Bryan Danielson

[10.0] "Best of all time man, possibly the best babyface ever and also a sensational heel. No wrestler gets me consistently out of my seat like the american dragon"

[10.0] "The easiest 10 I've ever had to give. Is so fucking good at wrestling that he used a 5'8 (! ) body to successfully break through Vince McMahon's big-man complex; becoming among the best (if not the best) underdog champion the WWE has ever seen. He's so good that he made the otherwise-abysmal Wrestlemania 30 one of the most loved Wrestlemanias ever. He has forgotten more about nuances & maneuvers than most workers will ever know. Seems incapable of putting out a poor match, & always gave everything of himself that he could into every match & angle that he has worked, ever. Contemporary society's answer to people like Kurt Angle & Dustin Rhodes, & his presence successfully influenced new stars we've come to love today, like Mike Bailey & Konosuke Takeshita. Selfless to a borderline self-injurious fault. Uncannily, incredibly amazing & wonderful."

"Uno de los mejores de todos los tiempos en el ring, en el micrófono y con un gran carisma, grandísimas luchas tanto en ROH, como en AEW , como en WWE, mis favoritas desde luego son vs kenny omega, vs nigel y vs mjf en el mejor iron man match de todos los tiempos Una lastima que no pudiera haber alargado su carrera unos pocos años mas."

[9.0] "Bryan Danielson or daniel Bryan is one of the best technical wrestlers ever, he has many gifts and his matches are always super fun watch to watch. It's sad he never got a long wwe title reign in his prime, but his heel run with the title in 2018-2019 was really good, admittedly long overdue. The fact that Vince even gave him that moment at WrestleMania 30 just shows how truly good he actually was. his mic work is solid, ROH work was legendary, AEW run was also solid."

[10.0] "Arguably the greatest wrestler to ever live, up there with the likes of Kobashi & Kong very easily. The only things I can possibly take points off for is him having a pretty dull moveset & look in his ROH days, but that's made-up for by the fact his strikes, holds, & psychology were off the charts. And for being in the WWE for so long, that one I can't forgive him for because the things I would've done for a '13-'19 Bryan Danielson NJPW run would be disgusting. Also, he's an amazing commentator and adds so much to storylines, progressing them even better than actual promos or matches at times."

[10.0] "Maybe the best worker of the last decade and a half, Bryan Danielson has had the greatest matches of all time across multiple companies which is a rarity. Whether it was WWE, Ring of Honor, AEW, etc. Danielson is the last of a dying breed of the best technical wrestlers."

[9.0] "Perhaps one of the best to ever lace boots, technical masterclass, has the intensity, promo, psychology and work. However, there's something that stops me from rating him a 10, whether it's his recklessness or his rather injury-prone career, i don't know"

[10.0] "The best to ever lace up the boots, and the wrestler that single handedly brought back my passion for the sport. His run to Mania 30 and subsequent win will never leave my mind. Technically brilliant, excellent heel or face, strikes hard and wants to be hit hard. Ill forever want another match, but if I dont get it, all I can say, is Thank you Bryan."

[10.0] "Arguably the best to ever do it. No matter the company, Bryan Danielson has absolutely thrived and put on some of the greatest matches in wrestling history. It's crazy that you can watch a match from 2004 and a match from 2024 and he's still just as consistently great 20 years apart. He also evolved into a fantastic talker over the years, though I always found him to be a great trash talker, going back to his mid-2000s ROH days."

[9.0] "He is a goat He has shined everywhere he has been and has always been good. It's a shame he didn't get his due in WWE due to Vince's ambition and mistakes. I wish him well and I think a score of nine is appropriate for him."

[10.0] "Bryan Danielson is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, a performer whose career redefined what excellence in the ring looks like. From his foundational years in Ring of Honor to the main events of the world's biggest stages, Danielson has consistently proven that technical mastery, intensity, and heart can transcend size, style, and era. His legendary rivalry with Nigel McGuinness set a new benchmark for modern wrestling, blending realism, emotion, and brutality into unforgettable classics. In the ring, Danielson's versatility is unmatched. He seamlessly combines world-class technical wrestling, punishing strikes, and explosive submissions, making every match feel like a struggle for survival. Whether controlling a match with precise mat work, unleashing vicious kicks, or forcing opponents to tap, his offense is as diverse as it is believable. Few wrestlers can adapt to any opponent, any style, or any environment the way he can. As a character, Danielson embodies passion, resilience, and an almost obsessive love for wrestling itself. He can be an underdog the audience rallies behind, a cold and dangerous technician, or a violent purist who demands respect. Outside the ring, he is widely respected as a humble, principled, and thoughtful individual, admired by peers and fans alike. Bryan Danielson is not just an elite wrestler -- he is the standard by which greatness is measured."

[6.0] "A True technical legend, Won world champion in every major company he worked for.Being a short guy and win the top prize is hard but he did it.His 2018-2019 heel work and alliance with Rowan was perfect."

[6.0] "I think I am in the minority with this but I never saw Danielson as a Main Eventer, I thought his mic skills weren't really upto snuff except when he teamed with Kane. I never saw the whole thing people go on about with him being as good or if not better than a HBK or Bret Hart, don't get me wrong, hes a great wrestler but I just didn't see him higher than the IC title division in WWE, and honestly when I saw him being made out to be a 'bad ass' in AEW, I couldn't buy it. That's just my taste."

[10.0] "[10.0] There is no such thing as a perfect wrestler. That said, Bryan Danielson is about as close as we're gonna get. Incredible in the ring, a deceptively good promo, insanely passionate, some of the best range we'll ever see for a wrestler in terms of being a face and a heel or doing serious shit or comedy. So good that fucking 2010s, prime head-firmly-up-his-ass Vince McMahon had no choice but to accept that he's the real deal and belt him up multiple times, so good that I end up at a loss for describing what exactly makes him so good, not for figuring out what to say, but from having too much to say. We're gonna be incredibly, incredibly lucky if anyone even comes close to matching him."

[10.0] "You know why he's rated this highly. He is God in wrestling form with a capital G. There's not a single style or feat he can't do, topped off with arguably the best acting from any wrestler of any era. He is possibly the only wrestler alive today whom you can't really add much of anything to his repertoire that could make him better, because he can already do it and do it better than anyone else."

[10.0] "Probably the greatest wrestler of all time by ability? Can easily back it up on the mic and everywhere else as well. No matter if it's ROH, WWE or AEW, Danielson always can put on an incredible show."

[10.0] "Bryan danielson, he's really the best fucking wrestler in the world. He's the one who prove high is no matter to be fantastic"

[10.0] "Possibly the greatest Western pro-wrestler, EVER. His peaks are higher than the uber-versatile Terry Funk, he is often more innovative than Hart or Michaels, and his catalogue of matches across international promotions is unparalleled even by Flair's standards."

[8.0] "Excellent performer. Very likable. But unbelievable winner. Height + physique makes it hard to suspend disbelief."

[10.0] "Bryan Fucking Danielson is THE Greatest of All Time. Godly in every promotion he has been in, putting on the best matches, the best rivalries, cutting the most heart felt promos. Breaking through and having amazing matches in a system like WWE the way Bryan did is insane. PPV Epics with the likes of Cena, Zack, Moxley, Swerve, and Reigns to TV Classics with Suzuki, Styles, Cole, and Omega to the hundreds of amazing Danielson matches I have yet to watch. No one comes close for me to who the Greatest of All Time. The Dragon, The GOAT, The Best in the Universe, Bryan Fucking Danielson."

[10.0] "Danielson has always excelled at every aspect of professional wrestling, and has done since very early on in his career. His knowledge and understanding is unmatched- we are blessed that he was able to make a return to the ring, that he could finish his career at a company that appreciates the sport with international connections, and that he continues to be involved in the industry. Best American wrestler of all time by some distance."

[10.0] "The Greatest North American to ever do it. Absolute living legend. Simply outstanding and breathtaking in ring, great promo work, capable of making every character AT LEAST GOOD and iconic in every federation where he performed"

[10.0] "Wrestling. Wrestler. He embodies both words. His in ring skill and charisma are untouchable, dare I say impeccable. GOAT is overused and abused in so many cases but not in this one. GOAT."

[10.0] "Very little needs to be said by me, thousands have given him every praise you could ever imagine. For my money he's the best of all time in terms of work rate and is underrated on the mic. He would've been one of the best of all time if he had never left WWE, but his AEW run has been absolutely legendary and is doing some incredible work on commentary at the moment. His match against Homicide at Final Battle 2006 is a personal favorite of mine."

[2.0] "To be honest, when I was rating many wrestlers today and yesterday, I even kind of forgot about Bryan Danielson -- aka Daniel Bryan. This isn't hate speech, and I'll explain why. I believe that Daniel Bryan is a hypocrite. Or rather, his character is hypocritical, which makes it hard for me to perceive Bryan himself as a genuine top babyface. I couldn't see Bryan as a convincing, large-scale babyface. Early in his WWE career, he debuted as the most vile and toxic heel in Nexus (if I'm not mistaken, that was his main roster debut). That was in the early 2010s. But by 2014, somehow he became a fan favorite. Of course, things like face turns and heel turns are pretty fluid in wrestling, but they still need to make sense. Why would someone from being a disgusting heel suddenly become a face -- a good guy? Why did he change his values? You can take a few examples, even Jey USO, who I definitely don't like, but can be justified. You could say he was acting in his family's interest; his brother Roman Reigns was a heel (Reigns' character) and manipulated the Usos. Then the Usos decided to turn face and stand up to Roman, becoming protestants. Reigns himself in The Shield was a heel doing bad things with his group, but you could justify it by saying he was betrayed by Rollins, rethought his worldview, and became a good guy. Even now, Reigns, as a tweener, makes sense because he acts in his and his family's interests. Rollins' face turn can even be stretched to the point of being global because he was betrayed by management. Lesnar stopped caring about Heyman, and even though Lesnar was portrayed as a universal evil, he became a face because he simply didn't care who he was supposed to be -- he's just Brock Lesnar. But Daniel Bryan, in his debut, spat in John Cena's face, humiliated AJ Lee, even though he was responsible for his own loss. And suddenly, I'm supposed to feel sorry for him when Triple H breaks his leg? And sure, he was just a face, but they even planned to make him the company's top guy. I've always cheered for his brutal enemies -- whether it was Reigns, Lesnar, The Beast, Punk, or Evolution. As for his gimmicks, I don't like the "Yes Man" gimmick -- it looked more like a cult. Cringe. Even worse was when he turned heel in 2019. His eco-activist gimmick, spreading complete nonsense with a wooden title in his hands, looked very awkward. It was too much for wrestling. Most of Bryan's personas are cringeworthy. The only good period I can point out in Bryan's career is his team with Kane, "Team Hell No" -- their segments were really funny. Bryan can naturally play the fool. It's clear that Bryan feels comfortable in AEW. Now, moving to his ring skills -- yes, Bryan is probably good in the ring. His matches generally don't cause a botch or bad crowd reaction (except maybe that match when he turned heel in 2019). His matches are watchable. And Meltzer, with his propaganda, could rate his matches even ten stars, but they're not exactly what you'd call iconic or cult classics. It's not wrestling cinema -- a good match, and that's it. Although, even in the ring, Bryan's hypocrisy shows sometimes. For example, I remember a match he had with Dustin Rhodes -- before the match, they shook hands, but in the match, Bryan used his move where he holds the opponent's hands and kicks him in the face, like wiping his feet on him. How can you even characterize Bryan's character? Even AEW doesn't see him as a valuable asset. He lost a lot. And no respected wrestler like MJF or Swerve Strickland would lay down for a talentless guy like Ospreay. I give a 2 for "Team Hell No" and for the relevance in AEW -- specifically, the long in-ring matches."

[10.0] "I love Bryan danielson since first time I see him in the ring wrestling he is the goat of wrestling and there is no oppenent in that he has charisma and in ring skill both 10 he is flawless"

[10.0] "What else is there to say about Bryan Danielson? The greatest of all time objectively. Tremendous performer, promo and a funny ass guy."

[10.0] "Maybe one of the greatest if not the greatest wrestler ever to do it he's a phenomenal technical wrestler his fued with Nigel shows it and he can have great hard hitting matches too."

[10.0] "Can't lie, I didnt think he'd succeed in the WWE. Can't blame me for their track record at that time. Heck, if Vince had his way Bryan wouldn't have succeeded. Glad to be proven wrong. I knew his in-ring talent but never guessed he could get himself over the way he did. He's never had a bad match and built a crazy connection with the audience. 10/10"

[10.0] "While Bryan is not my GOAT, he is undoubtably one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. The fact that he was able to become as successful as he was in WWE despite his "indie look" is a testament to the likeability and talent of him. Whether proclaiming the "Yes! " chant as WWE Champion, to spewing bars of truth as the planet's champion, to cheering on the crown as they sing "The Final Countdown", Bryan has a connection with the crowd that very, very few have ever had. Bryan is proof that size in wrestling doesn't matter, as even a "skinny vegan loser from the indies" was able to main event 2 WrestleMania's, put on hour long classics in his 40's, and kick people head's in for over 20 years."

[9.0] "Bryan Danielson is undersized, not a lot of muscle on him, though he is one of the greatest wrestlers to ever exist, he could give you a solid match with just about anyone, probably anything. He's charismatic, he can talk very, very well. His promos are often better than some of his matches. He's also a good character wrestler too. His eco-warrior gimmick on SmackDown in 2018 was outstanding work, the highlight of his career for me personally. He's shown himself capable of being a main event player in a big company, the only issue is he's a danger to himself. I understand that your life revolves around this business, but you can be a credit to it outside of the ring. You don't have to be an active wrestler anymore, you've done all you could possibly do and have risked your health for far too long. Do what Nigel McGuinness does, commentary with the occasional angle/match, because, much like most everything in pro wrestling, Danielson is exceptional there too."

[10.0] "I'm just rating Bryan based off his work in the early to mid 2010s. I watched him as a really funny heel, followed by his work in Team Hell No, and then he became one of the most loved babyfaces in pro wrestling history. At his peak, he was getting his name chanted during segments all over the show - and who can forget the crowd cheering for him in the steel cage segment with Bray Wyatt? He was so over that WWE had to change their WrestleMania plans. I haven't seen much of his other work, but I don't need to (nor do I want to, because I think "Daniel Bryan" the relatable babyface is the GOAT)."

[10.0] "I rewatched his last RoH match before migrating to the WWE recently, including the portion where he gives an impassioned speech to the crowd at Hammerstein. The absolute zeal and love for the sport he calls home is so salient in his delivery, as is his genuine care for the crowd that came out that night. That is the perfect microcosm for the American Dragon. He has never been my favorite wrestler- but I would be hard pressed to find a better example for the potential of the American wrestling scene than him. He is an absolute master of his craft, and he represents something special to be found in the American style (something that often I find lacking in exact terms in lucha, or puro). He has refined something immaterial and pure in his style; something akin to the hero who must do it for the people that brought him here. He has always had an incredible knack of getting the crowd behind him, to rally for and fight alongside him. I don't think anyone of his generation has tapped into that incredible strength besides him, anywhere in the world."

[10.0] "Danielson is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever do it, it's challenging to put into perspective the technical analysis and the personal feelings towards the wrestler, because he's by far, alongside with CM Punk, my favorite wrestler, they're the ones I've chose to love growing up, and still to this day they're my comfort wrestlers, so yeah, I freaking love Bryan Danielson, he's a personal favorite and an idol to me. As a worker, shouldn't even be necessary to say that he's splendid, a technical wrestler with a brilliant execution at everything he does, a true master of pro-wrestling, but also one of the most complete packages ever, one of the most incredible qualities about Bryan is the ability to work against anyone, in any style of wrestling... he's a technician of course, but he's amazing at everything, he's fantastic in brawls, bloodbaths, fast paced matches, slow burns, as an underdog, dominating the opponent, as a face, as a heel, calling the majority of moves or not, working stiff, working a softer WWE-style, etc... it's truly impressive, he thrives under any circumstance, he's excellent doing anything. Bryan is also in my opinion a prime example of wrestler who perform the face/heel job with an equal brilliancy, he's absolutely incredible under both roles, a perfect wrestler doing any character. The Dragon has everything... a very special talent, extremely charismatic and capable of creating a strong connection with every audience he performed for. One of the last truly passionate guys about the sport, he's a purist, and I chose the right person to root for as a kid. Nobody is perfect, and I don't believe there's such a thing as 'perfect wrestler', but Danielson is very close to that."

[5.0] "I can acknowledge he is a decent wrestler but I have never liked him. He is just too much in the technical stuff and I'm just not someone who enjoys that. I don't like Zach Sabre Jr. I don't like Kurt Angle. I don't like Bret Hart. That's just not my style. I am not going to give him an absolute 0 just because I don't like him, as I can appreciate his good work. But I'm not going to give him a high score either. There is not variety in his moveset. Very limited to Matt wrestling and submissions."

[9.0] "Bryan Danielson's AEW run was nothing short of captivating--his in-ring work there was arguably the best chapter of his entire career. He masterfully blended his trademark technical prowess with more diverse styles, creating matches that felt both classic and fresh. That combination was magical to watch and showcased the evolution of a veteran still hungry to innovate. However, for all his brilliance, Bryan suffers from the same fundamental limitation as Zack Sabre Jr.: an overreliance on technical wrestling to the exclusion of other essential components. While ZSJ embraces pure technique to an almost singular degree--making his matches feel like clinics but often lacking broader appeal--Bryan strikes a better balance. Still, when it comes to charisma, promo work, or explosive athleticism, he is far from elite. Where Bryan earns his 9.0 is not just from his recent work but from the legacy he built long before AEW. He is, without question, the foundational figure who gave birth to what Ring of Honor became. His influence on modern independent wrestling and the art of technical storytelling is immeasurable. Yet, despite all that, his style remains niche--remarkably detailed but often inaccessible for casual viewers. His matches sometimes drag under the weight of complexity, and his character can feel understated, lacking the larger-than-life qualities that elevate other legends to a perfect score. In summary: Bryan Danielson is a legend, a master technician, and an innovator who found new life in AEW by blending styles. But the purely technical focus still holds him back from absolute greatness in the eyes of many. A well-deserved 9.0, solid and respectful, with room left for improvement outside the mat."

[10.0] "BRYAN V. OSPREAY AT AEW DYNASTY (2024) IS THE GREATEST MATCH IN THE HISTORY OF PRO WRESTLING! AND NO ONE- LITERALLY NO ONE CAN CHANGE MY MIND!"

[10.0] "Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan is one of the best wrestlers of this current generation. He has always been a top talent for any promotion he competed in (WWE, AEW, ROH). He was always over no matter what gimmick he had, where the venue was or anything else. I can't think of a reason to not like him."

[10.0] "The absolute best wrestler of his era. No one puts on a match like Bryan Danielson. No one holds the crowd in his hand like Bryan Danielson. He's built a legacy across multiple companies and has proven over and over why he is one of the greatest of all time."

[10.0] "The greatest technical wrestler of all time and the perfect pro wrestler. Danielson wrestles in a style I gravitate towards the most. Danielson loves the art on a psychotic level. Despite being undeniably an all time great, he's extremely unselfish. Always willing to put the next generation over. His ROH run opened my eyes to the independent scene when I was a young teenager and he was the first wrestler I was a fan of before he went to the Fed. Danielson was never himself there and his AEW run is a perfect example of exactly what I mean. A few years of all gas, no breaks and knocking off dream matches. Danielson is the one wrestler who actually inspires me. I never have a problem suspending my disbelief in wrestling but with Danielson it always feels like it's authentic. One of the absolute greatest of all time."

"Definitely in the conversation of the ultimate GOAT. Got every aspect covered. His AEW run gave him the last level up. Watch out his matches with Omega, Osprey, Swerve, Zack Sable Jr., Okada, Hangman, MJF, Eddie, Suzuki and Starks"

[8.0] "One of the best technical wrestlers in the world, who has the rare ability to play a great babyface or heel. Had his greatest matches in ROH, but his recent run in AEW has produced some epic encounters as well."

[8.0] "Love the guy but the people calling him the best technical wrestler ever have pretty short memories."

[10.0] "The best technical wrestler ever, and maybe just the GOAT. The Yes Movement will never be forgotten and he will always have two of the best world title wins ever, the one at Mania 30, and the one at All In 2024."

"Bryan Danielson is undoubtedly one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Actual GOAT in the industry."

"Danielson is the best modern American technical wrestler. He can have a great match with practically anyone and is great no matter if he's a heel or face or a "tweener". His time in ROH was legendary, he changed WWE's vision of what a wrestler is (also sadly creating a formula thinking that every babyface who loses will eventually get over) and helped grow AEW to the promotion it is today."

[10.0] "One of the best of the bests in and out of the ring. A legendary veteran, who's still not that old, he's just 44 and can do it for a years."

[10.0] "Bryan Danielson is the gold standard of professional wrestling. Whether as the American Dragon tearing it up in ROH and Japan or as Daniel Bryan headlining WrestleMania, he's proven time and again that technical wrestling, heart, and storytelling can steal the show every single time. His matches with Nigel McGuinness, KENTA, Morishima, and later with Cena, Triple H, and Omega are all-timers. Few wrestlers have evolved so seamlessly across eras and companies. His legacy is undeniable--and he's still elevating talent and the business even in a backstage role. True GOAT-tier."

[8.0] "Danielson is a pretty weird case of regency bias where people call him a GOAT despite being a so-so technical worker and having long stints where he was just "good" at best. He was a great babyface, decent to somewhat phoney-pantomime heel, best at emoting and being able to drag out a reaction from the crowd regardless of the material given or the opponent (well, mostly) and his ring-awareness lent him a great amount of volume to a pretty varied career wherever he went. I'd actually argue he got much better by the time he was getting big in WWE since he couldn't rely on masturbatory fake-epics that dragged out for ten years and instead was forced to work shorter and more concise matches, something he seemed to carry with him afterwards for the rest of his career for the most part. In actuality his case comes mostly from his joint peaks in both major companies (his 2013/14 babyface stint, his AEW 2023/24 run) in terms of the consist good to great showings he was able to drag out from anyone he was with, even if I think personally that he never quite clicked in all of them as well as perhaps he should have. It's also pretty wacky to call someone a GOAT when wrestlers tangibly exist that do your style better, grapple more effectively, promo better, or actually had stellar tag matches. That's the big problem with his case: his tag work I don't think holds a candle to the actual GOAT-contenders, he never cracked it nearly as well as they did nor do I think the material that is out there holds up to such high standards. It's a shame as well because if it wasn't for that annoying stigma giving him such high standards I think he's more than deserving of praise, I just don't see the Platonic ideal that he's representing for others it seems."

[10.0] "My favorite professional wrestler of all time. I gravitated towards Bryan during his WWE run when I was still a child, but as I was getting back into wrestling his work in AEW is what hooked me and made me a wrestling fan for life. One of those very special wrestlers where he makes everything feel real, and in a business where that slowly becomes less of a priority it only made him stick out more in the later days of his career."