5 Superstars who can realistically retire Daniel Bryan

I know you're going, "Give the man a break, he hasn't even returned to the ring yet!" Of course, it's far-fetched to speculate about Daniel Bryan's retirement in the wake of his unprecedented comeback, however, predicting the end of an illustrious career is one of the most interesting discussions in pro wrestling.

Retirement is an inevitable phenomenon that everyone has to accept unless you're Terry Funk. The GOATs of the business are traditionally honored with a special retirement match usually on the grandest stage of them all and it always turns into a whirlwind of emotions.

Admit it, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels' finals matches will still make you teary-eyed. So would Bryan' once he decides to hang up his boots. That day is surely far away but there's no harm in foreseeing how it could all transpire a few years down the line.

Here are the stars who could give Bryan a fitting farewell:

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#5 CM Punk

Because, why not! The age-old saying about time being the best healer holds true in the topsy-turvy world of WWE and with that being said, one of the greatest WWE Champions of the modern era will ultimately get back into the WWE ring some day.

And if it were to happen in the near or distant future, a feud with Bryan is a no-brainer. Bryan and Punk go way back and have helped each other in their rise from the indies to the big leagues.

The Ring of Honor standouts have had world title feuds littered with stellar matches, both in WWE and outside. Punk and Bryan are arguably the first independent rookies to have broken the proverbial glass ceiling in the WWE. The rich history and mutual respect between the two validate Punk giving Bryan a farewell to remember.

#4 The Miz

Two WrestleMania headliners right there

After all the build-up in the past year, fans deserve to see The Miz vs Daniel Bryan in a no holds barred programme. It doesn't matter whether it happens this year or the next decade, it just needs to come to fruition.

WWE should ideally go ahead with the feud as soon as possible as the friction between the two is still fresh in the memory of the WWE Universe. But if they chose to prolong it, then the A-Lister should be the Superstar who puts Bryan out of commission for good.

Beating one of the biggest babyfaces of this generation would raise the stock of one of the best heels currently across both brands.

#3 Shinsuke Nakamura

Bryan used to share a room with Nakamura and Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida

WWE would be looking to extinguish all the dream matches at their disposal now that the Flying Goat has been cleared to do his thing again and Shinsuke Nakamura's name is right up there.

D Bry and Nak Nak roomed together back in the early 2000s and but their long-standing friendship has never translated into a match. It was not until now and the King of Strong Style too wasted no time in plating the seeds for the fan favorite match.

This is great news. No one needs to wish anymore. They can see it with their eyes. #NakamuravsBryan

— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) March 20, 2018

Bryan and Nakamura are 36 and 38 years respectively and could wind up their careers at the same time in somewhere down the line. They will surely be facing each other very soon but it wouldn't hurt to imagine both ending their careers together.

#2 AJ Styles

One of the many instant classics waiting to happen!

AJ Styles makes sense as an option for similar reasons as the man he's set to face at WrestleMania 34, Shinsuke Nakamura. Bryan and Styles have wrestled each other practically everywhere but in WWE.

The Phenomenal One and Bryan Danielson have been tearing houses down since the Ruthless Aggression Era kicked off and have since witnessed their audience rise from tens to thousands.

Again, Styles vs Bryan will happen sooner rather than later but could still be the perfect retirement match for The American Dragon.

Honorable mentions

Some unleash Kevin Steen on Bryan Danielson!

Roman Reigns: 'Temporarily retiring' the Undertaker led to The Big Dog getting such immense reactions. Imagine the heat he would get if he ends Bryan's career.

Kevin Owens: Talking about nuclear heat, Kevin Owens wouldn't mind getting some by virtue of helping a fellow indie darling transition to a happy post-wrestling life.

Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn round off the list of honorable mentions owing to their history in the independent circuit and also because of how monumental it could be for their careers.

#1 Nigel McGuinness

From TNA to being an NXT Commentator; McGuinness does have something to knock off his bucket list

WWE faithful may know him as an NXT commentator, but the Ring of Honor fan base regard him as one of the greatest champions in the promotion's history. McGuinness is one of Bryan's greatest rivals you didn't know about.

Bryan and McGuinness have more alike than you imagine. McGuinness was also forced into an early retirement after he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B. However, the former ROH Pure Champion recovered successfully and has stated in the past that the only thing stopping him from returning to the ring is a WWE offer.

This statement was made back in 2013 when he was still a part of ROH, and now with him being in WWE, the possibilities are real.

Bryan and McGuinness' battle for the ROH title are the stuff of legends and the WWE Universe ought to get a chapter themselves. Ideally, Bryan should be the one who retires McGuinness if he wrestles in WWE -- which shouldn't be for long considering he's 42 years old.

However, an unknown rival fulfilling his dream of working a match in a WWE ring while also honoring a long-time friend's career does sound like a great storyline.