Months after undergoing a surgical procedure that could have ended his stellar professional wrestling career, Daniel "The Beard" Bryan has returned, and he is ready to take back his belt.
Citing an interview done in August 2014 when Bryan was recovering from a neck operation, MTV.com reports that one of his biggest dreams is to face current WWE world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar on the ring.
"If I were champion right now, I'd be wrestling Brock and that's the match I've always really wanted. I feel like we could do something completely different that people [wouldn't] have seen before in the United States. That's the match I really, really want," he said back then.
He is expected to compete in the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble in Philadelphia on January 25, where Lesnar is also expected to appear. Bryan was injured in early 2014 but still managed to fight through to win the title in April. However, a compressed nerve on his neck made a procedure called cervical foraminotomy inevitable in May, and he has been trying to regain his right arm strength since, writes The Times-Picayune.
Following therapy and with the help of Greg Roskopf, the founder of Muscle Activation Techniques, he eventually got his groove back to appear at the WWE Raw event in December 29, 2014, the report adds.
The returning superstar reiterated his wish during the promotional tour, in the same article, saying he can't wait for a face-off with Lesnar at Wrestlemania 31. According to WWE.com, 30 superstars will battle each other at the Royal Rumble ring, with the goal to stay in the bout by not getting thrown over the top or have both feet touching the arena floor. Bryan, along with Roman Reigns, United States Champion Rusev, Bad News Barrett and Bray Wyatt, have been named official entrants. The winner will earn a match at WrestleMania 31.
"I'm ready to come back. I feel like right now, physically I'm better than ever. So whatever happens, whether it be a match or whether I'm doing an interview, I expect to be better than I've ever been," he told The Times-Picayune.
"My dream match for WrestleMania this year is if Brock Lesnar keeps the title and I win the Royal Rumble, and I wrestle Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 31 for the WWE championship," he added.
In addition, other WWE stars Bryan says he'd like to face when he returns include Cesaro, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, according to MTV.