Daniel Bryan – One Step Up
It's impossible to look at Daniel Bryan right now as anything but a rising star (again). He's been on the radar for a while now, but it's been more as a bit player with his and Kanes' comedic work.
WWE now wants us to accept him as a bona fide solo star. And we seem to be adjusting just fine.
Last night on Raw, Daniel Bryan left the lasting impression atop the ladder. But it was his match with Sheamus that stole the show for me. Incredible work by both men — simply incredible.
As the producer of the Wrestle Reaction show each week following Raw, I am gladly forced to hear the opinions of my buddies, Frank Manzo and Joe Omega. If you haven't ever checked them out, I encourage you to do so. They are true wrestling fans with tons of passion, but are also good at what they do. Loads of historical knowledge and a keen ability to predict the future of the scripted sport we love.
Anyway, Frank and Joe were discussing D. Bryan last night and the word "tweener" got mixed into the conversation. Could Bryan's character be headed in that direction?
I won't speculate just yet as to WWE's plans for Bryan's heel/face status, but I think blurring those lines could be the best thing for him. He's a bit too cheesy for my liking as a full-fledged good guy, but he's too entertaining to be a full-fledged heel. Not to mention fans love to yell "Yes!" and "No!" too much.
The gray area between good and bad has found to be a sweet spot for plenty of wrestlers in the past — Austin and Cena are first to come to mind. It could work for Bryan as well, who I think needs to evolve in character if he's to be taken serious as a top player long term.
