellas
WWE Cruiserweight Classic
WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness
Countdown
WWE The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2015
WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2015
WWE Table For 3
Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!
WWE WrestleMania 31
WWE Hall of Fame 2015
The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age SmackDown!
WWE Fastlane 2015
The Destruction of The Shield
WWE 24
WWE Royal Rumble 2015
ROH: Year 5
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
WWE Rivalries
WWE Money in the Bank 2014
WWE Payback 2014
WWE Extreme Rules 2014
Daniel Bryan: Journey to WrestleMania 30
WWE WrestleMania XXX
Wrestlemania Rewind
WWE Elimination Chamber 2014
Superstar Collection: Daniel Bryan
WWE Royal Rumble 2014
ROH: Year Four
ROH: Creating Excellence
WWE: Best Pay-Per-View Matches of 2013
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2013
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2013
WWE Survivor Series 2013
WWE: Straight to the Top - Money in the Bank Anthology
WWE Hell in a Cell 2013
WWE Battleground 2013
WWE Night of Champions 2013
WWE SummerSlam 2013
Total Divas
WWE Money in the Bank 2013
PWG Sells Out: Volume 3
Bryan Danielson: World Champion
Becoming the Best in the World: Bryan Danielson
WWE Payback 2013
WWE Extreme Rules 2013
WWE WrestleMania 29
Samoa Joe: A Championship Legacy
WWE Elimination Chamber 2013
WWE: The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2012, Volume 1
WWE Royal Rumble 2013
WXW Presents: The American Dragon Bryan Danielson
ROH: Year Three
Alex Shelley: Made in Detroit
AJ Styles: Styles Clash
Austin Aries: The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
Bryan Danielson: The Final Countdown
Christopher Daniels: The Fallen Angel
Claudio Castagnoli: The Swiss Sensation
Danielson vs The World
ROH: Top 100 Matches, Vol 2
ROH: Top 100 Matches, Vol 1
WWE: Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2012
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2012
WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2012
The JBL and Cole Show
WWE Survivor Series 2012
WWE Hell In A Cell 2012
ROH: Year Two
CM Punk: Best in the World
WWE Main Event
Danielson vs McGuinness
WWE Night of Champions 2012
The 50 Greatest Finishing Moves in WWE History
WWE SummerSlam 2012
WWE RAW 1000
WWE Money In The Bank 2012
WWE The Great American Bash 2012: Super Smackdown Live!
WWE No Way Out 2012
The Many Adventures of El Generico
WWE Over The Limit 2012
ROH: Year One
ROH: El Generico: Ole! Ole!
WWE Extreme Rules 2012
ROH: Bryan Danielson - The American Dragon
ROH: Nigel McGuinness - An ROH Career Retrospective
WWE WrestleMania XXVIII
Chris Hero: Ring of Hero
WWE Elimination Chamber 2012
Kevin Steen: Ascension to the Top
WWE Royal Rumble 2012
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
American Wolves: The Hunt Never Dies
Austin Aries: Evolution of A-Double
KENTA: Go 2 Sleep
WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2011
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time
WWE Survivor Series 2011
WWE: OMG! The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History
WWE SummerSlam 2011
WWE Money in the Bank 2011
WWE WrestleMania XXVII
WWE Royal Rumble 2011
WWE Survivor Series 2010
WWE Bragging Rights 2010
WWE Hell In A Cell 2010
Dragon Gate USA Way of the Ronin
WWE Night of Champions 2010
EVOLVE 5: Danielson vs. Sawa
WWE SummerSlam 2010
PWG: SEVEN
Dragon Gate USA Enter the Dragon 2010
CHIKARA: Faded Scars and Lines
CHIKARA We Must Eat Michigan's Brain
EVOLVE 4: Danielson vs. Fish
WWE NXT
DGUSA Untouchable 2009
ROH: Glory By Honor VIII - The Final Countdown
ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Boston
ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Chicago
ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Dayton
The Wrestling Road Diaries
ROH: Bryan Danielson - Rise To Glory
Dragon Gate USA: Open the Untouchable Gate
PWG: Guerre Sans Frontières
PWG: Speed of Sound
PWG: Threemendous II
ROH: Manhattan Mayhem III
ROH: Contention
Dragon Gate USA: Untouchable 2009
PWG: DDT4
ROH: Never Say Die
ROH: The Homecoming II
ROH: Double Feature II
WWE Superstars
PWG: One Hundred
PWG: Ninety-Nine
ROH: Supercard of Honor IV
Chikara King Of Trios 2009 - Night 2
ROH: 7th Anniversary
Ring of Honor Wrestling
ROH: Stylin' & Profilin'
ROH: Eliminating The Competition
A Hart Still Pounding
ROH: Caged Collision
ROH: Motor City Madness 2009
ROH: Full Circle
ROH: Injustice II
PWG: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies
PWG Sells Out: Volume 2
ROH: Final Battle 2008
ROH: Rising Above 2008
ROH Bound By Hate
ROH: The French Connection
PWG: 2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage 2
PWG: 2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage 1
ROH: New Horizons
ROH: Glory By Honor VII
ROH: The Tokyo Summit
ROH: Night of The Butcher II
ROH: Death Before Dishonor VI
ROH: Fueling The Fire
ROH: Northern Navigation
ROH: Best In The World
ROH: Greatest Rivalries
NOAH: European Navigation 2008
ROH: Stars of Honor
ROH: Southern Navigation
ROH: Take No Prisoners
wXw 16 Carat Gold 2008 - Day 2
ROH: Eye of The Storm
ROH: Without Remorse
ROH: Breakout
ROH: Transform
ROH: Proving Ground
PWG: All Star Weekend 6 - Night Two
PWG: All Star Weekend 6 - Night One
PWG: The High Cost of Doing Business
PWG: European Vacation II - Germany
PWG: European Vacation II - England
PWG: European Vacation II - France
PWG: Schadenfreude
PWG: Giant-Size Annual #4
NOAH Summer Navigation '07 - Day 12
ROH: Driven
PWG: Roger Dorn Night
PWG: DDT4 - Night Two
PWG: DDT4 - Night One
PWG Sells Out: Volume 1
ROH: International Challenge
ROH: The Chicago Spectacular - Night Two
ROH: The Chicago Spectacular - Night One
ROH: The Bitter End
ROH: Honor Reclaims Boston
ROH: Irresistible Forces
ROH: Suffocation
ROH: Motor City Madness
ROH: Survival of The Fittest 2006
ROH: Glory by Honor V - Night Two
ROH: Gut Check
ROH: Epic Encounter II
ROH: Frontiers of Honor II
ROH: Anarchy In The U.K.
ROH: Unified
ROH: Fight of The Century
ROH: Time To Man Up
ROH: Generation Now
ROH: War of The Wire II
ROH: Death Before Dishonor IV
ROH: Chi-Town Struggle
ROH: Throwdown
ROH: In Your Face
ROH: Destiny
PWG: Enchantment Under The Sea
ROH: Ring of Homicide
PWG: (Please Don't Call It) The O.C.
ROH: Weekend of Champions - Night Two
ROH: The 100th Show
ROH: Better Than Our Best
ROH: Supercard of Honor
ROH: Dragon Gate Challenge
ROH: Best In The World
ROH: Arena Warfare
ROH: Fourth Anniversary Show
ROH: Dissension
ROH: Tag Wars 2006
ROH: Hell Freezes Over
ROH Final Battle 2005
ROH: Steel Cage Warfare
PWG: All Star Weekend 2 - Night One
ROH: Vendetta
ROH: Showdown In Motown
ROH: This Means War
ROH: Buffalo Stampede
ROH: Enter The Dragon
PWG: 2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two
PWG: 2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One
ROH: The Final Showdown
PWG: All Star Weekend Night One
FIP Bring the Pain
FIP With Malice
FIP Dangerous Intentions
FIP New Dawn Rising
PWG: Card Subject To Change
ROH Final Battle 2004
PWG: Uncanny X-Mas
ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2
PWG: Free Admission (Just Kidding)
ROH: Weekend of Thunder - Night 2
ROH: Weekend of Thunder - Night 1
ROH: Midnight Express Reunion
IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational 2004 - Night 2
IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational 2004 - Night 1
ROH: Glory By Honor III
PWG: The Next Show
ROH: Testing The Limit
PWG: The Reason For The Season
The Soup
ROH: Survival of The Fittest
NJPW Nexess
ROH: Reborn - Stage Two
ROH: Reborn - Stage One
PWG: The Musical
PWG: Kee_ The _ee Out of Our _ool
PWG: 88 Miles Per Hour
PWG: Taste The Radness
PWG: Tango & Cash Invitational - Night Two
PWG: Tango & Cash Invitational - Night One
ROH: The Battle Lines Are Drawn
MLW Reloaded Tour Day 1
Phenomenal: The Best of AJ Styles
ROH Final Battle 2003
PWG: An Inch Longer Than Average
ROH: Main Event Spectacles
ROH: The Epic Encounter
ROH: One Year Anniversary Show
ROH: Revenge on the Prophecy
ROH Final Battle 2002
ROH: Night of The Butcher
ROH: Scramble Madness
ROH: All Star Extravaganza
NJPW The Spiral
ROH: Unscripted
ROH: Honor Invades Boston
ROH: Road to the Title
WWE Velocity
ROH Night of Appreciation
ROH The Round Robin Challenge
ROH: The Era of Honor Begins
WWE Tough Enough
FMW Making Of A New Legend VI - Day 4
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Raw
OMG! Top 50 Incidents in WWE History