Projecting Daniel Bryan's Road to the WWE Title Picture

Daniel Bryan's path back to the WWE Championship will be one dotted with fallen trees and spreading crevices.

Despite being red-hot earlier this year, with fans roaring their approval for him in every arena WWE traveled to, the company didn't end Bryan's story with the happy ending many expected. Whispers of the company's lack of confidence in his drawing power and concerns about his less-than-impressive stature wafted from the Internet.

Bryan twice held the WWE title, but those reigns combined lasted less than some stomach bugs stay in one's system. Randy Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to end the first one, and Triple H stripped him of the belt the end the second.

Even as Bryan was cheated out of opportunities to regain it thanks to Big Show's fist and Shawn Michaels' right boot, Bryan fans must have done their best to dismiss those obstacles and assume that Bryan's time as champion was just being delayed.

That delay will last longer than many expect.

Recently, Bray Wyatt attacked Bryan backstage, and Big Show was named as Orton's challenger at Survivor Series, confirmation that WWE had decided to divert Bryan's narrative away from the gold.

He'll be in the title hunt after he's done with the Wyatts though, right? Maybe.

First, the good news for those in the bearded one's camp. From PWInsider, via WrestleZone.com, "There has been discussions of having Bryan back in the WWE Championship picture heading into WrestleMania."

That would potentially mean Bryan's big moment, the career-defining victory that has been denied up to this point, would happen on the biggest stage that WWE has to offer. 

There is no guarantee that Bryan will get that chance, though. WWE still seems to be unsure of him despite the number of great matches he's produced and the fact that the audience has been vocal about supporting him.

That is balanced out by the backstage rumblings of SummerSlam's disappointing numbers.

As reported by PWInsider, via WrestlingInc.com, "While Daniel Bryan isn't being fully blamed for the low WWE SummerSlam buyrate this year, there is a feeling within WWE, among upper management, that if he was a bigger guy then it would have been up."

Despite the success and popularity of Eddie Guerrero (5'8''), Rey Mysterio (5'6'') and Chris Benoit (5'11''), the conversation that Bryan isn't big enough continues. In fact, it was the crux of the Bryan's recent storyline, with the folks in charge dismissing him because of his size and nontraditional look. 

While word of a possible WrestleMania WWE Championship feud for Bryan is encouraging for his supporters, it's not a scenario worth placing a bet on.

WWE will expect even bigger things from WrestleMania XXX than it normally does for this event. Expect the company to try to snag huge names from the past and semi-retired stars. The Rock's title reign this year is proof that WWE is not opposed to part-timers carrying the title heading into the marquee event.

Brock Lesnar, for example, could easily be in line for the WWE Championship, forcing Bryan to wait his turn.

The possibility of the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship being unified has been discussed as well, per PWInsider, via WrestlingInc.com. That makes it even less likely that Bryan has a shot at glory at WrestleMania. Does the company believe he'd be a big enough star for that kind of momentous collision?

His feud with The Wyatts will help him prove that he is.

If the "Yes!" chants continue to echo as CM Punk and Bryan do battle with the Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Wyatt, and if Bryan's buzz refuses to die, WWE is sure to take notice. If fans sour on Big Show as a title contender, perhaps WWE will look to Bryan to step up again.

Bryan's best chance at storming back into the title picture is the Royal Rumble.

Underdogs, including Mysterio and Benoit, have won that match before. Having Bryan outlast 30 Superstars would rekindle his fanbase's passions and set up a WrestleMania moment many would be thrilled to see.

The question is, will WWE realize or acknowledge that, or will the WWE title bout instead go to Cena and a part-timer?

Should someone else win the Rumble, Bryan's time is likely to come after the bright lights of WrestleMania have cooled and the circus that is that event has been packed up. When the names that WWE brought in for WrestleMania are gone, the company will search its roster for a title contender, and the list will not be long.

Cena will be on it, if he's not already champion. Sheamus, Punk, Bryan and Orton will occupy the other spots.

For WWE to peg Bryan as a main event guy once more, and for the company's confidence to beat out its hesitance, Bryan is essentially going to have prove himself all over again.

A run of great matches against The Shield, Orton and others led to his support from fans being to obvious to ignore. Should Bryan do the same against the Wyatts and whoever he is pitted against during WrestleMania season, his time will come again.

Fan support that won't fade and continued excellence in the ring is his path back to the top even with the reported concerns from those in control.

It's just going to be a much longer arc than fans thought they were watching when Bryan first pinned Cena. After Bryan is done fighting off The Wyatts, men like Lesnar, The Rock and others are going to push Bryan aside until Extreme Rules or Payback.

If WWE doesn't fall in love with someone else between now and then, and if it doesn't continue to misread fans about Bryan, his third reign as WWE champ will happen nearly a full year after his first one.

A journey will have become an odyssey.