**Merged** Daniel Bryan Discussion

[wushady]

It's a matter of opinion if you like him or not some don't, but I think more people like him than don't. He gets huge pops fro the crowd. His in ring ability is far better than most other wrestlers. His mic skills aren't horrible, but I'm sure after some more experience he'll improve.

I'm personally a fan of his I never heard of him until he signed with him. I've gone to youtube and seen some of his indy matches and they were phenomenal. I don't feel that he's overrated He's lived up to the hype in my opinion.

 

[LigerBomb]

So...is it me? Is it WWE? Is it Bryan?

PS. If he had any say in his theme music (that debuted on RAW tonight) then add that to my list.

Yea, It's most definitely you. And you're entitled to your opinion.

As far as the smiling, I'm not bothered by it, nor do I think he does it in excess. In fact I like that he's not intimidated and practically brushes off the idle threats of his opponents.

Regarding the impactfulness of his moves, I fail to see what it is you claim to see. He literally throws his whole body into his strikes and top rope maneuvers. He gives his 100%. You yourself ackowledge his size. So actually it's your issue for wanting to see something akin to Cena/Batista-esque power from someone who isn't that heavy. You certainly can't blame him.

His promos are well above average. I think they're well executed and entertaining. He gets his point across w/o being perfunctory, speaks clearly and usually throws in some humor to boot. Now why is he an underdog exactly? Because he's shorter than most? Largely irrelevant when you have his skill and ability. Therefore there's no need to play the meek mild sympathy-seeking underdog baby-face you seem to want.

And by the by his new theme is spectacular. Ride of the Valkyries really is a great alternative to The Final Countdown. Second only to Flair's theme in terms of spectacle and grandeur. I'd say he's got the time to grow into his (future) legendary theme.

 

[sTyLnK]

He's not very good on the mic, but his in ring skills are some of the best in the world. I hope you're not taking to heart what was said about him tonight as far as him not owning a tv set or being a vegan. If you're then that means you're judging someone based of a few things and not him as a person. Do you know what we call people like that? Hmmm?

 

[JJYanks121]

If by overrated you mean that he is getting a bigger reaction than most babyfaces in the world, then no. However, and I may catch heat for this, I do believe that he is getting the support he's getting BECAUSE OF the treatment he's gotten from Miz and Cole. Remember the old addage: wrestling is about the bad guy being so bad that you want ANYONE to beat him, and if he is bad to someone, you want that guy to beat him that much more, despite how you felt about that guy previously. That is exactly what has happened in Daniel Bryan's career.

Go back and watch NXT season 1. Bryan got a decent reaction, but nothing spectacular (trust me, no one got huge reactions on that show). However, as the show went on, it was clear that WWE was investing time into the story that Bryan might not look great, but is. They milked the story with the perfect foil, The Miz. No one in WWE gets more heat than Miz, and to pair him with Bryan and have him belittle him on a weekly basis gave Bryan a basis for sympathetic cause. You must remember that 90 percent of the WWE audience has never seen a Ring of Honor show and don't care to. Thus, they don't care that Bryan "has til 5" and they wouldn't think it was cool if Bryan came out to "Final Countdown". They see this guy as truly starting his career now that he is in the WWE, and in some ways, he is. Certainly the financial aspect is a step up from Ring of Honor.

Keep this in mind though. While crowds in Japan might be large, performing on the Indys in America will never provide you with crowds more than a couple of thousand. He may have been over with those crowds, but they are regional and small. Bryan is now over with millions of WWE fans and that doesn't happen just because the smarky audience wants it to. It happened because Bryan's booking has been absolutely perfect, he had the perfect heel to work with, the berating by the announcer helped, and even getting fired made him a bigger star. All of it created this sympathetic figure that people want to see overcome the odds. When Miz says that he's "like you guys" to the audience, perhaps that actually helps him. Bryan is small and goofy looking, not a pretty face like Miz. Thus, people relate to a "real" guy. A real guy who trained under HBK, but a real guy.

I will say this. Coming into NXT, Bryan was overrated by the IWC. They touted him as a star before he started to become one. However, proper booking has gotten him to a good place. I don't know if he'll ever be a top champ so this might be the pinnacle (which might be depressing but it may be true), but he got there because of great booking by WWE and a great job by Miz and Cole of playing their roles to make Bryan what he is. Bryan did his part and wrestled well when called upon, cut a few decent promos, and got fired at just the right time, but he was given every opportunity to succeed and did. If he didn't, then he'd be a total failure.

With all that said, he still annoys me because of his smile and stupid faces he makes. He really needs acting lessons because it's quite annoying and I want to smack him. His smirk is heelish and dumb looking. Fix that minor problem and shave the beard so it's just a 5 oclock shadow and not out of control and you really have something.

 

[MWRedskins]

He's not very good on the mic, but his in ring skills are some of the best in the world. I hope you're not taking to heart what was said about him tonight as far as him not owning a tv set or being a vegan. If you're then that means you're judging someone based of a few things and not him as a person. Do you know what we call people like that? Hmmm?

I also think people under-rate him on his mic work. Bryan's mic work isnt CM Punk like, BUT he can hold a stick. Example, his promo with Miz and with Cole.

 

[The Doctor]

As a massive Bryan mark, so much so that our esteemed admin KB cracks jokes about it in his reviews, I have to say that...Yes, Bryan is overrated. Of course he is. Every single wrestler on the roster is overrated by someone. There are people out there that actually think Morrison is good on the mic! Imagine!

However, your opinion of him is just that: Your opinion. You believe that Bryan can't sell, has silly entrance music, and that his smiling all the time is a bad thing. I must respectively disagree. I think that Bryan is excellent. His smiling is just like is music, is just like his offense, is just like his personality - it's different. It's unique. It's him. And I wouldn't have him any other way.

 

[sTyLnK]

I also think people under-rate him on his mic work. Bryan's mic work isnt CM Punk like, BUT he can hold a stick. Example, his promo with Miz and with Cole.

Ok well I was wrong in that regard. He's good on the mic when he wants to be. The problem is that we never get to see it. For the most part he's always so bland when he speaks. Why is that?

 

[hunterXhunter21]

I would say it may just be the WWE style. Before he showed up on NXT I had heard of him and seen a few of his matches but I didn't really follow him. Then after he was "fired" I went to see him at a local fed. He wrestled a match with Drake Younger. They stated off chain wrestling. Then Bryan started wrestling a real aggressive heelish style. Including his I have till 5 thing and using a tie someone threw in the ring to choke Younger. So I would hunt down some of his older non WWE matches if you really want to see what he is like. I am hoping he turns heel at some point and brings back that real aggressive I saw that night.

 

[LigerBomb]

As a massive Bryan mark, so much so that our estemmed admin KB cracks jokes about it in his reviews, I have to say that...Yes, Bryan is overrated. Of course he is. Every single wrestler on the roster is overrated by someone. There are people out there that actually think Morrison is good on the mic! Imagine!

When you really think about it, there is really no such thing as "overrated"—especially in something like pro-wrestling where there is no legitimate competition and hence no real objective way to measure or rate talent. If the majority feel something is good then their majority stake makes it such as it's what they actively choose to spend their time and money on. If the minority feels something is overrated it can't be, because again the majority actively makes the rating anything but overrated and instead accurately-rated. Everything else? It's just personal (i.e. SUBJECTIVE) opinion.

 

[blackmetalbuick]

I never followed him in the indy's but I knew how popular he was and how much praise he got. I haven't seen a single thing from him that interests me so far. Maybe it's from watching WWE for so long but yes someone's look does matter to me, and he just isn't impressive. At his size, he should be flying around like Bourne or young Mysterio, but he doesn't do that either. So he's not powerful, he's not that quick, and he doesn't have a good look. He's an under-200lb guy who I'm supposed to believe can slap on a punishing submission. Compare him to Benoit all you want but Benoit actually looked like he could rip your head off.

I agree with what someone said above, the only reason he even has a following is simply because of his pairing with Miz. Miz is such a good heel that anyone across the ring from him becomes a fan favorite. Being a rebellious rookie with Miz in the first NXT was a very smart way to get fans behind him and the feud since then has been his life preserver. I can't even imagine what they would be doing with "Bryan" if this program with Miz wasn't going on. Probably wishing him good luck in his endeavours.

He's boring. No charisma. No look. I hope he goes back to the indys sooner or later and he can bask in his godlike status there, just stay out of the WWE.

 

[Kayoh]

Why do people make threads like these? Is the OP a troll? I know this "wrestling_is_real" user is. He has to be. But seriously, I absolutely love what the WWE is doing with Bryan Danielson. They build him up to be this super nerd who comes out to goofy ass star wars music, doesn't own a TV despite being on TVs across the world, likes to read books in his spare time, is a quiet, somber vegan, and then he gets in the ring and kicks your head clean off. It's almost like the WWE is trying as hard as they possibly can to embarrass the Miz's character by having him lose to this guy that they're building up as such a super geek. Simply put, Daniel Bryan Danielson is a wrestling GOD and I will not be told differently. The WWE had better keep his ass happy because the best thing that could ever happen to the company would be Danielson deciding to stick around as a trainer after he retires, ideally after multiple WHC reigns.

 

[LigerBomb]

At his size, he should be flying around like Bourne or young Mysterio, but he doesn't do that either. So he's not powerful, he's not that quick, and he doesn't have a good look. He's an under-200lb guy who I'm supposed to believe can slap on a punishing submission.

Joint manipulation is not about size that's why it works so well and is taught to people who are "smaller". If anything it makes sense for him to be adept at submissions. Also, go have a "smaller" guy tie you in a joint lock. I'm slightly under 200 lbs and I'm sure I could wretch on someone's neck and make it hurt quite a bit.

I can't even imagine what they would be doing with "Bryan" if this program with Miz wasn't going on.

You do realize that he would have been the bulldog (and possible 1st–2nd in command) of the entire Nexus faction right? Remember what he was doing prior to getting released? He was verbally berating, pimp slapping, and spitting on WWE's very own golden boy John Cena. Bryan's role was going to be "the one who can actually wrestle" of the group so that anyone could talk a good game and then have Danielson back it up in the ring. Point is… he'd've been more than fine w/o The Miz.

 

[Bryantapoutzone]

Are you kidding me? Daniel Bryan rivals Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle in technical wrestling skill and you are saying he is overrated? Give me a break. Name one current WWE superstar that is a better technical wrestler than Daniel Bryan. There is not one in my opinion he is the best wrestler they have right now. I would much rather see a match between Bryan and the Miz than Matches like Cena vs. Edge or Sheamus vs. Triple H any day. His match at Night of Champions with the Miz was the match of the night period. His promo skills are average. He has cut some good promos like the one with Michael Cole. This guy is a future would heavyweight champion. I would love to see a match between him and Alberto Del Rio that would be sick.

 

[pessimism101]

Stop calling ROH the minor leagues, honestly.

If you look up the definition of "minor league", you will see that it means a league that is not regarded as the premier league in the sport. They also generally take place in smaller venues, have lesser fan bases and smaller budgets than the "major leagues" (IE: WWE). Therefore, my designation of ROH as a minor league is, indeed, accurate. Besides, my intent was not to put down ROH.

 

[I_got_bant_for_idiocy]

Until you pointed it out...

I didn't even know that was possible..

Does this guy even realize that Michael Cole is probably a huge Bryan fan? It's his job to make Dani look less than what he really is, to basically make a joke out of him because he was an independent "scrub". Some people take what they hear on TV way too seriously.

Maybe that's why Danielson doesn't own a TV.

i was quoting michael cole duuuhhhhhh...do i give a fuck if michael cole likes him or not NOPE..Do i like BD no he SUCKS.. i bet u BD is working for free hes bin in the indy for 10 years, u think vince is paying him??? vince just needs to find more morons like BD give em a belt let em wrestler for free

 

[Branden]

I sort of see where people who have never follwed his indy work can think that he looks weak. I think his best match in WWE was his very first against Jericho on NXT, but other than that he hasn't looked all too impressive.

Up until Night of Champions, he was just another rookie/NXT guy. Or thats at least what WWE put him over as. He's been talking about being a Submission Specialist, but he only does one submission move on TV. The segments they give him are boring and stupid, total filler. And he hasn't really had any opportunity so far.

WWE isn't off to a good start with the "Daniel Bryan" character, but Brian Danielson is a damn good wrestler.

 

[Prestige]

i was quoting michael cole duuuhhhhhh...do i give a fuck if michael cole likes him or not NOPE..Do i like BD no he SUCKS.. i bet u BD is working for free hes bin in the indy for 10 years, u think vince is paying him??? vince just needs to find more morons like BD give em a belt let em wrestler for free

You're kidding right? Thats not really your opinion is it? The man probably has a 7 figure contract, high 6 figures. Explain to me why you think Vince would give a high profile role, and more so a high profile championship, to someone not under a contract? He would have to be sans contract with your theory, Vince would be in alot of trouble contracting people for no pay. Moving on from that now, wow..you do realize spending a decade in the indies is how most wrestlers throughout history have made it to the 'big leagues'. Anyone ever watched a Chris Jericho match? Anyone have a guess where he learned a his different styles and holds? The same way Danielson did, maturing overseas and across country, paying his dues, doing things the respectable way. Its crazy that you werent the only person in this thread to claim he obviously isnt good enough for the E because of his indy tenure. Right..because at any given time, the minor leagues has 90% of the best pure wrestlers in the country. As far as AmDrag being overrated, its a big hint that everyone who was familiar with his talents before NXT says he is a wrestling god, and everyone saying they arent impressed and think hes overrated admittably have never seen him perform outside WWE. Pity are these days, where a mans charisma and speaking ability is judged by how loud he yells, how many catchphrases he has, and how often he begs for cheap pops. Bryan Danielson has had better promos than most of the company since he was signed, sorry it hasnt been cheap 'wrestler' promos, but you'll find those are what makes most people hate pro wrestling to begin with. But lets roll our eyes at a guy who is doing things a lot more different and dare I say fresh than most of the roster. That loser has spent the last decade wrestling minor leaguers(best in the world), cause he cant hang with the real pros.

 

[D-Man]

So after last night's Raw broadcast and Daniel Bryan's new theme music, I put two and two together and came up with my hypothesis on the gimmick they are giving him...

I believe Daniel Bryan is going to become a hero to your average uber-nerd, and here is why...

- His new theme music is so goofy... but I think this is purposely done. We need to laugh at him a little bit.
- He was shown in a backstage vignette with Edge and Zack Ryder being interrupted while reading his book.
- He is being involved in a feud with the Miz and Alex Riley (an obvious bully)
- He is constantly ridiculed by Michael Cole for his internet prowess and being a vegan

To an average person (and not to offend anyone), this screams uber-nerd / bookworm to me.

In a way, I think this is kind of smart. Let's face it... a good portion of the pro-wrestling audience doesn't get picked first for dodgeball in gym class. So the WWE is trying to create a character that can relate to this type of audience and it really isn't that far off the mark from what Bryan Danielson actually is. He's a very technical wrestler so this just seems to be a good fit for him.

What is everyone else's thoughts? Do you agree/disagree?

 

[The Doctor]

Oh you're definitely right. I mean, half the reason I love him so much is because I can relate to him so well. He's really what the normal nerd aspires to be. He's smaller than the rest, he's skinnier than other WWE superstars - but if you make fun of him he can tie you up in knots and make you beg for mercy. What nerd wouldn't want to do that to the bullies that torment them daily? And the most beautiful part is - it's working. The crowd is connecting with him and eating it up, and so am I.

The theme music part especially really makes sense. After all, "nerds" are supposed to like classical music, and I know I've had more than one fantasy about things I do being punctuated with dramatic music. This gimmick for Bryan is great because it fulfills the two best things a wrestler can do to get over.

• Have a gimmick that relates to the audience.
• Have a gimmick that is an extension of the wrestler's own personality.

Great observation, D-Man.

 

[hatehabsforever]

That's absolutely correct, there's no doubt about it. He's deliberately been made "nerdy" to appeal to a specific niche of the WWE Universe/audience. The new theme song is the icing on the cake. Cole's constant beratement of him, calling him a dweeb and other things, all in keeping with this notion. He'll be like the typical nerdy kid who gets bullied, but eventually stands up for himself to exact revenge on his opponents. And this will work too, it already is working.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Sure, it's perfectly obvious that Daniel Bryan is being built up as more of the "average" guy. He's been called the Anti-Superstar and it works very well with his real life persona. In terms of the guy's appearance and his real life personality, he seems to be something more along the lines of a normal guy. So having him billed as this unlikely superstar feels legit and a lot of people can relate to him.

It worked with Dusty Rhodes and it can work with Daniel Bryan. Dusty Rhodes was hardly someone you could call athletic looking. He didn't have a great body nor was he particularly handsome. To some degree, the WWE is playing a similar card with Daniel Bryan. Bryan's in shape, he's athletic but he looks "normal" and comes across that way. It's easier for lots of people to relate to Bryan as he doesn't look like he's carved out of stone like Batista nor does he have the whole Captain America thing John Cena has going. There are more people out there that are like Bryan than there are Batista & Cena and the WWE is using that to successfully get Bryan over. After all, he got himself a pretty damn good pop on Raw last night.

 

[CenaSux4Life78]

This is a joke right? Why in the blue hell would WWE even think of putting the title on Bryan? He doesn't bring anything to the table!!! Now, when he was first announced coming to WWE, I knew nothing about him. I looked him up, figured...okay I am interested. Now that I have seen him a few times.....my god I'd rather watch a 24 hour marathon of Cena matches then see this guy with a title for a second!!!! WWE just made the US title 100 percent worthless.

 

[CenaSux4Life78]

When Danial first came on, I was interested to see what this guy was all about. I mean, all the hype IWC put on him was intense. But I am sorry, but this guy is worse then Cena. In my opinion anyway. I about had an anurism (i know i didnt spell it right) when he beat Miz at NOC. Right now, I just dont see ANY talent in this guy...except maybe being a high profile jobber. I feel that, in order for DB to get over more, send him to Smackdown. He can have a run with a few people there, and see where it goes.

Who knows, maybe in time he will grow on me. It's happened before, maybe it will again. But for now......this guy is not that special. Hell TNA didn't want him. That should say something.

 

[Ultra Awesome]

I disagree with you.

I about had an anurism (i know i didnt spell it right) when he beat Miz at NOC.

Did you even see the match? That match was epic. Hell, I'll even go as far as to say that Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz was the best match in the entire PPV. Hell, even Miz looked like he actually had good in-ring talent. Granted, Miz is awesome, but that's beside the point.

Right now, I just dont see ANY talent in this guy...except maybe being a high profile jobber.

No. Daniel Bryan has to be one of the most talented wrestlers in the world right now (okay maybe an exahjuration but he is damn good). Bryan is very skilled in the ring; He has an enormous amount of talent (especially when it comes to submission maneuvers). His mic skills may need a teensy bit of work, but with time he'll get better.

I feel that, in order for DB to get over more, send him to Smackdown. He can have a run with a few people there, and see where it goes.

So the feud he has going with the Miz means nothing to you? This particular feud has been a long time coming. Ever since the early days of NXT, a rivalry filled with hatred has been established between the two. Week after week, Miz insulted Bryan for having no mic skills. In retaliation, Bryan would disobey the Miz even put the Lariat lock on him. Then, when Bryan returned at Summerslam (one of the most shocking momments in WWE), he took Miz's spot in the 7 on 7 elimination tag match. And now Bryan took Miz's championship.

The point I'm trying to make is that you can't say that he is a high profile jobber because he has already accomplished a lot in the WWE in his short time. One of those being getting over; another being US champion. It goes without saying, Bryan is a talented athlete that has a real future in the business. He is already off to a great start with his feud with the Miz and hopefully we will be able to see him in the main event picture soon.

 

[CenaSux4Life78]

Your right, and not right. IMO. Yes, I was probably a bit harsh with some of what I said. He has accomplised allot in a short time. But you did say that his winning the US title so fast is significant. Well, remember back to when RAW was in Italy, and a "nobody" from the crowd answered an open challenge from Umaga, then beat him? Well that guy is Santino. He won the title on his first night. So just because you win a belt fast, does not mean you are credible. He may have talent, but I feel he isn't that talented.