WWE News: Veteran Superstar Admits He Now Has ‘Lesser Spring’ In His Step

On this Saturday’s edition of Talking Smack, former WWE Champion Daniel Bryan opened up about his recent return to the ring after several months on hiatus. According to the Friday Night SmackDown superstar, it appears that his athleticism and endurance levels are no longer where they were during the prime years of his career.

As quoted by Wrestling Inc., Bryan said that he has reached a point in his career where he wants to see how well he can do against WWE’s top performers, may they be wrestlers he hasn’t faced in the ring or those he’s previously competed against. He added, however, that during his last televised match, he noticed that he has “lesser spring” in his step, particularly during the later stages of the contest. This bout was aired on the June 12 episode of SmackDown, as Bryan lost to AJ Styles in the tournament finals for the then-vacant Intercontinental Championship.

In addition, Bryan revealed that despite his intense training regimen, he isn’t able to jump as high as he used to and seems to have come to a point where his in-ring endurance might be also an issue. He also referred to the fact that he’s 39 years old, making him four years younger than Styles, who he said has retained his leaping ability despite his advanced age.

Discussing what the future might hold for him in the ring, Bryan talked about the continued evolution of the wrestling business and how he sees things differently now that he’s a seasoned performer.

“This is my martial art with a focus on the artistic side. This is a test of myself. When I go out there for an interview or match, its a test of me, and my opponents are giving me examples on what I need to work on as a human, an athlete, and a wrestler.”

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Bryan returned to SmackDown on this week’s episode of the show, following a four-month break that was largely driven by coronavirus concerns and the fact that his wife, Brie Bella, was expecting their second child at that time.

Although Bryan has yet to be booked to compete, he did engage in physical contact during his most recent promo segment, where he was interrupted and later attacked by Seth Rollins. According to a separate article from Wrestling Inc., this could hint at a rivalry between both men that might heat up sometime in the near future.