CRAZY Dream Match Set For AEW Rampage 'Buy In' This Week
Tony Khan isn't messing around this Friday night...
Bryan Danielson will wrestle Minoru Suzuki on this week's AEW Rampage 'Buy In' pre-show, company president Tony Khan has confirmed.
Khan tweeted the following last night, confirming that Danielson vs. Suzuki would take place alongside Bobby Fish vs. Lee Moriarty, which had already been made public:-
Ahead of a huge #AEWRampage show THIS Friday night at 10pm ET/9pm CT LIVE on TNT with @CMPunk vs. @MattSydal + Jericho/Hager/@sammyguevara vs. Sky/Page/Dos Santos w/ @GamebredFighter, we’re open Friday Live with The Buy In online at 9 ET/8 CT @suzuki_D_minoru vs. @bryandanielson! https://t.co/bqzCO6Ps9e
Advertisement— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) October 12, 2021
This comes following AEW's decision to attach a pre-show to one of its weekly television shows for the first time since Dynamite hit TNT in October 2019. It'll be an interesting week for Rampage all-round, with WWE announcing an extra half-hour for SmackDown on Friday night, putting it in direct competition with AEW in the 10 PM ET timeslot.
Danielson and Suzuki have gone one-on-one only once before. A July 2004 NJPW Summer Struggle event in Hokkaido, Japan saw Suzuki defeat Danielson in just under 14 minutes, but the match was never taped. This made it something of a holy grail for wrestling fans - until now.
Last night's match announcement was followed by Danielson acknowledging their first match, but promising to show the New Japan legend how much progress he has made over the past 17 years:-
In 2004, I wrestled Minoru Suzuki 1 on 1. He beat the sh*t out of me. Showed me what violence and sadism inside a wrestling ring looks like. Since then, I’ve learned a thing or two about violence myself. And sadism. Excited to show Mr. Suzuki what I’ve learned #DANIELSONvsSUZUKI https://t.co/HOCbVJ8W3S
Advertisement— Bryan Danielson (@bryandanielson) October 12, 2021
The 40-year-old has thus far faced Kenny Omega and Nick Jackson one-on-one in AEW, with another match against Bobby Fish lined up for Rampage proper.