Account
McIntyre Wants Bryan Match, Reigns Makes Boastful Claim, Nakamura on Comfort in WWE
May 19, 2021
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
McIntyre Wants to Wrestle Bryan
Daniel Bryan is currently a free agent, but Drew McIntyre isn't giving up hope on Bryan returning to WWE and eventually facing him.
In an interview with Shawn D'souza of Mid-Day.com, McIntyre said the following about his desire to wrestle Bryan:
"Daniel Bryan. I don't know what’s going on with his future after he lost the match. Maybe he shows up on NXT? Maybe he shows up on RAW? But he and I haven't got to do much together. Certainly never had anything big, and I think obviously with where we're at in our careers, it would be something very special."
Bryan's last appearance on WWE programming came on the April 30 edition of SmackDown when he lost a career vs. title match to Universal champion Roman Reigns.
Reigns made Bryan pass out and then put an exclamation point on the win by hitting Bryan with a conchairto after the fact.
That was WWE's way of writing Bryan off television since his contract reportedly expired, meaning he is free to sign anywhere he pleases.
While other companies like AEW and New Japan Pro-Wrestling could possibly appeal to Bryan, a return to WWE isn't necessarily out of the question.
If Bryan does re-sign with WWE, it wouldn't be surprising to see him make the move to Raw since he was banished from SmackDown with the loss to Reigns, and the red brand could undoubtedly benefit from some fresh faces.
In the event that Bryan does go to Raw, McIntyre would be an ideal opponent given his star power and the fact that they haven't wrestled much during their careers.
Bryan and McIntyre have wrestled twice in singles matches during their careers, and neither was televised on a major show. They also haven't locked horns in any capacity since 2013.
Both Bryan and McIntyre are extremely different performers now, and a Bryan vs. McIntyre match would unquestionably be worthy of a pay-per-view main event.
Reigns Says He Is WWE's Best
Roman Reigns has never been lacking in confidence, but The Tribal Chief is at an entirely different level currently.
Replying to a tweet by WWE asking fans to name their favorite WrestleMania Backlash match, Reigns took the opportunity to pat himself on the back:
Reigns called himself "head and shoulders above" his peers, and based on his recent performances, it is difficult to argue with The Head of the Table's assertion.
At WrestleMania Backlash, Reigns competed in the main event against Cesaro. Most would probably agree that it was the match of the night, especially since it helped elevate Cesaro even in defeat.
Reigns made his return to WWE at last year's SummerSlam after several months away, and it didn't take long to realize that he was a changed man and a completely different performer.
Reigns turned heel and aligned himself with Paul Heyman, quickly won the Universal Championship and hasn't looked back since.
With Reigns leading the way, SmackDown has arguably been the most compelling wrestling show on television in recent months, plus his matches and rivalries tend to command the most attention as well.
Reigns was a magnet for criticism for many years, but it has become abundantly clear that any shortcomings were a result of him being miscast rather than a lack of talent and ability.
Roman has established himself as the guy and the draw in professional wrestling, and he has every reason to brag based on how consistently he has been delivering.
Nakamura Talks Struggling to Transition to WWE
It has been more than five years since Shinsuke Nakamura left Japan to sign with WWE, but The King of Strong Style recently admitted that he still isn't completely comfortable in his surroundings.
Appearing on Oral Sessions with Renee Paquette (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Nakamura divulged that he believes he is still trying to come into his own in WWE: "I'm still struggling in wrestling. Coming to [the] U.S. and coming to WWE, it's challenging. I came to challenge myself; that's why I’m here. ... I'm waiting to find the right timing [or] the right moment."
Prior to signing with WWE, Nakamura was among the biggest wrestling stars in the world. During his time in NJPW, Nakamura was a three-time IWGP Heavyweight champion and five-time IWGP Intercontinental champion, which puts him in rarefied air among the all-time Japanese greats.
Expectations were huge when Nakamura came to WWE, and he initially delivered by quickly winning the NXT Championship.
Things also went well for Nakamura when he got called up to the main roster, as he beat top stars such as Randy Orton and John Cena and went on to win the 2018 Royal Rumble match.
Nakamura lost to AJ Styles in a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 34, though, and he turned heel shortly thereafter, which seemed to halt his momentum.
Shinsuke went on to become a United States, Intercontinental and Tag Team champion, but world championship gold has eluded him.
On last week's episode of SmackDown, the 41-year-old veteran lost to King Corbin, but he attacked Corbin afterward and stole his crown, which led to some speculation that WWE could be preparing to hold a King of the Ring tournament.
If that happens and the King of Strong Style wins it, that could be the launching pad Nakamura needs to reach the next level.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).