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Daniel Bryan is possibly the most likable wrestler in WWE history. A 4-time World Champion, Bryan is the 6th Grand Slam Champion in WWE history and headlined several major pay-per-view events, including SummerSlam and WrestleMania XXX.
The SmackDown GM's character was relatable to the fans, which made him even more popular. Before WWE could capitalize on the opportunity of setting him up as the face of the company, he retired from professional wrestling in February 2016 due to medical issues arising from multiple concussions and a brain lesion.
Even before the announcement of Bryan's returns, rumors were flying around that Bryan would partner with Shane McMahon against the team of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 34.
With Bryan getting back to action, here are 5 wrestlers who would make great opponents for The G.O.A.T.
#5 Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the most talented wrestlers in the world today. He was already a popular figure in the pro wrestling industry before coming to WWE, but became a household name about five minutes after he showed up on SmackDown Live.
A two-time NXT Champion, Nakamura is known for his hard-hitting kicks and his unmatched charisma. Another man who shares the above two characteristics is Daniel Bryan. The SmackDown had a special connection with the crowd and his wrestling skills were second to none.
Nakamura made his WWE main-roster debut in 2017, a year after Daniel Bryan announced his retirement, and the two have never faced each other. The dream match is sure to leave fans enthralled.
#4 Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan have shared the ring a number of times, both as allies and as opponents. Their match at Fastlane 2015 was a great Face vs Face match which saw The Big Dog pick up the victory.
The Shield (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) were the one who ended Team Hell No's (Kane and Daniel Bryan) 245-day reign as the WWE Tag Team Champions.
The Shield stood by him against The Authority, and now with Bryan coming back to action, Reigns could actually get over with the fans if he can put on a great show with Bryan on the other side of the ring.
With Reigns set to win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34, Bryan could very well challenge him for the title. The two have extremely different wrestling styles, and that's what is appealing to the fans. A powerhouse going against a high-flyer will be an interesting battle.
#3 Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens' journey in WWE has been quite the opposite of Daniel Bryan. KO started out as a rude, obnoxious villain who would go to any extent to do the undone. Bryan was always the underdog who would never go down without a fight.
Since joining SmackDown Live as the GM, Bryan and Owens have had many verbal altercations. None of these could go any further due to Bryan's inability to compete in a WWE ring. But the tables have now turned.
Owens and Bryan have contrasting personas. Owens is arguably the purest heel in WWE, and Bryan is the most loved babyface. Both being such technically gifted athletes, a match between them will be a dream match.
#2 AJ Styles
Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles are two of the best technical wrestlers of their generation. Bryan enjoyed a similar run in WWE between 2013 and 14, a position AJ Styles is in currently. Bryan is a four-time World Champion, while Styles is in his second round.
Styles and Bryan had some great matches during their time on the independent scene, but the time has now come for the two to enthrall the WWE audience.
Bryan had already expressed his wish to wrestle Styles in WWE, and with him finally getting cleared, the dream match could happen very soon.
#1 The Miz
Daniel Bryan and The Miz are no strangers to each other. Bryan started out in NXT with The A-Lister as his mentor. The feud began when Miz attacked Bryan for disrespecting him. Bryan defeated him to win the United States Championship and won his first title in the WWE.
The tension was elevated to a new level when The Miz cut an unscripted promo on Talking Smack. He mocked Bryan for not being able to wrestle in the WWE, and the promo is considered as perhaps the best of the modern era and showed why he's named by many as the best heel in the company.
The rivalry between the two was teased way back in 2016, and with Bryan getting cleared by the WWE, there is no reason why WWE can't rekindle this rivalry. The Miz is the current Intercontinental Champion, and if Bryan gets drafted to Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania 34, a match between them might be on the cards.
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