One of those dreamed combats could have had its trigger before Survivor Series, when Kane attacked Daniel Bryan, physically implicating him for the first time since his retirement. SmackDown considered Kurt Angle responsible, and it seemed that the consequences would go further, but after the PPV, each brand went back to their own affairs.
And the truth is that a Daniel Bryan vs. Kurt Angle has been occupying the imagination of many wrestling fans around the world for some time. "The American Dragon" is closer than ever to making a return to the ring, and it all depends on whether WWE doctors allow him. Although of course, he has already hinted that he does not close the doors to other companies that do give him the green light.
There is always a counter-chronicle, and while the official version says that Bryan would not be ready, others believe that simply the McMahon product does not want to have him as a competitor again. And again, we go back to Angle, who was in the same situation and has already made two relevant implications, under TLC and Survivor Series, in less than a month.
The General Manager of Raw had a special meeting with fans at the recent iPlay America event, where, in response to one of the questions asked, he wanted to clarify the differences between both cases. Angle corrected the fan, pointing out that Bryan's problem are concussions, not his neck, and confessed to having noticed him frustrated by the supposed comparative grievance.
"No, it's not Daniel Bryan's neck. No, it's the concussions. It's a serious issue today. I guess you've seen many cases in the NFL, lawsuits here and there. It's something very dangerous. I spoke with Daniel personally. I passed the physical tests. I haven't had any problems with my neck since 12 years ago. I broke it four times in two years, back between 2004 and 2006, but it's been fine since then. There's a protocol you have to follow. Physical tests encompass a number of things and the most important one is a concussion test."
"Daniel couldn't pass it. He's had 10 concussions, as far as I know. It's a huge responsibility. Will Daniel finally be able to wrestle? I think he will, but it all depends on him passing the concussion test. I know that your brain heals over time, but we don't know how much damage he has received. Are there chances he will fight again? Maybe, I hope so. He took it personally that I was able to fight, and I feel bad about it. He didn't get mad or upset; he simply didn't understand why I was cleared and he wasn't. But they were two different things. If I could have a dream fight, it would be against Daniel Bryan. He is incredible."
The questions and answers session was very varied and sprinkled with some curious anecdotes. It can be read in full here.