Bryan Danielson and WWE trolled by 26-year-old AEW champion
A top female AEW star has made an amusing remark about Bryan Danielson and his appearance in a WWE-produced reality show. 26-year-old Mariah May currently stands at the peak of the Tony Khan-led company's women's division.
The current AEW Women's Champion did not take long to establish her credibility since her debut in All Elite Wrestling as Toni Storm's "understudy". Their storyline culminated in a much-acclaimed heel turn from May following her victory in the 2024 Women's Owen Hart Tournament, after which she went on to dethrone The Timeless One at All In to become the new AEW Women's World Champion.
During an interview in July this year, Tony Khan revealed that a discussion with Bryan Danielson regarding the Englishwoman's impressive work at Stardom led to him bringing Mariah May into his promotion. However, speaking with Renee Paquette, the star refused to acknowledge The American Dragon's role in her All Elite arrival, instead seemingly making a snarky reference to his involvement in Total Divas and Total Bellas.
“My favorite Bryan Danielson match is his appearance on a women's wrestling reality show, so no, it doesn't mean anything to me,” said May. [9:18 - 9:27]
The former WWE and AEW World Champion was a recurring face in the aforementioned reality television programs, which featured other figures from the sports entertainment juggernaut, including his wife Brie Bella (Garcia), and her sister Nikki, among others.
Mariah May proclaims herself one of the best in AEW
During the same interview with Renee Paquette, Mariah May declared herself to be one of the finest performers in the Jacksonville-based company currently. The 26-year-old star highlighted the quality of her spectacular inaugural year in All Elite Wrestling.
“The best. I’m more entertaining than half of the men in that locker room. I deserve the TV time, and what I’m doing to do is what I’ve always done and keep showing up every single week as the Women’s World Champion, in my rookie year, by the way, and keep being the biggest star in this company. I don’t have to be paid the most. I don’t have to be given the most. I am the best, and I prove it, week in, week out," May said. [H/T - Fightful]
May will be in action this week on Dynamite: Winter is Coming, defending her AEW Women's World Championship against former tag partner and friend Mina Shirakawa.
Please credit Mariah May's interview with Renee Paquette and add H/T to Sportskeeda for quotations from the first half of the article.