On March 20, 2018, Daniel Bryan announced his return to in-ring competition, sending the professional wrestling world into a frenzy. Even though he was slotted into the WrestleMania card with less than a month to spare, the former WWE Champion has already made an impact at the box office.
According to a report from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Bryan's return to the "Grandest Stage of Them All" has considerably expedited ticket sales, and WrestleMania is sure to be a legitimate sell-out.
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Apart from its obvious commercial benefits, the Aberdeen native's first match in almost three years will also put a larger spotlight on Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who will have the opportunity to make a name for themselves in what is being labeled "the people's main event" of WrestleMania 34.
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So, without any further ado, here are five possible finishes for Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
#1 Shane McMahon turns on Daniel Bryan
Even though he is currently the hottest commodity in professional wrestling, WWE cannot immediately insert Bryan into a World title program. That has to be saved for a bigger stage, perhaps even WrestleMania 35. In the meanwhile, the "American Dragon" needs to feud with heels who have name value.
And is there anybody on the roster more suited for his first singles program than Shane McMahon? Tension has been brewing between SmackDown Live's authority figures for a number of months, and this match could serve as the perfect time for their animus to come to a head.
This scenario would not only give Bryan a credible opponent to work with but also allow Owens and Zayn to be reinstated on SmackDown Live.
#2 Daniel Bryan clinches the victory for his team
This is perhaps the most obvious outcome of this bout. Bryan is not only the biggest attraction in this match but also WrestleMania as a whole, and every single person in attendance at the Superdome, which also happens to be the site of his greatest victory, will be left infuriated if the 36-year-old comes away with anything other than a decisive win.
Expect him to force either Zayn or Owens to submit to the "Yes!" Lock, which he incidentally used to secure the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 30. Apart from being a sure-fire way to keep Bryan as a hot commodity, this finish would also allow Owens and Zayn to join Monday Night Raw, where they could emerge as credible contenders for the Universal Championship.
#3 The villains stand tall
According to a report from Cageside Seats, AJ Styles will drop the WWE title to Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania and eventually move to Raw. However, for all his talent, "The King of Strong Style" has largely struggled to adapt to North American professional wrestling and is unlikely to be much more than a transitional title holder.
Thanks to a sublime 2017, Kevin Owens is arguably the right man to take SmackDown Live's biggest prize from Nakamura. The Quebec native's skill on the microphone and ability to have a four-star match at will make him the perfect candidate for a year-long run as WWE Champion.
And what better way to get him ready for a world title program than with a clean win over Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania? Even though Bryan needs to be protected, nobody in this match can afford to take a pinfall more than McMahon. Owens could pin him after a pop-up powerbomb, bringing an end to a year-long storyline.
#4 The Miz costs Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon
While his return to the "Showcase of the Immortals" is bound to be memorable, Bryan still needs a credible feud after WrestleMania which means that the best-case scenario would be for him to jump into a long-awaited feud with The Miz.
The reigning Intercontinental Champion shot to stardom after he called Bryan "a coward" during an explosive tirade on Talking Smack. Now that "The American Dragon" has been cleared to wrestle again, WWE can finally pull the trigger on what most fans consider to be a dream match.
Why not set the stage for this lucrative program during WrestleMania season, the time when there are the most eyeballs on the product?
#5 A double submission after Chris Jericho replaces Shane McMahon
On March 26, 2018, Shane McMahon was reportedly hospitalised with acute diverticulitis and an umbilical hernia. However, it appears that he will still perform at WrestleMania despite requiring surgery on the hernia. If he cannot make a sufficient recovery in time for the big show, why not replace McMahon with Chris Jericho?
Y2J and Kevin Owens have a storied past, and they were responsible for some of WWE's most compelling television in 2016. Following his tremendous performance with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 12, Jericho is now a rejuvenated character with even more star power.
If he and Bryan forced Owens and Zayn to submit simultaneously, no one in attendance would forget that WrestleMania moment in a hurry.
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