9-Time WWE champion says Vince McMahon tried to convince him to come back days before AEW All Out

A former 9-time WWE champion who now works for AEW recently recalled a conversation with Vince McMahon. Vince was apparently attempting to bring the star back to the Stamford-based promotion just days before All Out 2021.

That star is Bryan Danielson, formerly known as Daniel Bryan, during his time in WWE. Danielson was one of the biggest stars during his time in the Stamford-based promotion, where he is a former four-time WWE Champion, a one-time World Heavyweight Champion, and a multiple-time Tag Team Champion, among others. The American Dragon left the company after his contract expired and joined AEW in 2021. However, just days before his debut at All Out in September that year, Bryan revealed that Vince called him and tried to persuade him to rejoin WWE.

Detailing his conversation with McMahon in an interview with Nick Stav, Bryan said that Vince put a new offer on the table and asked him to consider it.

"I called Vince in early August, because I was going back and forth. I called him in early August and let him know, ‘Okay, I’ve made my decision and I’m gonna do this.’ Then he had called me like one time kind of in the meantime and said like, ‘Hey, what if we offered you this instead?’ That sort of thing…It was maybe five days before the pay-per-view and he called me," said Danielson [H/T Cultaholic ]

When scripted fights get too real - Watch Here!

Check out the interview below:

AEW star Bryan Danielson reveals one quality Vince McMahon admired in him

In the same interview, Bryan explained his response to McMahon's new offer. He said that he told Vince he had already committed to AEW and would stick to his word, a quality Vince apparently admired in Danielson.

"I said, ‘Sir, I’ve already agreed to this thing and if I was somebody to go back on this, I feel like you have a decent amount of respect for me. Would you still respect me? One of the things that you respect about me is I honour my word.’ But it was a great conversation and he said, ‘Damn it, you’re right.'" [H/T Cultaholic ]

As of today, Bryan Danielson has seemingly shifted to a non-wrestling role in Tony Khan's promotion. It will be interesting to see if he will ever return to WWE.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

Know More

These wrestling matches are not 'fake' at all - Watch!

Edited by Karan Raj