Daniel Bryan and Diego Sanchez (Photo : Photo: Daniel Bryan Twitter)
"No, at least not in my mind,"
That was the simple response of WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan when asked by Sport360 about his plans for retirement.
The past year featured sporadic appearances from Bryan, in which the fans saw him, surrender both the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt and the WWE Intercontinental title on separate occasions.
During this sabbatical, Daniel Bryan focused on learning about the intricacies of his condition, as well as treatments and precautionary measures that come with it.
"I've learned a lot about concussions during this process," he said to Sport360. "We have an impact test which they have in a lot of sports. It's a 15-minute test that measures your brain function. I have that test which they can take after concussion, but now I have even more extensive tests."
Of course, the WWE Universe has heard the news about Bryan's personal neurologist giving him medical clearance, but the company is still apprehensive about allowing him to compete.
It should also be noted that the WWE, and some of its former employees, have a long history with lawsuits stemming from different brain injuries.
For Daniel Bryan, he completely understands the situation and how the company is only trying to protect his wellbeing and the brand itself.
The thing that bothers him, though, is finding another avenue to showcase his natural talents.
"It's very frustrating, but more the health aspect of it is the title part isn't the big deal," Bryan claimed. "The big deal is how wrestling is the way I express myself creatively. Not being able to do it has made me frustrated."
In spite of this, he still keeps his wit and tries to find light in the situation.
"I've tried to transition this into gardening, but it's not the same. I'm working on it, though," he stated.
In a testosterone-driven world where big muscles and huge egos oftentimes seem to come first before logical reasoning, it is impressive how Daniel Bryan - given all the frustrations and setbacks - maintains a level head.
He knows that as big as Wrestlemania moments and the whole WWE experience are, there's a far greater existence and a larger purpose in life for a 34-year-old Daniel Bryan.
