Why Triple H Feared Daniel Bryan Leaving WWE

Before Daniel Bryan earned medical clearance from WWE, rumors indicated he’d re-ignite his wrestling career elsewhere after his WWE contract expired. And that was exactly was Triple H feared.

In an interview with ESPN, Triple H revealed watching Bryan take steps that foreshadowed a comeback—one that didn’t have to be in WWE. Bryan collected medical clearances from a slew of independent doctors, while still maintaining a training regiment. So as WWE held it’s rigid stance against Bryan’s comeback, Triple H could see the 4-time WWE Champion’s swelling determination.

“So while we were making him go to additional doctors … and running more tests and doing all these things to ensure that everything was all right, he was preparing,” he said.

Triple H thought this could create not just a resentful environment, but one that would ultimately justify Bryan springing to a new promotion.

“Part of me was so afraid in the period of time when it [was] all going down that he was going to walk and say ‘forget it’ and go wrestle for someone else that doesn’t care, that doesn’t take their health into consideration — because that’s pretty much everywhere else — and risk his life and his health and his family and his baby and risk all of it,” Triple H responded.

But Triple H asserts that it’s not lost WWE opportunities that had him worried, it’s that Bryan would be leaving his safest option. In other promotions, Bryan’s blockbuster comeback would supersede his health—a recipe that could have been tragic.

“And it’s not worth that. We take enough risk every day in what we do. Every day. Luckily we never got there, and luckily things worked out. It’s funny, because as Bryan was putting out things like, ‘I’m going to do this if they won’t let me do that,’ he was already working the information. He was already getting those tests done. He was already getting that stuff done. … Looking back on it, he was already prepping. He was prepping everything for it.”

Bryan got his catharsis two weeks ago after WWE finally granted him medical clearance to return. Bryan was wise to keep his training alive because he was booked for a WrestleMania match just days after news broke of his return.

We still don’t know what this new chapter of Daniel Bryan will look like, but it’s best for everyone that it’s happening in WWE.

[H/T Wrestling Inc.]