10 Dream Matches Daniel Bryan Is Missing Out On By Staying With WWE
Matches with the likes of Kenny Omega, Zack Sabre Jr., and others still remain just a dream.
Daniel Bryan was medically cleared to again compete for WWE back in March, but speculation remained as to whether or not the former champion would choose to stay with the company beyond 2018. Bryan himself aided those rumors by openly considering taking his talents elsewhere. However, recently things changed as rumors swirled that his re-signing was imminent.
It's now been officially confirmed that a new deal has been reached, much to the pleasure of the company and its fans. Still, some were looking forward to the return of the American Dragon to the independent and international scenes, which have grown exponentially since he first left in 2009. Bryan’s former home of Ring Of Honor is now owned by a veritable media empire in Sinclair Broadcasting, while New Japan has continued their expansion into the United States. Bryan had even expressed interest in competing in Mexico.
While WWE offers the relative safety of a softer in-ring style and financial security, there would have been a wealth of fresh and interesting opponents for him outside of the company. With that, let’s take a look at ten hotly anticipated matches that Daniel Bryan will be missing out on by staying within the WWE fold.
10. Trevor Lee
Trevor Lee quickly rose to prominence through his wild in-ring style in California’s PWG promotion before moving onto the recently revitalized IMPACT. Lee has been a solid competitor for the promotion since 2015 and possesses an honorable pedigree as he was originally trained by the Hardy Boyz. With his ruthless, innovative, and daring offensive style, Lee would have presented an interesting challenge to Daniel Bryan.
While Bryan carved out his own innovative style during his formative years and within WWE, Trevor Lee represents the latest evolution of modern wrestling as he blends high-flying acrobatics with dastardly strikes and even high-impact slams. At only twenty-four years old, he’s already a ten-plus year veteran of the squared circle.
Frankly, Lee is very reminiscent of the former WWE Champion -- perhaps not in style but in attitude and even somewhat in appearance. Size has never been his strength, but Lee's in-ring ability often outweighs his opponents’ advantageous proportions — a situation with which Daniel Bryan has long been familiar. The interesting matchup would've presented Bryan with a chance to educate a young upstart and Lee with the opportunity to topple an already legendary talent.