Bryan Danielson made a surprise return to the ring following last night’s AEW Collision taping in Kent, Washington, marking his first in-ring appearance since AEW WrestleDream in October 2024.

Although Danielson has been uncertain about his wrestling future due to lingering neck issues, fans have remained hopeful for another comeback. Their hopes were recently reignited when Danielson got physically involved at ROH x CMLL Global Wars in Mexico last week, delivering a Busaiko Knee to Shane Taylor in a non-televised segment.

Now, just one week later, Danielson stepped back into action once again, this time in his home state. After the Collision main event between Kyle O’Reilly and Kyle Fletcher, O’Reilly addressed the crowd but was interrupted by Max Caster. Caster issued his usual ‘Best Wrestler Alive Open Challenge’, which was surprisingly answered by Danielson, dressed casually in street clothes.

Before any official match began, Adam Cole appeared and dropped Caster with a SuperKick, paving the way for Danielson to lock in the LeBell Lock. Caster tapped almost immediately, giving Danielson a quick and decisive off-air victory.

Danielson then shared a light-hearted celebration with O’Reilly, Cole, and Roderick Strong, joking that he was joining Paragon for one night only. He even playfully adopted the name “Kyle Danielson” as “The Final Countdown” rang out to end the show.

While this moment thrilled fans, it remains uncertain whether Danielson is gearing up for a full-time return. He has openly stated that if avoiding neck surgery means staying out of the ring, he is at peace with stepping away from in-ring competition.

We will continue to monitor Danielson’s status and share any updates on his wrestling future as they become available.

Bryan Danielson (sort of) RETURNED TO ACTION after last night's AEW Collision taping.

Danielson answered Max Caster's open challenge and submitted him in seconds with a LeBell Lock after Adam Cole hit Caster with a SuperKick.pic.twitter.com/PiAe0XeRYc

, WrestleTalk (@WrestleTalk_TV) June 26, 2025