Bryan Danielson Names AEW Star With “So Much Upside”

Bryan Danielson has a great deal of empathy for the next generation.

Should Bryan Danielson fail to beat Swerve Strickland and claim the AEW World Championship at All In he’s promised to retire. But even without the stipulation, the star has been open about his desire to end his full-time career before the end of the year.

Much of Danielson’s time in AEW has been about building the next generation of wrestlers and passing on his vast experience. Something he’s been keen to do through the Blackpool Combat Club.

Through the group, Danielson has taken Wheeler Yuta under his wing, and he remains convinced the best is yet to come from the 27-year-old. During a new interview with Chris Mueller for Bleacher Report, Danielson said the former ROH Pure Champion has a whole load of upside.

“Wheeler has so much upside,” Danielson said. “He’s an incredible human being and that’s the part I really look at with people. If you were to look at me when I was 27, I had a lot of holes in my game.”

Danielson went on to discuss how different it is for young wrestlers now compared to when he first came through, commenting that everyone expects so much from performers in their 20s. He reiterated that Yuta is doing a “great job.”

“I have a deep empathy for them being criticized so much at this stage. I think Wheeler, from an in-ring standpoint and from a promo standpoint, he’s getting better all the time. He did a match with Rocky Romero on Rampage that was just fantastic. I just think he’s doing a great job.”

Bryan Danielson Says Neck Is Trashed

During the same interview, Bryan Danielson admitted his neck is “trashed,” but claimed he’s not worried by the issue. The veteran explained that aside from the neck problem he feels good, and he still feels invincible in the ring.

Danielson reiterated that he’ll likely need neck surgery before the year is out.