Bryan Danielson Makes In-Ring Return For AEW Dynamite PAC Tribute

All Elite Wrestling paid their respects to PAC on Dynamite, with Bryan Danielson returning to the ring in honour of ‘The Bastard’.

Dynamite’s main event saw PAC’s team mates in The Death Riders take on The Don Callis Family in 10-man tag action, but when only four Death Riders took to the ring Bryan Danielson’s music hit, with ‘The American Dragon’ coming to wrestle at the side of Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta, and Gabe Kidd.

Danielson appeared earlier in the show to make amends with former Blackpool Combat Club team-mate Jon Moxley, embracing Mox after his Continental Title defence against Orange Cassidy. Mox, PAC, and The BCC turned on Danielson to form The Death Riders at WrestleDream 2024.

The match marked Danielson’s first televised bout since the aforementioned WrestleDream in October ’24, with Danielson having ‘wrestled’ an un-televised several second squash match against Max Caster in June 2025.

Since ending his full-time in-ring career, Danielson has been part of AEW’s commentary team, but has only made sporadic appearances in the past several months due to physical issues when travelling, with Danielson’s punishing in-ring career rendering travel uncomfortable. Danielson last appeared for AEW at All In in August 2026, which in-turn was his first AEW appearance for several months.