WWE Rumors: Eric Bischoff wants Daniel Bryan back in the SmackDown Live main event scene (Exclusive)

What’s the story?

With Eric Bischoff now actively undertaking his role as Executive Director for SmackDown Live, things will be changing on the blue brand. However much control he has over the creative aspects and however beholden he is to FOX, Bischoff does have a clear creative intent for the brand that he will be overseeing.

One of the immediate changes we are likely to see is the return of Daniel Bryan to the main event scene on SmackDown Live.

In case you didn’t know…

Things have been rough for top-level bad guys on the blue brand since the Superstar Shakeup. Daniel Bryan, after losing the title to Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania, was nowhere to be seen. This meant that somebody else needed to be found to feud with Kofi and WWE simply couldn’t find a heel to do so.

This meant that Kevin Owens was turned heel in a move that has since been undone. Since reports began to circulate that Bischoff was taking over, Owens has undertaken a more voice of the people stance, particularly against acting top heel Shane McMahon.

Though Bryan did return after Money in the Bank, he returned to take part in a stagnant and suffering tag division, feuding with The Usos from Raw rather than any SmackDown team. He has since been working to put over Heavy Machinery to great effect and subsequently the New Day.

Meanwhile, the top heel position was so lacking on SmackDown Live that WWE had to call Dolph Ziggler back at the last minute to take the place of Kevin Owens in Saudi Arabia. This situation has been made even worse when you consider that Samoa Joe challenged Kingston next, a mid-level heel on WWE Raw despite his presence, charisma, and intensity.

With Randy Orton essentially the only heel left when you account for the unavailability of Sullivan and Sheamus, Daniel Bryan is desperately needed at the top of the card.

The heart of the matter

“Kofi either loses the belt or he has nobody to fight.”

Both Eric Bischoff and FOX are reportedly big fans of Daniel Bryan’s current heel gimmick and FOX is believed to have encouraged this move given the negative reactions to Bryan’s fight to save the planet. Bischoff’s preferences have historically been to have a member of the older, more experienced roster in the top bad guy position, preferably with an entourage to protect him.

“Daniel Bryan does great work in wrestling and in promos. Eric respects that. He wants to see a lot more of it. Bryan’s going up the card for sure.”

This could also be very good for Rowan, who is currently receiving his longest sustained push to date.

This could also mean that Shane McMahon will be stepping down from the top heel spot on SmackDown Live. Being fair to WWE, he’s barely been on the blue brand anyway.

“He’s (Bischoff) learned over the years that people with creative control are a problem. He doesn’t want to oversee Shane McMahon.”

What’s next?

Time will tell over the next few months how Daniel Bryan returns to prominence. We may see him take a little time off given that his contract reportedly is for reduced dates, similar to Randy Orton’s and Orton typically takes time off between WrestleMania and SummerSlam.

What we can be sure of though is that the SmackDown main event scene needs Daniel Bryan, especially if the Wild Card rule were to come to an end.