Daniel Bryan's Injury Is Chance to Create Drama Around Intercontinental Title

Daniel Bryan being out of action with injury is letting the Intercontinental Championship grow cold. Rather than wait around to see how the popular Superstars heals, WWE should take the title from him and make its vacancy the impetus for rivalries, bad blood and in-ring battles.

Chaos should surround the IC title, not quiet.

Since Bryan won the belt at WrestleMania, however, he has slid out of the spotlight. His health is holding him back. It's not clear what's going on with Bryan, but it's not good. WWE has been tight-lipped about his health status, not even informing fans of what kind of injury he's dealing with.

He didn't make it to Chicago to take on Bad News Barrett at Extreme Rules. He hasn't wrestled since the early part of the European tour. And he may not be be doing so anytime soon.

As noted on ProWrestling.net, "WWE has pulled Daniel Bryan from the advertising for all upcoming live events and television tapings." 

That's a blow to WWE's apparent plans to bring back prestige to the IC crown. Bryan's popularity and star power would have elevated the title. That can't happen, though, if Bryan can't step into the ring.

There's a chance here to take this negative and morph into a positive. Stripping Bryan of the title creates a mad scramble for the gold, one that could showcase wrestlers' desire for the title, feature a number of stars at once and create a compelling story. 

Put the Title in the Spotlight

The longer Bryan is out, the longer the IC title gathers dust. While John Cena is keeping the United States Championship front and center with his weekly open challenge and his ongoing battles with Rusev, Bryan's belt remains out of frame.

If WWE is pulling Bryan's name off events over a month in advance, it's time to start thinking about putting the IC strap up for grabs.

WWE can go a number of routes here. For one, WWE can announce that there will be a four-man elimination match to decide the next champion. The race to make it to that bout can be just as fun as the event itself.

On Raw and SmackDown, potential contenders look to impress The Authority enough to get one of those four spots. That means a lot of matches with high stakes and a frenetic energy surrounding the title picture. 

The Intercontinental Championship would be at the heart of so much drama in the coming weeks. It then gets to be the prize that four men battle for at Payback.

Otherwise, WWE could put on another tournament, one that is more hyped than the recent King of the Ring. Another option is to have the two men with the best win-loss records between now and Payback clash for the vacant title at the upcoming pay-per-view.

Whatever path the company chooses, the IC title benefits. Having all these Superstars fight so hard to attain it makes it look good. All this hoopla adds to the significance of the next title change. That would be good news for any number of wrestlers currently without a rudder.

Stars in Need of a Stage

Jack Swagger hasn't appeared on Raw since March 23. The same goes for Erick Rowan. Stardust, Luke Harper and Bo Dallas have been onscreen more than those two, but are all lacking narratives, rivals and chances to gain any momentum.

The hunt for the IC title can aid men like this.

Swagger and Harper can tangle to qualify for the four-man match at Payback and end up brawling instead. Both men are out of the running for the title bout, but they have a rivalry to build on with each other.

Stardust can start to pile up the wins with his eye on the IC crown. He notches victories over foes like Jimmy Uso and Kalisto. Even if he doesn't end up taking home the belt, WWE can make him look like a contender, a predator worth fearing.  

Credit: WWE.com

As much of the roster dashes toward the top contender spots, wrestlers are bound to produce eye-catching matches, animosity is bound to boil over to set up new feuds. 

This is also a fine chance to make the most of Damien Sandow, now that he's moved away from his partnership with The Miz. WWE can insert him into a feud or if he catches fire pre-Payback, make him the champ. 

The title is meant to elevate a star and it can't do that without breaking Bryan fans' hearts. That vocal portion of the crowd need not fret, though. The busier, more action-packed the IC title picture is in his absence, the better things will be for him when he gets back.

Built-in Narrative for Bryan

Bryan can jump back into the fray when he's healed. There's a ready-made story to tell with him.

He was never defeated for the title. He still believes he's the rightful champ. The Authority doubts whether he can stay healthy and so ignore his requests for a crack at the gold.

Bryan then goes on a tear. He is a human buzz saw as he cuts down foe after foe. Whoever is holding the gold when he's healthy is a logical target for him. Plunge him right back into that title scene and go from there.

Credit: WWE.com

Having Bryan take on a champion who fended off a long list of enemies to get that prize is a no-brainer. 

WWE's options are plentiful here. The fight for the IC title should be like what would happen if you tossed a steak into a den of lions. It should be a violent drama featuring an ensemble cast.

That's far more appealing than keeping the gold dormant until Bryan returns.