Update: Two former WWE Champions joining rival brand AEW

Bengaluru, July 22: Former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, (real-name Bryan Danielson) has found a new home in All Elite Wrestling, as per the latest reports from Cassidy Haynes of BodySlam.net.

The report states the veteran pro-wrestler is now signed with WWE’s rival brand with a source describing him as “100% locked in” with AEW.

Daniel Bryan had been looking forward to working in a reduced schedule for comparable money that he was making in WWE. He was also keen on providing creative input regarding his on-screen character and the opportunity to work over in Japan.

According to Haynes, both of those demands were met by AEW as the deal was henceforth signed.

In more updates from the source, Daniel Bryan’s AEW debut is scheduled to happen on the September 22 episode of AEW Dynamite called Grand Slam.

The show is currently slated to go down at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York which marks the promotion's first show in New York and their second in the Tri-State area following Dynamite in Newark, New Jersey.

Haynes further added that Daniel Bryan’s debut is planned for that show as AEW wants to wrap up things in a big way, going into their annual event, All Out PPV.

However, those plans could go through some changes, given that there are reports of AEW also talking to another popular former WWE Superstar, CM Punk for a potential return.

The longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era is currently involved in a plan for his much-anticipated return to the ring, according to Fightful. He is likely to go to AEW, instead of WWE but a contract hasn’t been signed.

No timetable, return date, or creative plans have been put in place as the report noted simply states that CM Punk and an AEW official have been talking about his in-ring return.

Fightful added that they haven’t confirmed with Punk or AEW officials about this news, but they were recently told that WWE higher-ups believe, Punk is going to All Elite Wrestling.

CM Punk was released from WWE in 2014. He was last seen in competition during the Royal Rumble match of that year. Afterward, he fought twice in the UFC promotion holding an 0-1 record (1 no contest).

In 2019, he made a few appearances on FS1’s WWE Backstage while in that same year, he appeared in an indie show under a mask, but never competed in a full-length wrestling match.

As for Daniel Bryan, he has been with the WWE since after re-signing with the promotion in 2010 after briefly being released. He last appeared on a WWE TV show in April of this year, losing to Roman Reigns in a WWE Universal Championship match on Smackdown.

As per the match stipulation, that loss banned Bryan from appearing on the blue brand, an angle that also wrote him off WWE storylines and thereby ended his career in the promotion.