Logical Next Steps For A Medically Cleared Daniel Bryan In WWE

Daniel Bryan being cleared to return to in-ring action is about the best news WWE could have delivered fans this year. Knowing that he'll once again get a chance to wrestle some of the biggest names in the business and have dream matches with performers like AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kurt Angle, and potentially wrestlers like Brock Lesnar and Rey Mysterio has fans salivating with possibilities. It's also where WWE should plan to take his character.

That said, there are a few things WWE, Daniel Bryan, and the WWE Universe needs to consider and understand comes next for the bearded creator of the Yes! movement. In short, there are formalities to attend to.

WrestleMania 34 Plans For Bryan

First things first, Bryan is in the middle of a confusing storyline with Shane McMahon, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on SmackDown Live. Acting as the show's general manager, the storyline is that he's at odds with McMahon but has a similar new enemy in Owens and Zayn. Tuesday, WWE did the right thing by trying to wrap that storyline up in a nice little ribbon.

Bryan opened Tuesday's edition of SmackDown Live and addressed the WWE Universe regarding the news of his return. He thanked fans and talked up his plans while later in the night he was forced to deal with Owens and Zayn as well and addressing the status of Shane McMahon. He fired his longtime friends and took a beating for his troubles. With that, WWE set in motion a potential match where Bryan will be involved in WrestleMania 34, having him team with McMahon to take out Owens and Zayn.

After that, Bryan needs to be removed from SmackDown Live as general manager. He did an effective job of tending to the tasks at hand while juggling the emotion of announcing his return but long term, Bryan is not a manager, he's a wrestler. Like McMahon, it doesn't make sense to keep him in that role and WWE should replace him right away.

Bryan Goes After The Title

As soon as he moves on from Owens and Zayn (barring a one-on-one match with either competitor since those matches would be fantastic) and takes himself out of the role of GM, WWE should line him up against one of the WWE's best in-ring performers in AJ Styles.

Styles is nursing a minor injury right now but he will get through WrestleMania 34 and he could muster the strength to put on a top-notch match with Styles. After Styles drops the title (assuming he still holds it after WrestleMania 34), he could take some much needed time off to attend to his injuries and Bryan could face whomever the No. 1 contender is.

Some may suggest that pushing Bryan to the title right away is a mistake, but there's no denying he's unquestionably going to be one of the company's biggest stars. There's also no certainty as to how long he can go as there's got to be some measure of concern that injury could strike again. WWE needs to strike while the iron is hot and make the most out of whatever time and buzz Bryan is providing.

The No. 1 Contender Gets A Shot

The next up would be Shinsuke Nakamura. Another dream match, the two could have a match-of-the-year type bout, that when completed opens the door for Bryan to move in a completely new direction.

If things work out, Bryan stays healthy and re-signs with WWE after September comes and goes (his contract expires Sept. 23, 2018), WWE will need to decide where to place Bryan long-term. Is he a Raw guy? Is he SmackDown Live's champion?

Head to Raw

Perhaps Bryan makes his way over to Raw where he intends to settle some unfinished business with someone named The Miz or takes on Brock Lesnar. Bryan wants to get his hands on both. One because of how great a match it could be (Lesnar) and the other because of some legit dislike for a competitor who took shots at Bryan when Bryan couldn't fight back (The Miz).

Needless to say, there is a good year's worth of ideas to plan out for Bryan who with over two years out of the ring has some catching up to do. Have him settled current problems with Zayn and Owens, move him on to fight for the title, have him take on Nakamura or Styles (whoever is the challenger at that time) and then move him to Raw where he can settle some business.