5 reasons why Daniel Bryan missed this episode of SmackDown
What happened to Daniel Bryan? That is the question that the WWE Universe has been asking themselves after The Fiend pulled Bryan under the ring and he hasn't been seen since. The move even sent shockwaves through the company's fanbase and has raised questions about what is going to happen next.
Furthermore, the move seems to show that this was WWE's plan all along, especially since The Miz was intergraded into it relatively early, which also begs the question of why they would do this? What exactly is the pay off to all this and when will fans see Daniel Bryan again?
Questions aside, here are five theories behind why Daniel Bryan has disappeared. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and tell us where you think WWE is going with all of this.
#5 Avoid turning Daniel Bryan heel
WWE has started a trend of Superstars turning heel after their encounters with The Fiend and it looked like Daniel Bryan was destined to be his next victim. That didn't end up happening and instead of Bryan getting another title opportunity, he was pulled under the ring by the monster.
Things get more bizarre from there as the closing moments of last week's SmackDown featured Daniel Bryan seemingly getting hair ripped off his face. Then, The Miz started this week's edition of Smackdown by stating that Daniel Bryan has gone missing and that The Fiend has taken him somewhere.
If nothing else, this is WWE's way of avoiding Daniel Bryan having to turn heel and allowing his character to stay neutral. The Miz can then hopefully work to rescue his former protege from The Fiend's clutches and help WWE to avoid the heel turn entirely. Maybe it will even result in The Miz turning heel again, thus continuing the trend.