Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy: 5 ways their SmackDown match could end

Two of the most skilled wrestlers of this century, Jeff Hardy and Daniel Bryan will go one-on-one with each other for the first time this year on the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown. The former WWE Champions will try to secure a place in the Intercontinental Championship tournament final with a victory on Friday night.

Jeff Hardy and Daniel Bryan's journey in the tournament

After the company stripped Sami Zayn off the Intercontinental Championship, WWE announced an eight-man tournament on SmackDown to crown a new champion. Jeff Hardy won his quarterfinal match against his nemesis Sheamus, while Daniel Bryan defeated his ally Drew Gulak to progress to the semifinals.

These two Superstars have clashed twice in a singles match. Daniel Bryan won the first match via submission in 2018, whereas their second fight ended in a disqualification. 'The Charismatic Enigma' has never defeated his upcoming opponent one-on-one and he will look to improve his win-loss record against Bryan this Friday night.

Given that these two men are incredibly talented, their clash promises to be a blockbuster. Here are the five possible endings to this match.

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#5 Jeff Hardy beats Daniel Bryan clean

Jeff Hardy is one of the favorites to win the Intercontinental Championship

Jeff Hardy has been a fan-favorite for years now. However, he has not been so successful on SmackDown after he joined the brand in 2018. The ladder match specialist had a mediocre reign with the United States Championship, while he had to relinquish the SmackDown Tag Team Championship just a few weeks after winning them. Hardy deserves a stellar run as with a Championship on the Blue brand.

With the Intercontinental title vacant on SmackDown, WWE could capitalize on the situation and book Jeff to win it. A clean win over Daniel Bryan would provide him with a ton of momentum ahead of the finale.

The high-flying Superstar is currently engrossed in a rivalry with Sheamus, a veteran who has won every title in Vince McMahon's company except the mid-card belt on the Blue brand. After this tournament, their feud could get a new angle with 'The Celtic Warrior' chasing the crown he has never captured.

A clean defeat against Jeff Hardy would not hurt Daniel Bryan much. Instead, it would allow him to transition into the tag team division because Drew Gulak has reportedly re-signed with WWE. The New Day needs new opponents for their titles, and the pair of Bryan and Gulak could fill up that empty spot.

#4 Sheamus shockingly helps Jeff Hardy defeat Daniel Bryan

Will Sheamus pull off a shocker during Jeff Hardy vs. Daniel Bryan?

This scenario is the least likely one on this list, but anything can happen in WWE, and even Sheamus could help Jeff Hardy win the Intercontinental Championship. Although the Irishman hates The Charismatic Enigma, he could help him stay alive in the tournament by defeating Bryan and win the title to defeat him later for the crown.

The feud between Hardy and Sheamus is far from over. However, until now, this rivalry has not set SmackDown on fire. WWE needs to pull off a shocker to get fans invested in this storyline. Sheamus could come out during the semifinal match of the Intercontinental Championship tournament and distract the referee when Daniel Bryan would be about to win.

Later, Bryan would lose his cool, and Hardy would roll him up for the win. Sheamus would later go inside the ring, and much to everyone's surprise, he would raise Jeff Hardy's hand. This way, the Creative team could protect Daniel Bryan in defeat besides stunning the WWE Universe with this finish.

While Sheamus would reveal his evil intentions for assisting Hardy later, he could portray himself as his friend until the tournament culminates.

#3 Daniel Bryan beats Jeff Hardy clean

Will Jeff Hardy fail against Daniel Bryan once again?

As mentioned before, Daniel Bryan has never lost a singles match against Jeff Hardy. Looking at the recent booking trends of the two Superstars, it is likely that Bryan would maintain his clinical record against the tag team specialist. The in-ring technician has featured in the Intercontinental title picture for a long time now. On the other hand, Jeff Hardy has majorly focused on Sheamus since coming back to the company.

Thus, it would be the best decision to give Daniel Bryan a place in the finale and allow Jeff to shift his focus back to The Celtic Warrior. A clean victory for Bryan will establish him as a firm contender for the title. Besides, WWE could even progress the Sheamus-Hardy feud after this bout ends.

The two face Superstars could shake each other's hands following their great clash, and Sheamus could take Jeff Hardy out with a Brogue Kick. This development could lead us to a match between the two in-ring veterans at WWE Backlash next month. If Vince McMahon does not wish to have any outside interference, he would likely book this match to end in this manner.

#2 Drew Gulak helps Daniel Bryan defeat Jeff Hardy

Will Drew Gulak assist Daniel Bryan in his encounter against Jeff Hardy?

If WWE wishes to protect Jeff Hardy in a defeat, they could have Drew Gulak make his surprising return and help Daniel Bryan win the bout.

The WWE Creative could book a Daniel Bryan heel turn on SmackDown this week. The rumor mill has suggested that the winner of this competition will likely be a face Superstar because Sami Zayn will come back and chase him. So, if Bryan embraces his dark side once again on the Blue brand, the probability that he becomes the champ will reduce.

After losing the final, the new heel team of Daniel Bryan and Drew Gulak could chase the SmackDown Tag Team Championships as the current titleholders need a new feud. Bryan's run as a face is not taking him anywhere. A victory over Jeff Hardy and a heel turn could promote the alliance between Bryan and Gulak to the next level. Apart from The New Day, they could also battle with the Lucha House Party and elevate the tag team division.

#1 Sheamus interferes and Daniel Bryan beats Jeff Hardy

Will Sheamus help Daniel Bryan win the match against Jeff Hardy?

This is the likeliest scenario for the upcoming WWE Intercontinental Championship tournament semifinal match between Daniel Bryan and Jeff Hardy. Sheamus could interfere in the bout and eliminate Jeff Hardy from the tournament. The Celtic Warrior had suffered an unexpected defeat to The Charismatic Enigma in the quarterfinal of the tournament. Hence, in all likelihood, the Irishman would revenge that loss on SmackDown.

The WWE Universe should remember that this is a tournament where the Superstars can progress to the next round even if they win via disqualification or count-out. If the Creative does not want this match to end with a pinfall or a submission, they could book Sheamus to attack Daniel Bryan, thereby giving him the win by DQ.

Otherwise, he could take out Hardy on the entrance ramp just moments before his semifinal bout. This attack could prompt the referee to count till ten, ultimately resulting in Jeff Hardy's defeat.

While this booking decision would let the fans down, it will add more intensity to the feud between Jeff Hardy and Sheamus. It would provide the Dublin-based Superstar some much-needed heat as he would ruin a dream match on SmackDown.