Bryan Danielson may be out of the ring for now, but he is not ready to completely shut the door on one last comeback.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso, Danielson offered his most optimistic comments yet since revealing last year that he is dealing with spinal degeneration. While discussing how frequent travel for AEW commentary has taken a toll on his body, Danielson admitted there is still a small part of him that believes a return could be possible.
“I don’t close it off,” Danielson said when asked about wrestling again. “Maybe.”
That openness is likely enough to keep fans hopeful, and Danielson explained that a significant improvement in his day to day health came after an intervention from Adam Copeland. Copeland recommended his own physical therapist, a move that Danielson described as a turning point.
“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. 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.”
Those comments contrast with a much bleaker outlook Danielson shared last year during an interview with Chris Van Vliet, where he acknowledged that increased travel tied to AEW commentary duties had accelerated his physical decline. Even so, Danielson remains resistant to labeling himself as fully retired.
“I had these delusions of, ‘Okay, maybe I can get back and do a little bit of wrestling.’ Now I see that they really are delusions, because this traveling is like… this is not a good idea. I hate the r word because I was forced to retire before,” Danielson said. “I never consider myself fully retired.”
For now, Danielson appears focused on managing his health, but his own words make it clear that the idea of one final return has not been completely ruled out.
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