Update: Dave Meltzer mentioned on The Wrestling Observer forums that Bryan is not seeing Dr. Maroon, but rather just there for the auto show. Meltzer said, “He’s in and out, no appointment with Maroon.”
Original: As we first reported earlier this month, Daniel Bryan is headed to Pittsburgh as Seth Rollins’ replace at the World Of Wheels show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. He will be there on Friday from 6pm to 8pm.
We have also been told that Bryan may also be seeing WWE Dr. Joseph Maroon this week. Maroon is located in Pittsburgh. This could be good news because that would mean that Maroon is willing to give Bryan a second look and possibly clear him to return to action. Dave Meltzer reported last month that Vince McMahon has gone back and forth on what to do with Bryan. If Bryan gets testing this week and he gets cleared then it’s very possible that we could see him at Sunday’s Royal Rumble.
Bryan has been out of action because of concussion issues and if these issues came up during another period in company history then he may be back already. But times have changed and the company is being very cautious due to concussion lawsuits and because we now know a lot more about concussions and long-term effects.
Bryan was not cleared after his first visit with the WWE doctor but he was cleared by his own personal doctor and he continues to train in case he is given the green light to return. In October, Bryan told IGN, “One neurologist who specializes in concussions – who was the neurologist for the Super Bowl last year – cleared me with no limitations, ” He added, “All my testing came back excellent. But the WWE’s medical doctor is skeptical, because of my history of concussions and that sort of thing. So they will not clear me. So now, we have two doctors: one saying no, one saying yes. They’re going to send me to a third doctor at some point in the near future and that doctor will decide my fate.”
He has indicated that if his WWE career came to an end that he would be open to the idea of wrestling outside of WWE. WWE is in desperate need of star power and Bryan entering the Rumble as a surprise can help increase buzz for WrestleMania. Hopefully, if he is healthy, he can get cleared this week.
PWInsider has since posted about Bryan’s trip to Pittsburgh after we first reported here earlier this month. WWE is now listing his appearance on WWE.com.
