WWE News: Daniel Bryan Returns To ‘SmackDown Live,’ Announces Huge ‘WrestleMania 34’ Match With Stipulation
On the latest episode of WWE’s SmackDown Live, Daniel Bryan was back on stage and announced he’ll officially compete at WrestleMania 34 in less than two weeks. There had been major speculation regarding what type of match he might appear in with the first one that came up a tag team match involving him and Shane McMahon at the big pay-per-view. However, recent news that Shane was dealing with illness after an infection he developed in the Caribbean led many to believe that Bryan might have a different tag team partner. On Tuesday’s show, Bryan addressed the latest on the situation.
As ProWrestling reported on Tuesday evening in their SmackDown results report, Daniel Bryan was back despite being stretchered away at the end of last week’s show. Bryan arrived out on the ramp at the top of the second hour of the show to plenty of “YES” cheers from the crowd. After telling the fans how much their support has meant, he addressed how WWE’s SmackDown is considered the “Land of Opportunity.” From there, he announced he would be giving Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens one more opportunity. However, that opportunity will come in a WrestleMania match. Bryan said he will team up with Shane McMahon for the match on “the grandest stage of them all.”
THE CHALLENGE: @ShaneMcMahon & @WWEDanielBryan vs. @SamiZayn & #KevinOwens at #WrestleMania!
THE STIPULATION: If Shane & Daniel win, Sami and Kevin remain FIRED. If Kevin & Sami win, they return to #SDLive! pic.twitter.com/NZFBeyAPEZ
— WWE (@WWE) March 28, 2018
In addition, Bryan added that there will be a stipulation attached to this tag team match at Mania. If Owens and Zayn can win the match, they’ll be reinstated on SmackDown Live. If they lose to Bryan and Shane, they will remain fired from the roster. That seems to line up with the previous speculation about what sort of match will be coming at the big pay-per-view. It also looks like it gives a positive note about Shane’s health as he recovers from his umbilical hernia surgery and the diverticulitis he developed while on vacation.
Almost immediately after the segment on SmackDown Live happened, one of Shane and Bryan’s opponents was on Twitter. Sami Zayn gave a response for him and Owens saying they “gladly accept” and will make it the worst night of Shane and Bryan’s lives. That seems unlikely just based on the fact that it will be Daniel Bryan’s first time in the ring in about two years or so.
#SDLive is the land of opportunity, so #KevinOwens & @SamiZayn have one more. They'll be reinstated IF they can beat the team of @shanemcmahon and @WWEDanielBryan at @WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/lAml2hqLSA
— WWE (@WWE) March 28, 2018
As far as the way this match goes, it looks like it sets up a few possibilities, but one has to think WWE is going to make sure to benefit from Daniel Bryan going over at WrestleMania for his big return. While there’s always potential that Shane turns on him in some capacity, a major win by Bryan and Shane could lead to an overwhelmingly positive response from the fans, creating a magical WrestleMania moment.
The WrestleMania 34 pay-per-view arrives on Sunday, April 8, from New Orleans, Louisiana.
