5 Possible Summer Feuds For Daniel Bryan

It's been almost three months since Daniel Bryan was cleared to compete by WWE doctors, and so far his comeback has been - well, a little disappointing.

Despite returning to a hero's welcome at WrestleMania 34, the ex-Ring of Honor star is yet to put on a technical masterclass of the kind he was once famous for. His match opposite Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on the Grandest Stage of Them All was decent but not spectacular, while the ongoing feud with Big Cass has been largely forgettable.

The good news is that we're fast approaching the summertime, a period in which Bryan has traditionally produced his best in-ring performances. Take, for example, his brilliant encounter with CM Punk in 2012, or the SummerSlam bout he shared a year later with John Cena, culminating in one of the biggest victories of his WWE career.

Of course, great matches more often than not require great opponents. That's why, in order for the creative team to bring the best out of the former SmackDown general manager this year, they need to pair him up with someone equally capable between the ropes.

Here are five stand-out candidates.

#5 - Randy Orton

Randy Orton hasn't been seen on SmackDown over recent weeks, owing to a planned sabbatical in which he has finally received surgery to correct a long-lasting problem with his knee. No return date has been provided by his employers, although he may well be back in time for the summer.

If he is, then a feud with Daniel Bryan seems like a sensible move. The pair have been natural enemies in WWE since butting heads over the World Heavyweight Championship several years ago when Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase at SummerSlam.

In order for them to resume their rivalry in 2018, we will probably need The Viper to turn heel again - but that's not a bad thing in itself. He's always been much more convincing as a bad guy, and Bryan is the perfect opponent to help turn the fans against him.