WWE: Concern that champ Daniel Bryan will come back too soon?

The news this week on the rehab of WWE champion Daniel Bryan was not good at all. Now there is a growing concern in the locker room that Bryan will be back for Money in the Bank later this month whether he’s ready or not because of the pressure that he is feeling to get back in the ring.

Bryan is said to be regressing a bit in his rehab, losing strength in his right arm after neck surgery last month. Losing strength on one side of the body is not a good sign after suffering a neck injury, and could be an indication that there is something more serious wrong with Bryan than had originally been thought.

That said, Bryan is said to be pushing himself for a return at MITB, both feeling pressure from the front office and his own internal pressure, after his long climb to the top of WWE that culminated with his title win at WrestleMania 30. Perhaps Bryan fears being lost in the shuffle if he takes the time off that he needs to properly heal and rehab.

Another two-time world champ in WWE, Dolph Ziggler, who has been relegated to mid-card status since suffering the first of two serious concussions last spring, can vouch for Bryan on that point.

One would hope that WWE’s medical staff would prevent Bryan from endangering himself in the ring if it comes to that. The shocking retirement of another superstar just entering his prime, Edge, from a couple of years ago, is an indication that there is some sanity in WWE when it comes to the long-term health of the talent.

– Column by Chris Graham