In a clash finally befitting the title of “dream match,” Bryan Danielson overcame Kazuchika Okada in the main event of AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door.
Fan expectation was already off the scale heading into the match, but when Danielson stepped into the area to the sounds of The Final Countdown, the packed house in Toronto knew something special was on the way.
What followed was two of the very best in the world going toe-to-toe for almost half an hour in an effort to prove they were the better man. In the end, it was the American Dragon who earned the win via an improvised devastating submission, created out of necessity due to problems with his right arm.
Speaking at the post-show media scrum, Danielson revealed doctors believe he has fractured his forearm, an injury that will keep him out for between six and eight weeks. The star suffered the injury while taking an Elbow Drop from the top rope where he says he didn’t get his arm in a safe place.
“I was planning on wrestling on Wednesday this week. I don’t think that’s going to happen because, in this specifically, we think I fractured my right forearm with about ten minutes left to go. Talking to our doctors, and I love the AEW medical staff and trainers, they think it’s going to be six to eight weeks for this specific injury.”
In recent news, Dave Meltzer wrote that the perfect place for Bryan Danielson to return to AEW would be at WrestleDream.
Bryan Danielson “Banged Up” Before The Match Even Began
Before the event, it was reported that Danielson was already struggling physically to some degree, feeling the effects of his match with MJF at Revolution. During the scrum, the Blackpool Combat Club star confirmed that he was dealing with before the bell rang.
“The stuff after Revolution and the Iron Man match with Max, I had a torn labrum and then some compressed vertebrae. That’s normal wrestler stuff. I’m fine. We just thought, for a precautionary measure.”
Elsewhere on the show, CM Punk was booed heavily as he advanced in the Owen Hart Tournament while Will Ospreay overcame Kenny Omega to regain the IWGP United States Title.
In a new update, potential plans for Danielson at All In prior to the injury have been reported.
H/t to Fightful