Despite never being officially announced, CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks was anticipated to be headling All Out in Chicago this weekend. Yet, with Punk causing himself to get fired due to his behavior at All In, plans needed to be changed. Thus, following a segment on Collision involving Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, it has now been confirmed that Starks will take on a returning Bryan Danielson in a strap match.
While this news has delighted fans, it has caused many to wonder about Danielson’s health, considering he broke his arm at the end of July in a match with Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door. However, it seems Danielson is only returning a few weeks early, as according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, he has been healing better than was initially expected.
“October was the scheduled return, and it was touch and go for mid-September, or I mean, it was essentially touch and go for the New York show [Arthur Ashe Stadium]. And I figured he was going to debut on the Seattle shows, if not the New York show. So it’s 17 days earlier. He was healing better than expected, and it’s earlier than I expected. Put it that way, and that’s from being appraised of the situation. It’s earlier. I was surprised. He’s a team player.”
Dave MeltzerThe past several months have been tough for the former WWE Champion, with it revealed that prior to his broken arm, he was also suffering from a torn labrum that occurred in his match with MJF in March. This resulted in him only wrestling once before his match with Okada, which obviously came as a massive blow to AEW. Now, though, it seems he is ready to return to the ring and perhaps even steal the show with Starks.
