WWE WrestleMania 2018: Daniel Bryan's Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios at PPV

The wrestling world was shaken to its core Tuesday afternoon when WWE.com  reported SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan had been cleared to return to in-ring action, and almost immediately focus turned toward his role at WrestleMania 34 on April 8.

New Orleans' Mercedes Benz Superdome will play host to this year's Showcase of the Immortals and Bryan is no stranger to the venue.

Four years ago, he first defeated Triple H, then beat Randy Orton and Batista in the night's Triple Threat main event to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the storybook ending fans had hoped would serve as the ignition point for a sustained run as WWE's top babyface.

Now returning to the site of his greatest triumph, the scenarios for Bryan's comeback in the squared circle are plentiful. As is the case in every situation, there are best- and worst-case scenarios the Aberdeen, Washington, native could find himself confronted with.

Best-Case Scenario: A Triumphant Return in a Tag Team Grudge Match

For months, Bryan has been entangled in an oftentimes messy storyline involving Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and SmackDown Live commissioner Shane McMahon, in which he took the side of the former two.

Accused of living vicariously through the heels, he admitted as much Tuesday when he addressed the arrogant and egotistical baddies during an in-ring promo.

Unwilling to look past Owens and Zayn's brutal assault of McMahon, Bryan fired the duo, only to incur their wrath in the form of his own brutal beating that concluded with a powerbomb by KO on the ring apron.

With that assault, Bryan's role opposite the Superstars he was so quick to support for months on end became apparent. While fans will be eager to see him return to singles competition, against ether Owens or Zayn or maybe as the third member of a Triple Threat match, that should not be the case.

The best scenario for Bryan come WrestleMania is a tag team match in which he partners with McMahon to defeat Owens and Zayn in what would almost have to be considered SmackDown's WrestleMania main event.

Such a match accentuates the positive that is the layered storyline while hiding the negatives, which are the likely ring rust Bryan has built up over the last three years and the undeniable pressure a singles bout would carry.

Bryan is sometimes his own worst enemy, ramping up the intensity to match the moment. The last thing a Superstar coming off a career-threatening head injury needs is the overwhelming sense of pressure that a high-profile singles match on the card carries.

Letting him share the ring with McMahon, who can take the big bumps and engage the opposition in the jaw-dropping high spots, is a smart move for Bryan. He should enjoy the moment, remind fans of his in-ring mastery and pick up his first major in New Orleans since his iconic WrestleMania XXX win.

And with so many talented individuals surrounding him, he can do so without feeling obligated to save the match or storyline all by himself.

Worst-Case Scenario: Too Much McMahon, Not Enough Bryan

The McMahon family has a tendency to position itself at the forefront of programs when the spotlight really should be on the Superstars around them.

It has always been and will always be a necessary evil when working with the owner and his children, but it's one that would unequivocally be the worst-case scenario for Bryan's return to the squared circle at WrestleMania.

Yes, at the heart of the feud is McMahon's unwillingness to allow SmackDown Live to be overtaken by the selfishness and egos of Owens and Zayn. He has done battle with KO inside Hell in a Cell and been ruthlessly beaten down by both men as recently as two weeks ago.

While it is essential to the story that McMahon gets a measure of revenge for the headaches caused him by the Quebecers dating back to last summer, it is even more important Bryan is the focus of the bout.

The patience of the performer and the fans alike have earned them both the right to enjoy another WrestleMania moment starring the bearded wonder.

Bryan is the most beloved star in the company and his return guarantees to draw considerable buzz for the match which, as of now, is strictly speculative.

Trying to shift the focus away from him just to push another McMahon for what feels like the umpteenth time since Shane's television debut as an on-screen character in 1998 would be a booking choice WWE fans would see right through and reject.

Such a decision would hurt the program and create the type of backlash WWE can ill afford this early into Bryan's return to the ring.