Nigel McGuinness, longtime rival and fellow announcer, doesn’t believe Bryan Danielson will step back into the ring after ending his full-time career at WrestleDream in October 2024. Since then, Danielson has moved into a backstage role and recently became a permanent voice on the AEW Dynamite commentary team.
Speaking on The Magic of Wrestling, McGuinness—who has recently returned to competition himself—said Danielson seems satisfied with life away from the ring. He cited Danielson’s family as the main reason for staying retired but admitted that professional rivalry could be the only factor to spark a comeback.
“I think the only reason he might do that is because he sees me do it, and once again, jealousy becomes a factor and he realises ‘I was never as good a wrestler as Nigel when I was full-time, now I could come back…’ so I don’t think so,” McGuinness said. “I think he’s enjoying his life with his kids. He has probably made some sort of promise to his missus in that regard, that would be my guess… I don’t see it happening.”
Danielson’s shift to commentary followed a neck injury he chose not to repair surgically, according to a September 12, 2025, Wrestling Observer Radio report. The former AEW World Champion has made it clear his health and being active with his children now come first.
He also acknowledged the toll of his past career, pointing to his AEW World Championship match against Swerve Strickland at WrestleDream 2024 as the kind of performance he can no longer maintain. His new role became official when AEW President Tony Khan announced it publicly.
“Tony and I had talked about the possibility of it, but I didn’t know it was a real thing until Sunday,” Danielson explained, saying he found out after receiving a text with Khan’s tweet confirming the move.