5 reasons why Daniel Bryan should remain as SD Live GM

For a long time now, fans have been clamouring to see the one and only Daniel Bryan return to in-ring competition, but as we all know by now, there’s much more to the situation than meets the eye.

Having retired back in early 2016 many would’ve considered a role as the SmackDown Live general manager to be a positive thing for the leader of the Yes Movement, but given what we know about the circumstances surrounding his health, a lot of people are eager to see him do what we all know he does best – wrestle.

During a recent appearance on Edge and Christian's podcast, the former Ring of Honor standout claimed that he had been cleared to wrestle by outside doctors. But apparently, WWE will not let him return to the squared circle for PR reasons and also because of their ongoing concussion lawsuit.

There’s no denying that it’d be great to see him lace up a pair of boots, even if it was for just one more run, but things don’t always work like that. Sure there are dream matches to be had and there’s a lot of unfinished business that he could attend to, but in our mind, the cons far outweigh the pros.

So with all of that being said, here are 5 reasons why Daniel Bryan should remain as the SmackDown Live general manager.

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#1 Great role

Bryan and Shane are magic together

No matter how many different ways you look at it, Daniel Bryan has landed himself a fantastic role as the GM of SmackDown Live.

He’s able to interact with thousands of adoring fans on a weekly basis, gets to be in great segments with some of the top stars of the modern era, and it gives the WWE Universe chance after chance to see one of the most charismatic stars of all time in action.

Plus, and we understand this may not be a huge factor to him, the money involved is likely going to be extremely generous considering he’s not even an in-ring competitor anymore. Sure, it’s not the same as it was and it still stings to consider that he may never compete in a WWE ring again, but we’ve still got the memories, right?

#2 Family Freedom

Family is the most important thing in any walk of life

The life of a WWE superstar on the road is a tough one, with the schedule often being sighted as one of the main reasons behind wrestlers retiring at a young age. Of course, Bryan’s situation is a little bit different, and the flexibility of only having to appear once a week opens up a range of possibilities where his family is concerned.

With a newborn child and a blossoming family to take care of, Bryan is able to be at home a hell of a lot more often than most wrestlers – and that includes those on the independent circuit.

Sure, you can work your schedule to suit your own needs when you’re with the likes of ROH, but just look at how often The Young Bucks are being booked.

#3 Risks

One more injury could spell disaster

We understand that many doctors have given Daniel Bryan the green light when it comes to performing again, but there MUST be a reason as to why the WWE themselves refuse to allow it. Given his previous seizures and general issues with brain injuries, they don’t want to take the risk and to be honest, Bryan should take their advice into consideration.

Things are a lot more uncertain on the independents, especially if The American Dragon is interested in the idea of taking a trip to New Japan Pro Wrestling.

One or two more injuries could affect him on a much more permanent level, and while he’s assured people that he’d work a different style, we have to wonder whether or not it’s worth getting that adrenaline rush one more time.

#4 Age

Bryan is no spring chicken

In the present day it’s not unusual to see guys in their 40s and late 30s competing at the highest level, and in fact, it seems to be something of a trend – particularly in the WWE. However, that doesn’t mean that we should encourage it, especially when you look into what tends to happen when wrestlers don’t know their limits.

Bryan is going to be 37 by the time he’s able to leave WWE and compete again, and several factors will come into play when the time comes for a decision to be made.

There could be ring rust, the high-flying style could be even more impactful than it is now, and the majority of top stars on the indies will probably be in their late 20s and early 30s.

#5 Commitment

WrestleMania 30 was a night none of us will ever forget

Daniel Bryan was a part of the Ring of Honor family for a long time, but when you put that up against his WWE career, the two really don’t compare. After all, Bryan had the majority of his greatest moments where he is right now – and a lot of that is due to the fact that Vince McMahon grew to love him and put his trust in his abilities.

That wasn’t the only reason, obviously, but WWE has always looked out for Bryan’s safety in addition to his overall well being. They gave him a job as the general manager which is something they didn’t necessarily need to do, and despite all of the jabs and jibes he takes against them over social media, they’ve remained loyal to DB.

It’s time for him to do the same.