Daniel Bryan Continues Working Toward Wrestling Return

Despite resistance from the WWE front office and medical personel, Daniel Bryan continues to push forward with hopes for a return to the ring as a wrestler in the future.

Bryan spoke with The Trentonian about his continued efforts to get medically cleared by WWE doctors.

"I'm trying to get cleared as we speak. All my tests have come back fantastic, better than people who have never had any concussion-type stuff. But it's a weird thing. We're in a weird situation politically with the climate around concussions; right now, it's very difficult. WWE would love to have me back, but is that the smart thing for me as a business to bring me back? If I was to come back, and they let me back, would they get a lot of flak for it? They have a ton of stockholders that they're responsible for. It's more than just, 'Is he healthy to do it?"

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Bryan last wrestled for WWE in April 2015. He had won the WWE Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 31 but was unable to stay healthy much beyond that show and was eventually encouraged by WWE to retire from in-ring competition. His last match happened at a WWE SmackDown taping on April 14, 2015 when Bryan tagged with John Cena against Cesaro and Tyson Kidd.

Obviously, most of the push back Bryan has experienced concerning an in-ring return comes from WWE. The company has been embroiled in a lawsuit over concussions with performers from the past, and the environment surrounding concussion related problems in sports has become one of more caution.

Bryan claims that all of the doctors he has seen outside of WWE have cleared him for a return.

"All the concussion doctors think that I'm healthy enough to do it, and that I should be able to do it — well, I don't want to say all of them, I'm sure there's somebody out there who doesn't think that — but there's a lot more than goes into it than just that. That's the unfortunate situation with giant corporations and big business in the United States."

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If WWE refuses to let Bryan compete despite numerous outside doctors clearing him, it's no secret that he plans to look into wrestling outside of the WWE. He has previously mentioned that he would be contractually available to wrestle for other companies in the fall of 2018. He has reportedly been interested in working Ring of Honor, Mexico, and for New Japan Pro Wrestling.