Bryan Danielson Looks Back On The WWE ThunderDome

The COVID-19 pandemic will forever be remembered as a pivotal moment in professional wrestling, a time when the very foundations of the industry were tested and transformed. Amidst the uncertainty and disruption, one man remained a constant –- the indomitable "American Dragon," Bryan Danielson, whose presence shined in the empty arenas of the WWE ThunderDome.

Recently, Danielson sat down with the "Gorilla Position" podcast to reflect on his experiences during that unprecedented era, offering a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities that arose.

"I loved it. Because it was different," Danielson said. "I liken it to the difference between theater and cinema, right? What we traditionally do is more like theater. But what we had to do during the pandemic was cinema ... When Roman [Reigns] came back, I was like, he understood the benefits. You lose some things, but you gain some things. He understood the trade-off, and the direction he went was genius."

Danielson's words paint a vivid picture of the shift in the wrestling landscape, where the absence of a live audience required a fundamental rethinking of the craft. In this experimental arena, he saw an opportunity to tap into the raw physicality that had long been a hallmark of his work.

"I actually leaned into some of the old British wrestling ... the sound and the physicality of it," Danielson said. "You would actually physically hear like when they grabbed, and like all that kind of stuff. I thought, 'Oh there's a real opportunity to do that.'"

This embrace of this gritty, visceral side of wrestling will certainly be on display when Danielson faces Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship at All In at Wembley Stadium on August 25th, in what could be the final match of his career. 

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Gorilla Position" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.