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WWE official Adam Pearce announced on Friday Night SmackDown that Daniel Bryan will be added to the WWE Universal Championship match at WrestleMania 37.
The main event of Night 2 of WrestleMania 37 will now see WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defend the Universal Championship against both Edge and Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match.
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Daniel Bryan was added to the WrestleMania 37 main event after Bryan seemingly had Roman Reigns defeated in their Universal Championship match at WWE Fastlane.
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Roman Reigns submitted to Daniel Bryan's YES! Lock. However, the referee was incapacitated during this period, with Edge then breaking up the submission by hitting Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns with a steel chair.
This led to Daniel Bryan holding Friday Night SmackDown hostage last week until he received another opportunity to take The Tribal Chief's Universal Title. Later on in the broadcast Adam Pearce made the match official, announcing the triple threat Universal Championship match for WrestleMania 37.
Let's take a closer look at five reasons Daniel Bryan should become WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania.
#5 Daniel Bryan has never been WWE Universal Champion before in his career
There isn't much that Daniel Bryan hasn't achieved during his WWE career. Daniel Bryan is a five-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a former Intercontinental Champion, United States Champion and WWE Tag Team Champion. This led to Daniel Bryan becoming the sixth WWE Grand Slam Champion under the current format.
However, Daniel Bryan is yet to hold the WWE Universal Championship. Since the Championship was created in 2016 as part of the WWE Brand Extension, Daniel Bryan has either been retired, on the opposite brand or simply unable to capture the Universal Championship.
Despite several Universal Championship opportunities against the likes of "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns, Bryan is yet to successfully capture Universal Championship gold.
However, this could all change at WrestleMania. The Showcase of the Immortals is the perfect place for "first time evers." Whether it's first-time moments or first-time matches, WrestleMania is an event where things happen that have never happened before in WWE history.
Therefore, WrestleMania 37 would be the perfect time for Daniel Bryan to win the WWE Universal Championship for the first time in his career.
#4 WWE can attempt to replicate the feel-good moment of WrestleMania XXX
WWE WrestleMania XXX saw one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history as Daniel Bryan completed "the miracle on Bourbon Street" to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
After months of physical attacks and verbal put-downs at the hands of The Authority, Daniel Bryan finally had an opportunity at redemption at WrestleMania by squaring off against Triple H. However, the match had more than just personal pride on the line.
Due to the WWE Universe's negative reaction at Batista's WWE return and 2014 Royal Rumble victory, it had announced the WrestleMania XXX main event would now be a triple threat match. The winner of the Triple H vs Daniel Bryan opening match on the show would be added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event of Randy Orton vs Batista, making it a triple threat match.
Daniel Bryan miraculously defeated Triple H in the WrestleMania opener, moving onto the main event. Daniel Bryan completed the underdog story by defeating both Batista and Randy Orton to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The moment was iconically dubbed "the miracle on Bourbon Street" by WWE commentator Michael Cole.
The current Universal Championship storyline on Friday Night SmackDown closely mirrors the events of 2014 at WrestleMania XXX. A former WWE legend returns to win their second Royal Rumble match, earning a World Championship WrestleMania main event. Then, Daniel Bryan is later added to the match due to his momentum, making it a triple threat match.
Should Daniel Bryan win the WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 37, WWE could possibly replicate the feel-good moment of WrestleMania XXX and once again deliver another "miracle" moment on the grandest stage of them all.
#3 Daniel Bryan can transition into a feud with Edge after WrestleMania for the WWE Universal Championship
WWE has teased a possible Daniel Bryan and Edge feud in recent weeks on WWE television.
Since winning the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble match, The Rated R Superstar has made his presence felt on Monday Night RAW, Friday Night SmackDown and WWE NXT while deciding who to face at WrestleMania 37. Eventually, the WWE Hall of Famer decided to challenge Roman Reigns on the grandest stage of them all.
However, Edge's WrestleMania plans seemed to alter when Daniel Bryan became embroiled in a rivalry with Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship in recent weeks. The Rated R Superstar even became the special guest enforcer for Bryan and Reigns' title match at Fastlane to ensure there was no outside interference.
But it would appear that Daniel Bryan's proximity to capturing the Universal Championship has caused Edge to snap. Not only did Edge attack Daniel Bryan with a steel chair at Fastlane, but the Hall of Famer repeated the act last week on SmackDown, seemingly turning heel in the process.
Should Daniel Bryan become the Universal Champion at WrestleMania 37, it could lead to a fantastic post-WrestleMania rivalry with The Rated R Superstar. Many often thought a Daniel Bryan vs Edge match for the Universal Championship was impossible. But, after WrestleMania, it could easily become a reality.
#2 Babyfaces historically win World Championship matches at WWE WrestleMania
WWE WrestleMania is often seen as the "season finale" for WWE. After 12 months of storytelling, several matches and storylines culminate on the grandest stage of them all.
As is the case with many season finales on television, WWE officials want to see their major storylines crescendo, with the babyface prevailing and justice being served. This leaves the WWE Universe feeling "whole" before embarking on a brand new 12 months of storytelling before the following year's WrestleMania event.
So, historically in WWE history, the closing moments of WrestleMania involve the babyface in the match either winning or retaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, as was evident in Daniel Bryan's iconic WrestleMania XXX win.
Major WWE Superstars such as Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena and Roman Reigns all retained or captured the World Championship in several WrestleMania main event matches. It serves as the perfect bookend to a year's worth of storytelling by WWE.
Looking at the Universal Championship triple threat match at WrestleMania 37, both Roman Reigns and Edge are currently portraying heels on WWE television. This means Daniel Bryan is the only babyface in the match.
If WWE continues to follow history, it would make sense for Daniel Bryan to leave WrestleMania 37 as Universal Champion, as the top babyface wrestler on Friday Night SmackDown.
#1 Live fans return at WWE WrestleMania 37
WWE WrestleMania 37 will mark the return of live fans to WWE programming for the first time in over 12 months.
Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, WWE has been unable to run any live events that feature paid fans in attendance. This has led to WWE presenting shows such as Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown, plus pay-per-view events such as WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble, on a closed set with zero fans in attendance.
The pandemic has led to the creation of the WWE ThunderDome, with virtual fans from across the globe attending WWE events from the comfort of their own home. But the energy and atmosphere for WWE Superstars performing, and those watching at home, just isn't the same as when a capacity crowd is in attendance.
Therefore, the entire WWE Universe is incredibly excited to see 25,000 socially distant fans attend each night of WrestleMania 37 inside Raymond James Stadium.
Considering the year most people have had due to the pandemic, WWE may feel it's their obligation to not only entertain these fans but to also send them home happy. The past 12 months have been incredibly difficult for everyone around the world. Therefore, a joyous moment with a happy ending such as Daniel Bryan winning the Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania could be just what the fans want, and most importantly, need right now.
