DISCUSSION - The WWE may actually be pushing Daniel Bryan perfectly (Yes, you read that right)

[Heyman]

DISCUSSION - The WWE may actually be pushing Daniel Bryan perfectly (Yes, you read that right)

The WWE *might* actually be pushing Daniel Bryan correctly.


By deliberately making Bryan look like a non-main eventer a lot of the time, the WWE pisses off the fan base so much to the point where they want to cheer Daniel Bryan even more. However - as to not completely crush the spirit of the fan base, the WWE lets Daniel Bryan win big matches when it truly matters most - Case in Point: Summerslam 2013, and Wrestlemania 30. If the WWE truly hated Daniel Bryan and their fan base, they wouldn't have let Bryan go over Cena at Summerslam 2013.


The WWE Universe wants Daniel Bryan to win every single big match that he's in, but if the WWE did that, they would run the risk of "blowing their load" and having Daniel Bryan's popularity die down in a relatively short time period. By jobbing Daniel Bryan however, it gets the fans even MORE behind Daniel Bryan, while also giving Bryan's character some great longevity. From a realism standpoint, it also prevents the WWE from looking like bitches by simply 'caving in' to the fans' demand.


Think about this: Bryan might not be in the main-event at Wrestlemania this year, but his mere presence alone will help a guy like Dolph Ziggler become more relevant again. With Daniel Bryan "in and out" of the main-event spot due to the "controversial" booking, it allows other promising superstars to have main-event time as well.


The WWE *might* actually know what they're doing with Daniel Bryan here.

[Ruien]

It is laughable at how the RR went but the way Daniel is used makes me watch constantly. I stat up to date because of the constant misdirection that is thrown at us. Maybe it is on purposes or they do it because the fans don't react the way they anticipate it is working for me.

[Heyman]

It is laughable at how the RR went but the way Daniel is used makes me watch constantly.



And I'm wondering if this is the logic that the WWE is using (i.e. where there is smoke there is fire. Any 'news' is good news).


One thing that strikes me is that #CancelWWENetwork started trending after the Royal Rumble, but a few days later, the WWE announced that they officially hit the 1 million subscriber target.


A few years ago when CM Punk defeated Cena at Summerslam, the WWE decided to give Punk the ball. Punk's face pops started to dwindle over time, and it ultimately resulted in him turning heel again. I'm not sure if the Punk example is the greatest example, as there was some questionable booking decisions as well (i.e. Punk jobbing to Triple H), but that could be an example of someone being 'given the world and dying down too fast.'

[Ruien]

It makes sense. They knew what was going to happen at the rumble and they went ahead with their plan. It has a LOT of people pissed off but now they have a match at Fastlane that everyone wants to watch. How many people were thinking Fastlane would have anything worth watching? Not many people at all I imagine. Now one of their throw away ppvs have one of the biggest matches that is going to setup Mania. There is a few different outcomes that are possible it now a much watch ppv.

[Big Vic]

Name a storyline WWE has handled correctly in the past 10 years.....They couldn't even handle a "Bella vs Bella" feud.

[Big Vic]

They just gave roman reigns his first Pinfall loss in over a year on raw to THE BIG SHOW. He was pinned one other time in a multiman elimination match.

WWE will probably job Rusev to Cena and Wyatt to Taker.

[Jordan]

I don't like what happened on Raw. I don't really like WWE changing gears because of the bad reaction. Bryan's steam isn't what it once was, his reactions on Raw are more a force of habit for the fans who want to take part in the show and the best crowd interaction WWE has, "YES! YES! YES!".

I was actually kind of pumped for Lesnar/Reigns at WM after last weeks snowed in Raw. Though initially I thought Bryan/Brock was the best match to headline WM, the band aid booking seems cheap to me.

[road doggy dogg]

Yes that is my exact stance as well.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I just wish Bryan would stop smiling all the time and pandering so blatantly.

[Tom Guycott]

I don't like what happened on Raw. I don't really like WWE changing gears because of the bad reaction. Bryan's steam isn't what it once was, his reactions on Raw are more a force of habit for the fans who want to take part in the show and the best crowd interaction WWE has, "YES! YES! YES!".

I was actually kind of pumped for Lesnar/Reigns at WM after last weeks snowed in Raw. Though initially I thought Bryan/Brock was the best match to headline WM, the band aid booking seems cheap to me.

Although the way you put that, it sounds as if Bryan isnt as over as he once was, which isnt even remotely true... but aside from that, it's spot on.

It seems like they're trying to change gears after incorrectly assuming force-feeding the fans Reigns was going to get over like gangbusters as go "this was our plan the entire time!" like the corrective measure they took with Bryan last year. They could have played up Bryan's claim of never losing the title since he got back from his injuries, instead of making it an afterthought that seems more shoehorned into making the Reigns backlash go away.

Honestly, I hope the endgame is a fatal 4 way. That way, even if Roman ultimately goes over (at first...), Lesnar being built to be nigh - unbeatable getting knocked off his throne by 3 people makes him still a badass, gives Bryan the opportunity to lose without looking like a chump, for Reigns to be semi-legitimized, and Seth to cash in after the match he just had and a sneak attack on a celebrating champ to get his Edge-like MITB cash in opportunity/mania moment.

That, or i would still like to see the possibility of a "match within a match" where Seth brings his own ref, cashes in while Brock is busy with another opponent, and gets the pinfall on the champ with his own ref to win the title, making it both memorable and controversial in a spectacularly heelish manner.

I guess what i'm saying is I would like to see Rollins walk out of Wrestlemania as champion. You'd have two faces to chase him in Bryan and Reigns, and with that time, they can make RR more credible making up for the time lost from last year's rocket push.

Also, Orton needs to factor in so ehow, but I already just did more fantasy booking than I intended to.

[NormanSmiley]

it may not be that Bryan isn't as over as he once was, but last night that crowd was split. the pops for bryan weren't like last year and the boos for RR were drowned out by cheers.


More than anything right now WWE needs a friendly crowd to let them book their biggest match of the year without shittting on things just to shit on it.

[Jordan]

I would find it interesting if Daniel Bryan defeats Roman, and then at Wrestlemania defeats Brock Lesnar, only to be taken out by Mr. MITB Seth Rollins. Then we have a year long feud that culminates in Daniel Bryan snapping and becoming a submission machine that never knows when to stop.

[Jordan]

:)

[Emperor Smeat]

I'd say no mostly because of WWE's horrible track record in recent years when it comes to long term plans.

Also if the WWE had its way, Bryan never gets anywhere close to what happened last year for Mania. Can go all the way back to the "18 seconds" match for how long the WWE has been stubbornly in seeing Bryan as their next mega-star.

[#1-norm-fan]

I'd say no mostly because of WWE's horrible track record in recent years when it comes to long term plans.

Not only that but... it's not like the product is growing by leaps and bounds because of any of this. You can say it makes Daniel Bryan fans more passionate to have had him compete in title matches and come up short basically from SummerSlam to WrestleMania last year, but is that really something you wanna do at the expense of every PPV other than WrestleMania and SummerSlam?

I'm not even a supporter of Daniel Bryan in the main event but if you actually believe that WWE has been behind him as the guy all this time and it's all planned out, then you're basically saying that the plan is to intentionally "fuck up" the endings of nearly every PPV he's involved in to the point where you're actually turning a lot of people off of the product in order to push one or two PPVs a year.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

It was just to give something positive going into the Podcast. Not doing it would give more ammo for Austin to ask Triple H about.

Daniel Bryan will lose the match at Fast Lane somehow dubiously. Hopefully Reigns will be able to somehow fight on Daniel's behalf at WrestleMania. Have Heyman/Lesnar cost Daniel Bryan the match and Daniel Bryan rallies his troops to get the title off Lesnar by supporting Roman.

[Mr. Nerfect]

#1-wwf-fan basically sums up my points. The WWE did a lot to mess up Bryan. You can say they did that on purpose to try and get him more over, but this year's correction just seems more odd. Roman Reigns never should have won the title shot, and Bryan being forced in seems more like sabotage to his credibility when he puts over Reigns more than anything.

[Innovator]

It was just to give something positive going into the Podcast. Not doing it would give more ammo for Austin to ask Triple H about.

Daniel Bryan will lose the match at Fast Lane somehow dubiously. Hopefully Reigns will be able to somehow fight on Daniel's behalf at WrestleMania. Have Heyman/Lesnar cost Daniel Bryan the match and Daniel Bryan rallies his troops to get the title off Lesnar by supporting Roman.

Roman will beat Bryan cleanly, and Bryan will endorse Roman afterwards.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think that's the most likely outcome. Bryan loses and the kayfabe story is that he's not as good as Reigns. Anyone who still cheers for Bryan over him will be considered an "extremist" that doesn't go by a kayfabe scale of talent, and isn't someone that the WWE is interesting in catering to. Or something like that.

[Ruien]

I don't know about that. Seems like they are putting a lot of faith into this with a strong outcome of pissing a TON of people off again. I am assuming Rollins is put into the match at Fastlane and he actually gets pinned my Roman after a RKO OUT OF NO WHERE happens.

[Mr. Nerfect]

It'd make sense to include Rollins given his character.

[Jordan]

I have a feeling that Roman isn't going to beat Bryan at Fast Lane. Unfortunately there is no universe I can see this being a clean victory, somehow The Authority will cost Roman the match.

I would so much rather see Triple H put over Roman than Sting at Wrestlemania. To me that is a much more attractive match. Put Sting in as the guest ref, and then book him to wrestle Triple H at Summerslam.

[Damian Rey]

I think there's definitely a strong story that could be told if Reigns loses at Fast Lane, creating a year long rebuild back to Mania. However, and unfortunately, I cannot fathom the wishy washy ways of Vince and creative could possibly book the loss as a viable turning point in his career.

I think they use Bryan as a tuneup to build some momentum for Reigns and give him a great showcase going into Mania. Bryan meanwhile gets moved down the card into a seemingly meaningless match.

I'm actually excited for Sting/HHH. Think Hunter's the perfect guy for the match.

[Heyman]

I have a feeling that Roman isn't going to beat Bryan at Fast Lane.




I'll have to strongly disagree with this.


I'm almost 99% certain that Roman Reigns will defeat Daniel Bryan cleanly at Fast Lane.


From what I know of Vince McMahon, it will allow for two things:


1) It allows Roman Reigns to gain more credibility
2) It allows Vince McMahon to 'stick it' to the fans
3) In Vince's eyes, it makes the WWE look more realistic since by NOT having Bryan win, it sheds the perception that the WWE will simply bend over and cater to the fans at moments' notice.

[NormanSmiley]

^^^ you sound so bitter though. You were the most pessimistic mf'er from rumble to mania last year and look how that worked out for DB. he had his moment