Bryan Danielson: Of Course There's A Competitive Nature Between AEW & WWE

Bryan Danielson has recently opened up to WFAN's Moose and Maggie about the competition between AEW and WWE. The hosts of the podcast asked Danielson about the perceived competition between the two biggest wrestling companies in the world and he explained that he sees more competition of the business side of things rather than the wrestling content of the productions.

He said: "Especially at a higher level. I’m not talking about a higher level of performance, I’m talking about business. In a couple of years when both TV deals come up, and that’s how both companies make most of their money through their TV deals. There’s going to be some competitive bargaining going on as far as who gets what? And the person who has the better ratings is going to get the most money. And that’s better for everybody. So obviously there’s that level of competition."

Believing that competition between the two improves the product, The American Dragon explained: "One of the things that I love about both of them, rather than being competition, it gives wrestling fans ‘hey, what do you like better?’ It gives you that. Some people are going to like both. I also think it’s great for the wrestlers in that you look at someone like Malakai Black in AEW or Ruby Soho, who weren’t able to get many opportunities in WWE. Now they’re in AEW and Ruby’s in an AEW Women’s Championship match.

"So giving talent opportunities, and eventually, it’s going to go the other way. Someone in AEW is underutilized, they’re going to go to WWE and people are going to see what they can do. I just think there’s a competitive nature. For me, myself, I’m more competitive within myself as far as being the best I can. But I’m not going to lie, if I see someone do something incredible in WWE, I’m going to be like ‘yeah, I can do better.'"

Danielson debuted in AEW at All Out 2021 following a ten-year spell in WWE, he gave an insight into the differences between how the companies respective owners produce professional wrestling: "Tony’s view of wrestling comes from a wrestling fan’s perspective, and it’s really a modernization of professional wrestling. But what WWE does is more entertainment. And you can see it in the way the shows are presented. The very first segment in most WWE shows is an interview setting up the entertainment for the rest of the night. AEW almost always starts off with a wrestling match."

The American Dragon made his in-ring debut at AEW Dynamite Grand Slam wrestling AEW World Champion Kenny Omega to a 30-minute draw.

H/T Wrestling Inc.