For the third straight Royal Rumble, Daniel Bryan didn't play a significant role, but this year's snub could have a bigger impact on his career than the last two.
In 2014, "The Beard" was left out of the match altogether -- much to the dismay of the WWE Universe -- after competing in a singles match with Bray Wyatt earlier in the night.
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Last year, the WWE made sure that Bryan stayed out of their hand-picked golden boy Roman Reign's way by eliminating him early, once again alienating the fan base.
This year, Bryan's glaring absence from the match could be just a microcosm of what his future holds in the WWE. The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion was rumored to be a surprise entrant into the 30-man Rumble Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but the buzzer sounded 28 times and he wasn't lurking behind the curtain.
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Bryan has been dealing with a concussion since last May, and though his personal doctors have cleared him to return, the WWE and its physicians have not. Despite Brie Bella's husband not being cleared, several WWE Superstars expected him to make his return last Sunday at the Royal Rumble, according to The Wrestling Observer (via WrestlingInc).
Per the report, Bryan has been told outright by WWE officials that he won't be cleared by them or their doctor, Joseph Maroon, and he has been offered other roles within the company. Though "The Yes! Man" pled his case to Vince McMahon, the company's owner said it's doubtful Bryan will ever be cleared, even if McMahon wouldn't say it with 100 percent certainty.
It's possible that Bryan's absence on Sunday could be a tell-tale sign that his WWE career is coming to an end. Nothing has been confirmed, but with McMahon and the company doctors unwilling to clear him, even with UCLA concussion specialists giving him the go-ahead to return, things are looking bleak for Bryan's WWE future.
It's clear that Bryan is upset over this as he fired off a tweet where he addressed his inability to perform.
Want to see me wrestle? Right now your only opportunity is on #TotalDivas... You might see more… https://t.co/MdBubrjgys
— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) January 27, 2016
Unfortunately, "Total Divas" is the only place WWE fans may ever get to see Bryan compete.
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