5 Then vs. Now dream matches for Bryan Danielson
There could very well be an argument made that Bryan Danielson is the best wrestler on the planet right now. Bryan left WWE at the conclusion of his contract a few months ago, crossing the boundary to All Elite Wrestling.
Ever since announcing his "All-Elite" status, Danielson has been devoted to delivering classic after classic with the likes of Kenny Omega, Bobby Fish, and Minoru Suzuki.
Bryan Danielson's name comes with an expectation of good wrestling, as the former WWE Champion is seemingly incapable of producing a bad performance. His tremendous star power and in-ring ability have seen him morph into a dream match machine, and there are so many names both in and outside AEW that represent exciting options to go to battle with.
Although there are so many dream matches for Bryan Danielson in today's landscape of wrestling, one has to consider the fantasies that history still has to offer. Which legends from pro wrestling's past would offer Bryan Danielson the best bouts? Let's take a look:
#5 Bryan Danielson vs. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels and Bryan Danielson are similar to each other in so many ways. Both Bryan and Michaels retired once, then returned to the ring. They never appeared to miss a step in their time away from the ring. Both of them also combined their naturality within pro wrestling and a hard-working ethic to produce sheer moments of magic.
Professional wrestling and sports entertainment share the need for a performer to be both charismatic and athletic in order to become a star. Shawn Michaels and Bryan Danielson are two such examples of the hybrids the industry is always searching for.
You only need to see Michaels and his work against The Undertaker, Triple H, and Bret Hart to recognize the devotion he has to wrestling. Bryan Danielson, on the other hand, drew deep down from his heart and soul to deliver potentially the most wholesome moment in wrestling in the last decade - overcoming Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XXX.
Bryan vs. Michaels would have been the finest in professional wrestling, intertwined with compelling character work and storytelling to deliver the best of both competitors.