This past Monday on WWE’s flagship program Raw, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan announced that he would have to undergo neck surgery, and did not know when he would return. Later that night Kane, who Daniel Bryan has been in a rivalry with, pulled Bryan out onto the stage beaten. With Kane dragging Bryan out onto the stage, does that mean Daniel Bryan announcing his surgery was just part of the program, or was it so Daniel Bryan has someone to target if and when he returns? Now if Daniel Bryan does have to undergo neck surgery he will have to be out for a substantial amount of time, which means someone will have to take his place; but who?
One possibility to replace Daniel Bryan as champion is Kane. The way Kane is now, (in my opinion) is the way fans like him. This Kane, the demon Kane is unstoppable, he’s ruthless, and has absolutely no absences of malice. The Demon Kane (although it was not announced) was going to face Daniel Bryan at WWE’s Pay-Per-View Payback which leaves the question who will face him?
Kane in my opinion should be in the main event at Payback, no matter what the outcome of the match maybe. Next Monday on Raw Stephanie McMahon and HHH could announce that John Cena and Bray Wyatt will face off for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which would enrage Kane. Later that night Kane would attack John Cena and Bray Wyatt forcing Stephanie McMahon to put him into the match. Now John Cena and Bray Wyatt are already in a program with each other, but as good as both of them are on the mic (microphone) it would not be hard for either of them to promote their rivalry into a triple threat match. If WWE decided to go this way, either one of these men would be a good choice to replace Bryan as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Now there is another person that could replace Daniel Bryan.....Brock Lesnar. Now Brock Lesnar has not been seen since WrestleMania, and when his return is scheduled I don’t know. With Lesnar only appearing at a couple of Pay-Per-Views a year he probably is not everyone’s first choice, but there is no denying that he is a good one. The way this match should come about is by having Kane lose control. What could happen is Stephanie McMahon could ask Kane for his mask back because his job is done (meaning he got rid of Daniel Bryan), but Kane would refuse, and go on a rampage destroying everyone in the show that night. Stephanie at some point in the week would announce to Kane that he would be in a Championship match at Payback, and that she has found someone to put him down. The fact that she picked Lesnar would not be revealed until Payback that night. Brock Lesnar vs Kane at Payback, an unstoppable force vs an unstoppable force; a good way to decide who replaces Daniel Bryan.
There is one more highly unlikely person to replace Daniel Bryan, and that person is CM Punk. CM Punk has not been seen on WWE programing since WWE’s Pay-Per-View Royal Rumble. There have been many rumors about why Punk left, but if HHH, Stephanie, or Vince McMahon can convince CM Punk to return, CM Punk vs Kane at Payback could be a huge match. The build up to the match would be the same as if it were Brock Lesnar; we would not know that Punk is Kane’s opponent until the time of the match. CM Punk would be a good choice, and if his music hits in his home town of Chicago at Payback, there might be an earthquake in the Allstate Arena.
If Daniel Bryan is having neck surgery he could be gone for months, which will leave a big hole in the WWE’s plans. Kane, John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Brock Lesnar, and CM Punk would all be good choices to fill that hole. With how things are set up right now in the WWE the most likely t0o happen is the triple threat match between John Cena, Bray Wyatt, and Kane. Either of these men could be a good decision to take over for Bryan, and who ever the champions is when Daniel Bryan returns, you would have to think that Daniel Bryan will be better and stronger than ever.
