If Daniel Bryan Returns, Would He Be the Most Popular Indy Wrestler Ever?

There has never been a situation like Daniel Bryan's before.

The pro wrestling independent scene is filled with grapplers cutting their teeth and making their name. It has welcomed former WWE stars after the company cut ties with them. Aging names from days past work the circuit too.

Bryan would be in his own unique category, a megastar returning to the indys while still in his athletic prime. 

Over concerns stemming from concussion-related issues, WWE has steadfastly refused to medically clear the former world champ. Bryan, though, is too passionate and too stubborn to step away from the ring.

In an interview with From The Top Rope (h/t Pro Wrestling Sheet), his wife Brie Bella said she "knows for a fact" Bryan will figure out a way to return to wrestling. 

"From that moment, which was pretty much two years ago, he has been doing every kind of testing to every kind of experiment you can imagine for the brain," she said.

She also mentioned the possibility of Bryan wrestling "somewhere else" if WWE won't allow him to compete. 

Somewhere else could mean Ring of Honor, where Bryan was a key figure in the promotion's growth. It could mean companies like EVOLVE or Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.  

If that's the case, Bryan is going to generate historic buzz for those promotions.

Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Jack King of WhatCulture) that Bryan's return would dominate the wrestling news cycle in 2018. He's absolutely right. 

Bryan will be heading back to the proverbial bingo halls and armories, to crowds of hundreds rather than thousands, after headlining WrestleMania, winning the WWE title and becoming one of the most popular stars in WWE history.

He would do so in his late 30s, electrifying a fanbase hungry to see him careen around the ring once more.

When Samoa Joe returned to ROH in 2015, he received a hero's welcome. Like Bryan, he's one of the promotion's most iconic alumni. He elevated his name by being a major star for TNA for a decade.  

His comeback to his roots was major news.

Cody Rhodes has been a big player on the indys after parting ways with WWE in 2016. 

Rhodes crafted a varied resume by working for everyone from Dreamwave Wrestling to WrestlePro. The American Nightmare made these events bigger by occupying the marquee.

Neither Joe nor Rhodes, though, is nearly the name that Bryan is. 

Bryan is a bonafide top-tier WWE star with a deep connection to the crowd. He would be welcomed with open arms. He's the rare type of wrestler who clicks with casual fans and is also an internet darling. 

And his long absence from the ring will only build anticipation. Fans are going to be chomping at the bit by the time he straps on a pair of boots again.

Alex Pawlowski of Fightful created a countdown clock that ticks down until Bryan's WWE contract expires:

That's not something you see for anyone else.

Bryan is special. He's a rare talent in a one-of-a-kind scenario. If he is convinced that he's healthy enough to wrestle, he is going to bring a tidal wave of buzz to independent wrestling, becoming its most popular star to date.