5 Then vs. Now dream matches for Bryan Danielson

#4 Bryan Danielson vs. Bret Hart

If Bryan Danielson and Bret Hart share one thing, it's an undeniable symbiosis with the mat. While the concept of destiny can be disputed until the end of days, what cannot be disputed is that Bryan and Bret have shown that, if destiny is real, they were destined to wrestle.

Everything that had transpired with their names attached in the ring felt organic, fluent, and seamless. Their storylines (mostly) delivered gold in the way they told them. Their characters were/are believable and their wrestling skill showed through in every move they made.

Bryan Danielson and Bret Hart have become names so synonymous with great wrestling that their dream match will forever sit in a place of "what if?" The universe graced wrestling with Bryan Danielson and Bret Hart but with a curse that they never met in the ring, one-on-one, in their prime.

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#3 Bryan Danielson vs. Steve Austin

The rise of Bryan Danielson in WWE was, in a way, a story of man vs machine. The working man against a corporation that would oppress those who didn't fit their belief in what makes a world champion. He was confronted with speed bumps and roadblocks but persevered and fought his way to the throne he was told didn't belong to him.

Steve Austin underwent a similar ascent to the top of the mountain. He famously feuded with WWE CEO Vince McMahon and the Corporation during his pursuit of the WWE Championship. And, even today, the star power of Austin is immeasurable.

A match between Bryan Danielson and Steve Austin would see two of the WWE's largest thorns in their side go against each other. Austin famously went against Mr. McMahon and beat him in front of the world, and Bryan went against Triple H for the same result.

Bryan Danielson vs. Steve Austin would have been a brutal and believable encounter, with every move performed to tell a story and navigate the layers of rich history both characters possess.