Original Art courtesy of Elicia Mccoy

My choice of 2010 was two-fold.

Firstly I wanted to cover the brief departure from WWE. Secondly to revisit winning the inaugural wXw Ambition. Bryan’s release was stemmed from being deemed too violent. Let me add some background, Bryan Danielson had been signed and released by WWE at least twice at this point. Thinking it over it’s hard to keep straight how many times he left and returned including developmental, retirement, and injuries. Everyone probably knows the story of this one. During the Nexus invasion Dragon chokes Justin Roberts with his tie and Vince fired Bryan out of creep to creep solidarity. 

Danielson explains it thusly: 

“I saw Justin Roberts lying there, no shirt on and tie still around his neck. In moments like this, I always thought violence was good for believability, so I grabbed the long end of his tie from behind and pulled it back. Hard. The cameras picked up on it right away because it was a great visual: Justin on his stomach, being choked by the tie around his neck, his face turning purple.

Some people thought he was just selling goofy, but he wasn’t. I don’t trust nonwrestling people to sell very well, especially when it comes to a big, important angle, so it’s better to be a little rough, as long as you don’t hurt them. I pulled on the tie so hard it left long red marks on his neck. Amid the melee, somebody from the production crew came to me on the side, saying, “No choking! No choking!” I stopped”

Danielson’s 1st match back on the indies.

It just so happened to be against another all time great Eddie Kingston (get well soon King) in Chikara. Kingston makes his way to the ring looking determined, and ready to go to war per usual. Eddie waiting in the ring as the NXT game show theme hits. Even the intro explaining the NXT concept, a very fitting goof for a company like Chikara. I had forgotten I loved this song at the time not for it’s musical value, but as a pavlovian response. It herald the only interesting WWE programing going (it’s also a banger who am I kidding). After that the familiar opening cords of The Final Countdown hit. I wonder how did Quack afford this on an indie budget? Must be why Chikara went out of business.

Joe Sposto is on the call with UltraMantis Black, a breath of fresh air. US indie wrestling with a not just competent, but good commentary team. Eddie and Bryan have a match that would fit right in with their recent series in AEW. It’s remarkable to see these two work a match 14 years ago where they have everything that they have now. Smart, entertaining, hall of fame level star power. Can’t forget the most important part here on Violent People, brutal headbutts. Their careers take very different paths after this with highs and lows for both. Thankfully their talents were eventually recognized and they are both “in a good place”

Let’s get to wXw Ambition 1.

The opening round fights are actually worth watching, in fact I’d recommend this whole show. Not all the wrestlers completely understands the rules or how to structure a match without pro-style tropes. It’s still in the top half of all Ambition tournaments to date. The initial fight is an initial fight ZSJ v TJP. This is the most watchable thing on the show that does not include Bryan. You can see that ZSJ isn’t as well versed in combat sports at this point. At times ZSJ looks to be utterly dominated by TJP who has trained in more legitimate settings at this point. It still has some flashes of what would be come ZSJ’s signature style and an almost proto-catch spot.

Dragon’s lair

Danielson’s open round fight with Tommy End, has popped up on my “watch later” playlist for at least a decade. Danielson is a machine here, his grappling and submission game is tight and brutal. Easy to see his mind for entertainment as he mixes in a lot of fast paced high-impact striking and counters. There are a plethora of nasty leg kicks. Based on Danielson’s quote I wonder how good Tommy End is actualy selling. This was early in Tommy’s career he had already shown a lot of promise. After this he starts to get noticed more worldwide. No spooky lore, no eye goop, no fake injuries, just solid striking and believable selling.

Danielson is a dog with a bone. He will not turn his focus from attacking his opponent’s primary weapon and it pays off. Danielson wins the fight with a TKO from leg kicks. Not a common finish in wrestling and not the finish I predicted Bryan to get over a kickboxer. This sets the stage that Bryan is the fucking man. 

Be real

 In  the second round Danielson has a fight with TJP. Danielson is a lot more familiar with TJP. These two have trained together in NJPW’s LA Dojo. They’ve wrestled each other before, even having a match the prior evening for wXw. On paper I’d predict this as  style v substance, sizzle v steak, show v go if you will. Just like previously Danielson is hell bent to prove he can out do his opponent in their strong suit. Danielson opens up the fight doing more flashy mat work. This is all movement Danielson maintains control for most of it, but TJP is always defending himself. TJP’s biggest offense is passing guard with a leaping double stomp to the midsection of Bryan targeting the left arm.

You can see the wheels turning in TJP’s head at times where he thinks he’s getting rolling. Only to have his fortunes turned with the simplest instantaneous reposition from Danielson. By the end of the fight it’s very clear that TJP was out matched by the best in the world. Danielson gets the win by ref stoppage. Using a laying version of the hammer and anvil elbows known today as “BCC elbows”. 

Best doesn’t mean you never get lucky

The final fight for Danielson is also the final of the tournament. Facing Johnny Moss, after all that set up Danielson comes into his trepidations playing the mouse to Moss’ lion. Moss is a massive unit that is no slouch as a  grappler, so Danielson rightfully does not take him lightly. Not only is there a different attitude from Danielson there is a big fight feel. Moss takes a chaotic tumble to the floor, his return to the ring sets off the change in power dynamics. Danielson smells blood in the water, I said he was a mouse, but he is a hybrid dolphin after all. Bryan is still pensive and when Moss gets a grip on Danielson there is little Danielson can do for escape. Dragon is a lot more aggressive with striking, he even invites Moss into his guard.

It’s important that by the end of a tournament it feels like the wrestlers have been through something. By the end of these finals they both have been through a war. Moss and Danielson beat the piss out of each other. Danielson made quick work of others in the tournament, he final had a challenge in the final. Bryan gets the win by ref stoppage from a triangle with elbows. Dragon talks afterwards, putting over everyone in the tournament, wXw, and all the fans that supported this Ambition concept.

Struggle and violence is for everyone

Ambitions tends to end as one of my favorite shows, some years also being the best show of the year. Not only did Danieslon win the inaugural tournament. American Dragon set the tone for what the tournament has become all these years later. It’s not always can’t miss  great from top to bottom, but it’s always interesting. Ambition is a home for the real sickos to do wrestling the way they want to.

After the match with Kingston in Chikara Danielson spoke to the crowd. Danielson said couldn’t say “what was going on” hinting even at this point it was just a matter of time before his return. During that promo he explained that everything that happens in the ring is “PG”. Explaining that his vision of pro wrestling no matter how physical or violent it got it can still be “PG”. Rejecting the option that to appeal to a mainstream audience you have to be a cartoony gimmick. It would be over a decade before Danielson got to show his vision of mainstream professional wrestling again. He was proven right after all.