Bryan Danielson May Be Out Of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Due To Injury

Bryan Danielson is out of action with a broken orbital bone which needed surgery. Now, he is on the mend once again, and all plans for him are paused. Only time will tell when he is able to return this time around, but a big Wrestle Kingdom dream may not happen now.

We previously reported that Bryan Danielson’s AEW contract is projected to be up in September. He really only has one more time around the calendar until he is supposedly stepping away from the ring. Of course, he can really call his own shots at this point.

Bryan Danielson sustained that broken orbital bone during a tag team match alongside Claudio Castagnoli against Orange Cassidy and Kazuchika Okada on Dynamite. This incident coincides with his prior announcement of intending to scale back his full-time wrestling commitments in 2024 and his aspirations to participate in the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom event in January.

We previously reported that Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that Bryan Danielson’s career was thought to be possibly over during his concussion hiatus in 2022. Now, with this broken orbital bone in his way, odds are he will miss NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, and whatever match he had in store in the Tokyo Dome.

“Yeah, it’s sad….I don’t know if he makes it to the Tokyo Dome show…It may be touch and go if he had surgery for January 4th. Hopefully, he can do it.”

Bryan Danielson can do a lot of things in his career, because he has afforded himself that luxury after years of hard work on top of the business. Sadly, this latest physical setback will likely cost Danielson a match at Wrestle Kingdom, something he’s wanted for a very long time.

The future of pro wrestling could be influenced in a big way by Bryan Danielson’s retirement. This decision solely rests with him, and it remains uncertain whether he will have a change of heart. Currently, all indications suggest that AEW will host Bryan Danielson’s final matches before his retirement.

What’s your take on Bryan Danielson missing Wrestle Kingdom? Let us know what you think in the comments section!