WWE SmackDown 5 Takeaways: Top Heel Duo Loses Momentum

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2. Tension Rapidly Building Between Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan

The biggest takeaway from the Clash of Champions pay-per-view was also the biggest storyline leading into the event.  Everyone knew something wild was coming with SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon and GM Daniel Bryan guest refereeing the key tag team match that put Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn’s jobs on the line.

And fans got that something wild after Shane O’Mac and Bryan both used shady tactics in the match, ultimately leading to Bryan fast-counting for Zayn to help keep his and Owens’ jobs.  The fallout was bound to be tense, and last night’s post-Clash of Champions SmackDown proved that theory to be true.

Bryan opened up last night’s SmackDown before Shane came out and the two talked it out.  This led to the tensest promo between these two to date with Bryan explaining his actions and Shane not understanding why Bryan would want KO and Zayn to keep their jobs.  At one point, Bryan even said if Shane was going to fire anybody, he should fire him.

It ended peacefully enough with Shane O’Mac begrudgingly saying he trusts Bryan and he walked away.  But undoubtedly, there will be way more fallout between these two moving forward.  Could the WWE be teasing a Shane O’Mac vs. Bryan match in the future?  Bryan has been rumored to being able to return to in-ring competition, and it could come against Shane at maybe WrestleMania 34.

The authority figures on Tuesday nights aren’t seeing eye to eye, but there’s a chance that they could see eye to eye in the ring before it’s all said and done.