Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson: Who Will Have the Better AEW Career?

Bryan Danielson recently shifted his focus toward starting up his own faction of up-and-comers alongside Jon Moxley, but in order to win over the former All Elite Wrestling world champion, the pair will have to face off at AEW's Revolution pay-per-view Saturday.

It will mark their first one-on-one encounter in the promotion, though they have plenty of history from their WWE days. The storyline has been compelling, and the best part is that no one knows for sure where it will go coming out of the event.

This feud is also provides Danielson with another chance to prove himself as one of AEW's top talents. He's had an excellent first six months in the promotion and has had several high-profile matches and moments, but Moxley has been a cornerstone of the company.

Danielson has gone on record before to credit Moxley as a reason why he signed with AEW. Had he not laid the groundwork upon the inception of the promotion, there's a strong chance AEW would not be what it is today.

AEW needs notable names like Danielson and Moxley to build around so it can create that foundation for the future. So far, both men have done an exceptional job, but between the two of them, a debate can definitely be had over who will have the better career in AEW when all is said and done.

AEW already had several stars it could focus on from the get-go between Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Cody Rhodes, Adam Page, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks. However, it wasn't until Jon Moxley's arrival at its premiere pay-per-view, Double or Nothing 2019, that fans knew that the company was intent on bringing in the heavy-hitters.

That show ended with Moxley laying out both Omega and Jericho in emphatic fashion. From there, it was clear the former Dean Ambrose would be positioned as the face of Dynamite and AEW.

Moxley went unbeaten in singles competition for a year and a half and amassed many important victories in that time, including as AEW world champion. He carried the company through the pandemic period and maintained his high level of popularity despite the lack of fans in attendance.

Even after losing the title to Omega in December 2020, he remained a focal point on the program throughout 2021. Whether he was fighting in death matches, defending the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship or fighting alongside Eddie Kingston, everything he was involved in was of the utmost importance.

Moxley had a solid two-and-a-half years to establish himself as a pillar of the promotion before Danielson joined in September 2021. Danielson's early months in AEW have been equally excellent, but it's quite possible AEW wouldn't have had the success that did in its first two years had it not been for Moxley.

From Kenny Omega to Adam Page, Danielson has battled a handful of world championship-caliber competitors in his short time in AEW. As tremendous as those matches were, some of his best bouts since arriving in the company have come against the talent of tomorrow.

Even toward the tail end of his WWE stint, Danielson has always been great about elevating the younger generation. He established early on in his AEW run that was part of the reason why he decided to sign.

Look no further than his matches with Lee Moriarty, Daniel Garcia and Anthony Bowens. He also made it known in his first verbal exchange with Jon Moxley that he wants to recruit several up-and-comers he sees as having major potential into a super group led by him.

Jade Cargill recently revealed on the Grapsody Podcast that she's been working with Danielson backstage, and there's likely many more proteges we're not aware of. Everyone on that roster, regardless of how long they have been in the business, can learn something from The American Dragon.

Many believe he's going to be an outstanding asset behind the scenes one day, but that would imply he isn't already. He's perfect in the player-coach role, even while at the top of his game. Everyone who wrestles Danielson as long as he's around will be better off for it.

The most exciting aspect of Danielson coming to AEW was that he would be able to let loose and have stellar matches against a variety of opponents. So far, he's delivered on that front.

In his debut match on Dynamite, in front of AEW's biggest crowd to that point, he took then-AEW World champion Kenny Omega to the limit in a 30-minute mat classic. The matches he had from there were all excellent, and he switched up his style for every single one of them.

His match with Eddie Kingston on the October 29 edition of Rampage was an incredible, hard-hitting affair, while his match with Miro at Full Gear also a gem. He went on to have two of the best matches in AEW history against Adam Page for the AEW World Championship on Dynamite in the weeks that followed.

All of this occurred in under six months, and his outing against Jon Moxley at Revolution is bound to be a barn-burner as well.

It's scary to think how much more magic he will be able to make in the ring in the years to come. Moxley has had some top-notch matchups in his own right, but none have come close to being on the level of anything Danielson has done.

As talented as Moxley is, it's near impossible for him or anyone else to contend with arguably the best wrestler in the world today.

While Danielson's in-ring ability has always been his strong suit, Moxley has been known for his exceptional skills on the mic since the start of his career.

He had the chance to cut some quality promos during his lengthy WWE run, but knowing he would have the creative freedom to say whatever he wanted in AEW got fans excited. As previously noted, he had a handful of terrific matches his first two years in the company, but his promo work was where he truly shone.

Regardless of who he's been feuding with, Moxley has gotten viewers invested in his rivalries simply by speaking. In 2020 alone, he had outstanding verbal exchanges with MJF, Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston—three of the best talkers in the company.

His most memorable promo to date, however, came when he returned from rehabilitation in January and spoke to the audience from the heart. It proved how he could captivate a crowd with a mic in his hands and that he could spin the yarn like no one else.

Interestingly, Moxley has been a babyface for the past three years in AEW, so it's safe to assume he will be taking his mic work to an even higher level when the day comes to turn heel.

It's almost too close to call, but based on the aforementioned categories, a case can be made for Danielson having the superior AEW career when he finally calls it quits.

Assuming Danielson doesn't plan on hanging up his boots at any point in the next two to three years, there's still so much more for him to do as both a babyface and a heel. He's had some amazing matches already and will continue to kill it as AEW's roster grows.

Of the two, Moxley's promos get the slight edge, but Danielson's character and mic work have nearly rivaled Moxley's. In time, he will surely surpass him. He may wind up being more of a mainstay toward the top of the card as well because of that.

No one can deny the important role Moxley has played in AEW's success since its inception. That said, it's worth wondering what those first few years of the company would have looked like had Danielson been contractually free and joined from the start.

Moxley flying solo has been what has separated him from the rest of the roster, but Danielson's willingness to work with others and elevate them to that next level while still on television is the biggest game-changer of them all. Both men are the present, but the future is what matters most, and Danielson is doing his part in building up the talent of tomorrow.

Take nothing away from the impact Moxley has had on AEW, but Danielson will have the better run if everything we have seen so far has been any indication of what lies ahead for him.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.