#110: MJF vs. Bryan Danielson, AEW Revolution (3/5/2023).
This is a 60 Minute Iron Man Match for MJF's AEW World Championship.
If you're trying to convince the world that you are as great as you say you are, then hanging hold for hold with one of the greatest to ever do it for 60 minutes is probably not a bad way to go about it. That's what MJF attempted on this night, as he stood across Bryan Danielson in AEW's 1st 60 Minute Iron Man Match.
MJF was extra cocky coming into this, and he even forced Danielson to wrestle and defeat 5 different opponents in order to even have this match. Danielson did so, in awesome fashion, and that meant that he could have this particular match against a man he believed wasn't as great a wrestler as he proclaimed himself to be.
This was a real test for the Salt of the Earth. There's no doubt that Danielson can hang in a 60 minute match - he did it often during the heyday of Ring of Honor in the 2000s. But MJF? This was unproven territory for the young man from Plainview. He's fantastic, and he's one of the best on the mic for sure. But in an Iron Man Match, against the man many believe to be the best technical wrestler alive? If it's a challenge you want, it's a challenge you'll get.
The bell sounds, and both guys remain in their corner, staring the other down. They attempt to lock up, and Danielson immediately begins taunting. MJF rolls out of the ring, then rolls back in. They lock up, and MJF takes Bryan down quickly. They exchange hammerlocks, until Bryan takes him down and begins to work on the leg. He gets a Death Lock in on MJF, and works to target the knee. With the Death Lock in, his grabs the arms and turns it into a pinning combo, but MJF kicks out. He rolls him around the on the ground, and attempts the LeBell Lock, but MJF gets out of it. Bryan starts doing jumping jacks, showing his confidence to the champion. MJF with a shoulder tackle, but Bryan hits a hip toss. Shoulder tackle from Bryan, and MJF with the hip toss now. They are matching moves now, exchanging kicks and side head lock takedowns, before having a stand off. No one has the advantage yet.
MJF offers a handshake, but Bryan kicks it away, which sends MJF to the outside. He’s over the barricade, yelling at the fans now. He infamously grabs a woman’s drink and tosses it on her kid – something that was not planned, and something he would later apologize for. A true heel. Back in the ring, and back out. He’s clearly stalling, not wanting to face Bryan right away. They exchange back control, and Bryan locks in a Full Nelson. MJF counters out of it, but Bryan locks in the Surfboard Lock, targeting the knees once again.
Bryan chops MJF in the corner, knocking him down with kicks now. MJF pulls Bryan into the middle turnbuckle, hitting his head off of it. MJF is in control now, kicking Bryan in the chest. He sends him off the ropes and into a back body drop, and follows with another. Commentary mentions that it’s too early in the match to get cocky. Bryan responds with two back body drops of his own. Uppercuts on the ropes, and Bryan gets control again.
MJF pulls the arm down over the rope, and sends Bryan shoulder first into the turnbuckle. He’s now praying on the injury Bryan had coming into this. MJF heads out of the ring to take a swig of water. Is he already gassed? More attacks on the shoulder into the turnbuckle. MJF puts Bryan in a shoulder lock, setting him up for his Fujiwara Arm Bar finisher. He tosses Bryan to the outside, and sends his shoulder into the barricade. He throws him back in the ring, but Bryan responds by diving out of the ring into MJF. The champions moves out of the way in time, and Bryan hits his shoulder off the barricade again.
Back in the ring, and MJF hits a Hammer Lock DDT for a nearfall. MJF gets a Key Lock in, continuing the focus on the shoulder. Now back to their feet, MJF is tossing Bryan around by the wrist, targeting the ligaments in the arm. He ties the arm up in the ropes, and returns to punching Bryan in the face in the corner. He sets him on the top turnbuckle, and continues to stretch the arm out. Bryan responds with headbutts, and he hits a Sunset Flip Powerbomb to MJF off the top.
Bryan has him in the corner now with chops and kicks, before going for his running kicks into MJF’s face. He hits a hurricanrana off the top turnbuckle, which only gives Bryan a two count. MJF ascends the top rope and drops his feet right on Bryan’s extended arm, as he looks to hyperextend the arm. MJF then hits a Powerbomb to Bryan right on his knee, but that only gets a 2 count. Bryan looks for the LeBell Lock, but MJF slingshots him over the rope, and thrust kicks Bryan out of the ring.
MJF attempts a Springboard Moonsault to the outside, but Bryan moves out of the way, and MJF lands awkwardly on the knee, which gives Bryan the chance to dive back to the outside on the champion. Back in the ring, MJF goes for the armbar, and Bryan gets out of it. MJF hits a Pump Handle Pile Driver, but that only gets a 2 count. Bryan hits a running elbow on the champion, but he grabs his injured shoulder immediately. Bryan attempts a small package, but only gets a nearfall. Several nearfalls follow for both men, as desperation for that first fall becomes more imminent.
Bryan runs into the corner, but jumps over MJF, and then runs into a clothesline from the champ, which Bryan responds with with a clothesline of his own. 25 minutes into this, and both men are down. Bryan kips up first, and hits the Busaiku Knee to MJF and scores the first fall of the match!
Score: Bryan Danielson (1), MJF (0).
Commentary reminds us that there is no rest period between falls, and the match will continue on as normal. Bryan looks to follow up on MJF, but he collapses in exhaustion – or is it strategy?
It’s strategy. MJF hits a low blow, and scores the next fall with a small package pin. He then follows that up with another quick pinfall! The score is now tied!
Score: Bryan Danielson (2), MJF (2).
MJF rolls to the outside of the ring and swigs more water, which commentary mentions could be bad strategy because all of that water could bloat him. Speaking from experience, that’s 100% accurate. Bryan is back in control now, hitting a Shotgun Dropkick from the top turnbuckle, which sends MJF to the outside. Bryan chops him against the barricade. He sets MJF up on a chair, and Bryan goes for his running kick, but MJF takes Bryan out with a lariat. He know has Bryan sitting on the chair. MJF then goes for a running kick of his own, but Bryan hits his own lariat. More kicks in the chest to the champion.
Bryan breaks the referee’s count, and then runs around the ring to hit MJF with his running kick into the barricade. Bryan has MJF back in the ring, and starts to pummel his knee into the ring post several times. Back to the middle of the ring, Bryan locks in on the knee, and puts MJF in the Figure Four Leglock. MJF responds with slaps and yelling of “I hate you, you son of a bitch!” Bryan responds in kind, by slapping the champion. MJF crawls and makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Bryan is telling MJF to suck it up, and to show him some heart. Both are on the apron now, and Bryan attempts a Gotch-style piledriver, but MJF escapes out of it and goes for a Tombstone. They exchange shots, with Bryan targeting the knee and MJF targeting the shoulder. Bryan has the upper hand, and kicks MJF so hard he collapses on the apron. Bryan puts MJF on the top turnbuckle, attempting a side slam to the floor. MJF punches Bryan, and Bryan goes to the floor.
MJF sends Bryan into the ring post, and places Bryan on the ringside table. MJF scales the top rope, and hits a flying elbow drop to the outside, sending Bryan through the table! Both men are down, and MJF screams at the referee to count Bryan out. MJF rolls back in the ring, as the ringside doctor checks on Bryan. At the last second, Bryan barely makes it into the ring. MJF drags him back out of the ring, and MJF hits a piledriver to Bryan through the remains of the broken table! The downside is that took as much out of MJF’s knee as it did to Bryan’s head.
Bryan is busted open now, and MJF digs his thumbs into Bryan’s forehead, trying to squeeze more out of him. MJF drags Bryan back into the ring, and hits the Heat Seeker finisher for the pinfall victory.
Score: MJF (3), Bryan Danielson (2).
MJF can’t capitalize on another pinfall attempt, as his knee is starting to give away on him. MJF is out of the ring again, going for more water. He’s back in the ring, zeroing in on the bloody head of Bryan. MJF now turns his attention back to the left arm of his challenger, targeting the injured.
“Best in the world? You fucking suck!”
MJF’s insecurity comes through as he asks Bryan to say hi to his children at home. He goes back to the head, causing more blood to come out. He attacks the shoulder again, but Bryan starts to fight his way back. He takes all the shots MJF has, and goes for a punch attempt, but it looks like exhaustion is kicking in for the challenger. Bryan paintbrushes MJF, and the champ pushes him to the ground. As 15 minutes closes in, MJF brings Bryan to the outside, looking to slam his shoulder into the ring post, but Bryan sends MJF into the post instead! Running knee off the apron into the champion, knocks him down.
Bryan scales the top rope, and hits a crossbody onto MJF. Back in the ring, both men are on the top rope, but Bryan crotches MJF into the turnbuckle. Bryan hits a Spider Suplex from the top, and lifts himself back up to the top. Bryan hits the Diving Headbutt to MJF, but he’s too hurt to capitalize. Looks like the head to head contact has busted MJF open really badly. He is gushing every where. Bryan hits a Busaiku Knee, but instead of going for the pin, he locks in the Regal Stretch, an homage to his mentor, and MJF taps out! The score is tied!
Score: Bryan Danielson (3), MJF (3).
Bryan goes right back to the stretch, looking for consecutive falls, but MJF counters into the Fujiwara Armbar right on the injured arm! Bryan counters out of that into the LeBell Lock. The slickness of the blood is making it hard for Bryan to properly lock it in, and MJF goes for the rope. Bryan is able to move him back to the middle of the ring, and he locks it in fully. MJF counters out of it into a nearfall, and then goes back to the Armbar. He grapevines the arm, and now it’s harder for Bryan to get to the ropes. His bad arm is in the legs, and MJF grabs the free arm and locks it under his own arm, but somehow Bryan gets his foot on the bottom rope. The crowd is hot now, a stark contrast to where they were in the beginning. That’s a testament to the talent of both guys to keep them invested this far into the match.
Both guys are on their knees, slugging it out with punches and headbutts. Forearms follow, and both men are down again. MJF looks distraught, and Bryan is laughing.
5 minutes remain, and both men are now hitting hard and fast. They exchange chops, and MJF goes for an eyepoke. Bryan follows with a kick, MJF follows with a forearm, and Bryan hits his own. MJF goes back to the arm and hits the Heat Seeker again, but that gets a close 2 count. MJF goes for more water, and then places Bryan on the top turnbuckle. The crowd chants “H20.” What a bunch of dorks.
3 minutes remain as Bryan now hits elbows to the chest of MJF from the top. MJF then grabs Bryan and hits a Tombstone from the top!! MJF’s knee is too hurt to capitalize immediately. A huge knot is forming on the forehead of MJF. Both men are down as the crowd chants “fight forever.”
2 minutes remain as the score is still tied 3-3. MJF finally makes the cover, but Bryan kicks out, and then counters into a Single Leg Crab, right on the injured leg of the champion!
60 seconds left, and Bryan torques the leg in an ugly manner. MJF goes for the ropes, but Bryan drags him back to the middle of the ring!! Bryan is in full view of the tron, where the clock is!
30 seconds now! MJF crawls again towards the rope! Bryan has the crab locked in deep!
10 seconds!! MJF is able to hold on, and he taps just as the clock expires!!
The 60 minutes has expired, and due to the tie, MJF is still the AEW World Champion! Doctors come in to check on both men, who are absolutely spent. An oxygen tank is brought in for MJF, who is possibly suffering from dehydration. The fans in the Chase Center chant “bullshit,” as announcer Tony Schiavone receives a message over his headset. He heads to the ring, as Bryan paces the ring, ready for more. MJF looks like he has died and went to heaven.
Tony speaks to ring announcer Justin Roberts, who then announces that Tony Khan will not allow the match to end in a draw, and the match will now continue for one more fall, under Sudden Death rules, which means that whoever takes the next fall wins the match!
The medical team leaves, and MJF is dejected. Bryan is hyped, and looks ready to wrestle another hour! MJF shoves the referee in an attempt to get disqualified, but he gets pushed back into a roll up attempt, which only gets a 2 count. MJF distracts the ref in order to hit a sneaky low blow on Bryan, and then he goes for a roll up, but that also gets a 2 count. MJF grabs the championship belt, looking to get disqualified again, but the referee reminds him that if he gets disqualified, he loses the fall, and would then lose the match and the title. The ref says “be my guest.”
As the ref takes the belt away, MJF goes into his tights and grabs the Dynamite Diamond Ring and goes to hit Bryan with it, who moves out of the way, and hits a Poisonrana! Bryan hits the Busaiku Knee, but only gets a close 2 count!! The look on Bryan’s face tells the whole story. Bryan brings MJF back to the middle and kicks his leg viciously, and locks in the Half Crab again! The ref catches the ring on his finger and grabs it! Bryan almost turns it into a Half Crab/Heel Hook combination. MJF is somehow crawling to the bottom rope, and he makes it by one finger!
While he has the rope, he taps out, making Bryan think that the match is over. Bryan goes to celebrate and MJF rolls to the outside. While the ref is explaining things to Bryan, MJF grabs the oxygen tank and nails Bryan in the head. The ref never saw it. MJF is back in the ring and he locks in Bryan’s LeBell Lock on Bryan! The ref goes to see if Bryan is unconscious. Bryan is awake, and is trying to fight out of it! MJF keeps it locked in tight, though. Bryan taps out!! Holy shit. MJF collapses, as the title is laid on his chest. MJF’s game plan of targeting the arm and shoulder paid off in the end. No one expected Bryan to tap out to his own submission hold. The show goes off the air, as MJF crawls to the turnbuckle, and sits and revels in his glorious victory. MJF (4), Bryan Danielson (3).
As excited as I was about this match, even I had my doubts. I already knew Bryan Danielson was among the 3 greatest wrestlers I’ve ever seen, but as good as MJF had been in AEW so far, I wondered if he could go 60 minutes with someone the caliber of The American Dragon.
I am thrilled to say that my expectations were completely shattered.
The first thing that I will say about this match is that the pacing was truly excellent. Prior Iron Man matches, especially the ones contested for an hour, are criticized mainly for how the pacing comes off. The inaugural Iron Man match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 12 – one that went the full hour without a single fall – suffers from a lot of downtime and a lot of the action meaning nothing by the end. The WWE Championship Iron Man match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar suffered because it aired on Smackdown, and the commercial breaks killed the momentum several times. And the Anything Goes Iron Man match between Randy Orton and John Cena suffered from very slow periods in the middle that were supposed to come off as methodical, but were there just to kill time.
I can honestly say that this match didn’t have any of those issues. Everything they did mattered, and there was very little time devoted to eating away at the clock. Once they got going, they never let up, and it was a thrill ride from the very beginning. It says a lot about the stamina of both men that they wrestled this aggressively for 60 minutes, and then went at it again for an additional five. No one was surprised that Bryan could pull this off, but MJF looked like a megastar throughout this, showing true grit and determination to stay with Bryan at every turn.
The strategy from both men was awesome to see, with MJF zeroing in on the injured arm of Danielson, and Bryan going after the leg at various points in the match. I also have to commend the selling as well, especially late in the match. Both men looked to be in agony whenever they would hit a move that would impact their own injured limb. Kudos to MJF, being as young as he is, to be selling as well as Bret Hart in his prime.
The storytelling was also on point. Bryan never changed from start to finish – his goal was to pick apart the champion, and he did a great job of it. But then you look at MJF. He started the match off cocky, then once he got into a groove, he found himself in a dominant position where he could realistically beat Danielson. But once overtime came into play, MJF became increasingly desperate, and that was a nice dichotomy to the flow of the match.
And in the end, that shit bag heel MJF found one last cheating play to give him the victory, with the oxygen tank. The shocking end, with him submitting Danielson with his own submission, is not all that surprising considering the extensive work to the arm throughout. A submission was not out of the question, but using the LeBell Lock to get there was a nice addition to the character of MJF, who will stop at nothing to embarrass his opponents on the way to a victory.
While I’m personally a huge fan of the 60 Min. Iron Man stipulation, many people are drawn in the middle on how they turn out, and the overarching issue that everyone can agree on is the pacing. That’s why it’s difficult to pull off, and why only certain wrestlers can do it. Because how do you pace a match that is guaranteed to last for one full hour? Well, I’m confident in saying that MJF and Bryan Danielson may have found the secret in doing so. While I can’t say it’s the greatest 60 Min. Iron Man Match of all time, it’s very easily the 2nd best, and if this match accomplished nothing else, it did accomplish proving to a lot of skeptics that Maxwell Jacob Friedman is a legitimate wrestling machine.