Report: Bryan Danielson Expected To Be An 'Integral Name' On AEW Collision Moving Forward

Not for the first time in his career, but Bryan Danielson replaced CM Punk over the weekend as Danielson went one-on-one with Ricky Starks in a Strap Match at All Out on Sunday, September 3. The original plans for the match reportedly called for Punk to defend the Real AEW World Championship against Starks but Punk was fired by AEW ahead of the show following an investigation into his backstage altercation at All In with Jack Perry. 

Danielson looks set to replace Punk long-term too as one of the top stars on AEW Collision, with Fightful Select reporting The American Dragon is expected to be an "integral name" on the Saturday night show. The soft roster split that separated CM Punk and some of the AEW roster is also no longer in effect following Punk's firing, with Warner Bros. Discovery being informed last week that the "soft brand split" was ending.

The roster split looked to be over on the September 2 show after The Young Bucks made their Collision debuts to make the save for FTR from a Bullet Club Gold beatdown in the show-closing segment.

Bryan Danielson's in-ring return came as a surprise as he was not expected to return from a broken arm until at least October. Danielson noted he was cleared for in-ring action but Starks "carried" him during their Strap Match.