Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson were partners and enemies in AEW, and Moxley beat Danielson both times they met in big singles matches: at Revolution 2022, where Danielson demanded they 'bleed together' before teaming up, and at WrestleDream 2024, where Moxley won the AEW World Championship and ended Danielson's full-time career.
This page covers both matches, how a partnership turned into a takeover, a comparison and our verdict.
Head-to-head record
Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson: Moxley 2–0. Every big-event meeting between the two, oldest first.
| # | Date | Event | Venue | Match | Result | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 6, 2022 | AEW Revolution 2022 | Addition Financial Arena, Orlando | Singles | Jon Moxley won | Pinfall, countering a triangle choke |
| 2 | Oct 12, 2024 | AEW WrestleDream 2024 | Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington | AEW World Championship | Jon Moxley won | Technical submission (sleeper) · 27:00 |
Every match: our commentary
AEW Revolution 2022 · Mar 6, 2022
Moxley had returned in January 2022 after taking time off for alcohol treatment, and said he had never beaten Danielson. They traded strikes and submissions until Danielson locked on a triangle choke, and Moxley countered it into a pinning hold for the win. They formed the Blackpool Combat Club afterward.
AEW WrestleDream 2024 · Oct 12, 2024
Danielson had won the title at All In and had announced it would be his last run. Moxley, now leading a renegade version of the group, wore him down; Danielson slapped him, Moxley answered with a piledriver and a sleeper, and Danielson passed out. Moxley's group then attacked Danielson with a plastic bag and he was stretchered out, ending his full-time career.
The backstory
The two had history going back to WWE, where they were Dean Ambrose and Daniel Bryan. In AEW they started as reluctant partners, became the Blackpool Combat Club with William Regal and Claudio Castagnoli, and split in 2024 when Moxley's group turned on Danielson.
The WrestleDream 2024 result was decided by the story: Danielson was always going to retire from full-time wrestling, and the question was who would end it.
Tale of the tape
| Jon Moxley | Bryan Danielson | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature finish | Death Rider (Paradigm Shift) | Busaiku Knee / LeBell Lock |
| AEW World title | Multiple reigns | One reign (2024) |
| Previous company | WWE (Dean Ambrose) | WWE (Daniel Bryan) |
By the numbers
| Head-to-head stat | Jon Moxley | Bryan Danielson |
|---|---|---|
| Singles wins vs. each other in AEW | 2 | 0 |
| Title matches vs. each other | 1–0 | 0–1 |
How fans and critics reacted
WrestleDream 2024's ending was one of AEW's most talked-about angles of the year, and the plastic bag attack drew both praise for its intensity and criticism for its darkness.
Revolution 2022 was praised as a hard-hitting match that launched one of AEW's best factions.
Our take
Moxley, 2–0. He won both matches that counted, including the one that ended Danielson's full-time career.
Our view: Revolution 2022 is the better match; WrestleDream 2024 is the bigger moment.
Our verdict: Jon Moxley.
FAQ
Did Jon Moxley retire Bryan Danielson?
Moxley beat Danielson for the AEW World Championship at WrestleDream on October 12, 2024, in the match that ended Danielson's full-time career.
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Sources: Wikipedia: Revolution (2022) · Wikipedia: WrestleDream (2024). Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.