Everyone who watches wrestling remembers the finale of WrestleMania 30. Watching Daniel Bryan take down not one, not two, but three separate opponents, was the perfect way to end a year-long feud and reward an athlete who truly deserved to be on top.
It felt like the culmination of Daniel Bryan's entire career up until that point — sadly, that feeling wouldn't last long.
Following a serious injury to his neck and loss of strength in his right arm, Bryan underwent reconstructive surgery. It took him out of the ring for nearly eight months, and no one knew if he would ever truly recover.
Thankfully, Bryan returned to in-ring action during the 2015 Royal Rumble, and concerns about his neck and arm slowly faded into the distance.
Unfortunately, the sad fact of the matter is that such serious injuries may never truly heal, and Bryan may be facing that fact now: as it stands, WWE has removed Bryan from the remainder of its overseas tour as a "precautionary measure."
The WWE hasn't said much of anything yet, only offering a brief explanation to Wrestling News World:
"Daniel Bryan has been removed from the remainder of WWE's UK tour as a precautionary measure."
Despite the fact that Bryan is no longer the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, he's still one of the company's biggest draws. If the WWE is taking him off the roster for its entire overseas tour (some reports even claim that Bryan is back in the U.S. already), then the company is genuinely worried about his health. Wrestlers typically perform through minor injuries — if Bryan is taking a spot on the bench, it's serious.
WWE fans have heard this story before: back in 2011, years of injuries finally caught up with Edge (real name Adam Copeland). Copeland underwent an MRI and basic strength tests prior his appearance at WrestleMania XXVII, and while he still performed at WrestleMania, the tests would eventually force him to retire. While the injuries aren't exactly identical, they are similar enough to warrant a comparison: if Edge had to retire due to a neck injury, there's definitely a chance that Bryan might have to do the same.
As it stands, there's no telling why the WWE pulled Bryan from its tour ... but truth be told, it probably isn't good. Neck injuries are some of the worst that an athlete could ever face, and if Bryan's surgery is coming back to haunt him, his career could be cut short.
With any luck, that's not the case ... but don't be surprised if Bryan takes another leave of absence in the near future.
Photo: Krystal Bogner | Flickr
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