It's time to pull the trigger on a Daniel Bryan heel turn

[Jack-Hammer]

I didn't really know much about Bryan before he was in WWE. I know what I'd heard people say about him on the internet. You know, the whole greatest wrestler in the world stuff. You kinda have to take that stuff with a grain of salt but I've been a fan of Bryan since he came to WWE. During the first season of NXT, Bryan cut a couple of really great, passionate promos that just clicked and got a helluva response from the crowd so he's definitely got it in him to be more charismatic than he looks. One of the things I've heard most about Bryan was that he was especially good while working as a heel.

During the match last night with Sin Cara, Bryan was more aggressive than I've usually seen in him. Generally speaking, at least to some degree, Bryan did play the heel role in his match last night. He was usually the aggressor, the one who just kept coming after the other guy, just little things like that. He didn't cheat or anything, it's mostly just a feeling that I had more than anything else.

 

[GameOver]

I could see him as a heel more then a face. As a face he's a goof and it's not working.
He would be far better as a Chris Benoit/Kurt Angle style heel.

I duno it must be just me however but he still seems clumsy in the ring, overall he's good but he's seems a little clumsy like Sin Cara (sorry not that bad but the general idea)

 

[OHHuDIDNTno]

I agree I actually thought about this earlier tonight while at the Smackdown live event, he got a very small reaction from a lively crowd tonight and the way he wrestles I think his Heel push should come in time!!

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

I didn't really know much about Bryan before he was in WWE. I know what I'd heard people say about him on the internet. You know, the whole greatest wrestler in the world stuff. You kinda have to take that stuff with a grain of salt but I've been a fan of Bryan since he came to WWE. During the first season of NXT, Bryan cut a couple of really great, passionate promos that just clicked and got a helluva response from the crowd so he's definitely got it in him to be more charismatic than he looks. One of the things I've heard most about Bryan was that he was especially good while working as a heel.

During the match last night with Sin Cara, Bryan was more aggressive than I've usually seen in him. Generally speaking, at least to some degree, Bryan did play the heel role in his match last night. He was usually the aggressor, the one who just kept coming after the other guy, just little things like that. He didn't cheat or anything, it's mostly just a feeling that I had more than anything else.

I noticed that as well.If Sin Cara and Chavo have a match next week DB could intervene and make Chavo lose and have signs of a heel turn by locking in the LeBell Lock on Cara after the match.They could even have a triple threat which DB could win by using a Low Blow and then putting someone in the LeBell Lock.Afterwards the person taps he could keep it on as well to complete his heel turn.

Only problem I see is if his heel turn becomes to much like Chris Benoit's Rabid Wolverine gimmick.

 

[Via Armbar]

If it is indeed the time to pull the turn, and personally I don't think it is but I'll play along, then they are going to need the absolute right feud for him to go into. He's likeable enough as a face and has an in ring style that is entertaining regardless of being a face or heel to where he's going to need something big to make the fans dislike him. Going over a guy like Mysterio or Christian clean, and not just once, will do great things for him. The bully character I don't think it work really well with him especially since the top couple of faces are significantly bigger and it would be odd for them to be pushed around. I like the Benoit route that has been mentioned. Have him go over damn near the entire mid card clean but still do it in an aggressive way as to maintain that heel mentality. Have him play himself: a technically sound dynamo. The only thing worse than a cocky douche is a cocky douche who can back himself up.

Keeping that spirit-of-competition type deal with Bryan will ultimately work out better than going for a bully type heel role or a cheap heat type character. He won't be watered down and will still have people aware of how much of a threat he is without hating him because he's annoying. I'm not against the idea completely, I just don't know if it's the right time. I would be a little more convinced if Mysterio was still on Smackdown as I feel he would be the ideal opponent for Bryan.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Vanilla midgets cant be bullies. Sorry.

Give his metal music and his intensity back, and he is back being as over as he ever could be. His heel work wouldnt be successfull in WWE, not with the style they work. Having him running around trying to bully people and act all crazy is fucking stupid, im sorry. Benoit got away with it becuase his fucking neck was bigger than his head....Bryan looks like a bus boy working through community college. Not entirely menacing or threatening.


Arrogant heel out to prove he is the true best in the world? Sure, could work. But if they wouldnt let him get over that way as a face, why why they do it with him as a heel?

 

[ringjobber1]

I think daniel bryan can pull off being a heel really good he's decent on the mic. Did you see his promos on NXT even going as far as saying bryan danielson his real name so yes they should turn him heel

 

[mikeyado]

I have been thinking for weeks that a heel turn would revitalise him, get him out of the malaise he has been in, but I'm finding myself agreeing with most of the posters here who are saying that there are more than enough upper mid-card heels on smackdown, so a heel turn isn't likely any time soon.

That being said, I'd still love to see him as a heel and I think his mic work coupled with a return to his ROH style and aggression could see him blow most current SD! heels out of the water. I was initially thinking that you could set him on a loosing streak, have him continually get screwed over and get a few role up losses and then have him go sick on somebody, maybe Baretta or someone and refuse to release a hold. Then have him cut a promo on how he's sick of being Mr Nice Guy and not getting anywhere, change his entrance music etc. The problem is.....R-Truth is doing exactly that right now.

So here's how I'd do it.... during certain matches where faces are involved (some heels also, but maybe faces) have him come down to sit at ringside and 'judge' the match. After the match he gets on the mic and slates the face, even if he's won, criticising him for sloppy moves, botches and a lack of technical moves. He comes over as smug and then gets aggressive, locking people in submission holds every week to show up their inability to reverse and escape etc and preaches that nobody on the roster can live with him when it comes to pure wrestling. He couples that with vicious attacks with chairs etc on wrestlers he considers to be inferior. Then feuds with some major faces and gets a shot at Orton's title after going over a few. Orton beats him, cementing his premier face status and Bryan's heeldom in the process.

Thats how I'd do it, but it won't happen. No way would Vince want the lack of actual wrestling being highlighted or his top stars being slated by somebody he doesn't seem to care for much. Shame.

 

[Notorious718]

I do think that a heel turn could do wonders for Daniel Bryan's character development as he is quite bland as a face, at the same time I'm a little hesitant to have him turn now. At the moment, Smackdown is a little heavy on heels and turning Bryan heel would futher disrupt the balance between face and heels on the brand. I do like the Benoit comparison made on the first page and that's really what I would like to see. But I dunno about a heel turn. It most definitely is something to consider though. When the Nexus made its RAW debut by attacking Cena and destroying the ring, I saw something in Bryan when he spit on Cena and kicked him hard that I feel he lacked during his NXT run and while he was US champion. So my thoughts are, I'm all for a Daniel Bryan heel turn but not yet especially with Smackdown as stacked with heels as it already is. Give it some more time.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

He's a fantastic "annoying prick" heel. I'd like for him to do a lot of his ROH antics like during intros tell the announcer to add things like "and certainly too good to perform in front of anyone from New Jersey". He's fun that way and a lot more of a character, which is really all he needs at this point. He's good enough in the ring that even though people aren't into his intros or the beginning of the match, they're into the end. Which is also how a lot of Bret Hart's career went.

Arrogant heel out to prove he is the true best in the world? Sure, could work. But if they wouldnt let him get over that way as a face, why why they do it with him as a heel?

lol what? Didn't "let" him get over? They want everyone to get over and make them lots of money. They give him something to do and its his job to get over as that. They didn't want him to be a guy proving he's the best in the world because that's been done millions of times. They give him time to do shit and he does shit. He doesn't have that much character. This is all coming from the biggest Daniel Bryan fan in the world. I just don't let my fandom get in the way of the reality that ROH and WWE are very different and you have to perform accordingly.

 

[RatedRKO2011]

Just pull the trigger on him altogether i don't like him at all, people say he's a gifted wrestler but i dont, gifted wrestlers were Eddie, Benoit, Brett, Angle, Shawn etc... send him to OVW and move on

 

[Xemmy]

Daniel Bryan can stay face for a little bit longer. Barrett needs someone to feud with after Jackson, and who better than his former teammate? DB's got an IC title reign coming before anything needs to be done with his character. I am, however, looking forward to a heel turn. Daniel Bryan was called "The American Dragon" for a reason. When he get's angry, it's really believable. He was a great stand out among the group when the Nexus debuted. The Beniot comparison is spot on, too. There's something about his intensity that reminds me a lot of Beniot and William Regal. I think it's a great idea.