WWE's Plans For Daniel Bryan?

[Jack-Hammer]

The subject of Bryan's long term future in WWE is one that's pretty wide open because everything is up in the air at this point. There are a lot of rumors going about that may be true, may be partly true or may be complete crap.

As of right now, reports are that WWE officials aren't going to push Bryan towards the top of the spots until they feel sure he can stay healthy and he signs a long term deal with WWE. As a result, that means it's going to be some time before Bryan will be considered for a main event push. If true, it's understandable and I don't expect to see Bryan anywhere near the WWE Championship picture in 2018.

Regarding a more immediate future, there's talk of Bryan's feud with the Miz resulting in a big match for them at SummerSlam. Reports suggest that things will be kicked off with Miz doing something to cause Bryan to lose his match against Big Cass at MITB, thereby moving both of them on to other things. Further rumors suggest that Bryan's match with Miz at SummerSlam could wind up being for the MITB briefcase.

I personally think it's likely we'll see Bryan vs. Miz at SummerSlam, though the MITB briefcase being involved is entirely up in the air and anyone's guess. The feud is gonna happen and Miz costing Bryan his match at MITB is a logical and easy way to transition into things. To be honest, I'd like for them to build up to the SummerSlam match without having them face off in a match beforehand, sort of like what they've been doing on Raw with Bayley and Sasha Banks. Keep the tension between Miz and Bryan taut, have confrontations but keep them out of a 1 on 1 match until SummerSlam, especially if the MITB briefcase will be put on the line.

As far as Bryan signing a long term deal, he has leverage over WWE to some degree. I haven't read any rumors regarding money or anything like that, but one thing that's been said is that Bryan has requested to have a "reasonable" amount of creative control. Bryan is still insanely popular and a big reason why he was given medical clearance to return to the ring is because WWE didn't want him to go and work for ROH and New Japan once his deal expired. At this point in time, Bryan working for ROH and New Japan would be a huge deal for those companies and, frankly, it'd be a kick in the chops for WWE so if Bryan wants some degree of creative control, I don't think he'll have much problem getting it if it's legitimately reasonable.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

I like the idea of doing Miz vs Bryan at Summerslam and if the feud starts at MITB then we have two months of build-up.

Now I don't think Bryan will leave the company. In fact, since they are doing Miz vs Bryan at Summerslam all signs also point at Styles vs Joe as well. This means that a match between Styles and Bryan or Nakamura and Bryan is possible at Wrestlemania.

Maybe they'll do a big swerve and have Miz cash-in on the winner of Styles vs Nakamura meaning that we are getting Miz vs Bryan for the WWE Championship at Summerslam. That would be sweet.

 

[Greg4WWE]

Bryan at this point doesn't need the belt, nor does he deserve it. Yet. Now he may work his way back up to it, but he has been out for a few years. Don't get me wrong, he should always be in the picture, but lets wait until AT LEAST Wrestlemania before he gets a world title.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

What they should have done with Bryan is have him in the corner of Shane McMahon at WM this year, and get "injured" and taken away on a stretcher, and get some real heat on the bad guys as they beat Shane McMahon up too. They should have used this as an excuse to get Shane off TV for his scheduled surgery and also to get Daniel Bryan running a campaign in the audience "I want to come back. Get me cleared." kind of thing a bit like when Randy Savage got reinstated. Have him come back this Summerslam, win a match and hold the WWE title, but then get cheated by Shane McMahon who turns heel. Calls him a B Plus player (like HHH used to) and have Shane v DB at RR, and if DB wins he can get a title shot at February No Way out or whatever it is called these days, leading to him being screwed by the badguy again. This time, DB wants his WWE title shot at WM. He goes on to win and the crowed goes nuts.

What they have done is do what WCW did to bret hart. Taken a talent who is marketable and on fire, and pissed the potential up the wall.

 

[MWRedskins]

My guess is that Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz will occur at SummerSlam.....will a briefcase be involved is a question mark and also i dont think Bryan will get screwed at the next ppv (Money in the Bank)...my guess is he'll have a match at July's ppv and get cheated by Miz.

as for the briefcase, the question on that is who has it. i can legit see 6 people winning it. Finn is my least likely of the six, then Kevin Owens, then Braun.

my top 3 are Samoa Joe (who'll then cash in THAT same night on AJ after he survives Nakamura)....2) Roode (who holds the case and cashes in as a heel) and of course 3) Miz, who'll likely cash in on Bryan (if he ever wins the title). my guess is it's not a briefcase match, just a grudge match.

 

[Spencesc11]

How I would handle D. Bryan

Summerslam - he defeats AJ Styles to become World Champion. Samoa Joe cashes in sans Randy Orton a few years ago.

Bryan chases the Title until he finally beats Joe at the Royal Rumble to regain the belt in an epic match.

The Miz wins the Rumble

Mania Feud for the ages.... Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (WWE Championship)

 

[MWRedskins]

How I would handle D. Bryan

Summerslam - he defeats AJ Styles to become World Champion. Samoa Joe cashes in sans Randy Orton a few years ago.

Bryan chases the Title until he finally beats Joe at the Royal Rumble to regain the belt in an epic match.

The Miz wins the Rumble

Mania Feud for the ages.... Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz (WWE Championship)

i like that much better honestly and hope it does occur...with that said, my guess is it doesnt happen. i could see Miz cash in on Daniel Bryan later on if he wins the title and possibly have another match at WM, but i for some reason see Miz vs. Bryan at SummerSlam first (likely with Bryan winning that) and if they have a re-match at WM, Miz will cheat and win.

as for Samoa Joe, i still expect him to cash in on AJ Styles (if he wins the briefcase) on the same night he wins it. Mostly because they can then set up sometype of triple threat where Joe wins that then at SummerSlam they can have AJ Styles vs. Joe one on one.

 

[Ceen]

The Miz cashing in on AJ Styles make more sense... Nakamura moves to become a heel monster, only to have Miz face some SD’s faces, like AJ, Orton (good feud), New Day (Kofi or Big E first ME run), maybe Rusev and the EC, so AJ can still play with the heels like Joe or Sanity with the Club...

The big problem that SD has is Main Event Talent, as there are only two “Main Eventers”, AJ and Orton, and the rest are all Upper Midcard. Hope to see Shelton also involved

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The latest batch of rumors regarding Bryan's future with WWE involves John Cena. Bryan's been offered a three year extension but, allegedly, hasn't signed yet. The rumors going about now claim Cena advised him to hire ICM Partners to negotiate his contract extension with the company. ICM Partners are telling Bryan to begin negotiations asking for as much as possible before re-signing with the company.

Bryan is known for being one of the most liked and generally laid back people in the company, he's never really been particularly ambitious when you compare him to most other stars on his level but I'd say he's had to alter his perspective to some degree over the past few years in regards to dealing with the CTE issues and what it means to his future later on down the road. Bryan's 37 years old, still a young man in life but his long term health is a big question mark so maybe being a bit more ambitious is what's called for.

If any of this is true, I don't see Bryan holding WWE for ransom for some outrageous sum of money ala Brock Lesnar. Allegedly, Bryan has a net worth of about $8 million and I've read reports that his overall salary is in the $1 to $2 million range under his current deal so, if true and given Bryan's decidedly unmaterialistic lifestyle, he's definitely not hurting for cash. I can see him getting a reasonable raise but I'd say that the "reasonable" degree of creative control is something he's more interested in.

His current deal is due to expire later this year so his popularity does seem to have WWE over a bit of a barrel. They'll need someone of Bryan's popularity for SmackDown once the show moves to Fox and it's obvious WWE doesn't want him going to ROH and/or New Japan so it's probably better for WWE to let Bryan have his "reasonable" control.

 

[MWRedskins]

The big problem that SD has is Main Event Talent, as there are only two “Main Eventers”, AJ and Orton, and the rest are all Upper Midcard. Hope to see Shelton also involved

oh i disagree here......i think Smackdown has a ton of main event talent from Bryan to Orton, Styles, Miz, Nakamura, and my favorite Samoa Joe. i am a huge fan of Joe's and think he's the perfect heel on Smackdown right now. when he talks, he gets to the point and rarely jokes, then he goes out, kicks butt and does what he wants. to me, smackdown's issues are with the women's wrestlers booking and possibly too many tag teams.

 

[Dragonslayer]

I would personally love to see Bryan back in the Main Event picture, but I can also understand why WWE has been reluctant in pushing him right back to the top. On paper, once he was cleared, he could immediately have been in a top tier feud; however, WWE opted to put him into a feud with Big Cass instead, who I still see going absolutely nowhere.

Incidentally, the feud is also bad for both participants, as no one wants to see DB lose in his first feud back, and Cass really can't afford to come out on the losing side as well after a lengthy abscence. Wasn't the best booking decision in my opinion.

But I understand not pushing DB into the world title scene... working with Brock Lesnar is probably not the physically least demanding job you can have at WWE, and they probably wouldn't risk DB injuring himself so soon again. Also, the believability of Bryan vs Lesnar has always been a bit in question anyways, mostly to the size difference.

Personally, I would keep DB in the upper midcard scene for now, but ultimately have him win the Rumble next year and go to Wrestlemania to challenge for the belt. A match like AJ Styles or Nakamura, if either of these is champion by the time Mania rolls around, would be a highlight. Besides, DB winning the Rumble was what fans always clamored for back when DB had his big break with the Yes-Movement in WWE. They now have the opportunity to make good on that missed opportunity, especially after the strong showing of Bryan in the "Greatest Royal Rumble" which proved that he can believably survive even a long stint in a match like that.

I think it will depend on him renewing his contract, but if he signs for the 3 years extension, I think it's only a question of "when" and not "if" he wins one of the big belts again somewhere down the line.

 

[MWRedskins]

But I understand not pushing DB into the world title scene... working with Brock Lesnar is probably not the physically least demanding job you can have at WWE

Personally, I would keep DB in the upper midcard scene for now, but ultimately have him win the Rumble next year and go to Wrestlemania to challenge for the belt. A match like AJ Styles or Nakamura, if either of these is champion by the time Mania rolls around, would be a highlight.

Firstly, i dont see Bryan vs. Lesnar ever happening in WWE and i hope it never does because i dont want to see Bryan squashed by Lesnar (Which WWE wants to book).

now to Daniel Bryan winning the Rumble....i doubt that AJ or Nakamura will be champion if Bryan wins the Rumble....my guess is Miz would be champion, BUT i hope it doesnt happen like that...if Bryan wins the Rumble, i'd like Samoa Joe to be the champion then. Joe vs. Bryan would be such a great match in the ring and it's another match some fans want to see. i think Joe will be a great heel champion...he goes out, kicks butt, says what he has to and leaves. Perfect monster heel type of character and it'd be great seeing a monster heel like Joe facing the underdog Bryan.

 

[Vintage Punk]

Later this year, I'd have Daniel Bryan either close to winning the title or actually win the title against AJ Styles only for Miz to cash in the MitB contract. Then have Miz do everything in his power to deny Daniel Bryan from a title shot by maybe defending against others and looking for loopholes around it. Then have Daniel Bryan win the Rumble which would force Miz to have to give him a shot at Mania. Maybe have some stipulation that Miz finds where Bryan can't lay hands on him till Mania Have Miz cut blistering promos about Bryan and his wife and things like that. Maybe even have a returning Maryse blind side Brie and Miz talking crap to her about Bryan where he is so pissed that he almost blows his chance against him. Then it all builds to when finally fans get what they want when Bryan finally gets his hands on the Miz to win the title at Mania. Maybe even have a part of the match where Maryse helps Miz several times in the match until Brie comes over the railing to get her back and Bryan makes Miz tap out. Brie as well as other wrestlers come out to hoist Bryan up on their shoulders as he's finally reached the top of the mountain again with confetti raining down!