Top Candidates to Eliminate Daniel Bryan from 2015 Royal Rumble
WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan is one of the favorites to win the 2015 Royal Rumble match, but the field is already packed with contenders, and there is always the possibility of several surprise entrants.
With Bryan, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and many others throwing their hats into the mix, there are several legitimate threats who could conceivably win the match and main event WrestleMania 31.
As much as the majority of the WWE Universe would love to see Bryan headline WrestleMania for the second year in a row, there is a distinct possibility he will be eliminated from the match and would begin a program with the wrestler who threw him over the top rope.
Here are the top candidates to eliminate Bryan and build a feud culminating at WrestleMania.
The storyline between The Authority and Bryan had been put on the backburner while he recovered from his injuries, but the action picked up once again when Stephanie McMahon ordered Bryan to fight Kane on SmackDown, which returns to Thursday this week.
Kane was the wrestler who took Bryan out of action originally at the behest of The Authority, and reprising the feud picks the angle up where it left off. With Bryan looking like a legitimate threat in the Rumble match, Triple H coming out and pulling him over the top rope or even entering the Rumble just to take him down would instantly reignite the bitter rivalry.
Bryan’s first real program since returning will lead to a WrestleMania match, and he doesn’t necessarily need the WWE World Heavyweight Championship just yet. While it would be great to see Bryan win the title back at WrestleMania, fighting Triple H in a co-main event would be the first step back toward the title scene.
Add in the fact that these two men are elite in-ring storytellers who proved they can work a great match under the bright lights of Wrestlemania, and the best possible option if Bryan must be eliminated would be it happening at the hands of Triple H.
Rusev
If Triple H isn’t the one to eliminate Bryan, keeping The Authority storyline going by using a henchman would be another feasible option. With Rusev and Lana’s alignment with The Authority in the past, Bryan should be cautious of the Russian sympathizers in the Battle Royal.
On the surface, squaring off against Rusev instead of main eventing WrestleMania is a step down for a top star, but ending Rusev's streak would be a serious notch in the belt of the Superstar who finally accomplishes the feat.
Bryan is looking for a marquee first feud after his return, and Rusev is one of the top heels in the company, drawing serious heat in every city he performs. As arguably the most over babyface in the WWE, Bryan squaring off against a United States champion yet to be pinned or submitted would make for an intriguing WrestleMania program.
Most fans would want more for Bryan—it’s win the world title or bust for a portion of the WWE Universe—but using the Yes Lock and becoming the first to make Rusev tap would instantly bring credibility back to the former champion and his finishing move.
Sheamus
One dark-horse candidate to eliminate Bryan would be a returning Sheamus. The two men have worked against each other at WrestleMania in the past, but the roles would be reversed, and the crowd would turn on the Irish star for dumping Bryan over the top rope.
There have been rumors and speculation circulating for months that Sheamus is due for a heel turn, and there is no better way to begin the process than by eliminating one of the most popular stars from the Royal Rumble.
Bryan’s previous history with Sheamus and the WrestleMania 28 match that lasted only 18 seconds could be the perfect backdrop for this feud. While Sheamus returning as a heel to lose to Bryan would be hard to sell, WWE could spend the two months between the Rumble and WrestleMania booking him to look almost invincible in his new heel role.
After weeks of almost getting his redemption against Sheamus, the two men would finally face off in one of the biggest matches on the card. Not only would Sheamus and Bryan put on a great in-ring battle, but the WWE Universe could find closure for Bryan's 18-second WrestleMania loss.
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