Bryan Danielson
Born: 1981-05-22 in Aberdeen, Washington, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
Bryan Danielson is an American former professional wrestler who now works as a commentator on AEW Dynamite. He is also widely known for his time in WWE from 2009 to 2021 under the ring name Daniel Bryan. Danielson began his professional wrestling career in 1999 on the independent circuit and signed an 18-month contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 2000, later making uncontracted WWE appearances until 2003. In 2002, he joined Ring of Honor (ROH), wrestling in the main event of the promotion's first show, The Era of Honor Begins. Considered a cornerstone of ROH, he remained with the company until 2009, winning both the ROH World Championship and ROH Pure Championship—unifying them during his reign—and becoming the inaugural winner of the Survival of the Fittest tournament. His influence led to his induction into the ROH Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2022. Danielson also competed extensively in Japan, winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling NOAH and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) with Curry Man. He captured numerous independent wrestling titles as well, including two PWG World Championships, the FIP Heavyweight Championship, and the wXw World Heavyweight Championship. In 2009, Danielson re-signed with WWE, though he was briefly fired in 2010 before returning later that year. During his WWE run, he won the WWE Championship four times, the World Heavyweight Championship once, and the United States and Intercontinental Championships once each. He also won the WWE Tag Team Championship with Kane as Team Hell No and the SmackDown Tag Team Championship with Erick Rowan, making him WWE’s 26th Triple Crown Champion and 15th Grand Slam Champion. Additional accomplishments include winning the 2011 Money in the Bank ladder match, being named Superstar of the Year at the 2013 Slammy Awards, and headlining major WWE pay-per-views, including WrestleMania in 2014 and 2021. Danielson initially retired from in-ring competition in 2016 due to injuries from multiple concussions that caused seizures and a brain lesion, transitioning to an on-screen general manager role for SmackDown. He remained in that position until 2018, when he was medically cleared to return to wrestling. After his WWE contract expired in May 2021, Danielson signed with AEW, debuting that September and later transitioning full-time into commentary.
Filmography
2026
- AEW Dynasty 2026 as Bryan Danielson
2025
- AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door 2025 as Bryan Danielson - English Commentary
- AEW All In 2025: Texas as Bryan Danielson
- AEW All Out 2025 as Bryan Danielson - English Commentary
2024
- AEW Double or Nothing 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW All In 2024: London as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Revolution 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW WrestleDream 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW All Out 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Dynasty 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- CMLL Homenaje a Dos Leyendas 2024 as Bryan Danielson
- NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 as Bryan Danielson
- NJPW New Year Dash!! 2024 as Bryan Danielson
2023
- All Elite Wrestling: Collision
- The Bloodline: The Complete Story as Daniel Bryan
- AEW: WrestleDream 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Worlds End 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Double or Nothing 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW All Out 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- ROH Final Battle 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2023 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Revolution 2023 as Bryan Danielson
2022
- WWE Rivals as Daniel Bryan
- Hey! (EW) as Bryan Danielson
- WWE This Is Awesome as Daniel Bryan (archive footage)
- WWE Evil as Daniel Bryan
- AEW All Out 2022 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Double or Nothing 2022 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Full Gear 2022 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Revolution 2022 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Awards as Bryan Danielson
2021
- All Elite Wrestling: Rampage as Bryan Danielson
- My Way: The Life and Legacy of Pat Patterson as Daniel Bryan
- WrestleMania 37: Night 2 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2021 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Fastlane 2021 as Daniel Bryan
- AEW Full Gear 2021 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW All Out 2021 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Grand Slam as Bryan Danielson
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2021 as Daniel Bryan
- Meeting Stone Cold as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Final Battle 2021 as Bryan Danielson
- AEW Winter Is Coming as Bryan Danielson
2020
- The Best of WWE as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2020 as Daniel Bryan
- The Best of WWE: 10 Best Matches of 2020 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE WrestleMania 36: Part 1 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2020 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Slammy Awards 2020 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money in the Bank 2020 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2020 as Daniel Bryan (Preshow)
2019
- All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite
- AEW Dark
- WWE's The Bump as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Backstage as Daniel Bryan
- WWE WrestleMania 35 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Extreme Rules 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Survivor Series 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Fastlane 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Stomping Grounds as Daniel Bryan
- WWE The Best of Raw and Smackdown Live 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2019 as Daniel Bryan (Appearance)
- WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 as Daniel Bryan
- Chasing the Magic: The Nigel McGuinness Story as Himself
2018
- WWE Greatest Royal Rumble as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money in the Bank 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Crown Jewel as Daniel Bryan
- WWE WrestleMania 34 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Extreme Rules 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Super Show-Down 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Survivor Series 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Hell in a Cell 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE SummerSlam 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2018 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Backlash 2018 as Daniel Bryan
2017
- Carpool Karaoke: The Series as Self
- WWE The Day Of as Daniel Bryan (Self)
- Southpaw Regional Wrestling as René Beret
- WWE Clash of Champions 2017 as Daniel Bryan (Smackdown G.M.)
- WWE: WrestleMania Monday as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money in the Bank 2017 as Daniel Bryan (SmackDown G.M.)
- WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 as Daniel Bryan (Smackdown G.M.)
2016
- WWE 205 Live
- Total Bellas as Self
- WWE Cruiserweight Classic as Daniel Bryan
- WWE The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2015 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness as Daniel Bryan (archive footage)
- Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2015 as Daniel Bryan
2015
- WWE 24 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Table For 3 as Daniel Bryan
- The Flintstones and WWE: Stone Age SmackDown! as Daniel Bry-Rock (voice)
- WWE WrestleMania 31 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Fastlane 2015 as Daniel Bryan
- Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes! as Daniel Bryan
- The Destruction of The Shield as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2015 as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Year 5 as Himself
- WWE Hall of Fame 2015 as Daniel Bryan
2014
- Wrestlemania Rewind as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Rivalries
- WWE WrestleMania XXX as Daniel Bryan
- Daniel Bryan: Journey to WrestleMania 30 as Daniel
- WWE Payback 2014 as Daniel Bryan (Appearance)
- WWE Money in the Bank 2014 as Daniel Bryan (Preshow Appearance)
- WWE Extreme Rules 2014 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2014 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2014 as Daniel Bryan
- Superstar Collection: Daniel Bryan as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Creating Excellence as Himself
- ROH: Year Four as Himself
2013
- Total Divas as Self
- WWE WrestleMania 29 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE SummerSlam 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Payback 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Survivor Series 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money in the Bank 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE: Straight to the Top - Money in the Bank Anthology as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Night of Champions 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE: Best Pay-Per-View Matches of 2013
- WWE Extreme Rules 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE: The Best of Raw & SmackDown 2012, Volume 1 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Battleground 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- Bryan Danielson: The Final Countdown as Himself
- AJ Styles: Styles Clash as Himself
- Becoming the Best in the World: Bryan Danielson as Himself
- WWE Hell in a Cell 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Year Three as Himself
- Samoa Joe: A Championship Legacy as Himself
- PWG Sells Out: Volume 3 as Himself
- Alex Shelley: Made in Detroit as Himself
- ROH: Top 100 Matches, Vol 2 as Himself/American Dragon
- Claudio Castagnoli: The Swiss Sensation as Himself
- Austin Aries: The Greatest Man That Ever Lived as Himself
- WWE Tribute to the Troops 2013 as Daniel Bryan
- Christopher Daniels: The Fallen Angel as Himself
- Danielson vs The World as Himself
- Bryan Danielson: World Champion as Himself
- ROH: Top 100 Matches, Vol 1 as Himself/American Dragon
- WXW Presents: The American Dragon Bryan Danielson as Himself
2012
- WWE Main Event as Daniel Bryan
- The JBL and Cole Show as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Night of Champions 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money In The Bank 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE WrestleMania XXVIII as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Survivor Series 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Over The Limit 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Extreme Rules 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE: Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE RAW 1000
- WWE Elimination Chamber 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- CM Punk: Best in the World as Daniel Bryan
- Austin Aries: Evolution of A-Double as Himself
- WWE SummerSlam 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE No Way Out 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- The 50 Greatest Finishing Moves in WWE History
- WWE Hell In A Cell 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- Kevin Steen: Ascension to the Top as Himself
- WWE The Great American Bash 2012: Super Smackdown Live! as Daniel Bryan
- The Many Adventures of El Generico as Himself
- KENTA: Go 2 Sleep as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Ring of Hardcore as Himself
- WWE Tribute to the Troops 2012 as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Nigel McGuinness - An ROH Career Retrospective as Himself
- Chris Hero: Ring of Hero as Himself
- American Wolves: The Hunt Never Dies as Himself
- ROH: Bryan Danielson - The American Dragon as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: El Generico: Ole! Ole! as Himself
- Danielson vs McGuinness as Himself
- ROH: Year Two as Himself
- ROH: Year One as Himself
2011
- WWE Survivor Series 2011 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE SummerSlam 2011 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Money in the Bank 2011 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Royal Rumble 2011 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE WrestleMania XXVII as Daniel Bryan (Preshow)
- WWE: OMG! The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History
- Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time as Himself
- WWE TLC: Tables Ladders & Chairs 2011 as Daniel Bryan
2010
- WWE NXT
- WWE Survivor Series 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Tribute to the Troops 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Night of Champions 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Hell In A Cell 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- WWE Bragging Rights 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- PWG: SEVEN as Himself
- WWE SummerSlam 2010 as Daniel Bryan
- EVOLVE 4: Danielson vs. Fish
- Dragon Gate USA Enter the Dragon 2010
- CHIKARA: Faded Scars and Lines
- EVOLVE 5: Danielson vs. Sawa
- Dragon Gate USA Way of the Ronin
- CHIKARA We Must Eat Michigan's Brain as Bryan Danielson
2009
- WWE Superstars as Daniel Bryan
- Ring of Honor Wrestling
- ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Boston
- ROH: 7th Anniversary as Bryan Danielson
- PWG: Guerre Sans Frontières as Himself
- ROH: Glory By Honor VIII - The Final Countdown
- PWG: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies as Himself
- DGUSA Untouchable 2009 as Bryan Danielson
- PWG Sells Out: Volume 2 as Himself
- ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Dayton
- ROH: Caged Collision as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Eliminating The Competition
- ROH: The Homecoming II
- Dragon Gate USA: Untouchable 2009
- The Wrestling Road Diaries as Himself
- ROH: Contention
- PWG: Speed of Sound as Himself
- PWG: One Hundred as Himself
- ROH: The Final Countdown Tour - Chicago
- PWG: DDT4 as Himself
- PWG: Threemendous II as Himself
- ROH: Supercard of Honor IV
- ROH: Never Say Die
- ROH: Injustice II
- ROH: Bryan Danielson - Rise To Glory as Himself
- ROH: Manhattan Mayhem III
- ROH: Full Circle
- A Hart Still Pounding as Self
- PWG: Ninety-Nine as Himself
- ROH: Stylin' & Profilin'
- Dragon Gate USA: Open the Untouchable Gate
- ROH: Motor City Madness 2009 as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Double Feature II
- Chikara King Of Trios 2009 - Night 2 as Bryan Danielson
2008
- ROH: Without Remorse
- PWG: All Star Weekend 6 - Night Two as Himself
- ROH: Stars of Honor as Himself
- ROH: Glory By Honor VII as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Fueling The Fire as Himself
- ROH: Greatest Rivalries as Himself
- PWG: 2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage 1 as Himself
- ROH: Final Battle 2008
- ROH: Take No Prisoners
- ROH: Night of The Butcher II
- NOAH: European Navigation 2008
- ROH Bound By Hate
- ROH: The French Connection as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Rising Above 2008
- ROH: Transform
- ROH: Best In The World as Himself
- ROH: Eye of The Storm
- ROH: Breakout
- ROH: Death Before Dishonor VI as Himself
- ROH: Southern Navigation as Bryan Danielson
- wXw 16 Carat Gold 2008 - Day 2
- PWG: All Star Weekend 6 - Night One as Himself
- PWG: 2008 Battle of Los Angeles - Stage 2 as Himself
- ROH: The Tokyo Summit
- ROH: Northern Navigation as Himself
- ROH: Proving Ground
- ROH: New Horizons
2007
- PWG: Roger Dorn Night as Himself
- PWG: DDT4 - Night One as Himself
- ROH: Driven as Himself
- PWG: European Vacation II - Germany as Himself
- PWG: European Vacation II - England as Himself
- NOAH Summer Navigation '07 - Day 12
- PWG: DDT4 - Night Two as Himself
- PWG: Giant-Size Annual #4 as Himself
- PWG: European Vacation II - France as Himself
- PWG Sells Out: Volume 1 as Himself
- PWG: The High Cost of Doing Business as Himself
- PWG: Schadenfreude as Himself
2006
- ROH: Dissension as Himself
- ROH: Hell Freezes Over
- ROH: Honor Reclaims Boston
- ROH: Glory by Honor V - Night Two as Himself
- ROH: Time To Man Up
- ROH: Fourth Anniversary Show as Himself
- ROH: Gut Check
- ROH: Tag Wars 2006
- ROH: Unified
- ROH: Fight of The Century
- ROH: Survival of The Fittest 2006
- ROH: Dragon Gate Challenge as Himself
- ROH: Best In The World as Himself
- ROH: The 100th Show as Bryan Danielson
- ROH: Supercard of Honor as Himself
- ROH: Ring of Homicide
- ROH: Chi-Town Struggle
- ROH: Throwdown
- ROH: Arena Warfare
- ROH: The Bitter End
- ROH: Weekend of Champions - Night Two
- ROH: Epic Encounter II
- ROH: The Chicago Spectacular - Night Two
- ROH: Generation Now
- PWG: (Please Don't Call It) The O.C. as Self
- ROH: Suffocation
- ROH: Motor City Madness
- ROH: Irresistible Forces
- PWG: Enchantment Under The Sea as Himself
- ROH: International Challenge
- ROH: Better Than Our Best as Himself
- ROH: Death Before Dishonor IV
- ROH: The Chicago Spectacular - Night One
- ROH: War of The Wire II
- ROH: Destiny
- ROH: In Your Face
- ROH: Anarchy In The U.K.
- ROH: Frontiers of Honor II
2005
- ROH: Steel Cage Warfare as Himself
- PWG: Card Subject To Change as Himself
- ROH Final Battle 2005 as Himself
- ROH: This Means War as Himself
- ROH: The Final Showdown as Himself
- ROH: Showdown In Motown
- PWG: 2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night Two as Self
- ROH: Enter The Dragon as Himself
- ROH: Buffalo Stampede as Himself
- PWG: All Star Weekend Night One as Self
- PWG: 2005 Battle of Los Angeles - Night One as Self
- ROH: Vendetta
- PWG: All Star Weekend 2 - Night One as Self
- FIP New Dawn Rising
- FIP Bring the Pain
- FIP With Malice
- FIP Dangerous Intentions
2004
- The Soup as Daniel Bryan
- ROH: Weekend of Thunder - Night 2
- ROH: Testing The Limit
- ROH Final Battle 2004
- ROH: The Battle Lines Are Drawn as Himself
- PWG: Kee_ The _ee Out of Our _ool as Self
- PWG: Uncanny X-Mas as Himself
- PWG: Free Admission (Just Kidding) as Self
- IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational 2003 - Night 1
- ROH: Weekend of Thunder - Night 1
- ROH: Reborn - Stage One as Himself
- PWG: Tango & Cash Invitational - Night Two as Self
- ROH: All Star Extravaganza 2 as Himself
- NJPW Nexess as American Dragon
- ROH: Survival of The Fittest as Himself
- PWG: Taste The Radness as Self
- IWA Mid-South Ted Petty Invitational 2003 - Night 2
- PWG: Tango & Cash Invitational - Night One as Self
- ROH: Reborn - Stage Two as Himself
- MLW Reloaded Tour Day 1
- PWG: 88 Miles Per Hour as Self
- ROH: Midnight Express Reunion
- Phenomenal: The Best of AJ Styles as Himself
- PWG: The Reason For The Season as Self
- ROH: Glory By Honor III
- PWG: The Next Show as Self
- PWG: The Musical as Himself
2003
- PWG: An Inch Longer Than Average as American Dragon
- ROH: Revenge on the Prophecy as The American Dragon
- ROH: One Year Anniversary Show
- ROH Final Battle 2003
- ROH: The Epic Encounter as American Dragon
- ROH: Main Event Spectacles
2002
- WWE Velocity as Bryan Danielson
- ROH Final Battle 2002 as American Dragon
- NJPW The Spiral as American Dragon
- ROH: Night of The Butcher as American Dragon
- ROH: Honor Invades Boston as American Dragon
- ROH: All Star Extravaganza as American Dragon
- ROH Night of Appreciation as American Dragon
- ROH: Road to the Title as The American Dragon
- ROH: The Era of Honor Begins as The American Dragon
- ROH: Unscripted as American Dragon
- ROH: Scramble Madness as Bryan Danielson
- ROH The Round Robin Challenge as The American Dragon
2001
- WWE Tough Enough as Daniel Bryan
1999
- WWE Friday Night SmackDown as Daniel Bryan
1993
- Raw as Daniel Bryan