Bryan Lloyd Danielson, better known by his ring name Daniel Bryan, is an American professional wrestler best recognised for his career in WWE. Media reports have claimed that the 40-year-old is on his way out of the company and has signed a contract with rival All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
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Bryan has won the WWE Championship four times and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship once, as well as being a one-time United States Champion, one-time Intercontinental Champion, one-time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Kane), and one-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion (with Rowan). From July 18, 2016 through April 10, 2018, he was the SmackDown Money in the Bank winner in 2011, the 2013 Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner, and the SmackDown General Manager.
Bryan is the WWE’s 26th Triple Crown Champion and 15th Grand Slam Champion, having headlined numerous big pay-per-view events such as WrestleMania XXX and WrestleMania 37.
Danielson was previously signed to WWE, then known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), for an 18-month contract from 2000 to 2001, and continued to make occasional appearances for the organisation until 2003. Danielson competed for several companies abroad under both his own name and the ring moniker American Dragon, which subsequently became his nickname, prior to joining WWE for his third stint in 2009.
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Danielson also competed in Japan, where he won the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling Noah and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (alongside Curry Man) (NJPW). Danielson left professional wrestling in February 2016 owing to medical concerns (including seizures) resulting from several concussions and a brain lesion.
Following the reintroduction of the brand extension in July, he was promoted to SmackDown General Manager. Bryan was cleared by physicians in March 2018 and returned to in-ring combat at WrestleMania 34. Later in November, he reclaimed the WWE Championship for the first time in four years.