Sidelined WWE star Daniel Bryan recently spoke with The National in Abu Dhabi while in the country on a media tour. The following are some interview highlights:
On when he might return to the ring in WWE:
“I have no idea. I wish I could give you a solid answer. I feel great. I have been cleared by doctors. But getting the WWE to clear me has been a little bit sticky, given my concussion history. They are just looking out for my best interests. We are trying to get with more doctors to get me more support to get me back in the ring as soon as possible.”
On potential WWE opponents if/when he returns:
“My number one dream match is Brock Lesnar. And I want that to be a WrestleMania match. I don’t know if the WWE will ever let that happen, because they might be afraid he might legitimately hurt me pretty bad. But I would like to do a major pay-per-view match with Cesaro. I’d like to to do a major pay-per-view match with Seth Rollins. I’d love do a major pay-per-view match with Stardust. We have so many talented people on the roster that I’d love to have a match on pay per view or we have a story to work through together.”
Is he used to appearing in video games?:
“No, I don’t think I will ever get used to that idea that there is all this stuff of me out there. The video game, right, that is very surreal. The idea that people will want to play as me in the game is very surreal to me. My niece has little toys of me. She was walking around in a toy store with her Uncle Bryan doll, right, and when someone asked ‘who is that?’ she said “that is my Uncle Bryan”. They were likely seriously who is it, and my sister had to say that is legitimately her Uncle Bryan. All of it is a little weird. My buddy Neil sent me a picture of my face on a toothbrush. What has happened in my life so I have got to the stage where my face is on a toothbrush. The whole thing is crazy.”
“I didn’t really grow up playing video games. I had an original Nintendo after the original Nintendo was cool. The Super Nintendo was now the thing to have. My friend had the Super Nintendo and he gave his original Nintendo to me as he did not want to play it anymore. So I had his Nintendo and all the games he had given me. My favourite game was Pro Wrestling, which was just very generic. My favourite character was a character called Star-Man. He did this back-flip kick and other stuff, but I wasn’t really much of a gamer.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
