5 WWE dream matches we would've loved for Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan captivated the WWE Universe with his rise to the top of the WWE at Wrestlemania XXX.Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard that Daniel Bryan retired from the WWE after recent medical tests revealed significant brain concerns from concussions. Even though Bryan, 34, had put in lots of memorable work all over the world, wrestling fans feel like he still had a few solid years ahead of him.In fact, there are plenty of matches that the current WWE roster would’ve allowed that could have been very special. Some may have happened elsewhere, like in Japan or Ring of Honor, but it would’ve been nice to see it on WWE programming.Here are five such matches.

#5 Bryan vs. Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is regarded by many as another wrestler of a similar mold to Daniel Bryan.

Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan have so many similarities, and both are among the most beloved wrestlers on WWE programming in recent years. As a result, it’s hard to see either of them playing the heel for a feud, but that doesn’t matter.

These two could’ve played a “mutual respect” angle that would work for any belt feud, and they would put on an an absolute show that would work for anything from Smackdown to Wrestlemania itself.

Wrestling fans elsewhere may have seen these two together, but WWE fans truly missed out.

#4 Bryan vs. AJ Styles

This venue is a far cry from the WWE arenas that Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles have gone on to in the years since.

Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles have faced off in other promotions, but I think we all would’ve liked to see them get one more shot, particularly since Styles has joined the WWE since Bryan’s final injury.

These two showmen are commonly regarded amongst the best wrestlers in the world, and for a variety of reasons, fans would’ve eaten this match up. This feels like it could have been an epic feud for the Intercontinental title that would’ve stolen any pay-per-view.

#3 Royal Rumble victory

Daniel Bryan winning the Royal Rumble would’ve potentially drawn one of the biggest reactions ever.

The WWE is on a skid of at least three years of disappointing Royal Rumble finishes, and at least, two of those were directly because of the fans’ attachment to Daniel Bryan. The leader of the Yes Movement, meanwhile, never lasted more than about 21 minutes in a Rumble match.

Now that he’s gone from in-ring action, that’s a terrible missed opportunity for the company. Bryan putting in one of those lengthy, iconic runs to win the Rumble would have gotten a reaction bigger than most the WWE has ever seen.

#2 Bryan vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt

Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins have squared off in a variety of ways.

All of these men have feuded against each other at various points over the last two years, but this match is one that would be a melting pot of styles and character types. Add in a ladder stipulation and a belt, and this would be this generation’s iconic match.

The storytelling involved in this event has enormous potential, as each man has reason to both, respect and loathe every other man in the match. It’s a shame that we won’t get to see the culmination of the rivalries Bryan built with Rollins, Reigns and Wyatt over his last couple years in the ring.

#1 Bryan vs. Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens’ true heel character against Bryan’s full-on face persona would’ve been great.

Daniel Bryan and Kevin Owens, or Steen, certainly aren’t strangers, but this one is truly a dream match for an event like Wrestlemania. No one in the WWE today pulls off a true heel gimmick quite like Owens does, and that would work well against Bryan’s babyface nature.

Additionally, both of these men strike a good balance between pure wrestling and sports entertainment, and both can handle a microphone.

The build to this match would be phenomenal, whether a belt was on the line or not, and the in-ring action once the bell rang would be “Match of the Year” caliber, without a doubt.