What's next for Daniel Bryan?
Tonight, the WWE Universe's golden boy shocked the world. During a WWE Championship match against AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan caught the champ with a low blow before dropping him with a Knee Plus, finally capturing the coveted title after having to drop it back in 2014.
Now, with the GOAT taking the Phenomenal One's place at Survivor Series, Bryan will face Monday Night Raw's Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. However, whether he defeats the Beast Incarnate or walks away as another victim of Suplex City, Bryan's story going forward is going to be captivating.
Bryan made it very clear when he returned to in-ring competition this year that his goal was to become WWE Champion. The Leader of the Yes Movement stated that he would consider his return a failure if he didn't reach the top of the mountain once again, and it seemed that he was well on his way to the top of the SmackDown card after his WrestleMania 34 win.
Though it was a bumpy road, Bryan managed to accomplish his goal, and now sits atop SmackDown Live as its reigning champion. The question is, where does he go from here?
After Survivor Series, Daniel Bryan will have to answer for his actions in regards to the former WWE Champion. AJ Styles was in the middle of an unbelievably epic title run that few fans expected him to receive when he made it to the WWE, holding the company's top prize for over a year.
We can expect to see Daniel Bryan and the Phenomenal One have a few more battles, taking us all the way to the Royal Rumble. From there, though, it gets tricky. Now set up as the Blue Brand's top heel, aside from Becky Lynch, of course, there aren't exactly a lot of big name babyfaces on the Blue Brand who can step up to face Bryan.
However, there are two that come to mind that could catch the attention of the fans once the DB-AJ rivalry is settled; Rey Mysterio and Rusev.
With the Ultimate Underdog now settling in back at his home of many years, Rey Mysterio vs Daniel Bryan seems like easy money. Putting two guys who were told they were too small to be champion, only to overcome adversity and ascend to the rank of WWE Champion seems like a pretty easy decision.
However, what is more, intriguing is the idea that the WWE could finally cash in on Rusev and his huge fan following here. While Bryan could have his hands full with Styles and Mysterio through the early parts of 2019, that leaves just enough time for the Bulgarian Brute to work his way into the title picture.
In fact, that would leave us right around WrestleMania 35. And while a raucous Mania audience would normally back Bryan against almost anyone in the locker room, I'd bet that the former United States Champion, accompanied by Lana, could draw out some real emotion from the crowd.
However, what's really important to note here is that we're about to get a new Daniel Bryan. This is someone who had to sit on the sidelines for three years while he watched those he felt undeserving of the WWE Championship rise above him, as he was relegated to SmackDown Live General Manager. This is a man whose anger, frustration, and fear built out of not knowing if he'd ever get a chance to perform in the ring again.
Now that he's here, holding the most prestigious prize in sports entertainment, there's no way he's letting it go. If you thought Bryan's actions tonight were heinous and vindictive, you haven't seen anything yet. Welcome to the resurgence of the American Dragon.