WWE SmackDown: What Does The Future Hold For Daniel Bryan?

Daniel Bryan’s return to in-ring action on WWE SmackDown Live has been exciting. However, what lies ahead for him in the coming weeks?

Daniel Bryan’s return to WWE SmackDown Live has been nothing short of extraordinary. After fighting for so long to finally return to the ring, Bryan’s return is indeed a real life redemption story. The WWE was hesitant to clear Bryan, however, he is finally here and he has been tearing down the house every week ever since.

Bryan put on great matches against Styles and last day against Rusev. But quite fascinatingly, he has not skyrocketed the way he should have. Bryan’s short feud with Big Cass (which is hopefully over at this point in time) ended with him making the seven-footer tap out. That momentum was with him when battled Rusev to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match.

But boy where we wrong for thinking Daniel Bryan would go through Rusev and rain on Rusev Day. ‘Surprising’ wouldn’t do justice to the magnitude of Rusev’s victory. The Bulgarian Brute has never picked up a signature win like this when it mattered the most. He will now go on to compete for a shot at winning the Money in the Bank contract.

But what about Bryan? What will he do from here? Bryan’s presence has made WWE SmackDown Live mesmerizing. He has given a spark to the main event scene. There is no doubt in my mind he will continue to do that. Still, the question remains. What does his immediate future look like? I wish I had the Time Stone to go and see if everything will be alright.

Because in all honesty, there is an air of uncertainty surrounding Bryan at the moment. While its true that he cultivated the greatest underdog story of all time, one cannot expect to relive that magic in his second coming as well. Fact is, the whole Authority angle was one of the reasons why Bryan’s ascension was so satisfying and fulfilling. This time around, there is nobody in his path. No Triple H, no member of the McMahon family and most obviously, no General Manager who wants to see him fail.

As such, trying to have him fight to get to the top of the card at this point is not ideal. Daniel Bryan is a seasoned veteran of the game at this point in time. He is a master tactician and a submission specialist. Bryan should act as a respected figure in the locker room, a fierce warrior who redefined this era.

Bryan can’t chase the WWE title with another established babyface like AJ Styles holding the gold. The same goes for the US title as well. So where does he go from here? If Samoa Joe does not start chasing the WWE title soon, initiating a triple threat feud I suspected last week, he would be the ideal foe for Bryan.

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Joe can do what Big Cass couldn’t. Ultimately, when Bryan slays the Goliath that goes by the name Samoa Joe, the fans would be left in awe, after witnessing yet another dream match unfold before their eyes.