For nearly a minute on Monday Night Raw, Daniel Bryan stood in the center of the ring with his eyes closed, soaking in the adulation and chants of his name one more time.
"So, just now, I was able to close my eyes and feel that," the former WWE World Heavyweight champion told the crowd. "Like ... literally feel it in a way that I've never gotten to feel it before, because when we're here, we always have to keep our eyes open. But just that experience, I'm literally never going to forget it."
As he'd tweeted about earlier in the day, Bryan went on to formally announce his retirement from WWE, but not before giving a backstory on why it was the only decision to make.
Bryan told the crowd and the WWE Universe watching at home that he'd started wrestling at the age of 18, and within the first five months of his career, he'd already had three concussions, triggering silence from the thousands in attendance. The number of concussions kept rising as the years went on, his career took off and he gave pro-wrestling fans dynamic matches. He even suffered a serious neck injury in 2014.
"It gets to a point where they tell you [you] can't wrestle anymore. For a long time, I fought that, because this ... I have loved this in a way that I've never loved anything else," Bryan explained. "But a week and a half ago, I took a test that said that maybe my brain isn't OK as I thought it was. I have a family to think about. It is with a heavier heart and the utmost sadness that I officially announce my retirement."
While the crowd broke out in some light boos, Bryan, 34, acknowledged that he had been feeling every emotion, ranging from anger, sadness and frustration, leading up to his announcement, but on Monday morning he woke up with gratitude for being able to do something he loved for 16 years, even being able to meet his wife — WWE diva Brie Bella — because of wrestling.
"Tomorrow morning, I start a new life — a life where I am no longer a wrestler," Bryan said. "But that is tomorrow, and that is not tonight. And by damn, I have one more night to feel this energy and to feel this crowd, so if I could just get one last 'Yes!' chant, I would really appreciate it."
With that, Bryan led the WWE Universe on his trademark "Yes!" chant, with the crowd erupting.
To see Bryan's complete heartfelt retirement speech on Monday Night Raw, click the video below.
