Daniel Bryan Comments on Possibly Being Done as a Full-Time Wrestler, Contract Status, Taking Time Off Soon

The wrestling world celebrated together when Daniel Bryan overcame all odds and returned to the ring at WrestleMania 34 in 2018. Last year, he was arguably the best performer on Raw or Smackdown and had another run as the WWE Champion. Bryan also lost nearly three years of his career due to concussion-related injuries. Bryan recently appeared on his wife Brie Bella’s podcast The Bellas Podcast and explained how he may be leaving the ring again. This time however it won’t be due to injury, but to take maternity leave to be with Brie when she gives birth to their second child.

“WWE has been great, they’re going to give me 6 weeks of maternity leave.Which so few places in the United States do that. So, I’ll get to be home that first 6 weeks, but after that it’s not long until my contract is up.”

Bryan’s contract expires later this year, and Bryan admits he doesn’t believe he wants to keep competing as a full-time wrestler after that.

“We’ve been talking about what we do from there, but to me, in my mind, it’s almost… I think I’m just done being a full-time wrestler. You know what I mean?”

Bryan went on to explain that he will always love wrestling, but he loves being a dad as well.

“And that’s the thing – I love being a dad. I will always love wrestling. I will always love wrestling. And I will always want to do wrestling, but when I say ‘always want to do wrestling’ that means maybe once a month, or once every couple of months.”

Bryan will turn 39 years old in May and he started wrestling 21 years ago, so it’s been a long career for him.

Thank you to WrestlingInc for transcribing the quotes.

Matt’s Musings: Congratulations to Bryan for taking a step back from the business he has given his life and body to for many years. Hopefully Bryan can now focus more on being a dad, while still getting to wrestle every now and then.