WWE is ready for a blissful future without having to battle with AEW for audience support, as far as Bryan Danielson is concerned. During an appearance on the Ned & Josh podcast, Danielson, a former WWE and AEW World Champion, said he doubted WWE and AEW could work together in the current climinate, and shared his hot take.
“This is just my perception… I’ve never talked to anybody about this—it almost seems like they would like us to go out of business.“
While WWE and AEW have worked together, including having Bryan on Raw via video in June 2022, that collaboration seems a lifetime ago. As WWE and AEW continue to go head-to-head in direct competition, Bryan believes any idea of collaboration is simply impossible today.
WWE has opened itself to working with others, including TNA Wrestling, Bloodsport, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and beyond. Despite this, Danielson believes that WWE’s old habits die hard when faced with ‘All-Elite’ competition.
“That’s how I look at it. They’ve operated this way since 1984. They see a competitor, and no matter what, they want them gone.“
Bryan was quick to make clear that his words aren’t an attack on the WWE roster itself. On the contrary, Danielson still has plenty of friends in WWE, despite the company supposedly wanting AEW’s roster out of a job.
“I know people in WWE—good people. I don’t even like framing this in a good vs bad way. What’s the decision-making process there? Why do they want AEW not to exist?”
Over six years after launching, AEW appears here to stay, despite what WWE may want (according to Bryan.) As tensions continue to rise between the two sides, wrestling fans will continue to be treated to bigger, badder, better events.