UPDATE: Daniel Bryan has taken to Twitter to discuss the news of him being cleared to compete in a WWE ring.
Saying goodbye to the ring was one of the hardest moments of my life. But thanks to the amazing people supporting me, I was able to keep fighting for my dream. This moment feels surreal and I'm glad to be able to talk to you all at the beginning of #SDLive tonight.
— Bryan Danielson (@bryandanielson) March 20, 2018
ORIGINAL STORY: In an announcement sending shockwaves through the WWE Universe, former WWE champion Daniel Bryan has been medically cleared by WWE after being out of action for nearly three years.
Many suspected DB would never return to live-action in the WWE. He had two neck injuries in 2014 and 2015 that derailed one of the most beloved characters in WWE history. He officially announced his retirement in February of 2016 on an emotional edition of Raw. Now, the leader of the “Yes!” movement will have a chance to compete in a WWE ring again.
The real-life fairytale story of Bryan’s rise was too good to be true. After a successful independent career, Bryan made the move to WWE in 2010. He found instant success on the debuting “NXT” reality show before making his way to the main roster.
“The American Dragon” found main roster success at the end of 2010, defeating The Miz for the United States Championship. 2011 was another great year for Bryan, as he won the Money in the Bank briefcase. He successfully cashed it in five months later, pinning Big Show to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
After a disappointing start to 2012, Bryan was given a new lease on life when he started “Team Hell No” with Kane. The duo won the tag team championships and successfully defended them at WrestleMania 29.
It was the end of 2013, though, that elevated Bryan to the next level. After winning the WWE Championship from John Cena at Summerslam, Triple H attacked the new champ, letting Randy Orton cash-in his own Money in the Bank briefcase to become the “face of WWE.”
This launched Bryan’s eight-month feud against The Authority, with him trying to prove himself as an “A” player. After months of fighting the powers that be, he capped off his odyssey by defeating Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 30 to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His title win that night is considered one of the greatest moments in WWE history.Time will tell to see who Bryan’s first opponent back in WWE may be. With WrestleMania 34 just three weeks away, all signs point towards his return being on the grandest stage of them all. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Shane McMahon are all rumored to be Bryan’s first opponent back.