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The most over superstar in WWE, the founder of the YES Movement, the man whose retirement brought tears to the eyes of the WWE Universe, Daniel Bryan has finally turned heel. Ever since Daniel Bryan started his feud against The Authority in 2013, he became one of the most organic and over babyfaces in the WWE.
Daniel Bryan briefly turned heel in 2015 during a feud with The Wyatt Family, but his switch over to the "dark side" was short-lived. He returned to in-ring competition earlier this year and received one of the biggest pops from the audience in recent memory.
Daniel Bryan turned heel and defeated AJ Styles, ending his 371 day run as WWE Champion. AJ Styles' epic and historic run warranted a major moment to end it, and WWE did exactly that.
But what does WWE do now with Daniel Bryan? He goes from being a much-loved superstar to a person who'll be hated by many. We look at five possible booking options for the heel Daniel Bryan.
#5 A feud with AJ Styles
AJ Styles will definitely not be done with Daniel Bryan yet. Daniel Bryan stole his championship title using unfair means, and AJ will not be happy about it. A feud with a heel Daniel Bryan is looming for AJ, and we could witness a series of mega-money matches post-Survivor Series.
AJ Styles will now become the top babyface on the roster after Roman Reigns' departure, and Daniel Bryan's heel turn. He is in prime position to be the face of the company, and WWE needs to capitalise on that.
Whether this reign of Daniel Bryan is a transitional reign, or a full-fledged title reign, remains to be seen. However, AJ defeating Bryan to win his title back will be a major possibility, considering AJ still has quite a few heels left on SDL to have a feud with.
#4 Rey Mysterio
SmackDown is amazingly short on babyfaces, and Rey Mysterio recently returned to join the upper mid card on SmackDown Live. Rey Mysterio's last full-time appearance resulted in him being booed mercilessly when he came out at #30 in Royal Rumble 2014.
Every single fan in the arena wanted to see Daniel Bryan enter the Rumble at 30, but got Mysterio in turn. It will be fitting if Mysterio is announced as the next opponent for Bryan, exacting some sort of revenge for the 2014 incident.
Rey Mysterio and Daniel Bryan are possibly the two most loved superstars in the last fifteen years, and are universally appreciated for their tremendous wrestling abilities. Mysterio fighting Bryan will surely generate interest among all generations of WWE fans.
Rey Mysterio has been a World Champion before, and an entry into the main-event picture for him would not be unwarranted at all.
#3 Jeff Hardy
Yet another superstar on SmackDown Live who has stayed as a much loved babyface for most of his career. Jeff Hardy has been in the wrestling industry for over twenty years now, and has never failed to captivate audiences worldwide.
Jeff Hardy received one of the biggest ovations in WWE when he won the WWE Championship back in 2008. He remains one of the biggest fan favourites in WWE, and will be a perfect opponent for Daniel Bryan.
Jeff Hardy and Daniel Bryan would produce a match of the highest quality and tear the house down. Similar to Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy will bring in fans of the Ruthless Aggression Era, and people who grew up watching him do his high-risk manoeuvres.
WWE will want to solidify Daniel Bryan as a top heel on SmackDown Live. What better way than to beat down Jeff and cement his positioning as the top heel on the blue brand.
#2 The Miz
Shocking? Not quite. The Miz remains one of the last true heels left in WWE today. He is hated like no other in WWE, and his rivalry with Daniel Bryan dates back to 2010. However, WWE has turned mega heels into loved faces and vice versa. Miz turning babyface for a feud against Bryan will be amazing!
The Miz has stayed heel for over five years now, and has never gotten an opportunity at the WWE Championship. Miz and Daniel Bryan are definitely not done with their rivalry, and will look to reignite it sooner rather than later.
Bryan using cheap tactics to win the WWE Championship will surely draw attention from The Miz. Bryan regularly accused Miz of being a superstar who uses unfair means to win his matches, and ended up doing the same.
Miz and Bryan fighting for the WWE Championship is only fitting, and with their roles reversed, it will become even more interesting.
#1 John Cena
WrestleMania season is fast approaching, and this means one thing, the inevitable return of John Cena. Cena last appeared in a full-time run during WrestleMania season earlier this year, clamouring for a match against The Undertaker.
Cena and Bryan had a major rivalry a few years ago, and Bryan became one of the few men to pin John Cena clean when he defeated him at SummerSlam 2013. John Cena is partly responsible for the amazing run Daniel Bryan had during that period, and both these superstars reigniting their rivalry will be pretty awesome.
Cena will look to break Ric Flair's record of 16 world championships, and a feud against Daniel Bryan culminating at WrestleMania will be a fitting way to break the record.
They could have become brothers-in-law before Cena and Nikki Bella broke up last year, and John Cena as well as Daniel Bryan are big names in the pro wrestling industry and outside of it. Their rivalry will definitely captivate the WWE Universe.
