While appearing on the “From the Top Rope” podcast alongside her sister, Brie Bella gave one of the strongest indications yet that Daniel Bryan will eventually end up wrestling again — whether it’s in a WWE ring or somewhere else.
Brie said about Bryan possibly coming back: “I told Bryan, ‘You do have a daughter, so always remember that. But if the doctors finally give you the green light,’ I say, ‘Go. Like this is your dream and passion. You have one life to live and I will never hold you back — because I love to wrestle, and I would hate if someone told me you can’t do it.”
“And if WWE doesn’t allow it, then I said, ‘Go somewhere else. It’s all on you,'” She added. “Obviously he would love to be able to get back in that WWE ring, but I know for a fact my husband is going to find his way back to the ring. Like, he honestly is.”
Brie also noted that Bryan has been going to doctors and undergoing testing since retiring. She said that he found Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and has undergone about 40 treatments across the country. Dave Meltzer wrote in this week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Bryan would have likely first looked into those around WrestleMania week.
Regardless of being cleared by outside doctors, Bryan would need WWE’s Dr. Joseph Maroon to reverse his decision if he is to wrestle for the company again. He hasn’t wrestled since April of 2015, with him having suffered a concussion in a match shortly before that.
A history of concussions and issues related to them contributed to Bryan not being cleared by Maroon. Bryan announced his retirement in February of last year and later transitioned into a role as the on-screen general manager of SmackDown.
This week in wrestling, the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors continued on, Jinder was unhindered and became WWE Champion, and the UK stars stole the show at NXT TakeOver. Here are our favorite wrestlers this week. Who’s yours?
This week’s panel —
Alan4L (Dr. Keith Presents host and Figure Four Weekly writer)
Joseph Currier (WrestlingObserver.com editor and Figure Four Weekly writer)
Five minutes of being a mum and Brie Bella already wants back in the ring. Yes, folks, parenting is harder than pro wrestling. In a recent video posted on the Bella Twins YouTube account, Brie had her first workout since giving birth, starting her journey back to the WWE ring.
Now, I don’t mean to imply she wants to go back to work to avoid parental duties or anything like that. I’m sure she’s a tops mum. It is pretty funny, though.
Akira Tozawa
By Jeremy Peeples
Akira Tozawa stole the show this week with an outstanding match on 205 Live. Brian Kendrick and he have had fantastic chemistry in their skits, but Tozawa himself hasn’t been given many chances to shine on the main roster. This week, he was given the main event slot and despite being in the final match of a long taping night, he got the crowd into it and had the best match of any WWE TV show this week.
He and Kendrick told a solid story with Kendrick trying to survive by any means necessary, including logically using duct tape to try and subdue and then choke out Tozawa — which was a bit surprising to see on WWE TV. It was a great hero vs. villain story, and as it should be, good triumphed over evil.
It was the best episode of 205 Live I’ve ever seen as well and made the show feel like a worthwhile addition to the WWE schedule.
Randy Orton
By Arya Witner
My favorite wrestler this week is someone who has gotten very little, if any, recognition in the Jinder Mahal push, my favorite wrestler this week is Randy Orton.
Is he the most exciting wrestler in the world? No. Hell, is he the most exciting wrestler on SmackDown? No. But what he is is an established main eventer who came off a lackluster feud with Bray Wyatt and instead of whining and complaining, he did everything in his efforts to make someone who was a step above an enhancement talent into a credible threat.
He didn’t go out there and slip on a banana peel or purposely have a bad match. He went out and did his best to have the best match possible before putting Mahal over for the title. While this article will rightfully put over people who had amazing matches this week, I thought it would be unfair to not recognize Orton.
Flash Morgan Webster
By Alan4L
The King of the Mods is starting to provide one of the true feel good stories in wrestling right now. Returning earlier this year from multiple serious injuries sustained in the biggest match of his life last April, Flash has very quickly gone from feeling his way back into things to being full steam ahead and producing some outstanding matches on recent PROGRESS shows.
At Chapter 45, Flash put in an incredible shift against Nathan Cruz with the result being one of the best pure face vs. heel matches in indie wrestling in years. It was really heated; Flash got tons of sympathy from the crowd and Cruz gave the performance of his life by totally zoning in on his victim and really destroying him at times in the match. They built so well to a crescendo at the finish.
Webster did it again at Chapter 46 against his trainer Mike Bird. This was a similar match in that it was very much face vs. heel, but Bird is a different style of heel than Cruz. More rugged and impactful and they built some fantastic sequences throughout what felt like a real gritty fight. In both contests, and also in his match with James Drake, the babyface qualities of Flash really shone through like never before.
His great comeback story was depicted brilliantly in his documentary The Road Back To Malice, and that only adds to the recipe that has made Flash Morgan Webster one of the best pure babyfaces plying his trade on the European scene.
Pete Dunne
By Joseph Currier
Last week’s TakeOver: Chicago show was my favorite NXT special in a long time. Every match exceeded expectations and the angle that closed the show was perfectly done.
Hideo Itami had his best match since signing with WWE against Bobby Roode. The women’s triple threat did a good job of leading to what’s next for Asuka. The main event ladder match was even a lot of fun before Tommaso Ciampa crushed everyone’s souls.
But nothing on the show lived up to Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne. It is comfortably my favorite WWE match of the year so far and isn’t far off from the top spot on my overall list. Both Bate and Dunne were trying to put on the performances of their lives in front of a crowd that treated them like huge stars.
I’ve always been somewhat skeptical of what WWE is doing in the UK, mostly because they’ve yet to fully outline what their plans are. It’s also felt like the project was happening a little too late with some of the country’s top-tier stars under contract elsewhere. But Bate and Dunne are guys that you can build a brand around. They’re both impossibly good for how young they are and fit in their roles so well.
Switching the title was absolutely the right move, with Dunne now becoming the person that everyone is chasing. It’s almost a shame that he and Bate aren’t on the main roster already, but WWE needs performers of their quality to carry the UK brand if it’s going to be successful.
Though it took longer than expected, Brianna and Bryan Danielson (Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan) finally welcomed their daughter into the world last night.
WWE.com and E! Online announced the news today. The baby’s name is Birdie Joe Danielson (as was previously revealed) and she was born at 11:58 p.m. on Tuesday.
“There is no better feeling in the world than meeting your daughter,” Brianna said. “I can’t even express the overwhelming joy and love that Bryan and I are feeling. Now we know what parents mean about the love you feel when you first meet your child. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers on the safety of Birdie coming into this world.”
Brianna’s due date was originally scheduled for April 30th, but they were told that the baby would be arriving about a week late at a doctor’s appointment shortly before then.
This is the couple’s first child. They announced that Brianna was expecting last October, which came after she stepped away from wrestling earlier in the year to prepare for motherhood. She was featured in a 10-woman tag on the WrestleMania 32 pre-show in her last match.
Bryan has been absent from his role as SmackDown general manager and co-host of Talking Smack over the last few weeks in anticipation of the arrival of the baby.
Bryan Danielson, 35, and wife Brianna (Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella), 33, announced after a doctor’s appointment yesterday that their daughter, due tomorrow, was expected to be late.
Bryan Danielson wasn’t at SmackDown this past week, and given the timing, one would assume he’s allowed next Tuesday off as well.
The couple did a video on the Bella Twins’ YouTube channel where Brianna said that their daughter, who is to be named Birdie Joe Danielson, is now expected in about one week.
This would be the couple’s first child. Brianna retired from wrestling last year to work on having a child. Her last match was at WrestleMania 32 in Texas, where she was part of a ten-woman tag on the pre-show. Her and Bryan announced last October that she was expecting, and she has since documented her pregnancy on YouTube.
Video of them announcing that their daughter is expected to arrive past Brianna’s due date is available to watch below:
The lead story examines the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker trial and what is next regarding the two sides and appeals. The article examines why Gawker believed they would lose in the trial but prevail in appeal, how the jury came to the $140 million verdict, evidence Gawker is looking at introducing in the appeal, the role of Bubba the Love Sponge, the stupid things Gawker said in the trial, a realistic look at loss of income for Hogan, and why playing the tape had nothing to do with it.
Also in this issue, a complete rundown of WrestleMania weekend including lineups with many matches not yet announced for not only WrestleMania itself but for all of the different events next week in Dallas. There is also an update on the WrestleMania attendance, ticket sales for other events, plus mythical records, and people scheduled to appear that haven’t been announced.
Big shows with are coming up for Evolve, NXT, Wrestlecon and more.
UFC has huge plans for a Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rematch, potentially at UFC 200.
MMA promoters are thrilled about the passing of the bill in the New York state assembly to legalize professional MMA. There are plans by both UFC and Bellator for live events in New York as soon as possible.
There have been lawsuits filed against WWE and by WWE that have been thrown out either completely or partially earlier this week.
Sting and Daniel Bryan are both in the news.
Check out the scene in Mexico with AAA losing talent, the Lucha Underground/AAA connection, how Lucha Underground stopped the main event on Elite’s first television taping, what Bellator star headlines that show, who has quit TNA, how the philosophy has changed, and the economics of all this.
Eric Young and Bobby Roode departed from TNA. Read about the background of both men leaving, their status and history in TNA, their value to WWE, their future as well as comments made by both regarding leaving.
This issue features the results of UFC’s Fight Night from Brisbane, Australia over the weekend, with thoughts on the Neil Magny vs. Hector Lombard officiating, ratings notes, plus match-by-match coverage.
CMLL’s Dos Leyendas show, its first big show of the year, with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results, plus the revealing of family with the country’s top heel, all in this issue.
DDT’s has its biggest show of the year, with the return of Kota Ibushi, held at Sumo Hall.
You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer
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The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.
Also in this issue:
CMLL’s unique tournament going on right now and its history of creating some of the biggest stars in the company of the past 20 year
Perro Aguayo for the first time talks the death of his son
Notes on Dragon Gate’s Memorial Gate show
NOAH’s big show this past week with multiple title matches
Former WWE wrestler returns to New Japan at Invasion Attack
Tanahashi talks working with the Young Bucks
Two big weekend shows and four title matches in New Japan
Major woman’s star for three decades is retiring
Former three-time world champion moving to Canada to come out of retirement to go for the freestyle world title
NCAA Division I heavyweight title match and its background
Update on the status of Speedball Mike Bailey
Kurt Angle talks fighting MMA and returning to WWE
UR Fight show with Angle vs. Mysterio
The first modern wrestler to use entrance music wasn’t The Freebirds
What will air in early 2017 on Lucha Underground and future directions of the company
The next month of TNA Impact that was taped this past week
Business notes regarding UFC 196
Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice failing drug tests
What drugs they failed for and why they both failed the IQ test
Potential WWE lawsuit that is being talked about behind the scenes
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Brie and Nikki are in a historic hotel in Buffalo. Nikki says she is going to stay in Phoenix but Brie says she can’t stay with her because Nikki is too needy. John Cena, in a flashback, calls her a “needy monster.” Nikki has to stay alone in her mom’s giant house.
Backstage, everyone is touching Rosa. She is distressed that Bobby, the father of her unborn child, is an atheist. She hasn’t told her Christian mom yet. They’ve been dating for six months. Paige burps and apologizes to Rosa. Rosa says its ok, it smells good. Paige is worried because something bad happened on social media. Fox is upset, too.
Carrano is going to be pissed. Everyone is watching John Cena’s match. Nikki is freaking out because Cena broke his nose. Cena is still wrestling. Fox is talking to Rosa about Carrano who has been doing damage control for the social media problem. After all the fuss, Fox thinks it’s time for a lifestyle change.
Nattie is worried about Cena so she comes over to his house to drink wine with Nikki. Nikki tells Nattie that even though she’s fearless in the ring she has a lot of fear outside the ring.
*****
In Tulsa, OK, Fox tells everyone they are going to start a lifestyle change this weekend. She forces Paige to swear that they are not going to get into trouble.
At a red carpet event for WWE 2k16, a British journalist asks Nikki about John Cena’s nose.
In a car, Rosa is with Bobby the atheist. She tells him she is going to make pasta primavera, and he says that’s too much. She reminds him that he asked for a crazy girl. He’s excited to be a father. They’ve named the baby Jordan. Bobby says not to buy kale. His father doesn’t like kale. Rosa asks Bobby to pretend not to be an atheist. He won’t pretend. Bobby doesn’t want Jordan to get baptized and Rosa does.
I’m starting to worry that the Divas aren’t going to any nice restaurants this episode.
In a car, Fox and Paige are going to a furniture store. Paige asks to get food. Finally, they make it to a nice restaurant. Paige orders some drinks and Fox is upset because she wants to have a lifestyle change this weekend. Paige orders more drinks and tells the waiter she likes to go to karaoke and she wants to play bingo. The waiter tells her about dirty bingo. Fox is pissed but doesn’t say anything because she enjoys being self-righteously angry.
Meanwhile in Rosa’s life, she asks Bobby to baby proof the house. He reminds her that the baby isn’t coming for another 5 months. She wants to baby proof the house to impress Bobby the atheist’s dad. She hired a caterer to make dinner so she can pretend she did it.
Paige arrives at dirty bingo, but it’s just regular bingo. All the old guys are hitting on Paige and Fox. Paige is having fun flirting with all the old guys. Fox is not. At all. She’s frustrated because the furniture store is closing.
Brie and Nikki are checking into a nice hotel. Nikki wants to stay in the same room, but Brie needs some personal space. Nikki does not react well to the boundaries that Brie is attempting to set.
Bobby and his dad arrive at Rosa’s house and everything is going great with the parents. They make small talk, but then Rosa’s mom asks Bobby to pray. He tells her that he doesn’t pray. Everyone looks around the room nervously.
*****
Rosa says a prayer, while everyone but Bobby touches hands.
In a Florida bar, Fox complains that they didn’t go to the furniture store. She’s fed up and leaves the bar.
Back in Rosa’s apartment, Rosa asks Bobby’s dad if he likes fajitas. He doesn’t. Please also remember that Bobby’s dad also doesn’t like kale. Hopefully you will be able to use this information at some point in your life. Rosa’s mom wants the baby to be baptized. Bobby tries to explain that he doesn’t. He leaves the room. Rosa calms Bobby down and they come back in the house Rosa’s mom leaves. Bobby’s dad tells Rosa everything is going to be ok.
Nikki barges into Brie’s hotel room. Brie is pissed. She kicks the cameras out. She kicks Nikki out. Nikki doesn’t understand boundaries and tells Brie she hates her.
Back in Orlando, Paige returns home. Fox is mad. She tells Paige she’s mad because she is taking this lifestyle change seriously, and she needs support. Paige is sorry, she’s not ready to settle down, but she should have gone to the furniture store and not bingo.
In the hotel, Nikki asks Nattie if she can sleep with her. Nattie is lying in bed in full make-up. Nikki talks about how she is so frightened at night and has nightmares. Nikki admits she is terrified of death. Nattie thinks it’s because she didn’t have a father figure after her grandfather died. All this Cena injury stuff is triggering her old fears.
*****
To make up for yesterday, Paige decides to take Fox to a taxidermy stuff. Fox loves taxidermy stuff. They buy a horned animal skull and Fox is so stoked.
Backstage, Nattie tells Brie she got a psychic reading. Mr. Belding from “Saved By The Bell” comes up and gives Nattie a hug. Nattie tells Brie about all the dark stuff Nikki was saying last night She’s worried. Brie tells her it’s nothing. Nattie doesn’t think it’s nothing. Now Brie is worried.
In Phoenix, Brie invites Nikki over. She ask, “Why are you so anxious?” Nikki tells her she’s worried about death because of her grandfather dying. Brie had no idea Nikki was hurting so much. Brie feels bad, Nikki says she should feel bad. Brie realizes she’s been unfair to her sister. They talk about the Disney Channel.
And that’s all! I’ll leave it to greater philosophers than I to break down the very rich symbolic depictions of life and death as represented in this episode by Nikki’s fear of death, the taxidermy skull bought by Paige and Fox, and the coming birth of Rosa’s child, the baby Jordan. The brightest minds of this generation received an intellectual gift tonight, one whose magnificence will not be fully understood for several lifetimes.
Brianna Danielson, who wrestles as Brie Bella, may be the next WWE performer to retire.
The wife of Bryan Danielson, who announced his retirement last week on Raw, expects to retire this summer, confirming a report in last week’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The couple was on ABC’s Good Morning America today to discuss his retirement, when she said that her days were limited in wrestling.
The report didn’t show a clip of her stating it on camera, but the summer time frame was part of the news story.
“It’s time for me to hang up the boots,” she said. “That day is very close.”
Bryan said that he wants to spend his time now educating young athletes to the seriousness of concussions. In the report, both Danielsons talked about Bryan’s seizures stating that he at first kept them from his wife and when he had one in front of her, implored her not to tell anyone for fear he would not be allowed to wrestle.
It should be noted that Bryan Danielson’s last seizure was about four years ago and has not been a recent issue.
