Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion to make AEW return as a heel and join Death Riders? Exploring potential swerve

The Death Riders have continued their hold on AEW to begin 2025, and it doesn't seem like that will end anytime soon. Could they bolster their ranks by bringing in a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion to their side?

Bryan Danielson has been someone who has been going back and forth as a babyface and a heel over the years. Despite standing against the Death Riders before his loss to Jon Moxley, he once stood along their side as a heel when they were The BCC. He could come back, seemingly having a change of heart, and ready to support their cause.

Danielson could gain their trust by helping them take out Rated-FTR. A move like that may just be enough to get Moxley to agree to reunite with him. The American Dragon, once deep within their ranks, could look to pull a move similar to what Randy Orton did to Bray Wyatt in 2017.

Once the group is at its peak, he could turn on Moxley and the group and reveal that this was all a swerve, and he was still working alongside Rated-FTR and the rest of the AEW locker room. He could set up one final fight to put away the Death Riders and take back control of the company. This would be the perfect end to this chaotic storyline within the promotion.

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Bryan Danielson was backstage at AEW Worlds End

Bryan Danielson's last appearance on AEW was back in November at WrestleDream, where Jon Moxley ended his reign as the world champion and forced him into retirement.

This began the start of Mox and the Death Riders taking over the company, and going through everyone who stood in their way. Fightful Select reported on the night of Worlds End almost two weeks ago that Danielson was backstage for the pay-per-view.

He did not make any appearance of any sort during the night as it was Kenny Omega and Adam Copeland who took center stage with their long-awaited returns. The Cleaner ended up resuming his role as an AEW EVP, before having a staredown with Kazuchika Okada, while Cope began a feud with the Death Riders.

The possibilities are endless for this current storyline, but Bryan Danielson's revenge may be something the promotion plans in the near future. It remains to be seen who will be able to take down the Death Riders.