Daniel Bryan’s WWE career is over.

Daniel Bryan Retires From WWE Due To Injuries

WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan celebrates becoming the new Intercontinental Champion at WrestleMania 31 at Levi’s Stadium. on Sunday, March 29, 2015 in Santa Clara, CA. WrestleMania broke the Levi’s Stadium attendance record at 76,976 fans from all 50 states and 40 countries. (Don Feria/AP Images for WWE)

Bryan took to Twitter TWTR -5.22% on Monday to announce that he will officially retire on tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw:

Due to medical reasons, effective immediately, I am announcing my retirement. Tonight on Raw, I’ll have a chance to elaborate. #gratitude

— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) February 8, 2016

Bryan, who’s been sidelined as WWE has remained hesitant to clear him to return, was reportedly set to return on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, and the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer (h/t WrestlingInc) also reported that Bryan recently attempted to give notice to the company but was prevented from doing so:

Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer posted on the Wrestling Classics forum, saying that “He (Bryan) did give notice and was told he did not have the right to give notice.” Bryan’s contract has been frozen due to an injury, a provision in Superstar contracts that helps WWE make up lost time when a talent is sidelined. The company was at odds with former WWE Champion Rey Mysterio due to this same clause. As is pertains to Bryan not having the right to give notice, based on the available talent contracts, that appears to be true. The contract can be pretty much permanently frozen unless Bryan takes the WWE to court.”

But now we know the unfortunate reason why the WWE wouldn’t clear him. Although Bryan had remained adamant about wanting to get back in the ring and has even been given the green light by multiple non-WWE doctors to wrestle again, the WWE had remained steadfast in its desire to keep Bryan on the sidelines, perhaps a result of recent developments in ongoing concussion-related lawsuits that the company is currently facing.

Through it all, Bryan made it clear that even if he’s wrestled his last WWE match, he would continue his in-ring career elsewhere once his WWE days are over. Unfortunately, it appears that Bryan has reached a point where he sees the writing on the wall and realizes that wrestling anywhere is no longer an option.

Bryan’s announcement that he would be retiring on Raw has shocked the world in much the same way that former WWE star Edge’s surprising retirement surprised everyone back in 2011. It just isn’t fair to Bryan that a seemingly in-his-prime superstar can be entertaining millions one day and then be forced to retire the next.

Daniel Bryan explains on WWE’s ‘Raw’ that concussions forced him into retirement

On Monday afternoon, Daniel Bryan stunned the pro wrestling community when he announced his retirement, effective immediately. The WWE star promised to “elaborate” on his decision during that evening’s telecast of “Raw,” and he did just that in what turned into an emotional tribute to one of the most popular performers in recent years.

Monday’s event was staged in Seattle’s Key Arena, giving the 34-year-old Bryan a chance to go out in front of his “hometown fans.” The wrestler, whose real name is Bryan Lloyd Danielson, hasn’t competed since suffering a concussion in April, and he was greeted with thunderous applause, as well as his trademark “Yes! Yes!” chant, when he strode to the ring.

Bryan proceeded to make extensive comments about his history of concussions, but he ended by expressing great appreciation for his accomplishments in his wrestling career. Here are some of Bryan’s remarks Monday:

“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. And for years after that, I would get a concussion here and there, here or 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.”

The crowd booed that last line, perhaps out of frustration with rumors that the WWE had forced Bryan to retire. He continued:

“For a long time, I fought that, because I’d gotten EEGs and brain MRIs and neuro-psychological evaluations, and all of them said this: that I was fine, and that I could come back and I wrestle. And I trained … and I was ready at a moment’s notice — if WWE needed me, I wanted to come back and wrestle. …
“But a week and a half ago, I took a test that said maybe my brain isn’t as okay as I thought it was. I have a family to think about, and my wife [WWE star Brie Bella] and I want to start having kids soon. …
“So 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, I’ve been all of that, 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. …
“Tomorrow morning, I start a new life — a life where I am no longer a wrestler. 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!”

As the evening went on, other pro wrestling luminaries paid their respects to Bryan via social media.

[From October: WWE star Daniel Bryan says doctors are split about whether to let him wrestle again]

Des writes for the Early Lead and the D.C. Sports Bog, scouring the Web to bring readers items of interest, both serious and amusing. He also covers fantasy football, as well as fitness topics for the MisFits.