Bryan Danielson Doubts He Would Have Resumed His In-Ring Career If Not For WWE SmackDown GM Role

Back in February 2016, Bryan Danielson - then Daniel Bryan in WWE - announced his retirement from professional wrestling after a lesion was discovered on his brain. 

Instead of just departing WWE altogether, though, Danielson first did commentary for the Cruiserweight Classic before he was revealed as the general manager for SmackDown after the brand split was revived. 

The American Dragon would remain SmackDown GM until he announced his return to the ring in 2018. He then teamed with Shane McMahon against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in his first match in three years at WrestleMania 34. 

Speaking on WEEI'S Twitch, Danielson revealed he may not have resumed his in-ring career if not for his time as SmackDown GM. Instead, Danielson believes he may have moved away from the business altogether and started his own organic farm.

"It was really hard because I think I would still be retired if WWE didn't have me come back and be the general manager. I really love wrestling and I didn't want to have to retire, I was forced to retire. They brought me in as a general manager and I was around it every single week. I think I would have gone off and started my own little organic farm or something," Danielson said.

"I would have been like, 'Okay, I had a great time wrestling, but now I've transitioned into this other part of my life,' but being around it but not actually being able to do the thing I love was really really hard. Then I started doing all these different medical treatments that are a little bit out there and a little bit wild and a couple of years later I ended up getting cleared. My passion for wrestling is so deep that if you put me around it too long, I will want to get in there."

Danielson has continued to wrestle since his return in 2018 and he is now one of the top stars in All Elite Wrestling, having debuted in the promotion in September of this year. 

H/T to Fightful