Daniel Bryan Needs Marquee Singles Feud to Capitalize on WrestleMania Momentum

Daniel Bryan is arguably the hottest star in the wrestling industry right now. Despite winning the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31, the former WWE champion is not being utilized properly.

As seen on Thursday’s episode of SmackDown, the WWE is teasing a Fatal 4-Way match for the IC title between Bryan, Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler and Bad News Barrett that will likely take place at Extreme Rules.

Bryan deserves to be in a marquee singles feud, not fighting for a secondary title in yet another multiman bout.

The purpose of booking Bryan the Intercontinental Championship was to give him something to do while also bringing credibility back to the company’s primary second-tier title. But winning it in a seven-person ladder match and possibly defending it for the first time in a Fatal 4-Way does not add any legitimacy.

While few wrestling fans will argue that Bryan has been used poorly since returning from neck surgery, winning the IC title could be the first step back toward the main event. If that is the case, then everything will be fine, but the previous porous booking of the fan favorite has the WWE Universe skeptical.

What Bryan needs is a marquee singles feud against one of the top heels in the company. All signs thus far point to Sheamus. The two men have a history, and the Irish Superstar attacked Bryan upon making his return. As long as WWE Creative develops a story the fans can get behind, the brutal in-ring action would make for an entertaining series of matches.

Another possible option would be a newly heel Dean Ambrose. As Ambrose continues to get frustrated with the losses that have been piling up, he can slowly become a darker character before making a full-blown heel turn.

Cementing a heel turn would be simple, with Bryan looking for a feud after successfully defending the belt at Extreme Rules. The heel Ambrose could set his sights on Bryan, and the resulting feud on the mic and in the ring would be incredible.

Bryan has the drawing power to carry a singles feud, but it is his ability to tell a convincing story in the ring that could allow him to headline a secondary pay-per-view between Extreme Rules and SummerSlam.

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