Bryan Danielson: ‘Me And Will Ospreay Won’t Be The Main Event At Dynasty–That Tells You What Type Of Show It Will Be’
Next month, Bryan Danielson wrestles Will Ospreay.
This is a match that once seemed improbable. Prior to 2021, Danielson was entrenched in WWE as one of their most recognizable superstars. Ospreay represented one of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s rising talents, an athletic marvel who, it appeared, would eventually have a long reign atop the company as IWGP world heavyweight champion.
Courtesy AEW
Yet AEW has changed all that, causing a pleasant disruption in an industry that feeds off creativity. The result is evident next month, when Danielson and Ospreay meet in the ring for the first time. Incredibly, when the match takes place in St. Louis on April 21 at the inaugural Dynasty pay-per-view, the card is going to be so loaded that Danielson vs. Ospreay will not be the ones headlining the card.
“Me and Will Ospreay won’t be the main event at Dynasty,” said Danielson. “That tells you what type of show it will be. I have an inkling of some of the things that are lined up, and I think people are going to be really excited.”
Courtesy AEW
No matter what else is on the card, it will be difficult to top Danielson-Ospreay. There is absolutely no one who can match Ospreay’s feats of athleticism, and Danielson remains one of the most compelling talents in the world. Both are coming off an impressive slate of performances, with Ospreay wrestling a classic against Konosuke Takeshita earlier this month and Danielson just battling Katsuyori Shibata in a match that once appeared entirely impossible.
“I love what I’m doing,” said Danielson. “Wrestling all these different opponents, like [Shibata], Eddie Kingston, and Shane Taylor, it’s incredible.”
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Despite all his success in the industry, Danielson never rests on his laurels. He believes he has his work cut out for him in a match against Ospreay.
“He’s obviously always been dynamic, but now he’s putting together the entire package of what a modern professional wrestler should embody,” said Danielson. “He has such a great grasp of what the modern professional wrestling fan wants. There are people who criticize him, and I think they are mostly from the older guard. When I see him, I think he’s the best wrestler in the world for modern wrestling fans, as far as what they enjoy.
“I’m not married to the idea that my take on professional wrestling is the best. I’m really interested in what the younger generation thinks about professional wrestling and what inspires them. Will Ospreay is the evolution of professional wrestling.
“If Will Ospreay wanted to do a Bryan Danielson match, he could. If I wanted to do what Will Ospreay does in a match, I couldn’t. I don’t think there is anybody else in the world who can. That makes me super excited for this match.”
Courtesy AEW
When reminded that no one in wrestling can evoke emotion from a crowd quite like Danielson, he gave further insight into what makes Ospreay such a distinctly unique talent.
“There’s a great Arthur Brooks book, From Strength to Strength, and it talks about finding success,” said Danielson. “In physics, most people have their standout work before they turn 40. A lot of that is complete original thinking, and your brain changes as you get older. Yet historians, they tend to peak in their 60s and 70s.
“So when you say that Ospreay couldn’t do a Bryan Danielson match, he can do every move I do. As I get older, what I’ve found is the story of telling a match, that’s where I’ve got better. That’s not something Ospreay can do now. It’s not something I could do when I was 30 years old. When I was 30 years old, I also couldn’t do that Will Ospreay can do now.”
Courtesy AEW
With a smile on his face, Danielson expressed pure joy over the prospect of sharing a ring with Ospreay.
“We have a chance to really stamp Dynasty as the newest brand in the AEW pay-per-view system,” said Danielson. “I’m really excited to be wrestling Will, especially in a historic wrestling city like St. Louis.”
