Daniel Bryan is on his way to the biggest war of his WWE career when he faces Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series on November 18. Bryan recently turned heel on SmackDown Live, where he defeated AJ Styles for the WWE Championship and now fans are speculating as to what will happen next.

But what does happen next? No one expected Daniel to turn, at least not in that fashion. He and Styles had chemistry and that chemistry could have led to a rivalry between the two. Daniel and AJ had plenty of stories left to tell and perhaps they will do just that. However, to make such a sudden departure from Bryan’s character and then thrust him into the ring with Lesnar seems like somewhat of a desperate move.

Is that really the case? Maybe it’s true that WWE didn’t want to book Styles to lose yet again to Lesnar. But couldn’t the match have ended with a Lesnar disqualification or perhaps even a double count-out? That finish would have protected AJ while keeping Brock looking strong as well.

But changing direction just one week after Styles celebrated one year as WWE champion is a curious move indeed. AJ was showing no real fatigue as WWE champion. He still looks sharp in the ring and he’s always on his game. Perhaps the company felt that AJ had beaten everyone he was supposed to beat and now the time was right to do something different. If that’s the case, then what better man to wear the title than Daniel Bryan?

From a pro wrestling standpoint, it was a great move. Daniel can work with anyone and can get anyone over. He’s so versatile that he can step into the ring against cruiserweights, heavyweights and super heavyweights. To Daniel Bryan, each match is another opportunity to tell a story and as a professional, he surely feels he can tell a story with anyone. That has to include Brock Lesnar.

This is the dream match that WWE fans wanted when Bryan was red-hot in 2014. He was so energetic, so full of life and so intense in the ring that he seemed like a great fit for Lesnar. Of all the men that had faced Brock to that point, Bryan would perhaps give him his greatest test because he was so different. 

Daniel’s top speed is faster than the fastest of his peers. Bryan is able to flip the switch and go flying around the ring whenever he needs to and when he does, controlled chaos ensues. It may appear as though he could fall apart at any moment. But the fact is, all of his movements are organized and none of them are wasted.

But Daniel is not just charismatic and frenzied between the ropes, he also happens to be highly skilled as well. Bryan can match anyone one the roster move for move and that is a major plus for him as a trusted in-ring talent. The company knows what it has with Daniel Bryan and that’s precisely why he’s the WWE champion right now. He’s trusted to deliver and he does that every night.

So no, Brock Lesnar has never faced anyone quite like Daniel Bryan before. Yes, most fans likely believe Daniel doesn’t stand a chance against The Beast Incarnate. That opinion does pose a very interesting question however and one that many fans are currently debating online. Who goes over in this match?

Assuming Brock continues on his seek and destroy mission, then fans can expect to see Daniel flat on his back at the end of their match at Survivor Series. Lesnar just doesn’t lose all that often. He wins so much in fact that he’s usually the favorite going into every match he works. Why would that change because he’s facing Daniel Bryan?

But the fact is Daniel just turned heel, which means he has a sudden burst of momentum. The new WWE Championship around his waist is an extra boost as well of course, which means he has a chance against Lesnar. This cannot be and shouldn’t be, a squash match. This is a tale of WWE’s two top champions going to war in the middle of the ring. If it ends in five minutes or less due to “Brock smash,” then what was the point?

However it’s actually Bryan’s heel turn that is part of the issue here. If Daniel had won the title cleanly from AJ and headed into November 18 as a babyface, then there would be no problem. Brock could win or even lose and the outcome would likely not affect Bryan either way. He would go back to the blue brand with bragging rights because he either outlasted Brock to get the win, or he went the distance and was still on his feet.

But now that Bryan is a heel, everything is different. What good comes from Brock Lesnar, who is also a heel, destroying the new heel champion that is now directly in the spotlight? Daniel does indeed have momentum and he can become the most hated Superstar on SmackDown Live. But if he takes a beating from the beginning, then how could anyone take him seriously?

By the same token, if Daniel were to defeat Lesnar, then WWE’s primary main event draw goes down to a man much smaller than him. Is it possible that Vince McMahon, or anyone around him, would actually consider allowing that to happen? It’s not a question of whether or not Daniel should go over. It’s a matter of WWE’s past history of booking Brock Lesnar as the most unstoppable force on the roster. 

No matter what happens, the truth is that Daniel Bryan is back on top and so is Brock Lesnar. Perhaps this is just a throwaway match, with no lasting implications for either man. Or maybe there’s more going on than fans know about. WWE seems intent on keeping the audience guessing. For the majority of pro wrestling fans, that is definitely a good thing.

Will Sunday’s champion vs champion clash mean anything? Let us know on social media @theCHAIRSHOTcom and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!