When Darby Allin formally agreed to put his AEW World Title shot on the line at Arthur Ashe against Jon Moxley in coordinator with the Blackpool Combat Club leader's desire to change the promotion into… something, it left fans with tickets for the show or simply a vested interest in the proceedings with one simple question: would Bryan Danielson still appear on the show?
Well, it didn't take long to find out an answer, as after making a cameo appearance backstage, none other than the recently unretired Nigel McGuinness marched down to the ring to deliver an impromptu promo where he laid out a Tony Khan-approved plan to keep the fans happy, even if it comes at the expense of a certain “Paper Champion.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, forgive the interruption, but there was something I had to get off of my chest. Now with, Darby Allin putting his World Title opportunity against Jon Moxley at Grand Slam. That means there's not going to be an AEW World Title match, which, let's be honest, is great for the champion, who right now is probably strapped to an iron lung, gasping for air like Justin Roberts when he was choked out with his own tie. But it's not so good for AEW because as a former World Champion myself, I believe that an event like Grand Slam should have the AEW World Champion at least compete,” McGuinness declared.
“Which brings me to this: how many years have I had to watch from the sidelines Bryan Danielson's career? An afterthought, a postscript to his success that should have been mine!? Because Bryan Danielson is afraid of me. He is afraid of the one match that everyone wants to see! But Tony Khan isn't afraid. Tony Khan knows a money match when he sees one! So at Grand Slam, it will be Bryan Danielson, take a breath, Bryan, against Nigel McGuiness! And I can guarantee you, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Oasis will play me to the ring, but will Bryan Danielson join me to the ‘Final Countdown?' Or have we seen the final match of the ‘American Dragon?' Coward! The ball's in your court, Bryan!”
TK, you son of a so and so, you did it again; not only do fans get to see Moxley versus Danielson with the winner getting the next AEW World Championship shot – both of which are incredibly compelling contests with deep roots in their own right – but in the interim, they'll get to see McGuinness, who has talked more smack on the “American Dragon” than he's wrestled matches this year finally get to stand toe-to-toe with his fellow Ring of Honor alumni, marking the first time for two former champions have wrestled each other since 2009 at Glory By Honor VIII: The Final Countdown?
While this match may not sell a ton of tickets or get a casual fan hyped up, for the true AEW sickos who have been watching indie wrestling since before the promotion even started, this is the definition of a dream match that no one thought they would ever see again, and thus, the sort of match Khan should be proud to deliver on PPV.
Nigel McGuinness has more dream matches than just Bryan Danielson
While the idea of McGuinness returning at All In for a massive return at Wembley Stadium felt more likely than not to keep fans in the now, as he'd been talking trash on the “American Dragon” since he arrived in AEW back in 2023, fans in the moment had no idea what this meant for the future, be it a simple one-off or the start of something grander.
Fortunately, fans didn't have to wait long, as McGuinness sat down with Raj Prashad of Uproxx Sports shortly after his big return to let fans know that he has a few dream matches that he'd like to work during this return, including a few that don't even include the “American Dragon.”
“Bryan's certainly head of the line because of our history; there's so much emotion tied up in a match with him,” McGuinness told Uproxx. “Zack Sabre Jr. would be a dream match. Adam Copeland, he's got another of those ‘broken bones.' There are so many great talents, Lee Moriarty has been gracious enough to get in the ring with me before the shows at Collision, and that's helped me a great deal.”
McGuinness versus ZSJ? Gosh, could you imagine the #Graps?
While that match may not happen, his bout with Danielson likely will, assuming the “American Dragon” doesn't chicken out. Asked how it would feel to actually achieve his goal and close the “Clam Digger's” career, McGuinness compared it to a storybook ending… at least for him.
“Oh, hey, what a story. What an end to a story that would be,” he continues. “That would be incredible. He's too smart to ever get himself put in that position to where I could beat him for that title. So I don't see it happening. But listen, I didn't see myself walking out of Wembley Stadium and getting a bigger reaction than Bryan winning the title either. These things can happen.”
Welp, there you go, folks; McGuinness finally gets a chance to put his money where his mouth is at Arthur Ashe, and the real winner of the match will be the fans at home, who will get to see one of AEW's longest-lasting feuds realized.
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