AEW Champ Bryan Danielson On Swerve Strickland: 'Who Would Ever Let Go Of This Guy?'

AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson defeated Swerve Strickland for his gold at All In, but "The American Dragon" has nothing but positive things to say about Strickland after he signed a new contract with the company ahead of his unsanctioned cage match against "Hangman" Adam Page at All Out. Danielson described working with Strickland as "perfect" in an interview with Justin Barrasso. He mentioned that Strickland's signing is why multiple wrestling companies existing in America is a good thing.

"WWE didn't see value in him, and they let him go," Danielson said. "When Swerve came here, he said he was going to become AEW champion–and he did ... You watch him and ask, 'Who would ever let go of this guy?' He just wasn't given the opportunity to be his best self." Danielson said that it goes both ways for the two companies. He said some people thrive in WWE and others thrive in AEW, and even some that do well in both places can potentially be "underutilized" in both. Danielson said that's the value in two major companies in the United States, if something doesn't work out or "someone doesn't see value in you," in his words, there are other options.

"And Swerve, he is the most professional of the professionals," Danielson said. "Him, Claudio, [Samoa] Joe, anything you need them to do, they do it without hesitation. The way he's been able to show everyone how skilled he is of a professional wrestler, I'm so impressed. I can't say enough about him as a professional wrestler or a human being." Strickland and Danielson both are currently off TV following the brutality of their matches, and post-match angle, in Danielson's case, at All Out. Danielson is, however, set to take on Niguel McGuinness in a renewal of their ROH rivalry at Grand Slam.