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Most of the WrestleMania 36 card has been set, with another few matches about to be announced this week. Among those is Sami Zayn vs Daniel Bryan for the Intercontinental Championship, which will be confirmed if Drew Gulak defeats Shinsuke Nakamura on Friday Night SmackDown.
While this sounds like a dream match, the character shift that Zayn has undergone makes this different from what we would have expected two of the most talented wrestlers in the world to produce at WrestleMania. Either way, Bryan winning the IC Title is the likely outcome of this story.
If it does happen, it will be another WrestleMania moment for the world's toughest vegan to add to his diverse collection. Also, there is a lot of potential in a Daniel Bryan midcard title reign in today's WWE landscape.
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Bryan previously held the Intercontinental Championship in 2015 after winning a ladder match at WrestleMania, but his intended plans with the title were compromised as his reign was cut short due to injury. Hopefully, his second reign is a lot better if he does indeed win the title from Sami Zayn.
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Here are five things that may happen if Daniel Bryan becomes the next Intercontinental Champion.
#5 The Artist's Collective move to the tag division
Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro have been in the Intercontinental Championship picture since their formation as a unit in the fall of 2019. So, once Zayn loses the IC Title, there is a possibility that the trio known as the Artist's Collective moves on to other things on SmackDown.
The Blue brand's tag team division is decent, with some good depth to it. Teams like The Usos, The New Day and Heavy Machinery could use some fresh opponents once WrestleMania is over and done with.
Maybe with The Miz and John Morrison entering singles competition, the artistic trio could venture into the tandems scene on FOX. Cesaro and Nakamura would make for excellent tag team champions, with Zayn as their mouthpiece.
#4 Braun Strowman turns heel
Whether it is Daniel Bryan who leaves WrestleMania with the Intercontinental Championship or Sami Zayn, a huge challenge might be waiting for the IC Champion. Braun Strowman lost the title to Zayn in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match at Elimination Chamber, but has not appeared on TV since.
The Monster Among Men will probably be hungry for an Intercontinental Championship title shot after the Show of Shows, with a match between him and Daniel Bryan seeming like an interesting prospect. Strowman has had an extremely frustrating time on SmackDown, so him turning heel might not be out of the question.
In fact, contrary to the last time this happened, a Braun Strowman heel turn could rejuvenate his stagnant career and give him a purpose, as he'd be chasing Bryan. A David vs Goliath feud between Strowman and Bryan for the IC Title would be great.
These two have never faced each other, which is a rarity in today's age. SmackDown would really benefit from a fresh rivalry like this.
#3 Weekly open challenges
One of the best qualities that Daniel Bryan possesses is his unselfishness. He puts the business and the product ahead of himself, always looking out for his peers. Since his return to the ring in 2018, Bryan has gotten so many Superstars over.
His matches against Mustafa Ali, Buddy Murphy and Kofi Kingston have been essential in the improved trajectories of all three men. Also, his current storyline with Drew Gulak is doing wonders for the former 205 Live star. If Bryan becomes the Intercontinental Champion, he will likely want to elevate his peers.
The last time Daniel Bryan held this title, John Cena was the United States Champion. Cena's US Title open challenge was a massive hit and helped to create new stars. If Bryan does the same with the IC Title, it would benefit everybody - including the fans.
There are many underutilized estlersrw who could have a great title match with Bryan on SmackDown, including Ali, Sheamus and Shorty G, to name a few. Also, this way, SmackDown on FOX is guaranteed to have a minimum of 20 good minutes of action every week.
#2 Drew Gulak gets a major rub
Daniel Bryan is currently in a partnership with Drew Gulak after the two wrestled a barnburner of a match together at Elimination Chamber. The two will probably remain a team for a while now, as there is quite a lot of potential for some great segments between the two.
Even if Bryan wins the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania, Gulak should remain by his side. Of course, this will probably lead to another match between them somewhere down the line. After what should be an excellent title reign filled with compelling feuds and solid defences, Drew Gulak could turn his back on Daniel Bryan.
Maybe Bryan is the one who turns, establishing Gulak as a babyface. Either way, it seems likely that the end result of Bryan as IC Champion will be Gulak getting a major rub from his current partner.
As mentioned earlier, Daniel Bryan is an expert in putting Superstars over. And like he did so for Ali, Kingston and Murphy, he's probably going put Drew Gulak over clean. By the time Bryan goes on his paternity leave, Gulak will be a made man.
#1 The IC Title becomes prestigious again
It has been evident that Daniel Bryan elevates everything he is involved with. Whether it was a comedy tag team with a monster, a mega-heel run with the WWE Championship or a Tag Team Championship run with Erick Rowan, he made us care about each and every thing he did.
If he becomes the Intercontinental Champion, expect Bryan to work his magic again. Just like how The Miz and Seth Rollins enhanced the value of the IC Title, the 'Leader of the Yes Movement' will likely do wonders for the belt and make it feel important again.
This harkens back to the weekly open challenges point, which would feature the Intercontinental Championship in weekly showcase matches. It could become the hottest title in WWE in about a month or two if Bryan is allowed to be consistent in his work.
Right now, the title does not feel that important after bouncing around in meaningless feuds since the end of 2018 when Rollins lost it to Dean Ambrose. Now could be the time when the title once considered to be the most prestigious is the company could go back to those glory days.
If Daniel Bryan becomes the Intercontinental Champion, his potential reign could be as good as, if not better than when Rollins and Miz were champion. This could be a true return to the glory days for the IC Title, as well as a huge improvement in the quality of Friday Night SmackDown.
If Bryan brings home the gold at 'Mania, everybody wins!
