'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Daniel Bryan recently appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast where he revealed that the company was lining up a huge surprise for the WWE Universe if Shane McMahon was unable to compete at WrestleMania.
In case you didn't know...
Shane McMahon wasn't cleared to wrestle until very close to this year's WrestleMania after it was revealed that he was hospitalized with a staph infection, diverticulitis and a hernia. These issues were so close to the biggest event of the year that WWE decided that they needed to have a backup plan in place in case Shane wasn't cleared.
Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon did end up teaming together to take on Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, but given the extent of his injuries just two weeks before the event, it's incredible that McMahon was even able to take part in the match.
The heart of the matter
WWE try to remain as tight-lipped as possible when it comes to their surprises because there are so many leaks in WWE right now that officials just don't know who to trust. WWE wanted to keep Daniel Bryan's teammate a secret so badly that they didn't even tell Bryan who it was. Bryan recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho where he and the host confirmed the following story.
“It’s weird because we’re in this stage now where they don’t tell the boys anything. Right, so they keep all the secrets from the boys cause they’re afraid the boys are all talking to the dirt sheets and all that kind of stuff. And so I ask because Shane called me and told me. He said, ‘I’m in the hospital right now, I got diverticulitis while I was in Antigua and then when they were giving me IV’s. I got a staph infection from the IV’s and then I have this hernia that’s coming out of my stomach. But don’t worry, I’ll be ready for ‘Mania.’ So I was just like, ‘what? How?!’
It appears that Bryan wasn't the only one who didn't think McMahon would make it to the Show of Shows since WWE started working on a backup plan.
“So, I was on my way to TV in the airport security when he [Shane] texted and said ‘call me’ and all that happened. Then I talked to him and he said that and when I got to TV the next day I was like, ‘What are we going to do? Like, certainly he can’t be wrestling.' And they said, ‘Well, he says he’s wrestling but we have a backup and we think it’s a pretty good backup.’ I said, ‘Who is it?’ And they said: ‘We can’t tell you.”
The backup was Chris Jericho and given his history with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, be would have been a perfect choice. Obviously, he wasn't needed in the end since McMahon was cleared in time, but he could have been a great addition to the match.
What's next?
Daniel Bryan lost his Money in the Bank qualifying match to Rusev this past week on Raw and with recent reports surrounding Big Cass, it is unknown what feud Bryan will fit into moving forward.
Author's take
The internet has been one of WWE's biggest downfalls over the past few years, but it's great to see that the company have found a way to keep things secret. It's harsh that WWE can't trust anyone but there are so many leaks in the company right now that it makes sense for everything to be kept as private as possible because plans in WWE always change.
