Daniel Bryan Danielson

[Marcus]

No matter how much i've seen of him, no matter how good i KNOW he is. i can never get over how well he adapted to the WWE style and how many of the attached stigmas he has overcome in this company. simply amazing.

[loserX]

Obviously an incredible wrestler and a great story, one of the best things that the WWE has had going for a long time.

(I do find one little thing irks me, though. Part of the reason he got so popular was his "I don't need to be popular" stance. "I never wanted to be the face of the company, all I ever wanted to do was wrestle" and so on. Now he's very much the face of something called the Yes Movement, bringing fans down into the ring to cheer for him, etc. Obviously it all makes sense in terms of overall narrative and fan engagement, but for some reason it still niggles at me a little bit.)

Anyway, when that's the most negative thing that I can think of to say, obviously he's doing pretty much everything right.

[Marcus]

Obviously an incredible wrestler and a great story, one of the best things that the WWE has had going for a long time.

(I do find one little thing irks me, though. Part of the reason he got so popular was his "I don't need to be popular" stance. "I never wanted to be the face of the company, all I ever wanted to do was wrestle" and so on. Now he's very much the face of something called the Yes Movement, bringing fans down into the ring to cheer for him, etc. Obviously it all makes sense in terms of overall narrative and fan engagement, but for some reason it still niggles at me a little bit.)

Anyway, when that's the most negative thing that I can think of to say, obviously he's doing pretty much everything right.

i don't mind the "yes movement" or his position as its face. I see it more as a nod to his fans that have been following him since his indy days, a thank you for helping him to become something this massive and only requiring him to do what he loves doing without really having to sacrifice his craft. He adapted his style for the company but persona wise he hasn't had to be too far fetched gimmick wise to get as over as he has. The crowd has forced the company's hand moreso with DB than with any other smark fave superstar on the roster. i think Bryan utilizing its catchiness is a way to say thanks for giving me something the company has to acknowledge because you won't let them forget about me.

[loserX]

^Oh yeah, I don't have a problem with it in that sense. It absolutely makes sense to do it and is great for the fans to get involved.

It's just one of those little kayfabe inconsistencies that annoys me more than it should by any rational standard

[Marcus]

that inconsistency could be a good heel launching point too if ever he were able to go that route.

[Stanford]

It's amazing how much his NXT persona and storyline factors into his current persona and storyline. Talk about long term booking.

[jakecronus8]

It's a shame about Danielson.

He's the best worker they've had since Bret Hart. I'm as big a CM Punk fan as there is, but ill even admit he's not quite up to Bryan's level. But for as good as he is, and as big as the yes movement is, he'll never have a significant run as champion and/or the top guy.

Makes me sad just as an old school fan of the true workers. But on the other hand I get it on WWE's part. They are smart. Vince is smart. He wouldn't be in the position he is in if he wasn't a master of the business. Wwe realizes that the money they can make with Danielson is strictly in the chase. While I do eventually see him getting the belt, it won't be during the height of the yes movement, but more likely as its dying down as a "thank you" gesture of respect for being a good trooper.

It does make sense. It goes back to the territorial days. Days when the world champ would come to your town and your hero would always come this close taking him down. The validation for fans isn't in having their guy as the champ, but the actual changing of the guard itself. They want to be able to say they were there to experience it first hand. They tune in every week to see if this is finally the time little Bryan does it. Once it actually happens, the shine is gone and so is the money.

Danielson, as I said, is amazing in the ring, but there is truth to what the storylines say. It sucks to say it, but the truth is he can not be a top guy. It's a multitude of reasons. One is his size. The biggest though is he just doesn't have the presence of a Steve Austin, Rock, Bret, or dare I say even Cena. The mic work is isn't there. The charisma isn't there. He's the biggest face right now because he is one of the greatest underdog stories in the history of the business, and he has an amazing, simple catchphrase with crowd participation. Eventually it will wear thin, which is a shame because he's so much more than that. When the underdog thing has run it's course, so will the big money, and so will Bryan's main event status.

As I said, Vince is smart, and this is a business. The business side is always going to come first. It's the reason we will never see Cena as a heel. As long as kids parents are buying the multi neon colored shirts, hats and wrist bands, he's going to be the corny dude we all have grown to hate.

Ill continue to be a big Daniel Bryan fan, but I know that his time as the guy will be short lived. I only hope Punk can come back and fulfill what he should have in the first place. I do believe he can be a top star again.

[Marcus]

Wwe realizes that the money they can make with Danielson is strictly in the chase. While I do eventually see him getting the belt, it won't be during the height of the yes movement, but more likely as its dying down as a "thank you" gesture of respect for being a good trooper.

I agree with the money being in the chase. I just wonder how many different chases they put him on. How many times could they give him the strap just to take it away before it gets tiring to the fans. I personally like the dangling carrot method they're using with him