The story of Daniel Bryan’s return to in-ring action continues to evolve and impress. His recent match with Jeff Hardy on SmackDown Live is further proof of just how good Daniel is and just how much fans have missed him.

Bryan is one of the best in WWE because of his ability to tell a story. It seems like a lost art for many but not for the man that fought so hard to regain his dream of once again competing in the business he loves. Daniel knows what it takes to connect between the ropes, just as he knows what it takes to connect on the mic. But is this all or nothing for the leader of the Yes Movement?

It seems much too early to predict, that much is true. Bryan’s return is still fresh and it’s an ongoing process. He’s taking it one match at a time, which is precisely what needs to happen. There is no reason for him to be in a hurry and the same is definitely true of WWE. One false move and the entire feel-good story could come to a premature end.

The reason for that has to do with WWE’s penchant for pushing too hard. It’s the same reason why Roman Reigns can’t get more than one-third of the crowd on his side despite how hard he works. Fans have made the decision that he’s not worth their time so they hate him. While the company surely believes that even an overwhelmingly negative reaction is better than nothing, that certainly cannot be the case for Daniel Bryan.

Bryan is the hero and that’s how it should be. He was an inspiration before his career ending injury and he’s even more of an inspiration now. But if the company decides he must be quickly propelled up the ladder, then the move could come back to haunt them. The WWE faithful want to believe that it’s all happening very organically. They especially do not want to be told who to love.

So it’s been easy as it goes for Daniel Bryan and that’s a good thing. But as time passes and he continues to deliver one solid match after another, it’s obvious that Bryan cannot be held back for long. He’s on an upward trajectory and it’s leading him to title contention once again. Will he defeat Samoa Joe on the May 29 SmackDown Live and then go on to win Money in the Bank on June 17?

His fans undoubtedly support that decision and why wouldn’t they? Bryan was the one they wanted before, during and after the Yes Movement. When WWE didn’t see much value in Daniel Bryan, the fans vehemently disagreed. They made their voices heard and they rode with Bryan to the top of WWE. It’s because of their belief in him that Daniel succeeded. He proved he could do it but the fans helped open the door for him.

But if he does make it to MITB and win the briefcase, what are the chances he could actually lose when he tries to cash in? Overcoming adversity is what Daniel does best so perhaps a new run at the top is just not going to happen this soon. Fans believed in him before. They will believe in him again. Right?

Of course there’s always the possibility that fans could grow tired of Daniel Bryan’s second coming. This is not the same crowd Bryan left behind when he was forced to retire from the ring. This crowd is more critical than ever before. They don’t like to stick around too long and they definitely do not want anyone to work too hard to attain their approval.

Daniel is just so likable and he does seem to be a good person outside of the business. There should be no reason for anyone to turn on him. But anything is possible. If the company keeps moving forward despite any possible warning signs to the contrary, could it all backfire?

Bryan has an added pressure now that he did not have before. He may or may not feel that pressure of course, as he is surely happy just to be back in the ring again. But the fans see it and it’s evident every time Daniel works a match. The pressure to overachieve like he did before is surely there. Anything less could be considered a failure for anyone that’s followed his career to this point.

But the failure would not be on Daniel’s part and that’s where the story gets a bit tricky. Just as this is not the same crowd that Daniel Bryan left before, it’s also not the same company. WWE was willing to take a chance on Bryan the first time around, based upon the wildly positive reaction he was receiving everywhere the company traveled. Daniel didn’t have to be on camera for fans to chant “yes.” He didn’t even have to be in the same state.

Daniel Bryan had much more to offer than WWE likely believed possible. He gave everything he had and then he gave more. Fans loved him and he fed off their energy. His rise to the top of WWE remains one of the most compelling stories wrestling fans have ever seen. But is WWE ready to go forward with Bryan once again?

Or is Daniel Bryan now just another cog in the wheel? If so then he may not be rising up at all. He may keep working hard and keep impressing everyone with his ability but that may not be enough. Could Daniel one day regularly face 50/50 booking? That seems like a long-shot at this point but Daniel works side by side with younger talents on Tuesday nights. WWE can take a chance on any one of them at any moment.

If that happens, then Daniel may or may not return to the main event run he left behind. For Daniel Bryan, this is a dream come true. But for his fans, the dream is to get back to the underdog fight that made him a star. They want to see Bryan on top where he belongs. That is a movement they would definitely say yes to.