What if Daniel Bryan Hadn’t Retired In 2016?

#2 Team Hell No reunion could have been earlier

The world wouldn't have waited until 2018 for Team Hell No's return had Bryan been in action sooner.

In a crowd-pleasing moment this summer, Kane came to Daniel Bryan’s aid opposite the Bludgeon Brothers. The much-praised tag team from 2012 to 2013 offered a fun, unexpected nostalgia trip to revisit a key part of Bryan’s evolution in WWE, and milk one more run from Kane before he started up his tenure as mayor of Knox County.

Kane has largely functioned as a part-time, utility player, there to work oddball spots as he’s available and as WWE needs him the last few years. His most recent previous run saw him play The Miz’s backup against the reunited Shield, which transitioned him to the position of Braun Strowman’s foil.

Had Bryan been active through 2016 and 2017, there’s every reason to think WWE would have pulled the trigger on a Team Hell No reunion sooner, and perhaps for a big more extended run than the tandem wound up getting in 2018.