A dream match for many fans between Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega finally happened on the AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam special at the USTA Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The match was non-title as the World Heavyweight Champion wasn’t on the line.
The match opened the show and went a full 30 minutes. They built slowly and the pace continued to increase. At one point, Omega hit a running V-Trigger on the rampway. Both men exchanged chops and had bruised chests. Because time ran out, it was ruled a draw. A finish that will clearly lead to a rematch.
Danielson made his promotional debut at the AEW All Out pay-per-view event after Omega beat Christian Cage to retain the World Title. The Elite attacked Jungle Boy and Jurassic Express so Danielson came out to stand with the babyfaces. A brawl broke out with the babyfaces standing tall to end the show.
Danielson was originally going to debut at this show, but it was nixed and moved up due to a growing concern about the spread of COVID-19. In July, it was reported the former WWE star had indeed signed with All Elite Wrestling.
Back in late August during an episode of Dynamite, CM Punk responded to a “YES” chant by telling fans that they need to be patient a little bit longer. Many took this as a clear indication that Danielson was on board with the company.