Daniel Bryan Needs to Forfeit the WWE Intercontinental Championship

The WWE has a problem, and his name is Daniel Bryan.

Think about that statement for a minute. Let it sink in. And then exhale and agree, because it’s true.

The longer the intercontinental belt remains around Bryan’s waist, the more WWE proves this title is meaningless in the eyes of the company and stalls the progression of every wrestler in the midcard.

The company shouldn’t strip him of the title, though—fans have been there, done that. Bryan should do the right thing here and voluntarily give up the title. And it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Bryan, WWE Can’t Repeat the Same Story

The angle of stripping Bryan of a title worked once before, but the circumstances have changed. It won’t work again.

When Bryan was forced to relinquish the WWE Heavyweight Championship he fought so valiantly for at WrestleMania 30, the story worked on a number of levels. He was the underdog who took on The Authority and won. He paid the price for that effort, both in reality and in kayfabe.

When Bryan announced his injury last year, he had just defended his title at Extreme Rules; his injury was shocking to fans. His defiance to The Authority—who had done everything to keep him down to begin with—was a rallying point.

The in-ring beatings he took at the hands of Randy Orton, Kane and Triple H were a smoke screen to the real battle: Bryan’s neck injury. After a second surgery was needed, the WWE, via The Authority, finally did what it needed to do: It took the title from Bryan, leaving him to recover and regain his strength.

The story gave wrestlers like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar and others a chance to shine. There was no Yes! Movement to slow down the growth of up-and-coming Superstars. The WWE had a plan, a good one that was building to WrestleMania 31.

Even Bryan’s return didn’t sway the WWE from that plan. It provided a slight detour, but Bryan was never going to return to the main event mix. The company smartly put him in the midcard for the WWE Intercontinental Championship as a way to not only elevate a lesser title but protect him from the pounding of larger athletes like Reigns and Lesnar until Bryan was fully recovered.

And now, a year later, we’re back at the beginning of this story. Another Bryan injury, another title around his waist, another unknown future. Now, after being out of the ring since April, with no word or even an appearance on TV, Bryan cannot claim injustice. By holding the belt any longer, he’s merely claiming arrogance.

Bryan Can Make a New Champion by Voluntarily Relinquishing Title

A prolonged battle between Bryan and Triple H over the fate of the WWE Intercontinental Championship only stalls the character development of potential midcard players.

Many worthy Superstars can benefit from holding the intercontinental title. Dolph Ziggler did much of the heavy lifting that used to fall to Bryan before his injury. Sheamus, Stardust and any of the potential call-ups from WWE NXT (Sami Zayn, Hideo Itami, Finn Balor) could all rise during a second Bryan hiatus.

Bryan should give up the title on his own, help put over the IC title contenders and vow to come back to regain said title upon his return. Doing so would allow him to bow out gracefully while giving the WWE enough time generate some sort of rivalry for the belt in time for WWE Payback.

The WWE already has a great mini-feud to accomplish this. Over the last few weeks, Bad News Barrett and Neville have given fans great matches. Barrett, the new King of the Ring, could use the prestige of both his new moniker and the intercontinental belt to solidify his place as the top midcard heel. Neville has literally flown onto the main roster and become a true Superstar-in-waiting as a company-approved Bryan in many respects.

It’s a ready-built story that could paint Neville as the new underdog to Barrett’s kingly persona. It’s just a vacant title away from being a reality.

But that’s the hurdle: If the WWE strips Bryan of his title, the intercontinental title becomes his figuratively, no matter who wins it. It happened with the World Heavyweight Championship until Lesnar came onto the scene and proved he was the better champion than Bryan could have been.

By voluntarily stepping aside, Bryan helps WWE control the narrative. He can flip the script and do what’s best for business. By giving up the title on his own, he becomes a saint instead of a martyr, giving others the chance to fulfill their goals and reach for the brass ring.

Bryan did that at WrestleMania 30, and it created a movement. By prolonging his WWE Intercontinental Championship reign, he’s merely denying someone else a chance at glory.