Mox ended Brian's career, then he tried to take his life again

Emotions were running high before the main event WrestleDream. If Bryan Danielson loses the AEW World Championship, he has vowed to retire full-time from wrestling (and possibly completely, pending the results of neck surgery until he drops the belt). He was confronted by his old Blackpool Combat Club teammate John Moxley, who began his mysterious mission by trying to kill Danielson. all out.

WrestleDream Danielson took place in his home state of Washington — Tacoma to be exact — and hugged some of his friends and family at ringside as Mox attacked. The American Dragon was still in his costume, and his “Final Countdown” theme was still playing as Moxley got a camera cord from under the ring to choke Bryan. It was all legal before the bell, which allowed Mox's associate Marina Shafir to get involved. This allows the champ to return the favor and continue the fight.

Nevertheless, Moxley did his best to aim at the injured neck.

This included distracting referee Bryce Remsburg so that Shafir could repeatedly knee Bryan. The former MMA fighter also pulled the padding between the ring and the ramp, a move that backfired when Danielson countered Moxley's offense and dropped him face first onto the concrete.

Back in the ring, each man worked for the submission, with Mox landing a headbutt as he trapped Bryan in a bulldog choke. Danielson fired up with the crowd at his back as he called for a striking exchange. He wins it and Busaiku sets up for a knee while Shafir gets involved again. Moxley manages to hit a chop as Dragon grabs the leg, but Remsburg sends Marina backwards.

Yes! Kicks and a label lock couldn't put the challenger away, and Danielson took a risk when Mox rolled out. His dive counters a Death Rider on the concrete..

…but when Mox brings him back into the ring, Bryan kicks out. This started an extended close for both men, with the announcers selling every cover of the champion as possibly Danielson's last. A spiteful Dragon spit in Moxley's face before taking a Gotch Style Piledriver, but that defiance didn't help when he was flattened in a choke hold. Remsburg had no choice but to ring the bell as Danielson faded.

It is one of the best ever made.

But Mox and his crew were not. Claudio Castagnoli & PAC joined the new World Champion in the ring. Mox handed the belt to Claudio, who placed it in a black duffel bag. Mox then produced a plastic bag, the same type he tried to kill Brian in Chicago. Darby Allyn and Wheeler ran in to save Utah, but it turns out Utah — though conflicted — was still with his teammates.

Utah helped Allen tape to the turnbuckles while the team turned their attention to Danielson. First, Wheeler suffocates her with a plastic bag. Then, after fighting some guys from the locker room, including Private Party, Jeff Jarrett and Orange Cassidy, Mox and Castagnoli put Bryan's neck on a steel chair and Claudio hit it.

Officials and babyfaces eventually chased the villains from the ring as medics placed Danielson on a board to be taken out on a stretcher. Excalibur broke down in tears at commentary while Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone called the scene one of the worst things they'd seen in their careers. Cassidy, Allyn, Daniel Garcia, Hook, Mark Briscoe, Adam Cole and others looked upset at ringside as the show ended.

Who knows where AEW goes from here… a lot of it will depend on Moxley finally revealing the reason behind his crusade. Regardless of where it goes, though, it feels like one of the career bests has been done.

get full WrestleDream Results and entire show coverage here.