Daniel Bryan will challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship tonight at the Fastlane pay-per-view. If he wins, he’ll be facing Royal Rumble winner Edge for the title at WrestleMania 37 next month. And just to add a little intrigue into the equation, Edge will be ringside for the bout as a Special Guest Enforcer after making it clear on recent episodes of SmackDown he has issues with both men. There’s also always the chance, and it’s become a growing fan theory, that Bryan will somehow be added into the Mania match regardless of Fastlane’s outcome and make it a triple threat.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Unfortunately for fans of the founder of the Yes! Movement, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Dave Meltzer spoke about the idea on a recent Wrestling Observer Radio and was told from sources inside the company that, as of a few days ago, the plan was still Reigns vs. Edge in a singles match.
“Anything’s possible but I did ask about that and that was a no a week ago. Not even a week ago, early mid-week,” Meltzer said (h/t WrestlingNews.co).
So where does that leave Bryan for WrestleMania? It’s hard to say in terms of a match, but both the WWE Network and Peacock advertised Bryan as being a WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021 member when they uploaded a playlist titled “This is Daniel Bryan: WWE 2021 Hall of Fame Inductee.” That playlist has since been removed, and WWE has kept quiet over whether or not a surprise was accidentally spoiled.
If inducted, Bryan would become the second active WWE wrestler to be named to the WWE Hall of Fame. Ric Flair was inducted a night before his official retirement back at WrestleMania XXIV. Bryan has indicated both in interviews and on television that his days as a full-time wrestler are winding down, though he has repeatedly stated he never intends to fully retire.
Check out the full card for Fastlane below:
- WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan (Edge as Special Guest Enforcer)
- Intercontinental Championship: Big E vs. Apollo Crews
- United States Championship: Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair
- Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus (No Holds Barred)
- Alexa Bliss vs. Randy Orton
- Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
