Bryan, who’s been sidelined as WWE has remained hesitant to clear him to return, was reportedly set to return on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, and the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer (h/t WrestlingInc) also reported that Bryan recently attempted to give notice to the company but was prevented from doing so:
Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer posted on the Wrestling Classics forum, saying that “He (Bryan) did give notice and was told he did not have the right to give notice.” Bryan’s contract has been frozen due to an injury, a provision in Superstar contracts that helps WWE make up lost time when a talent is sidelined. The company was at odds with former WWE Champion Rey Mysterio due to this same clause. As is pertains to Bryan not having the right to give notice, based on the available talent contracts, that appears to be true. The contract can be pretty much permanently frozen unless Bryan takes the WWE to court.”
Through it all, Bryan made it clear that even if he’s wrestled his last WWE match, he would continue his in-ring career elsewhere once his WWE days are over. Unfortunately, it appears that Bryan has reached a point where he sees the writing on the wall and realizes that wrestling anywhere is no longer an option.
Bryan’s announcement that he would be retiring on Raw has shocked the world in much the same way that former WWE star Edge’s surprising retirement surprised everyone back in 2011. It just isn’t fair to Bryan that a seemingly in-his-prime superstar can be entertaining millions one day and then be forced to retire the next. The WWE had looked to prevent Bryan from getting out of his contract because those within the company didn’t want him to end up performing for any of the “competition” around the globe, specifically Ring of Honor, TNA or New Japan Pro Wrestling.
But that’s now a moot point. Bryan’s storied WWE career is over long before it should have been, cut short by his high-risk style that made him one of the greatest underdog stories in WWE history.
Although it is extremely disappointing to see Bryan’s WWE career end like this after all that he accomplished, perhaps it’s for the best. Bryan put his mind and body on the line to entertain countless people across the globe and paid for it with the price of his early retirement, but we can take solace in the fact that he did it all for us.
In a pro wrestling business that often blends reality and fiction, there is going to be speculation that Bryan’s retirement is a “work” until we hear it from Bryan himself. But it would be awfully shocking if the WWE went that far for the sake of a storyline.
No, Bryan has indeed wrestled his last match. It came far too early, of course.
But at least we all had the privilege of being a part of the “Yes Movement” in the first place.
Update (4:21 PM ET): F4WOnline.com (h/t WrestlingInc) reports that Bryan’s retirement is “probably legit” and was his decision. PWInsider.com (h/t WrestlingInc) also adds that Bryan’s retirement is “not an angle” and that Bryan is indeed retiring.
Blake Oestriecher is an elementary school teacher by day and a sports writer by night. He’s a contributor to the Forbes @SportsMoneyBlog, where he focuses on the WWE, NBA and NFL. You can follow him on Twitter @BOestriecher.
