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SmackDown came to us from Manchester this week, and to be honest, it wasn't the best show I've watched. And yet, there was something during the show that was so intriguing that it certainly deserves a mention.
Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan were in the backstage area, as Zayn rattled and prattled on about what Daniel Bryan should do next. And then, out of nowhere, the lights began to flicker signaling the arrival of The Fiend.
Why has The Fiend chosen to go after Daniel Bryan of all people, after winning the Universal Championship? Let me mention five theories in this article and you can let me know if you agree or disagree with my personal assessment.
The Fiend's motives are always a mystery and that's why it's always so much fun to write about this ghastly, mythical creature.
#5 The two men have history
In case you've forgotten, Wyatt brainwashed Daniel Bryan and forced him to become a member of the Wyatt Family for a spell. When Bryan broke free of the shackles and became his own man, the 'Yes' chants were absolutely thunderous and is still considered to be one of the better moments in modern WWE history. The two men also have great chemistry while working with one another, but to be fair, Daniel Bryan can work with almost anyone.
And because there's a readymade storyline in place, The Fiend and Daniel Bryan could have a very competitive feud. As we've heard during the Firefly Fun House, The Fiend is hurt by a lot of actions that WWE Superstars have subjected him to, in the past. He probably counts Daniel Bryan quitting the Wyatt Family as one of these actions.
Plus it's a cool feud. Who doesn't want to see these two men collide?
#4 Rewarding Daniel Bryan for losing to Adam Cole
NXT has forever been treated as WWE's developmental brand meaning that the Superstars in the brand aren't in the same league as those in the main roster, in the eyes of many. Therefore, for NXT to realistically invade SmackDown, they had to make a great opening statement. And this happened in the form of Adam Cole defeating Daniel Bryan. Bryan lay down to put over the NXT Champion.
We often hear stories about how Ric Flair wouldn't lose the title to Lex Luger and how Bret Hart wouldn't lay down for Shawn Michaels. For Daniel Bryan to be such a massive star and do the job is a big big indeed. People don't commend just how often he does stuff like this.
And so Vince McMahon may have decided to fast-track the man into the Universal Championship picture for eating the pin against Adam Cole.
#3 Because Brock Lesnar is otherwise occupied for now
Deep down in our hearts, we all wanted to see The Fiend take on Brock Lesnar in an actual dream match. Because both men are powerhouses, there would have been no way to tell who would have come out on top during the contest.
But, instead, we have Brock Lesnar taking on Rey Mysterio with the WWE Championship on the line. So because there isn't a real Number 1 Contender per se, for The Fiend, Daniel Bryan seems like the ideal candidate for now.
Roman Reigns is currently otherwise occupied with King Corbin and I guess that's a feud that will last for a pretty long time. Kofi Kingston is in the tag team division and it looks like that is where he will be for the foreseeable future.
I don't think it seems like The Miz is Universal Championship level ready yet, if you round-up all the babyfaces.
#2 A loss will not hurt Daniel Bryan
We all know what happened last week. WWE's top Superstars were stranded in Saudi Arabia and could not make it back in time for the SmackDown tapings, leading to an invasion from the NXT roster. The main event was a contest between Adam Cole and Daniel Bryan, which was a fantastic match from start to finish.
Much to the surprise of everyone in the arena, Daniel Bryan actually took the pin in the match. He put Adam Cole over after a great showing, establishing him as a star at the very same league as SmackDown's topmost names. He's also put over others like Rowan and Ali in the past, proving just what a great team player he is.
My point is that there's no chance that he'll end up defeating The Fiend to become the next Universal Champion. But there's no way that a loss diminishes him as a Superstar either, as it may do with someone else like say, Roman Reigns.
#1 Completely transforming Daniel Bryan into a white-beat babyface
Anyone who goes up against The Fiend is an underdog. We know this because the Curb Stomp, a move that has put so many away, was useless against this sadistic and demonic being in Saudi Arabia.
If Seth Rollins could not get the job done, Daniel Bryan certainly will have a tougher task ahead of him in a program with the Universal Champion. Seth Rollins has been protected thus far, even beating the likes of Brock Lesnar clean, while Daniel Bryan regularly picks up losses.
But if he goes up against The Fiend, Daniel Bryan will definitely be the underdog. It may compel him to actually urge the fans to spur him to victory, by bringing back the 'Yes' movement from its dormant state.
Daniel Bryan may become the top babyface in the business after that.
Did you enjoy SmackDown this week? Rate every match and leave a comment by clicking on this link.
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