The following editorial was written by Ivan Barrera and does not reflect the opinions of WrestleZone as a whole. We encourage you all to discuss Ivan’s thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of this post and follow him on Twitter @NIb0124
Daniel Bryan is the ultimate example of getting over organically. He’s the exact opposite of Roman Reigns. Whereas WWE pushed Reigns as their biggest commodity ad nauseam, Daniel Bryan flourished on the mid-card as his popularity slowly but surely surged him into superstardom.
When he retired in 2015, the WWE Universe was heart-broken. All the while, WWE continued to push who they wanted the fans to cheer for, but they continued to make their voices heard by rooting for guys like Lesnar, Cesaro, Ambrose, etc.
Bryan made his in-ring return at WrestleMania 34 in an already packed card, yet somehow in the middle of it all, the crowd was red-hot during his performance. Then two days later on SmackDown Live, he was wrestling in the middle of the card as if he had never been gone, and continues to do so today. I don’t think anyone expected him to be back at all, much less to be performing at a high level every week. Bryan is easily somewhere in the top 5 from an in-ring perspective. And given the plethora of in-ring performers we’ve been spoiled with in recent times, that’s truly saying something for a guy who’s been out of the ring for 3 years.
Bryan made a comment about working his way back to the top of the roster. Assuming he stays on SmackDown Live for the long run, it’s safe to say he will be involved in the WWE title picture at some point this year. He couldn’t have made such a bold statement if it wasn’t going to come to fruition, right? As far as winning the title goes, that’s not such a certainty. Remember, Bryan is one of the most humble performers on the roster. Deep down, he’s happy just being able to wrestle. He strikes me as the kind of guy who wants to put other young prospects before himself. He’s working a program with a less than stellar Big Cass, after all. Sure, he’s been booked to beat Cass clean in quick fashion, but winning isn’t always a sure-fire way to get over. Ask Daniel Bryan.
The question is, WHEN will Bryan be involved in another championship angle? And what will be the story around it? I’m going to get a lot of bells and whistles blown at me over even putting this out there, but Bryan could prove to be an even bigger deal as the narcissistic braggart he was in 2011/2012. In my opinion, Bryan thrived in that role. I remember tuning in to SmackDown JUST to watch Bryan’s entrance. What’s not to like? AJ Lee by his side, pointing at the championship. “World! Heavyweight! Champion!” And of course, the original “Yes” chant.
Next Page: Taking In The Resurgence Of Daniel Bryan As A WWE In-Ring Performer (cont.)
