CM Punk was fired by Tony Khan and AEW for a backstage incident with Jack Perry at All In in 2023, but it led to an ‘incredible’ moment for Bryan Danielson.
Punk returned to WWE at Survivor Series in 2023, marking his first appearance in the company for nearly a decade.
Despite Punk’s AEW firing derailing plenty of plans for Tony Khan and the company, there was one silver lining.
Bryan Danielson opened up about an ‘incredible’ match he was able to have due to Punk’s AEW firing.
Bryan Danielson faced Ricky Starks due to CM Punk’s AEW firing
Danielson appeared at Starrcast in Texas and he divulged more information about the backstage plans surrounding Punk’s firing.
“And then, because I missed that (All In 2023), and then there was an unfortunate incident backstage, I got to have an incredible Strap match with Ricky Starks when I wasn’t even supposed to be wrestling,” said Danielson.
The All Out Strap Match is widely considered one of the best matches in the company’s history, and it wouldn’t have been able to happen without Punk’s firing.
The Best in the World was initially lined up to face Starks at the Chicago show, but he was replaced by Danielson.
The Strap Match between Starks and Danielson is currently rated 9.24 out of 10 on the wrestling database, CageMatch.
Will Bryan Danielson wrestle again?
Danielson bowed out from full-time wrestling after losing to Jon Moxley at AEW’s WrestleDream in October 2024.
The star has only appeared in AEW once since ‘retiring’ when he made a surprise return to help Hangman Page defeat Moxley at All In on July 12.
The star has not ruled out returning to the ring for another match, but he has said he’s happy with his career ending where it did.
‘I have no inclination right now, and no desire to wrestle right now,” said the American Dragon in an interview with The Metro.
The legendary star continued: “The last six months of my career built up to that, I look at it now as a blessing.”
Danielson built up an impressive wrestling resume over the last 20 years, becoming a world champion within WWE, AEW, and other independent companies.