Daniel Bryan's In-Ring Return Is Inevitable, but Not with WWE

Daniel Bryan will not be denied entry back into the ring. Not by concern born from a history of concussions. Not by WWE's stubborn stance on his status. 

The former WWE champion's passion for pro wrestling hasn't subsided one iota since being forced into early retirement in 2016.

All signs point to him competing again, but only after his WWE contract expires. The company has made it obvious it won't medically clear him. And so much that comes out of Bryan's mouth indicates how badly he misses being on that mat.

Credit: WWE.com

On Tuesday, the SmackDown general manager appeared on Hot 97 FM in New York (h/t Mike Johnson of PWInsider) and spoke about his situation.

Johnson noted: "Bryan said when he retired, he was initially at peace with it and wanted to make changes in his life, but being around wrestling and realizing that he can still do it and being around it, is hard." 

Bryan also said that he has a "borderline obsession" with pro wrestling. 

That's not surprising.

The man once known as American Dragon began wrestling when was 18 years old. It's been his life until WWE's doctors told him it couldn't be anymore. And he's damn good at it, too.

Imagine how miserable Cormac McCarthy would be if injury preventing him from writing. Imagine how crestfallen Karl-Anthony Towns would be if he woke up tomorrow and realized he would never play basketball again.

Bryan is excellent in his current role. He's funny and charismatic, and his emotions are believable, but that doesn't matter.

It's clear he will not be satisfied as a general manager, as a company ambassador or as a figure on the periphery of what's unfolding in the ring.

Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman commented on Bryan's love for the business: 

It's hard to blame WWE for digging in and refusing to shift its position on Bryan's health. Consider the concussion-centered lawsuits the company is dealing with, the memories of the tragic end to Chris Benoit's life and how much CTE is a hot-button topic right now. Despite how popular Bryan is, WWE has deemed him wrestling again not worth the risk.

Even following injuries to big name after big name threatened to derail WrestleMania 32, WWE didn't call Bryan's name. Instead, it brought in a then-45-year-old Shane McMahon who hadn't wrestled in seven years.

Bryan, though, refuses to accept WWE's decision. He has hunted down info, looking for a way back in between the ropes.

His wife Brie Bella discussed that on Lillian Garcia's podcast Chasing Glory (h/t Jack G. King of Cultaholic) in November.

"From like, literally, the day they told him he couldn't do it anymore, he has flown himself all over the United States to all different doctors to figure out what he could do to help turn that 'no' into a 'yes,'" Bella said. "There's been like eight doctors who are like 'You can wrestle.' A lot of doctors can't see why he can't get in that ring again."

So finding a doc who would clear him to wrestle for Ring of Honor, New Japan Pro Wrestling or Mexico's Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide doesn't appear to be a problem.

One can tell Bryan's mind is already in motion thinking of what his post-WWE steps will be. He often brings up facing the likes of Cody Rhodes and The Bullet Club on social media:

There's no reason to think the stalemate between him and WWE will end. There appears to be no compromise between corporate interests and personal desires in this case. But that doesn't mean the in-ring portion of Bryan's story is over.

It simply means the drop-kicking, cross-facing warrior will take his fights elsewhere when he's free to do so next fall.