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Daniel Bryan defeated friend and training partner, Drew Gulak, last week to advance in the tournament to crown a new Intercontinental Champion. Sami Zayn has elected to stay safe at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of that choice, and since the title needs to be represented on TV, the tournament was implemented to crown a new Champion.
After his victory, Daniel Bryan cut an impassioned promo about the prestige of the belt and what a win in the tournament would mean for himself and the title. The Leader of the Yes Movement believes that the best wrestler in the company should hold the title and compete in the best matches each night.
As things currently sit, Bryan and Elias have advanced and are waiting for their opponents. Elias will face the winner of Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles while Bryan will face either Sheamus or Jeff Hardy. Depending on what WWE's plan for the title is, I think putting the belt on Bryan is the best move at this point. Here are five reasons why the former WWE Champion should win the current Intercontinental Championship tournament.
#5 He's one of the biggest names on SmackDown
When the draft went down last October, SmackDown's main-event scene was left a little lacking. The Blue brand got Kofi Kingston, Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns, The Fiend Bray Wyatt, and Daniel Bryan. The likes of The Miz, King Corbin and others could slot into feuds when needed, but for the most part, the top of the card was left a bit bereft of marquee names.
Fast forward almost nine months later and the main event looks even more lacklustre. Kingston is back in the tag team division, Reigns is away from the company and Daniel Bryan is back in the mid-card. Strowman and Wyatt had the last feud for the Universal Championship and the next challenger for The Monster Among Men is up for debate.
Bryan has always proven to be one of the best performers in the business and his last run as WWE Champion was among the best. Not only did he have great matches but he also put over Kofi Kingston in one of the better feuds of the last decade. Bryan puts more people over than anyone because he truly cares about the business. His passion has helped him maintain the position as one of the top Superstars in WWE and on SmackDown. He would do wonders in straight-up matches for the title as we've witnessed over the last few weeks.
#4 He could make it the work-rate title again
The great Intercontinental Champions of the 1990s like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect all had one thing in common - they were great in-ring workers. All three were also completely well-rounded and thus were booked as important performers. Daniel Bryan could follow in the footsteps of these legends with the IC title on his waist.
After he won his opening round match against Gulak, Daniel Bryan was interviewed by Renee Young. The two men put on another fantastic clinic of pro wrestling. It wasn't boring or filled with rest holds but instead with submission attempts, counters and great transitions.
In his post-match promo, Daniel Bryan said that he wanted to win the title and make it the title in the company held by the best wrestler. He promised he would defend it every Friday which is akin to John Cena's US Championship Open. That run by Cena produced some great contests in its own right.
Someone who has a mission statement as Champion often does better compared to a performer simply holding a title. Nakamura is a great professional wrestler but his reign wasn't booked properly. Bryan promised to bring it back to some prominence and he could do just that if he wins the tourney.
#3 He's one of the best performers of all time
I'll admit it - I am a bit biased in favor of Daniel Bryan when it comes to anything he's involved in. He's a fantastic in-ring worker, delivers a great promo and his storytelling is on point. The man also proved that you don't have to look like John Cena or Randy Orton in order to make it to the top of the business. It just means that you'll probably have to work harder than those types.
His career track record doesn't lie either. He was involved in two of the best storylines ever. The first was his ascension to WWE Champion after only being deemed a "B+ player" by the Authority. He had to jump through numerous hoops just in order to get a title shot.
Bryan, in turn, was then on the opposite side of the same angle last year en route to WrestleMania 35. Kingston played his role while Daniel Bryan played the smarmy heel trying to prevent a deserving person from winning the title. Oh, and remember Team Hell No? How entertaining was that run?
To make it simple - Bryan is one of the best performers of all time and is among the best of the current generation. He can play a great heel or face and elevates everyone he is involved with. He'd do the same with the Intercontinental Championship once again.
#2 Unfinished business with Sami Zayn
WWE has a built-in storyline once Sami Zayn returns to action. Whoever is the new Champion will obviously be targeted by the Great Liberator as they will not be the true title holder. Zayn never lost the title and will call the winner of the tournament a "Paper Champion." At the moment, Daniel Bryan is the perfect foil for Zayn when he returns.
Both Daniel Bryan and Sami Zayn are great at all facets of the game and they had an entertaining feud on the way to WrestleMania 36. Zayn walked away with the title but it didn't seem like it would be the last time they'd be staring across the ring at each other.
The angle coming out of this year's WrestleMania could easily be picked right back up should Bryan win the title at the end of the tourney. He's one of the biggest babyfaces currently on the Blue brand and could provide great matches as Champion. That, of course, would be until Zayn returns to the fold.
The two men have great back-and-forths on the mic and could easily pick up where they left off. They've also feuded before a few times when Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon were involved. Giving the win to Bryan would provide the WWE a steady storyline that could help things out as the spring turns into summer.
#1 He never lost it back when he retired
Depending on circumstances at a given time, some Superstars have to relinquish a title. Daniel Bryan did it twice last decade when he had to first relinquish the WWE Championship and then the IC title. He had to prematurely retire but was cleared to return a few years later. Becky Lynch even did the same last week with her RAW Women's Championship due to being pregnant.
In those veins, he technically never lost the title to anyonne. Finn Balor had to relinquish the Universal Champion a day after he won it and he used that to eventually get a rematch. WWE did do away with rematches but usually paired the same two Superstars together for three PPV cycles anyways.
Goldberg said he never got a rematch for the Universal Championship which is why he "challenged" The Fiend earlier this year. Like Brock Lesnar, however, he often goes away once he loses a title. But when a Superstar has to give up a title because of an injury, it's a totally different scenario. It would seem like poetic justice if Daniel Bryan won the IC title for a second time. He never lost it the first time and winning the tournament would be cathartic for his fans and the man himself.
