It looks like it could be another lengthy post-WrestleMania absence for reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan.
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According to The Wrestling Observer, the WWE believes that Bryan will be sidelined for at least five weeks, which puts his upcoming title defense against Bad News Barrett this Sunday at Extreme Rules in jeopardy.
Bryan vs. Barrett was booked for the pay-per-view and WWE Network special that emanates from the Allstate Arena in Illinois, but there's no telling what direction the WWE will go in now.
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The creator of the "Yes Movement" was reportedly injured during his match with the newly turned Sheamus on the episode of SmackDown that was taped on March 31 and aired April 2.
Bryan was said to be banged up heading into the European tour and further injured himself on April 9 during a live event in Dublin, Ireland.
The ailment in Ireland apparently furthered the injury that Bryan already suffered, causing the WWE to send him home from the European tour. The company was already being careful with "The Beard," keeping him out of the ring on RAW for a few weeks. He worked a tag match with John Cena last week, but mostly stayed on the apron.
Initial reports indicated that Bryan's injury had something to do with the neck problems that sidelined him for most of 2014, but it hasn't been confirmed.
Shortly after winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXX in a grueling Triple Threat Match with Randy Orton and Batista, Bryan underwent surgery in mid-May to repair a neck injury.
The Intercontinental Champion subsequently lost feeling in his right arm, causing him to miss the rest of 2014 until he returned to the ring in January. Bryan then went on to win the Intercontinental Championship in a seven-man Ladder Match at WrestleMania 31at Levi's Stadium last month.
The WWE put the Intercontinental Championship on Bryan and the United States Championship on Cena as a way to legitimize the titles.
It looks like Bryan's absence will cause him to miss Extreme Rules, but the WWE has yet to officially announce a cancelation of his bout with Barrett.
If the reports of five weeks are true, Bryan will also miss Payback, which emanates from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Md. on May 17.
It appears, for the second straight year, Bryan will be sidelined after experiencing a triumphant moment at WrestleMania.
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