With Daniel Bryan and Bad News Barrett being advertised for WWE's European tour in early November, does that mean they'll both be healthy enough to wrestle by then? Probably not.
On his radio show earlier today, Dave Meltzer pretty much confirmed the gossip in our daily rumor roundup that Bryan was being advertised because WWE felt the need to stack the cards with as much star power as possible to sell tickets for the tour and if he can't wrestle, he'll probably still be appearing at the shows:
As far as Daniel Bryan goes, I have no idea. I asked what this means, is he going to be wrestling and [the answer] was "the advertising is going to change." Then I was told, well the advertising is going to change if it needs to change. So I think that they're going to advertise him until [they know otherwise], because you know they did this before, if you remember when he was hurt the first time he was advertised on shows actually fairly quick to come back and he wasn't at any of those shows. The way the cards are laid out he's not laid out in matches. My gut is that because he's a big star and because they're kind of weak and they've got that big European tour, I think maybe the feeling is that he'll go and if nothing else he'll just go on the tour and make appearances, which he probably should be able to do, although it takes him away from all that physical therapy that he's doing. And he's doing physical therapy like crazy, like three times, four times a day. I wouldn't read anything into it at all other than he is advertised for those shows, but if he's not ready, they can change it, and if he's not ready, they can have him appear but not wrestle.
As far as whether or not Bryan will need surgery for the nerve problems in his elbow, that's still up in the air. When we know more, we'll let you know, Cagesiders.
Dave Meltzer was equally as dismissive of Bad News Barrett's chances of wrestling on the European tour, given that he had interviewed Wade over SummerSlam weekend, where he had confirmed that his doctors had estimated he'd be ready to return from rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder in December, not by November:
I talked to Wade Barrett last week and he said that he would be cleared in December, but he was hoping for November, so I guess they're advertising him for November figuring that these days hope is now a medical diagnosis or something, maybe, I don't know.
The lesson here Cagesiders is that WWE cards are always subject to change. Always remember that golden rule before you rush out to buy tickets.