Former WWE World Heavyweight champion and retired Daniel Bryan was backstage at the WWE NXT TV last night, PWInsider is reporting. Bryan was visiting with the roster and watched most of the show from the gorilla position backstage.
Bryan had been advertised for appearances at several live events that would have featured a “Daniel Bryan Appreciation Night” theme as well as a signing at Wrestlemania AXXESS, but was pulled from those dates at his request just as they were about to begin. At the time, WWE’s comment was that Bryan had been given “requested time off.”
Bryan’s visit backstage also allowed him a chance to reunite with EVOLVE’s Gabe Sapolsky, who was also at the taping. The two worked very closely together during their time in Ring of Honor and the original incarnation of EVOLVE was the brain-child of the pair.
Bryan’s social media shows that while in Florida, he took part in a workout at the WWE Performance Center:
