When did Daniel Bryan really take off?

[CyberPunk]

There's no doubt that right now Daniel Bryan is the hottest star in the WWE. He is super over and one of the most popular, if not the most popular, superstars on the WWE roster. But like everyone else, Daniel Bryan has had his ups and downs. Before I go to the main question, let's take look at Bryan's career in the WWE.

Daniel Bryan was signed to WWE in 2009 and debuted on NXT. He was fired almost as soon as he debuted on RAW in 2010 after the whole Justin Robert choking incident but made a come back later in the year at Summerslam where he was part of the team WWE. Shortly after, he won the US title and remained the US champion for quite sometime before dropping it to Sheamus. 2011 saw him winning the Money in the bank in the iconic MITB PPV. Later in the year, he cashed in his money in the bank on Big Show to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The reign lasted till WM XIII where he lost it to Sheamus in that infamous 18 seconds match. After that, he entered a program with CM Punk. Once he lost that, he was paired with Kane as Team Hell No and went on to win the WWE World Tag team championship. They lost it to Shield and Bryan become obsessed with showing that he's not the weak link in the team. Afterwards, whatever happened during last year is still fresh on everyone's mind.

My question is, when did Daniel Bryan really take off? Honestly, even though I am a huge Bryan fan, I never really saw him main eventing Wrestlemania. I never knew him from his indy days (I do not really follow indys). I liked the guy almost instantly I saw him. He looked a nerd who was a beast (technically) inside the ring. Even before the Yes Movement started, he had already cemented himself as someone who can have great matches with almost anyone on the roster.

I really believe it happened in two phases. First was when he lost to Sheamus within 18 seconds. The whole Yes thing really started the very next night. Second was his when he teamed with Kane. That pairing was supposed to label Bryan as midcard for life (for anyone else, it might've been end of main event career). Instead, it showed versatility of Daniel Bryan as an entertainer and got even more people behind me. Daniel Bryan had become very hot well before John Cena picked him his opponent.

According to you, when do you think he really started taking off?

No spams please.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I think that it was even earlier than the eighteen seconds match. As soon as he started playing the heel character after the Money In The Bank cash in I think there was a realisation that Daniel Bryan was a far more complete package than a lot of people had thought he was, based on his WWE career up to that point. It was almost as if somebody had flipped a switch which suddenly allowed Bryan's character to start oozing out of him. I think the 'yes' chants at Wrestlemania and, more notably, the night after a Wrestlemania were a product of the heel work that he'd been doing over the period of a few months as opposed to a direct reaction to the match with Sheamus. I think it was that heel run which transformed him from indy darling who was just about doing the best with the time that he was given in the WWE ring, to a guy who had really started doing the business and coming into his own.

I'd agree that the whole thing went up a notch while he was teaming with Kane. People started rallying behind him and he showed that he's as good as anybody when it comes to feeding off of that energy from the crowd. At some point during the Team Hell No run he really hit top form as a performer - the sort of form that a tiny portion of performers will ever find in their careers - and I don't think anybody's looked back since. And then the Summerslam match with John Cena was sort of the point of, 'ok, this guy is here for good'.

 

[kris8524]

The yes Movement started technically the night he won the WHC so i am going to say that night then his 18 second loss cemented him like the bret match did austin. Those 2 need to square off with Bryan winning. i didnt follow indys untill aj styles CM punk and Dbry i started watching the so some will say he took off before WWE. Bryan has become a star two big for TNA or GCW or whatever he calls it i love tna as it is an altetnative but the likes of CENA AUSTIN ROCK HHH BATISTA ORTON DBRY TAKER will never need to go there hogan did flair did foley did. That just shows how much more money stars make now.

 

[Blade]

I think the programme with the Shield helped an enormous amount. Not so much because of the Shield themselves, but because of Bryan's performances during the matches with the Shield. There was a time when Bryan cleared the ring of all three Shield members on his own. He was running around like a lunatic, dropkicking and suicide diving everything that moved. And the crowd went absolutely crazy for it. That was the moment that I realised that Bryan was really, really getting over.

There's also a few other moments. The 18 second loss being one of them. The heel turn when he won the World Title, and began Yessing. Team Hell No got him over a lot, it's when he first showed real personality and a real sense of humour. And some of the stuff he did with Orton (pre-Summerslam) was really great too.

He's slowly been getting more and more over in the last 4 years, but I think the stuff with the Shield propelled him to the next level.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

I didn't read your entire post, because I'm in a hurry, so here is my answer:
Bryan came into NXT back in 2009. Back then, he was only known to the real wrestling fans, those who watched more wrestling than just WWE. To everyone else, he was just some dude. He was as generic as it gets. You couldn't pick him out of a pack, so to speak.

Once he comes as a surprise return at Summerslam, they tried to make him a big deal, same as when he won the WHC. He got some pops here and there, but nothing great. And then comes WM28. He loses in 18 seconds and next night on Raw, the entire arena does the YES thing, and Cena recognized it. That's when it started. But, would it keep going if they guy responsible for that didn't back it up? Of course not.

It seems like the tag team with Kane was the best thing that could happen to him. Kane and Bryan's segments were really funny, and this whole thing slowly started growing to the people, along with the NO chant. People were chanting YES or NO depending on the situation and it slowly grew because people enjoyed Bryan. After WM29, Bryan was hot and fast forward 1 year later, we are here.

Where it took off? It started at the Raw after WM28. It endured and continued with Bryan's excellent performances, either as a promo guy with Kane or as a in-ring performer.

 

[HamSwissman]

I think that it was even earlier than the eighteen seconds match. As soon as he started playing the heel character after the Money In The Bank cash in I think there was a realisation that Daniel Bryan was a far more complete package than a lot of people had thought he was, based on his WWE career up to that point. It was almost as if somebody had flipped a switch which suddenly allowed Bryan's character to start oozing out of him. I think the 'yes' chants at Wrestlemania and, more notably, the night after a Wrestlemania were a product of the heel work that he'd been doing over the period of a few months as opposed to a direct reaction to the match with Sheamus. I think it was that heel run which transformed him from indy darling who was just about doing the best with the time that he was given in the WWE ring, to a guy who had really started doing the business and coming into his own.

I'd agree that the whole thing went up a notch while he was teaming with Kane. People started rallying behind him and he showed that he's as good as anybody when it comes to feeding off of that energy from the crowd. At some point during the Team Hell No run he really hit top form as a performer - the sort of form that a tiny portion of performers will ever find in their careers - and I don't think anybody's looked back since. And then the Summerslam match with John Cena was sort of the point of, 'ok, this guy is here for good'.

I would have to agree with this post. He came into his own in the WWE during his heel run, and the 18 second loss lit a flame that burns to this day. I knew that the ridiculously fast match could be a blessing in disguise upon first watching it live that night, but I certainly didn't foresee how far it would reach.

This is also what confuses me...some people still think that Bryan's popularity is all based on chanting "yes". My guess? When the "yes" thing fades, Daniel Bryan will adapt and remain one of the top names in the company for years to come. He's good, "yes" movement or not.

 

[HBK89Bill]

Winning Money in the Bank is what got Daniel Bryan over because Mark Henry was on a big tear and feuding with Big Show. Henry was the first one to tell Bryan that he was too small and I still remember Bryan walking up the ramp with no fear and screaming the he could beat Henry. Then the Title Win happened, the slow heel turn, and the creation of Yes. THen the AJ relationship, breakup and feud with Punk really got him over before his tag run with Kane, weak link and so on.

That is the story, but to answer the question. Daniel Bryan REALLY got over for good when he was feuding with Mark Henry and he was holding MITB. He had something to prove and it was the first time he started showing huge determination and character.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Second was his when he teamed with Kane.

That's my answer as to when Daniel took off; had he not been paired with Kane for both in-ring and non-wrestling duties, I don't think he ever would have made it to where he is today. As fabulous as some paint Daniel to be, it wasn't always so and he had his jobber phase, too......I remember him playing patsy to Sin Cara when the company was trying to line up wrestlers who could sell Cara's improbable offense and make him look good....Daniel did an admirable job in both areas.

Even Daniel's first title reign didn't establish him as the main event performer he is today; the whole 18-second dismantling of his title reign showed his character to be a nasty little shit who whined incessantly and mistreated his woman......most people weren't loving him at that time.

The continuing program with Kane is what did it for him; the two started out as heels but proved so likeable that the company was almost forced to turn them face: that's when "No! No! No!" became "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and the entire Daniel legend was born.

One note: I imagine Daniel Bryan is enjoying his popularity, yet I sometimes wonder if he misses displaying the technical wrestling excellence we no longer get to see. Most folks know he's capable of some of the most intricate series of moves in existence, yet all we see are the same few tactics in every match; the backward somersault off the top rope, followed by a clothesline.....the dropkick to the upper body of an opponent who's waiting for him in the corner.....etc etc etc.

Personally, I'd love to see more of his arsenal, but my guess is we won't get to because his wild popularity is based on his existence as the ultimate underdog; that's what the fans want......plus they want to do the chant. I believe that most of the people we see in the arena don't give a flying damn about technical wrestling moves.

Well, he's not the underdog anymore, is he?.....and if the folks ever get tired of the chant, we'll see how long Daniel stays on top.

One good thing, though: Even a goat boy has his day in the sun.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

Even Daniel's first title reign didn't establish him as the main event performer he is today; the whole 18-second dismantling of his title reign showed his character to be a nasty little shit who whined incessantly and mistreated his woman......most people weren't loving him at that time.

I'd say a lot if people were.

A heel character doesn't translate seamlessly into a babyface character like Daniel Bryan did unless people were getting at least a bit of a kick out of what he was doing as a heel in the first place. Team Hell No gave fans the chance to get behind him as a babyface for the first time but I don't think his behaviour changed a great deal between losing the title and the pairing with Kane. He was a prick with short man syndrome, which somehow made for some of the best entertainment in the company at the time.

As for your second point... I'd imagine a part of Daniel Bryan does miss putting on technical masterclasses, but any such feeling must disappear when you've got north of 70,000 people on their feet cheering on your 'five moves of doom' at Wrestlemania.

 

[laodaron]

He took off at Summerslam last year. Before that he was nearing comedy jobber territory. He had his thing with Kane, which was a bust, despite how hard the WWE pushed it.

He took off when he got a clean win over Cena and HHH had to screw him out of his title. That's when most casual and mainstream fans saw him as a legitimate main eventer. Cena and HHH and Orton all giving him their attention.

 

[tvcolosi]

looks like I will be in the minority with my answer. For me it was the stretch of 6 mans and regular tag matches he have against the Shield in late 2012- 1st half of 2013. Everyone knew he was good but he was a guy at the bottom of the top guys list. Then seemingly every week they would have these 20+ minute matches on Raw. Bryan would always get that hot tag and just EXPLODE on on everyone. In particular Hell No and Taker vs the Shield and all of the Hello No and Orton vs the Shield matches.

 

[Xfactor055]

Let's face it. After watching his road to mania doc in the network it's clear he's where is is because he is banging a Bella and their marriage is good for total divas ratings. And who happens to be his new brother in law, john cena. Who will push for Bryan and did. So yes while he has talent his circumstances outside of the ring got him the title. If punk was nailing a Bella sister and buds with cena, things might be different.

 

[resignedknight]

Let's face it. After watching his road to mania doc in the network it's clear he's where is is because he is banging a Bella and their marriage is good for total divas ratings. And who happens to be his new brother in law, john cena. Who will push for Bryan and did. So yes while he has talent his circumstances outside of the ring got him the title. If punk was nailing a Bella sister and buds with cena, things might be different.

Lol yea, because a reality show on E with TNA-like ratings is driving the cart here. When I was watching WM I know I was thinking, "Man, this feels forced and underwhelming, and I'm sure they're just trying to jack up views for Total Divas."

It's just a happy coincidence that he's dating a Bella, which gives them an excuse to get him on TV more, but correlation does not prove causation. And by the time Cena put him over they clearly already had the Authority angle primed up for him, so how did he get to that point?

 

[Dagger Dias]

For the majority of fans, it was not immediate. I did not watch Bryan's work before coming to WWE but I had read about it and knew him participating in the first season of NXT's competition was a big deal. He impressed me with his in-ring work although his promos were nothing special at the time. I figured if he's as good as people say, he'll earn his way there. I was a fan of his within a few NXT episodes. Then we had his first big push, when he returned at Summerslam 2010 to help John Cena's team of legends and present stars defeat The Nexus. Bryan got put into a feud with The Miz over the US Championship using their NXT conflict to help fuel the feud. This and the US Championship win that followed helped, but then Bryan didn't do much of anything for a while.

The bogus decision of bumping the potential show stealer between Daniel Bryan and Sheamus for the US Championship at Wrestlemania 27 did nothing good for Bryan. He continued to not really do much of anything up until he won the blue briefcase at Money In the Bank 2011. He cashed in at the end of the year to win the World Heavyweight Championship and started to scream YES YES YES YES to brag about his champion status. This combined with the horrible disrespect shown to him by WWE in booking the 18 second "match" at Wrestlemania 28, helped, but I would argue that is not where he truly "took off". At this time Bryan was moving up the card but he was not in the top tier of the talent just yet. His matches with Punk for the WWE Championship showed he had what it took, but he did not get moved into the top tier after that.

We had Team Hell No afterwards. While I enjoyed this angle, I knew at the time that Bryan was capable of working much further up the card. I would say that it was during his WWE Championship feud with Punk that I noticed he had what it took, but only if WWE gave him a legitimate chance. Team Hell No split up after a lengthy run with the tag team belts. Which brings me to my answer to the thread's question.... Summer 2013. John Cena picked Daniel Bryan to be his Summerslam opponent. This was a BIG deal. When the face of the federation, their top guy, hand picks you to be their opponent at the 2nd biggest show of the year, you're being given the opportunity of a lifetime. Bryan earned his top tier status at Summerslam with the great match he had against Cena, and thus the saga against The Authority played out to its full extent further making Bryan prove himself to get to the big victory at Wrestlemania 30. That brings us up to the present.

Summer 2013. The moment John Cena chose Daniel Bryan to face him at Summerslam 2013 is the answer.