SmackDown Live general manager Daniel Bryan was part of a historical moment two weeks ago that will never be forgotten, when he told the WWE Universe that he was cleared for a return to the ring after two years of retirement.
Bryan never gave up on the dream of wrestling again, even though doctors advised him to retire in 2016 following a series of concussions plus other brain-related injuries. But he worked extensively to seek medical opinions from other doctors, and was given the green light to resume his career.
Unsurprisingly, Bryan's return to the ring has left a massive impact on WrestleMania ticket sales. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter explained all of the details:
"After the announcement last week of the return of Daniel Bryan, tickets for Mania [sic] were very strong when it came to late sales so his return is money. At press time there were about 700 tickets left, almost all on the floor, with the cheapest price being $337."
Bryan will be teaming up with SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon, where they'll face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. The stipulation is that Owens-Zayn will be reinstated on SmackDown if they win the match, otherwise they'll be fired for good from the roster.
It's been three years since Bryan last competed in a WWE ring. He last competed on the Apr. 14, 2015 taping of SmackDown - where he and John Cena defeated Cesaro and Tyson Kidd in a tag team match. Now, he's finally set to wrestle on the Grandest Stage of Them All, and Bryan could easily steal the entire show on his own.
There was always hope from Bryan that he would be able to wrestle again, with rumors even swirling that he'd leave the WWE to fight for another promotion if they wouldn't clear him.
But thanks to hard work, determination and a clean bill of health, Bryan will finally return and try to regain his status as the top superstar on the planet. As such, it's no wonder ticket prices and sales at WrestleMania are going through the roof right now.