Bryan Danielson isn't necessarily trying to be the best wrestler on the planet, like many of his peers. Instead, his goal is to compete at a high level, enjoy himself, and improve.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Danielson described how, rather than aiming to be the best, he strives to be the best he can be while aiming to carry out his vision.
“I don’t worry about being the best,” said Danielson. “I try to be the best wrestler I can be, and I try to fulfill the vision of what I would like wrestling to be. This is a joy. I gauge matches on whether I enjoyed them, whether I was in the moment or felt how much fun it was to wrestle in front of thousands of people. A day or two later, that’s when I watch the match and pick it apart and see where I need to improve—but also to be proud of what I did well," Danielson said.
He continued by sharing his belief that the idea of being the best is subjective, so that's not the right thing to focus on. Danielson stated that he always aims to improve himself and learn more.
“The idea of being the best, it’s so subjective. To me, that’s focusing on the wrong thing. Wrestling is a mirror to improve yourself. It allows you to get better at public speaking, for example. William Regal talks about a quarter-turn in a headlock. That little tweak makes the headlock infinitely better. I think I could work a 15-minute match exclusively using a hammerlock. That’s a mental challenge, the kind that makes me go deeper with every single thing I do. I love being a lifelong learner, and that makes me enjoy this even more," he said.
In the same interview, Danielson stated that his quest for the world title isn't about being the top guy; instead, he wants to earn the opportunity to compete in championship matches.
Danielson will face Jon Moxley for the vacant AEW World Championship on AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam. More information is available here.