Let’s get this out of the way, I firmly believe Daniel Byran is leaving coming the end of his deal.  Maybe he’ll stay, but until someone in the know says something, I’m going to assume he wants to knock off that bucket list.  After all, who knows when he’ll retire and he really wants to work for CMLL and NJPW in various arenas around the world, so let’s not pretend that after two years of holding him hostage from working that Bryan is going to be hunky-dory remaining their for the remainder of his career.  So with that being said, let’s get to them dream matches that WWE will surely ruin somehow.

Honorable Mentions:

Samoa Joe
– This one is less likely, mostly because of Joe’s style.  Joe is known for his stiffness.  While not unsafe, most of Joe’s repertoire is head strikes and suplexs that drop someone on their head.  So the idea of wanting these two to hook up again is not as strong.  Also, Joe is far from who he used to be in ROH over a decade ago.  His cardio isn’t as good, and his in ring work not as crisp.  To be asked to repeat some of his classics with Bryan is at all order.  However, this is the perfect main event for a RAW or SmackDown.  The two’s history is known, their pedigree undeniable, and their legacies iconic.  Why not add another chapter to the book?

 

 

Zack Sabre Jr.
– Zack Sabre Jr. has earned the respect of many for his in ring style.  While I think Thatcher is the best grappler in the business, many would point to Sabre.  Sabre though scares me, due to his head strikes.  He has a slight issue with stiffness at times as well, so would he do the same business to Bryan? If he does, fans will kill him, so he should probably rethink trying to work over Bryan.  While Sabre is the size of Bryan’s leg, the two men would have a natural chemistry due to their similar styles, and if the two men really showcase their athletic styles, and try to one up each other on the holds then yeah, this could be special.

 

 

 

10) Timothy Thatcher
– Some of you know who he is, but some of you don’t, so let me edu-ma-cate you on this.  Thatcher is the new Bryan.  Yup.  Thatcher has shown a brilliant level of talent in the ring as a technician and should be given a much higher profile in the states. However, Thatcher has opted to take his talent to South Beach, if by South Beach you mean Germany for the wXw promotion.   Thatcher does have a nasty European Uppercut that Bryan may need to avoid, yet the two could have an absolutely brilliant mat-based match, where both men showcase their unique wrestling talents and submission holds.  This isn’t a match to sleep on, even if the name value for Thatcher isn’t on Bryan’s level.

 

 

9) The Miz
– The feud that started all the way back in 2010 may finally get a proper blow off, though, don’t tell fans that already actually happened back in  the same year.  Bryan has already taken the United States Championship from The Miz and with the WWE hellbent on making wrestlers like Bryan Cruiserweights, it seems more than likely that Bryan’s future in the company may pique at the Intercontinental Championship.  Who better to face off with against then The Miz.  The two’s in ring styles are as a drastic as they come, with Miz’s strikes being sloppy, and his work rate not ever being near Bryan’s.  Yet, the feud these two have had on and off screen is so intense that a one off match would be huge.  Just don’t expect it to be at WrestleMania.

 

 

8) AJ Styles
– I mean, need I explain?  These are literally the two finest in ring workers of their generation, and they’re going to be in the same company, at the same time, and able to  main event a major show.  Yet, the WWE has a way of ruining major match ups and rushing not just the feud but the matches themselves.  See Styles and Balor just last year.  Yet, a main event match could make even Dave Meltzer get stiff over a WWE match.  Now wouldn’t that be something?

 

 

 

7) Finn Balor
– These two have never faced as A-Listers.  Sure, they ran into each over a decade ago, but that was before they became two of the most respected workers in the world.  Now you can see what they can really do.  Would the name value raise the hype of the match?  Quite possibly.  The thing though is that this match could redefine an entire division.  Could you imagine Bryan vs. Balor for the Cruiserweight Championship?  The belt would earn more respect, pedigree and linage than an entire decades worth of title changes and matches . This could be something iconic, if done right.  In the WWE “IF” is all you have to go off of.

 

 

6) Kenny Omega
– The One Winged Angel taking on The American Dragon?  Oh boy.  This is one hell of an amazing opportunity.  Omega, unlike most of his NJPW cohorts, isn’t big in the striking to the head department as someone like, say, Okada?  Omega is a daring and extraordinary talent, one that Bryan can have an awesome match with.  Yet, would the styles (no pun intended) clash?  Omega is fast pace, quick moves, a high flying styles.  Bryan should be focusing more on his incredible grappling and submission style.  Lessening his big move arsenal.  Going back to how he used to wrestle in ROH, where it was about submission and wrestling, and not as strike influenced.  Could the change in styles affect this match?

 

 

5) EC3
– Ethan Carter III was a nobody when he was paired with Daniel Bryan some six years ago.   Carter was a hanger-on to Bryan on NXT, merely someone for Nikki Bella to throw her….charm….at.  But now he’s a multi-time World Champ, a bonafide main eventer and someone who can deliver four star matches every night he’s out there.  EC3 may talk better than he wrestles, but the next time Bryan stands face to face with Carter, they’ll stand as equals.  This is a classic match up of the wrestler and the brawler, and they’ll be sure to leave everyone in awe.

 

 

4) Davey Ricahrds
– Daniel Bryan once called Davey Richards the best wrestler in the world.  That’s high praise.   If Richards can avoid strikes to the brain, or limit them severely, this could be absolutely brilliant.  The two men have an absolute hunger for wrestling but for various reasons.  Bryan wants to be involved in matches, because he’s in love with wrestling.  Davey isn’t.  Davey hates pro wrestling to a degree. But he wants to be the best at it.  He’s an enigma in that regard.  So Richards and Bryan are both driven to prove their the best, and in that regard their match or maybe a feud, could be unbelievably amazing.  The two men are great as technicians and in a company that would allow them to explore a match that highlights this style, the two would showcase an absolute stellar showcase.

 

 

3) Mike Quackenbush
– This might be the oddest one yet (wait for it though), but Mike Quackenbush has a British style, with some high flying qualities that Bryan could really benefit off of.  Both men are known for their distinct locks and holds, and if Bryan reverts back to the Cattle Mutilation, then this is the Cattle Mutilation vs. the Chikara Special and that alone is a unique display.  However when you remember that Bryan beat Quack in the King of Trios tournament back in 2009, and then lost to him in a tag match later on, these two have a built in rivalry.  This match could give Chikara their largest gate ever if they leave their new home where they record their shows.

 

 

2) Cody Rhodes
– Unlike so many others, this one works due to the character work.  Bryan has shown that he isn’t terrible on the mic.  Bryan certainly can carry himself better than Styles on the mic.  Bryan trying to go back to ROH and running into Cody Rhodes and his ego would provide for internet meme worthy content.  Cody has proven that he’s a major player in all of wrestling and that anything and anyone he touches turns into must see t.v.  Hell, he even made Matt Taven relevant for a while (Sorry Swish).  It goes beyond this though, because Bryan was arguably, if not the greatest ROH World Champion in terms of wrestling quality.  Cody is the new guard.  Cody represents the new era, opposed to Bryan’s old era.  Bryan wrestled in bingo halls during his ROH’s tenure, but Cody has elevated them to arenas.  That alone would make this feud beyond anything else that’s out there.

 

 

 

1) Marco Corleone
– I told you to wait for it, did’t I? Marco Corleone is better known to all of you as Mark Jindrack.  Jindrack is known for his several tag team title wins in WCW, and a lackluster WWE career that ended in him getting replaced in Evolution by Dave Batista and then getting released.  However, since going to Mexico and changing his name, Corleone has found a second life by becoming one of the greatest United States-born stars in Mexico’s history.  Bryan has always wanted to wrestle at Arena Mexico.  Corleone stands as the current CMLL Heavyweight Champion.  To wrestle at Arena Mexico, you have to wrestle for CMLL.  Why wrestle for CMLL if not for a title?  Ergo, to get to Arena Mexico, you have to go through the CMLL Heavyweight Champion.  A man who’s bigger, stronger and maybe even more athletic than Bryan.  The underdog story writes itself.  While not the biggest name match up, this one makes the most sense when you factor Bryan’s bucket list, the fact that Corleone wrestles a relatively safe style, and the fact that it’d be a major match up for a major title in one of the biggest companies in the world.  While it doesn’t have the same reach as say NJPW at the moment, CMLL is bigger on this continent, and would pay a hefty deal for Bryan to come on over.