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Daniel Bryan Danielson


tiger_rick

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Martha Hart trusting a promotion to honour her husband? A top guy leaving WWE on great terms? What’s happening to this industry?!

It’s been said a million times but Bryan’s easily the nicest, classiest, most endearing man in the sport. His potential feels limitless. I mean sure, he won the belt loads of times and main-evented Wrestlemania, so it’s stupid to say WWE, “mIsUsEd,” him. He achieved absolutely everything he could within the parameters of that company. But in terms of what you could get out of him and what he could mean to your company? I’m not sure WWE even scratched the surface. He’s the guy to build your company around. The guy to send to every breakfast show and every radio station. Throw any topic at him and let him answer in the most ridiculously intelligent, honest and considered way. Have him joke about how little sex he’s having now he’s got two kids. Let everyone fall in love with him even if they don’t like pro-wrestling. And then also let him go and be the best wrestler in the world as an added bonus.

CM Punk coming in was big. Bryan Danielson coming in should scare the living shit out of everyone in WWE.

Edited by Supremo
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28 minutes ago, Supremo said:

I’m not sure WWE even scratched the surface.

Absolutely. It seems weird saying he was under used in WWE (he headlined Mania twice!) but you felt there was a gear they just never pushed with him, The fact he can combine being the likeable bloke with kicking the shit out of people in AEW is pretty much perfect.

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I love him but I don't see it. He's a great guy but I don't see that he's gonna hit much more popularity than he already has by going onto more daytime shows or anything.

On the other hand, I think Big E has more you could get out of him on that front. Like Bryan, he's a decent guy and a funny guy, but he also looks like what people would expect a wrestler to look like. That might seem an outdated notion but I think to someone flicking through they'll instantly identify with him being a wrestler. 

Not that I'm saying Big E will be more successful, just that there's more potential extra you could get from him than has already been achieved (that WWE won't reach for a number of reasons). 

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I think there's equal appeal in both, to different markets. Big E is great fun, likeable and entertaining, and unapologetically black in a way that isn't playing a gimmick forced upon him - if WWE had better relationships with the media, and better understanding of how to market black talent, Big E could be opening some major doors for them just by getting his name and face out there.

Daniel Bryan's appeal is less immediate, but it's absolutely there. He's pretty much impossible to dislike, just a really affable and engaging guy who doesn't take himself too seriously, but is capable of turning up the intensity when it's needed. There's an appeal there that goes well beyond "looks like a wrestler" - the vast majority of people have already made their mind up about wrestling, and thinks it's a bunch of roided up blokes with loud voices pretending to fight in spandex, and Big E on a talk show would no nothing to dispel that notion. Bryan's a guy that's compelling a much more understated way, and more of an everyman, that I think is more appropriate to modern audiences - I don't think anyone is being won over and convinced to watch wrestling by "LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS HAM HOCK" any more, but a funny, interesting guy that can talk you into it? Yeah, absolutely. 

 

EDIT: Something AEW have been doing well is getting coverage in mainstream publications that treats them like an exciting up-and-coming brand, rather than hokey old wrasslin' and all the usual editorial clichés. Mostly that's been built around Tony Khan, Cody and Brandi so far, but it's really somewhere that Bryan could excel, just as a public face of the company giving interviews to the likes of Forbes, Time Magazine, whatever.

Edited by BomberPat
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8 minutes ago, Sphinx said:

I love him but I don't see it. He's a great guy but I don't see that he's gonna hit much more popularity than he already has by going onto more daytime shows or anything.

It's not so much about him becoming more popular but rather being a good face/spokesman for your company. It presents a better image for WWE by having somebody that likeable on telly/radio than some people they could and have used.

Edited by JimmyAnderson
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It's a lovely gesture from Danielson, but also shows he's a smart guy. So many people needlessly burn their bridges when leaving WWE and as someone who might (or might not) want to go back there in a few years once his in-ring career is over, or even for a final run should he fancy it, there's no harm in keeping everyone on side. 

I don't mean that in a cynical way, just that he's smart and classy enough to understand there's no need to drag your former employer when it doesn't make sense to do so. 

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19 minutes ago, JimmyAnderson said:

It's not so much about him becoming more popular but rather being a good face/spokesman for your company. It presents a better image for WWE by having somebody that likeable on telly/radio than some people they could and have used.

He had to retire for a while though due to concussion based issues. That may not make him the best face/spokesman when you consider things like the Benoit situation or other campaigners regarding CTE. Personality wise he'd be grand but you either have to say a) he got those injuries wrestling and had to retire or b) those concerns were ignored enough that he's now back wrestling. 

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I don’t think posting a thank you proves Bryan is smart. If anything, the smart move is to be as big a prick as possible to Vince. Make it a challenge to bring you back. You don’t think Moxley is being offered millions upon millions when his deal expires? Of course he is.

Edited by Supremo
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22 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

EDIT: Something AEW have been doing well is getting coverage in mainstream publications that treats them like an exciting up-and-coming brand, rather than hokey old wrasslin' and all the usual editorial clichés. Mostly that's been built around Tony Khan, Cody and Brandi so far, but it's really somewhere that Bryan could excel, just as a public face of the company giving interviews to the likes of Forbes, Time Magazine, whatever.

That's a very good point and I guess not what I had in mind, simple as it is. I was thinking in terms of the usual media coverage they do.

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Something comes to mind: is it also possible he could be making sure to update fans who don't know about AEW and maintaining the WWE-level profile, by telling them "Hey - I've not retired, I've just changed my name and am now working here"? Basically, minimising the impact of the required name-change?

Edited by Carbomb
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