They say never meet your heroes, but it appears that Bryan Danielson has lived up to Daniel Garcia‘s expectations.
All Elite Wrestling‘s Daniel Garcia recently sat down with Chris Mueller of Bleacher Report to discuss a wide variety of subjects. When asked about what it’s been like being able to wrestle against his childhood hero Bryan Danielson, Garcia stated he believes Danielson is the greatest wrestler of all time.
“I think Bryan is the greatest wrestler of all time,” Daniel Garcia said. “I think his body of work speaks for itself. His longevity, the matches he’s had across different countries, different promotions, different areas; it really speaks for itself. And being able to share the ring with somebody with that wealth of knowledge, and in a style that I’ve always appreciated so much, is really special to me.
“And I think that even if I never had another match with Bryan again, the matches that I’ve had with him will continue to make me better. And I’ll just keep learning from those experiences I’ve had with him, even though they’re over.”
Garcia went on to reveal that watching Danielson growing up inspired him to become a professional wrestler and craft his own in-ring style.
“Bryan was my favorite wrestler,” Daniel Garcia said. “When I was a kid in high school, he was my favorite. I looked up to him so much. And when I started wrestling, he was one of my biggest influences and still is. He’s probably the wrestler I watched the most.
“Brian is probably top three, Chris is probably another top three. So being able to learn from those two people who I have watched probably the most out of any other wrestlers, sports entertainers, in my lifetime is really special to me.”
For fun, Garcia was asked who he’d like to step into the ring with from Hollywood, and Red Death picked none other than Jake Gyllenhaal.
“Oh, maybe somebody who can draw a lot of emotion. Somebody who can make people feel because I think that’s the most important aspect of pro wrestling. So maybe Jake Gyllenhaal,” Daniel Garcia said. “I think he is somebody who is transformative. Whenever you’re watching his movies, it doesn’t ever feel like you’re watching Jake Gyllenhaal.
“And usually for those high-level actors, like when I watch Tom Cruise or Leonardo DiCaprio, I feel like watching Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio. But Jake Gyllenhaal really immerses himself in the characters. Watching him, I feel like I’m watching somebody I’ve never seen before. And it feels like I’m really watching a real character. And I feel like me and him could probably do some fun, emotional storytelling.”
READ MORE: Daniel Garcia: If Not Done Correctly, Sports Entertainment Can Hold Pro Wrestling Back Severely
What do you make of Garcia’s comments? Do you believe that Danielson is the greatest wrestler of all time? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
