It was a moment no one was ever really prepared for: The hero, "The American Dragon," Bryan Danielson, getting slayed by "The Purveyor of Violence," Jon Moxley, in a dehumanizing wayfor Moxley to recapture the AEW World Championship at WrestleDream on October 12.With a universal silence that followed within the Tacoma, Washington, crowd and those on commentary, it was a moment that will be burned into many wrestling fans' psyches for years to come.
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On that infamous night, Jim Ross witnessed the annihilation just a few feet away, which he recapped on "Grilling JR" with stilled sadness in his voice. "Sometimes, it's best for one to just lay out," Ross stated, explaining why he remained quiet during the last few minutes of Danielson and Moxley's match, which was to pay respect to the competitors by letting them direct the story they wanted to tell without interference.
"I was silent because I didn't know what I needed to say to continue to sell the moment and the fact that Bryan Danielson, by his own word, said the day he loses the title is the day he's done, and he obviously lost the title. So, I take him, among any wrestler that I've ever met, at his word ... The pictures and the natural sounds told the story very well."
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In addition to discussing the emotional toll everyone felt on and off camera throughout Danielson and Moxley's world title match, Jim Ross shared that before the main event last weekend, he refused to learn who would win the contest ahead of time. Instead, he spoke with Danielson, who restated to "The Voice of Professional Wrestling" in the locker room earlier that day, that he would deliver his promise of retiring from in-ring action should he lose. Although many speculate this isn't the last time we'll see "The American Dragon" wrestle, Ross believes Danielson was true to his word about in-ring retirement. However, he would like to hold out hope that his match at WrestleDream was not the very last of Danielson's "Final Countdown" tour.
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"What that tells me obviously ... he's going to wrestle again somewhere, one would assume ... But there's no guarantee of that," Ross added. "He may change his mind and want to get back into the fray, and try to win the title back, and then retire. Who knows, I don't have any idea. But I know for now, he's done."
This past Friday, it was reported that Danielson is set to have an MRI scan soon to specify if or what damage has been done to his neck since his last scan. The MRI analysis will determine where Danielson and his in-ring career will go, and whether he will vie for a second run with the AEW World Championship in the near-to-distant future.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Grilling JR"with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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