WWE: 5 Bold Predictions for 2018
By Josh.0
Courtesy of WWE.com
4. Daniel Bryan Will Leave WWE
It’s no secret Daniel Bryan wants to wrestle again. In fact, he seems to be going to great lengths in order find a doctor(s) who can convince WWE his innumerable concussions and seizures really weren’t that big of a deal so they should allow him back into the ring. This is, of course, pure insanity.
As I have stated before, I empathize with Bryan because I’m sure he “feels” fine but he needs to stay away from the squared circle. That’s the problem with CTE; you don’t feel its effects until years later and by then it’s much too late. Unfortunately, I don’t think he will see it that way and his desire will become so great he will depart the WWE because another promotion will offer him a contract that gets him back into competition.
In his role as SmackDown GM, Bryan is doing just fine because fans can still get their weekly fix of their favorite vegan. This position always seemed like a comprise between Bryan’s desire to wrestle again and WWE wanting to avoid the fallout from a potential in-ring injury or worse. I don’t think WWE will ever clear him because it’s too much of a liability both financially and from a public relations standpoint. With several wrestlers bringing CTE-related lawsuits against the company, the last thing Vince McMahon wants is to add to this list the name of one of the most popular wrestlers they’ve had in recent years.
I sincerely hope Bryan makes the hard choice to stay retired but I believe he has too many outside voices telling him everything will be ok. This is the part of his story that frustrates me the most because the one person above all others who should care about his health (his wife, Brie) is actively supporting and encouraging him to wrestle again, despite a medically documented history of serious brain damage.
No, Brie, part of your job as a wife and now a mother is to protect your husband, even if that means protecting him from himself. Strong women have the ability to prevent their husbands from doing stupid things and Bryan getting back into a wrestling ring would be incredibly stupid. Of all the predictions on this list, this is the one I hope never comes to pass.