Sometimes, professional wrestling is real. According to a story in the Washington Post, the confrontation between Daniel Bryan and The Miz wasn’t a work, according to Smackdown Live’s general manager.
Bryan, who was a guest on WWE Talking Smack, got into a heated discussion with the current Intercontinental Champion where The Miz went off on Bryan, causing a rush of emotion and Bryan to walk off the set. The show also prompted a huge wave of support for Bryan, who has since unofficially retired from the ring due to head and neck issues as a result of injuries he sustained on the job, to once again lace up his boots.
But how does the company that has been against Bryan getting back in the ring publically, reverse field and book him in a match should he be cleared to once again grapple?
It was thought when the segment of Talking Smack aired, it was part of a work to put Bryan in the ring versus The Miz, but that does not seem like it will immediately happen. There are plenty of scenarios that would work with this kind of angle, but how WWE plans to use this to the company’s advantage isn’t known. What we do know is The Miz and Maryse are up caught in a feud with Dolph Ziggler. Beyond that is anyone’s guess.
Bryan is easing into his role with the company after wrestling, which looks solid at times and at others, looks quite forced. He is still a huge favorite with the fans, with the hope of the Yes! Movement coming out of retirement to give it a go once more. Here are five ways WWE could book Bryan’s comeback.
1- The Miz
Let’s just get this one out of the way. Bryan wanted the Intercontinental Title on Smackdown Live, not necessarily the man holding the title. There is a lot of animosity between the two superstars, and this would be a solid program – on a one-time basis – where the boss and the employee get together in the ring.
There are also other layers to this kind of a match, involving Maryse and potentially Brie Bella, Bryan’s wife. If this is a “test” to see if Bryan’s neck and head can hold up on a part-time regular basis, this is the match to find that out.
2- Shinsuke Nakamura
This would be a WrestleMania 33 type dream match. The popularity and unorthodox style of Nakamura against the aggressive style of Bryan. I am sure we all have played this out on video games and talked about it in chatrooms. Right now, Nakamura, the NXT World Champion, is the biggest thing in the promotion.
Bryan left as a champion. It’s a great way to bring the International star up to the main roster. I’m a bit shocked Nakamura wasn’t drafted to either brands. Now, his exceptional talent could be on display against a solid opponent.
3- Samoa Joe
I keep waiting to see when Joe will get his big break. As a champion in TNA and on the Independent circuit, Joe faced all comers, where his size and agility made him a great opponent for both heavyweights and cruiserweights. It’s another one of those dream matchups we would all love to see.
Now that Joe is no longer the NXT champion, will a call-up to the main roster happen before the end of the year? If so, would Smackdown Live be the logical brand for him to cut his teeth?
4- AJ Styles
Styles is the new face that runs the place. He is solid in the ring and is getting better on the mic. Fans would watch Styles and John Cena wrestle every night if they could because the feud is so solid. But what would happen if Styles challenged authority? The one element that is keeping Styles from becoming the best heel on the company roster is he has not challenged the hand that hired him.
A confrontation between these two would be epic and could become a WrestleMania-type match. Styles may be the WWE World Champion, which could add a bit of intrigue to this match as well.
5- Dolph Ziggler
I bet you thought I was going to say John Cena. My theory is if Ziggler is going to become a world champion once again, he will have to turn heel to do it. I love Ziggler as a character and few sell for their opponents like the Show Stealer, but he was booked poorly against Dean Ambrose and now faces The Miz and Maryse.
He is in a solid position right now after being overlooked for so long. The only problem is he is not as popular as Ambrose or Styles or even Cena. A heel turn would really help him get over with the fans and the company.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
