WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan has retired for medical reasons

WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan has announced his retirement from professional wrestling with immediate effect after learning of injuries to his brain which could not be ignored.

Bryan made an emotional speech during last night’s RAW after earlier tweeting news of his retirement.

“The truth is, I’ve been wrestling since I was 18 years old, and within the first five months of my wrestling career, I’d already had three concussions. For years after that, I would get a concussion here and there … and then it gets to the point when you’ve been wrestling for 16 years, that adds up to a lot of concussions. It gets to a point where they tell you that you can’t wrestle anymore. For a long time, I fought that, because I’d gotten EEGs and brain MRIs and neuropsychological evaluations, and all of them said this: I was fine, and I could come back and wrestle.

“A week and a half ago, I took a test that said maybe my brain isn’t as OK as I thought it was. I have a family to think about; my wife [WWE Diva Brie Bella] and I want to start having kids soon.”

He continued: “It is with a heavy heart and the utmost sadness that I officially announce my retirement. I’ve gone through all these complex emotions in this last little bit. I’ve been angry, I’ve been sad, I’ve been frustrated … but today, when I woke up this morning, I felt nothing but gratitude. I have gotten to do what I love for nearly 16 years.”

Bryan also thanked wrestling for enabling him to meet his wife who he said “completes me in a way I didn’t even think was possible”.

Following RAW #ThankYouDanielBryan was trending on Twitter throughout the night.

Look out for VideoGamer’s Pro-Wrestling Podcast later today, in which you are likely to hear two grown men cry.

Source: TVLine