Had a chilling thought.
What if WWE ends up being right in the way they booked Daniel Bryan this past summer?
Well, maybe it's more of a wrong that has turned into a right.
I can't help but reflect on the overtly positive reaction Bryan has been getting from recent crowds. From the hijacking of the Ascension Ceremony to the fever pitch during last night's main event. The fans are just ravenous for Bryan to win that title.
Yes, I know it's more in spite of the booking than anything else, but I remember reading a report that creative was satisfied with Bryan's title chase with Orton. That he's a main eventer now and he could go on and build up the Wyatts while Big Show feuded with Orton/HHH. Seemed like a demotion, a rug pulled out but that was the report as it read. But here we are an the fans are the thousands of elephants in the room, chanting for the guy they want to see win.
Do I think they expected this much outpouring of Bryan support two PPVs later? Maybe not but they've created a MONSTER face whether they knew it or not, by keeping Bryan from holding that title all this time.
If the pops last they just have to let him finally get that belt at Mania, right? Pretty please?
Yeah, you just keep believing that. Punk might get it, at least.
I think it's despite the booking, rather than because.
ReplyDeleteAs i said previously, he is the new Bret Hart. He'll be slotted back in the title picture when someone they push flops or gets injured. He won't get horrendously jobbed out like Ziggler, and will still get good matches/segments on tv. that;s good enough for me!
Yes, because we all know how much Vince loves being proven wrong.
ReplyDeleteHowever the Bryan story ends, it will end his Vince wants it to end not the fans
"Yeah, you just keep believing that." Lol
ReplyDeleteIt's weird how WWE seems to have this monopoly thing backwards, really. With no competition and the age of territories long since dead, they can basically just cycle through all of the classic story lines to keep them fresh, keep fans interested in the product, and make lots of money. Instead they use the position to tell the audience to piss off while they trot out tired stuff no one is interested in anymore for...some reason.
ReplyDeleteHes the new Foley. Hell be a main event placeholder when they need him or when they can use him to build someone else up for a bigger money feud, kinda like how foley was the guy to get rock extra heat for his eventual Austin feud, or as a third wheel in the Austin/Vince stuff. Eventually theyll throw him a bone and give him a few week run with the title. Hell never be Cena or the tippy top guy but thats still a really good roster spot
ReplyDeleteFans never chanted for Foley when they were promoting Rock-Austin.
ReplyDeleteSadly It doesn't really matter what the fans want at this point. Wwe clearly sees bryan as that utility type of main event player, thats how theyll use him.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I knew what ya meant. Just felt like pointing out that it didn't apply to how over each guy is.
ReplyDeleteRock and Austin being MORE OVER than Cena (not by a lot, but more than enough) and Orton (by a LOT) apparently has nothing to do with this, does it? Because that's another factor...
ReplyDeleteIf he's the new Mick Foley, I hate to see what would happen to him if he gets thrown off the roof of a cell.
ReplyDeleteVince is getting old, likes to watch Borat, and likes poop jokes.
ReplyDeleteNo, I just meant in relative terms. If you just take Rock's first title run, when Foley was the #2 face in the company and they were using him as a placeholder to Austin-Rock at Wrestlemania...once Rock went over Foley and moved on to Austin, the fans never turned on the top face and started yelling for Foley to take his place. They clearly prefer to see Bryan over Cena today.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else either dies or is permanently injured and out of wrestling.
ReplyDeleteI still say it's too soon to tell. Look at his career arc.
ReplyDeleteIndie guy.
NXT.
Fired.
Brought back.
WHC.
Job at WM in 18 seconds.
He and get somehow make silly anger management program work.
Title shot vs CM Punk at OTL. No rematch, but they fucking rocked.
Wins WWE belt. Has really badly booked program with Orton.
Still has LOTS of fans chanting for him; may be the most over.
I love Foley; he's my 2nd fave all time. But he never got pops bigger than Austin or Rock. Bryan is consistently bigger reactions than anyone else on the roster. Considering how far he's come, the fact that he just seems to be getting better, and that he clearly has plenty of years left barring injury, I'd say he may still wind up being at the top of the roster.
In a vacuum, is he more over then Foley? I have no idea. Foley was working behind Rock and Austin, both of who cast a huge shadow. My point was it doesn't really matter what the fans want, or how much they cheer for him. WWE sees him exactly like they see Foley. He's been booked pretty much the same way Foley was at times. I think it's his destiny to end up as the main event utility guy, like Foley, Jerich, Kane at pts, etc. I'd eat my phone if they ever proactively decide he's the next "heir apparent" and push him as such.
ReplyDeleteHe's the new Jake Roberts - immensely popular, doesn't need the belt. I'd rather have had Jake's career than Hogan's - screw the belt and all those goddamned kiddie shows. Just pay me.
ReplyDeleteThats tough to reconcile because it was Austin and Rock. 2 of the most popular ever. Cenas been on top for 10 years and fans would take just about anyone as the new top guy
ReplyDeleteWould you have rather had Jake's life than Hogan's?
ReplyDeleteMy point was not that he is or is not more over that Foley was in his prime. My point is that Bryan still has plenty of years left, and while you see him as a utility guy now, and would "eat your phone" if he ever becomes "heir apparent", he has clearly already overachieved.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why he can't keep going.
Just to be clear he had 2 rematches against Punk, just one of them had Kane in it.
ReplyDeleteBecause its a simulated sport. Overachieving in wrestling is different then overachieving in real sports. Vince and HHH clearly sees limitations in him, rightfully or not, so will only book him to fit their views as what he should be.
ReplyDeleteLook at Punk, is Bryan better then Punk? As awesome as Punk has been the past 2-3 years the only time he's been booked as the center of Raw is when he's worked with Cena, HHH, or Rock. He was never gonna be the heir apparent either. He was having title matches 2nd from the top to a Johnny Ace/Cena match. Whether people want to believe it there clearly is a line of demarcation or "glass ceiling" between how they view guys like Cena and guys like Punk and Bryan. Why Reigns is probably the next heir apparent and Bryan isnt
I stand...er...sit?..corrected. Said rematches on PPV or TV? The ending cried out for an ongoing program, but I'm left feeling like it never happened.
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to agree to disagree. You think Bryan won't get there; I think he might.
ReplyDeleteOr takes 10 unprotected chair shots to the head while handcuffed.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sad when Jakes life isn't even the worst wrestling life I can think of. I'd mark the fuck out if he got a rumble spot
ReplyDeleteWho, that is still alive, has had a worse life than Jake? Maybe Dynamite?
ReplyDeleteDynamite, Hall and Jake all depress me equally. By far the worst I can think of is any surviving member of the Von Erichs, there's what 1 left?
ReplyDeleteI don't want either of their awful lives. I'm shooting for DDP's life.
ReplyDeleteKevin Von Erich is still alive and doing pretty well by all accounts.
ReplyDeleteI'll take Punk's. Sure, I might be a total dick, but I'd get a hell of a lot more tail than I do now and I wouldn't be hung over all the time.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't happen to a nicer guy...
ReplyDeleteShame that when he dies the company is just going to be taken over by his idiot daughter and his doofus son-in-law...
ReplyDeleteDid I just quote CM Punk? Christ...
He chants 'Ouch!Ouch!Ouch!'
ReplyDeleteI think all of you guys are fucked in the head for worrying over DB or Punk.
ReplyDeleteI'm from a generation back, like WM 3-20, and I dont even see those guys even NEAR and top level star from that stretch. They would be job boys in 1989. HBK can come back tomorrow and be 20x better than both of them.
But most importantly wrestling today doesn't even come close to resembling what it was 10 years ago. So what if DB or Punk is main event level, does it matter if the programs they run are 1 month long and the bitter enemy they have in December will be their tag team partner with no hard feelings in January? I wouldn't spend 10 seconds worrying about either of them.
That fine, we all need to quote CM Punk once and a while.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, while I respect him as a worker and a performer I'm definitely not a fan of him.
ReplyDeleteJeez, I am off my game today. First I accidentally address you as Curry, and then I am completely unaware you are not a CM Punk fan. My mistakes.
ReplyDeleteEh, you're new here. I'm impressed though, you're shooting right up the card.
ReplyDeleteI already got my main event blessing from Jobber, but sadly my hartfelt speech won't air on TV though.
ReplyDeleteJobber's rub ain't worth much these days, it's like Jericho putting you over. The 50/50 booking on this blog is bullshit...
ReplyDeleteGraham, mybe? Just one crippling, potentially fatal health problem after another.
ReplyDeleteIs Jericho the new Foley?
ReplyDeleteNot quite. At least when Foley puts you over you can say you beat crazy-assed Mick Foley. Jericho doesn't have that kind of credibility. though to be fair he doesn't have that credibility because he has the brains to not do stupid shit like compete in IWA:Japan KOTDM tourneys.
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree Daniel Bryan has bigger pops than Cena or even Punk. I also agree that Foley never got bigger pops than Austin or The Rock however their Austin and the fucking ROCK. Bryan isn't getting bigger pops than Austin and Rock.
ReplyDeletePunk seems like a guy who no matter how good things get, he's still whining and upset about something. DDP at least appears genuinely happy
ReplyDelete"I don't even see those guys even NEAR and top level star from that stretch"
ReplyDeleteThat's what we in the business call, "nostalgia goggles"
Very dangerous condition, it leads to asinine statements
Kamala has had it rough
ReplyDeleteThere were 2 more PPV matches
ReplyDeleteHuh. Well, fuck me.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that's a term that people in the business use.
ReplyDelete