"You never really know what's going to happen"- WWE legend recalls why he signed with AEW just days before All Out

A WWE legend recently revealed details around the time he signed his AEW contract and mentioned the reason why it happened just days ahead of All Out.

The year 2021 was a big year for Tony Khan as he welcomed two huge WWE Superstars. Those stars were Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson (formerly Daniel Bryan). While both stars made their debuts in September of that year at All Out, Bryan has now revealed that Cole and he signed their All Elite Wrestling deals just a few days ahead of the pay-per-view. This negated the widespread speculation that their debut was planned much in advance.

The American Dragon weighed in on the matter in a recent interview with Nick Stav, stating that both Cole and he signed for AEW just two to three days before All Out. He then mentioned that it's all just part of the business.

"When people say it was always the plan, the truth is I hadn’t actually signed my contract until like two or three days before that. That’s just the pro wrestling business. I want to say Adam Cole didn’t even sign until that day, the day of. Maybe he had agreed to come, but you never really know what’s going to happen, you know?” said Danielson.

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Check out the interview below:

Vince McMahon tried to persuade Bryan Danielson to rejoin WWE just days before AEW All Out.

In the same interview with Nick Stav, Bryan Danielson recounted a conversation he had with Vince McMahon, who apparently attempted to convince Bryan to stay with WWE by offering a new contract just days ahead of AEW All Out 2021.

"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]

Bryan, who last wrestled for AEW at WrestleDream 2024, has now seemingly shifted to contributing in a non-wrestling role within the promotion. Time will tell if he ever decides to 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.

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Edited by Karan Raj