#215: Kenny Omega vs. Bryan Danielson, AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam (9/22/2021).
This is a non title match, as Omega’s AEW World Championship wasn’t on the line, and it was also Danielson’s in ring debut for All Elite Wrestling.
At All Out a few weeks prior, Bryan Danielson made his stunning debut for AEW, and immediately set his sights on Kenny Omega. He took offense to Omega calling himself the best wrestler in the world, as Danielson has long believed that no one was better at this craft than he. So, the match was quickly signed for Grand Slam, the biggest episode of Dynamite in AEW history to this point. Held inside Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, it was set to draw the biggest AEW crowd in its history up to this point.
The anticipation was high for this. Omega in 2021 was having a banner year of quality that was beginning to rival even his best work in New Japan, while Danielson was coming off of an 11 year stint in WWE, was seen by many to be free of constraints on his in ring style. That’s not to say Danielson was bad in WWE – he was tremendous. But, even his biggest supporters knew that he could go even better when not held down by the limitations of the WWE style. Here, against one of the very best in the world, Danielson was out to remind everyone how good he was when the shackles are removed.
After their respective entrances, we get the opening bell, and a genuinely great moment where the entire audience comes to their feet to clap and cheer for both men. It’s a great scene that brings a smile to Danielson’s face. This comes just months after Danielson main evented WrestleMania 37 against Roman Reigns and Edge, and famously talked about how he felt empty coming to the ring, and he felt a premonition that he was going to die soon after. Seeing his elation here is wholesome.
They come face to face in the middle of the ring, and slowly return to their corners. They lock up, and the crowd pops. Omega forces Danielson to the ropes, and lands a nice chop to the chest. They lock up again, and now Danielson gets Omega to the ropes. He lands a hard kick to the chest, and Omega doesn’t like that. They lock up again, and Danielson takes control of the arm. Omega reverses with a chin lock. Danielson hammerlocks the arm, and Omega gets to the ropes. Danielson with another kick to the chest.
Back in the ring, Omega takes the side headlock. He shoulder tackles Danielson to the mat, chops him in the chest. They meet back in the middle of the ring, and lock wrists for a Greco Roman Knuckle Lock. Danielson rolls through it and maintains control of Omega’s wrist. He bends Omega’s arm and stomps it into the mat. Danielson brings him to the corner and fires off a massive chop, and follows with a kick to the chest. He repeats this process.
Omega attempts to fire back with strikes, but Danielson stays on top. Omega with a kick to the chest, and Danielson sends him flying to the floor. Danielson with a nice Tope to the outside onto Omega. He sends Omega shoulder first into the ring post, and then does it one more time. Back in the ring, Danielson comes off the top rope with a knee to the extended arm of Omega. He holds the arm down to the mat, and then pulls Omega’s nose upwards.
Danielson hyperextends the arm over his shoulder, but Omega fires back with chops. He sends Danielson to the corner, and drives his boot into the throat. Another hard chop to the chest connects, but here comes Danielson with chops of his own. He rushes Omega, and the champion counters with a knee to the midsection and a hard kick to the spine. Omega follows up with knees to the back and kicks as well. Omega with an elbow to the back of the head, followed by some stomps to the head. They slap each other hard, but here’s Omega with a thumb to the eye. Omega connects with the rolling Fireman’s Carry, but Danielson blocks the moonsault. Looks like he COULD escape! Danielson with a hard chop to the chest, followed by some middle kicks. Danielson flips out of the corner, and connects with a diving elbow.
Running dropkick in the corner by Danielson, and now he unloads with several hard kicks to the chest. He places Omega on the top rope, and hits a hurricanrana. He covers, and Omega kicks out. Omega whips Danielson to the corner, and misses his diving back elbow. He escapes Danielson and hits a hurricanrana that sends him to the floor. Omega prepares for his Terminator style senton. Omega runs the ropes and hits the senton perfectly.
Omega brings Danielson back into the ring and looks for the Blue Shadow, but Danielson counters into a roll up, and then goes into the Cattle Mutilation, and the crowd pops big for that! Omega gets his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Omega rolls to the ramp, but here’s Danielson with a top rope Busaiku Knee to him! Danielson with some hard kicks to the chest. Omega blocks the one to his head, and hits a nice Snap Dragon Suplex to Danielson on the ramp!
Omega goes to the stage, and runs down to hit a V Trigger to Danielson into the ropes! He rolls to the floor. The referee is counting, but Omega breaks the count to go and grab Danielson. He lifts him up and hits a powerslam into the time keeper’s table. Danielson is able to return to the ring, and he can’t stand on his own two feet. Omega is gloating to the crowd about all of this, and then he lifts Danielson up for a violent looking Buckle Bomb that sends Danielson to the apron.
Omega goes to the top rope, and hits a missile dropkick to Danielson’s shoulders, and the Dragon kicks out. Danielson blocks the Full Nelson with a near fall. Omega can’t hit the Snap Dragon, but he connects with a heel kick to the back of the head. Omega with a V Trigger next to the neck. He places Danielson on the top rope, and he tries for a Snap Dragon to the mat. Danielson escapes, and crotches Omega. He goes back up, and hits an avalanche back suplex!
Danielson with a kick to the arm, and Omega with a closed fist to the jaw. Danielson fires back with some jabs, and Omega with the V Trigger. Danielson with the rolling elbow strike, and the Regal Plex for a nearfall! The crowd approves. Danielson heads to the top rope, but Omega cuts him off. He’s up there with him, and Omega finally hits the Snap Dragon from the top! Danielson is turned inside out! Omega covers, and Danielson somehow kicks out.
V Trigger by Omega connects in the ropes. Now he looks for the One Winged Angel, and Danielson counters into a Poisonrana that spikes the AEW World Champion! He avoids a V Trigger, and connects with a roundhouse kick to the head! Omega counters the Busaiku Knee into a powerbomb, and then another V Trigger for a close 2 count. Omega goes to the top rope, and misses the Phoenix Splash! Danielson has a look on his face that he’s going to take this a little deeper and harder.
Kicks to the chest by Danielson, and elbows by Omega. Danielson with a hard shot to the side of the head. He says it’s time to kick his head in, and he grabs the wrists. He stomps on Omega’s head, and rolls into the LeBell Lock! Omega gets to the ropes quickly, but Danielson is back up with a running dropkick in the corner! Omega with a V Trigger, and Danielson with a ripcord elbow! Danielson with a headbutt to Omega, while the Cleaner connects with some right hands.
Danielson with kicks to the chest, and Omega with some chops, as the time expires! We have hit a 30 minute time limit draw! Both men continue to fight, as Adam Cole and the Young Bucks come out to save Omega. The Elite attack Danielson, but here come Christian Cage, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus to make the save.
That was an awesome and exciting match. It had an aura about it that is hard to replicate in any wrestling company in the United States. The hype for this was unreal, and the crowd was there for every second of this. Both men brought their best, as Omega was simply on another level in 2021, while Danielson got to perform a stiffer style of wrestling that he hadn’t been able to to do since the summer of 2010, while he was briefly fired from WWE due to the Nexus Invasion getting a little too real.
There wasn’t much in the way of psychology or storytelling here, but as I’ve said many times, that’s not always a bad thing. Me, personally, I’m a 31 year old guy, and it doesn’t take much to get me hyped about wrestling. Sometimes, two guys good at what they do having a bare bones match is all it takes! That’s what this was, and it worked. These two have incredible chemistry, and the taunting throughout added to the match, as this was never about being World Champion, but was more about egos.
The high spots present here were well done, such as the V Trigger on the ramp, or the Snap Dragon from the top rope. Danielson busting out the Cattle Mutilation after so many years got one of the bigger reactions of the night, as did the Poisonrana counter of the One Winged Angel. The ending was a sore spot for sure, as no one wants to see a 30 minute time limit draw – unless it’s Okada and Tanahashi in the G1. A winner would’ve been nice, but this was only meant to be an appetizer to something better.
Sadly, we never got that singles rematch! Following his AEW World Title loss to Hangman Page at Full Gear in November, Omega would take much of 2022 off to heal up the various injuries he had gotten. He’d then have to deal with the fallout of the CM Punk bullshit from All Out in 2022, and feud with Don Callis for much of 2023, before sitting out all of 2024 due to diverticulitis. Danielson, meanwhile, would have a glorious run in AEW, before wrapping up his full time career in 2024.
These two just never got around to that rematch. The closest they came was the Anarchy in the Arena Match between The Elite and the BCC at Double or Nothing in 2023, and that doesn’t make up for anything! As I’ve said many times, at least it happened once, and boy, what a fucking match we got in 2021. AEW felt as hot as it had ever been, and in front of a record breaking crowd, these two danced to a fantastic tune.