Best Booking Options for Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett at WWE Extreme Rules

The WWE currently has Daniel Bryan scheduled to defend his Intercontinental Championship against Bad News Barrett at Sunday's Extreme Rules pay-per-view, but an injury to the titleholder has raised questions about whether the match will happen.

Bryan was removed from the company's European tour with an injury, and the announcers on Monday’s episode of Raw talked about how there is a chance the bout doesn't even come to fruition.

With plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Intercontinental Championship and the match between Bryan and Barrett, here are the best booking options for the title match at Extreme Rules.

Bryan Successfully Retains

If Bryan is healthy enough to participate in a full-length match at Extreme Rules, there is no doubt that he should walk away from the PPV victorious. Barrett has looked weak for months, and Bryan is one of the top wrestlers in the world.

Bryan beating Barrett also would give him the chance to move on from the feud and begin a long-term program with someone else. There are a plethora of talented stars who would be worthy of an IC title shot, and turning someone heel—like Dean Ambrose—to fight the champion could be even more intriguing.

The WWE Universe knows that a healthy Bryan and Barrett will put on a great technical performance in the ring because each man is incredibly talented—Barrett is a stellar big man, and Bryan is arguably the best wrestler in the world.

The problem is the lack of a storyline has hurt the excitement.

Simply giving Bryan the clean win would allow both men to move on to something better and adds a solid midcard match to the Extreme Rules show. Unfortunately, there is a chance this match never happens.

Bryan Takes the Loss in 18 Seconds

If Bryan has an injury that is not a concussion and is not cleared for a full match, the hope is that he would be healthy enough to take one bump in the championship bout. With proper doctor clearance, Bryan should step into the ring for another 18-second match.

Barrett should hit Bryan with the bull-hammer elbow just as the champion hands the referee the belt, and Barrett would collect the quick victory. The devastating loss for Bryan would write him off television for long enough to get healthy.

The fact is that a shocking finish, such as Barrett walking away with the Intercontinental Championship, would build heat for the new champion, while adding sympathy for Bryan when he does return. This is a big enough swerve to warrant the risk.

Bryan missing any time would be a blow to WWE, but sending him out with a mind-blowing defeat would build serious anticipation for when he should make his triumphant return to the active roster.

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW).