Royal Rumble season always leads to all kinds of rumors, and one of the biggest rumors being floated this year revolves around Daniel Bryan and a return to the ring.
As has been reported at length, Bryan wants to return to the ring and plans to do so at some point. His WWE contract ends next fall, and Bryan has went out and said that if WWE does not clear him for a return by that point, he will seek to do it with another company. New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, and even Mexico have all been batted around as possibilities.
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Bryan even mentioned that if he’s not cleared by WWE in time for WrestleMania this year, he doesn’t think it’s going to happen at all. Thus, we have the Royal Rumble rumors.
Regarding the reports that Bryan could return as a surprise entrant in this year’s Rumble, Dave Meltzer notes in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that nothing has changed in regards to Bryan’s clearance by WWE. At least as of early this week, Bryan still had not been cleared for a return to in-ring action by WWE’s medical personnel. That is not expected to change before Sunday.
There have also been rumors that Bryan could actually win the Rumble without taking a bump or any moves whatsoever, perhaps coming in toward the end. That way he could be involved without being medically cleared.
If Bryan were to win the Rumble, it would seem to tie in somehow with his ongoing, is he a heel or not, story with AJ Styles. With Styles serving as the brand’s champion, just imagine a dream match between the pair at WrestleMania if Bryan were to be cleared. In the proverbial words of the SmackDown GM – “Yes!”
Other names strongly rumored to prevail at the Rumble include Shinsuke Nakamura and Roman Reigns. A Nakamura win would likely lead to a bout that would instantly become a match of the year contender, Nakamura vs. Styles. The pair wrestled at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s WrestleKingdom a couple of years ago and tore the house down. There are droves of hardcore wrestling fans who would love to see them face off once again, this time on WWE’s biggest stage.
Reigns is mentioned as a winner due to the plans (which have been known for almost a year now) that he will face Brock Lesnar once again for the title at Mania. Howver, Reigns has won the Rumble before and could easily be slotted into a bout with Lesnar without the traditional Rumble victory.
