8 Big Concerns Raised By WWE's Injury Crisis
4. More Forced Retirements?
That Daniel Bryan will eventually wrestle again is a given. Whether it's for WWE or a competitor, the SmackDown General Manager is hell-bent on returning to the squared circle, despite his February 2016 retirement. The extent of his concussion issues make it a divisive issue, but for better or worse, the wheels are already in motion, and we'll likely see Bryan lace up in 2018.
It's a murky situation made worse by the fact that Bryan's 'retirement' wasn't his decision, but the company's. Though several other medical professionals cleared him to compete, WWE's did not, and it's unlikely they'll ever give him the 'okay' again.
A similar scenario came together this past weekend. Neither WWE nor Paige have confirmed it yet, but it looks like the former Divas Champion has been medically disqualified from wrestling for the company following an injury suffered on a December 28th house show. A huge shame, particularly in the aftermath of the hellish 18 months Paige has endured.
As WWE's injury problems deepen, are situations like this about to become more commonplace? Will this company, often so negligent when it comes to protecting their performers in other ways, start taking less chances with high-risk cases like those above? Time will tell, but it's a possibility.