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Were they always high on Daniel Bryan?

Another day another Bryan question. What I want to know is prior to his current run, were there people in a position of influence within WWE that were always high on Daniel Bryan? I only ask because looking back after he was released for the necktie incident, they brought him back via a John Cena introduction in a main event match at Summerslam as the mystery member of the WWE team. Surely that must mean they held him in high esteem, even back then? Despite the fact he had zero heat at the time.

Your thoughts?

I think the Summerslam thing was more because Bryan had become the cause celebre of the moment more than him being their personal project or anything.  They knew he had potential, I'm sure, but even we would have to concede that his promos weren't main event quality or anything at the time.  I think that's really the thing that gets overlooked about Bryan, because while he might have got over on talent, it was really developing his CHARACTER with Kane that took him to the next level.  

Comments

  1. I still think it's nuts that TNA didn't sign him as soon as he was fired. Could have promoted him as the man who was too violent for WWE. But I'm guessing Bryan knew right away that he would be back sooner rather than later.

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  2. I think he had a great character last year even before Kane when he was the heel in the feud with Punk. Him as a heel + AJ as the Miss Elizabeth esque face could've been money had it lasted longer.

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  3. they were always high on something but it wasn't daniel bryan.

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  4. I heard that Bryan was actually on the short list of guys who they were considering to take the title off Flair in 92.

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  5. don't you mean could have been more "cool down the crowd before the john cena match"?

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  6. Pretty much everyone was...except Hillbilly Jim. Because he SUCKED!

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  7. Anything short of Cena tapping to the No/YesLock at SummerSlam....GTFO

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  8. Characters welcome

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  9. He's on the short list alright

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  10. The necktie thing was a work. I will believe that til the day I die.

    I never bought into the rap on Bryan having no charisma, because I knew he had it in ROH and you would see flashes of it here and there when they'd give him mic time. The problem was he just had a turd of a character until his heel turn so there was nothing interesting for him to say.

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  11. No way was that a work. They were expecting him to do a lot of the heavy lifting for that group because everyone was so green.

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  12. davidbonzaisaldanamontgomeryJune 16, 2013 at 11:54 AM

    I have to say, I never expected in my wildest dreams that he would be as over as he is (although I most certainly rooting for it). I think the heel turn/YESing was the key, that turned him from a Shelton Benjamin (great worker, not so much on the mic) to...well, Daniel Bryan. It wasn't even something where Daniel Bryan Danielson was bad on the mic, it's just that he needed a character that really utilized him the best, and "treating everything like it was the biggest win of my life" was fucking gold.


    As much well-deserved flack we all give the WWE, it still is pretty fucking cool that CM Punk and Bryan Danielson are big-time stars in the company.

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  13. The thing with Bryan is, when he eventually has a kid and he's in public cradling that child in his arms, are the public going to look at those arms and think "those are the arms of a WWE Superstar?"

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  14. Fun fact: Bryan was supposed to go visit Benoit the day before the thing happened to debate who had better matches with Japanese guys, but on the day of he decided not to go because he was playing a heated game of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 with his roommate. We can only imagine how things could have possibly been different had he gone. The landscape of the wrestling world would likely be a very different place.

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  15. It amazes me that, when he first joined WWE, most assumed he'd get over the Benoit way: not being great on the mic, but winning people over with his pure wrestling style. Minus the murdering of the wife and son, of course.


    But then he surprised all of us as he considerably improved his mic skills and got over for being an awesome, ridiculous heel with his "YES!" schtick. THEN everyone else started realizing, "Holy shit, this guy's awesome in the ring, too."


    Now he's the perfect package and I'm chomping at the bit for him to get pushed back to the top.

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  16. The necktie thing wasn't a work.

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  17. When WWE fired him, there is a semi understanding that he will be brought back eventually. That's why he never considered TNA at all.

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  18. Kudos to Bryan for staying in fantastic shape as well. CM Punk really let himself
    go when he got to the top and Bryan has actually gotten more ripped. What a role model.

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  19. What happens when I click on that little button between the upvote and 'reply'? The proper response to this comment occurs.

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  20. It was only a work in the sense that they were working Mattel. They fully intended to bring him back ASAP.


    But he was legit unemployed by WWE for a couple months.

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  21. Its easier for you to believe that someone from Mattel watched that whole thing, saw that one nanosecond of choking, related it to the Benoit thing (conveniently coming from the most Benoit-like member of Nexus, because this hypothetical Mattel exec was a totes smark who watched ROH all the time), and demanded that that person be fired on threat of pulling sponsorship, only to decide he was cool with it only a few weeks later for said guy to return at Summerslam as a babyface? Than to believe that they planted the story as a way to get the smarks into a tizzy and give their new hero a storyline? All because they wanted Bryan to work a bunch of the Nexus matches, even though that short time later they brought him back they didn't have him rejoin the group? Oh and of course Slater was going to choke Cena with the rope but Cena told him not to because they'd been warned against choking, and that rebel Bryan has totally never been seen as a company man and specifically did what he was told not to? Hokay man.

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  22. No, it wasn't a work. Sorry.

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  23. Well that's how they would have used him.

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  24. They could have made the effort, maybe they did. But in the end he would have just been dragged down to the TNA level.

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  25. Hoo-Hoo! Is funny cause Bryan is short!

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  26. "Its easier for you to believe that someone from Mattel watched that whole thing, saw that one nanosecond of choking, related it to the Benoit thing (conveniently coming from the most Benoit-like member of Nexus, because this hypothetical Mattel exec was a totes smark who watched ROH all the time)"

    I doubt Bryan/Benoit comps even factored into it. And I'm pretty Mattel execs have no idea who Benoit is outside of the murders.

    "and demanded that that person be fired on threat of pulling sponsorship, only to decide he was cool with it only a few weeks later for said guy to return at Summerslam as a babyface?"

    They probably didn't even tell Mattel he was being rehired and Mattel probably didn't even remember who the dude was.

    "Than to believe that they planted the story as a way to get the smarks into a tizzy and give their new hero a storyline? All because they wanted Bryan to work a bunch of the Nexus matches, even though that short time later they brought him back they didn't have him rejoin the group?"

    Getting smarks in a tizzy accomplishes nothing. When Bryan was fired, they quickly mentioned some lame excuse about Barrett firing him and when he came back, he started feuding with Miz. The whole thing was sloppy, last minute type stuff.

    "Oh and of course Slater was going to choke Cena with the rope but Cena told him not to because they'd been warned against choking, and that rebel Bryan has totally never been seen as a company man and specifically did what he was told not to? Hokay man."



    wat

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  27. More likely is Bryan beating Cena in screwy fashion, then whatever luke-warm heel who won the money in the bank cashes in his briefcase to take the belt off of Bryan. The Sept ppv has Cena challenging the new heel-champ and Bryan in the opening match. The Luke-warm heel is probably Ware Barrett.

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  28. That is all Hillbilly Jim can do, press a button because the stupid hick can't read or write.

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  29. He's joking. Too many wrestlers say something similar now during shoots about how if they only talked to Benoit that week, he wouldn't have committed the murders.

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  30. Wait...what? CM Punk let himself go?

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  31. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7QYuymLAxU
    That's his titantron from the SES run. Compare that body to his body at the end of his title run. He doesn't even look like the same guy physique wise. He clearly lost a whole lot of muscle mass AND his BF% increased by quite a bit. By the end of his current run, he had to weigh less than 200 and his BF% could have been as high as 18-20% (no definition, no abs at all)


    And he wasn't even cut or big during the SES run. He's been shrinking ever since he broke into the WWE, it just got really noticeable by the end.

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  32. Pic of Punk as champ: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/690/359/punk_postraw1K_original.jpg?1358738648

    Pic of Punk in the SES: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y185/tholzerman/SES.jpg





    I don't see any difference.

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  33. Yeah, he pressed a button alright...in the hearts of wrestling fans around the world. And that is why, to this day, he remains one of the most beloved personalities of all time. He may not have been as smart as The Genius or as refined as Hunter Hearst Helmsly, but he was peerless in his ability to cultivate a stock of smiles and raise a crop of joy.


    Also, he had a nice beard.

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  34. Most noteworthy thing about Bryan's current push is that I think this is the first time in god knows how long that WWE "comedy" booking actually got someone dramatically more over than they were before. Because I mean really the whole start for this character and this push was "Daniel Bryan and Kane go to anger management" which was supposed to be a cooldown feud for both of them after the 3way with Punk.

    I mean really when was the last time WWE actually got this to work? Do we have to go all the way back to Booker T and Golddust go to the movies? I guess Miz and Morrison's Dirt Sheet webshow would count if more than 10 people ever saw it.

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  35. Gotta disagree that his promos "weren't main-event quality at the time". He was absolutely FANTASTIC on the first season of NXT, displaying several different characters (clean-cut face, annoying twat heel, heart-broken dreamer, slightly-unhinged bitter Napoleon, etc.) in just a few months, and getting over HUGE in his feuds with Miz and Cole.


    5/18/10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7YgKsJultY


    5/25/10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCByjANl75k



    Seriously, listen to those crowds!

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  36. Only comp to what Bryan might become is Kurt Angle.

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  37. I don't know how you don't. He's noticeably larger in the upper body and thicker earlier on and that's with the chest hair which makes you look worse overall.

    Also that pic seems to be from Raw 1000 and Punk got much worse than that by the end.

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  38. People often confuse the ability to speak smoothly with charisma. Not that Bryan wasn't a decent talker in ROH, but the style of their promos was more conversational and less polished than the WWE. Anyone who ever saw him perform live in ROH, couldn't deny his charisma; it literally gave me tingles. From his 'Final Countdown' gallop to the ring to his facial expressions when he wanted to fire up the crowd, you could tell this guy knew how to draw the crowd into his work. He was also a gifted wrestling comedian when he wanted to be as his matches against Generico can demonstrate. But then he could sell an ultra-serious blood feud too (and raise the stakes with each progressing match). His serious against Morishima is really something to behold.

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  39. He's definitely hairier in the 2nd pic.

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  40. Close. He was on the list of short guys who they were considering to take the title off Flair in 92.

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  41. His beard was fake.

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  42. Bryan's an example of someone who's taken everything the WWE's thrown a him - good or bad - and has risen to the occasion. Stupid stuff like the wedding at Raw 1000, the 18-second loss at Mania, even the anger management classes with Kane - all of them could have been career killers, and would've been for many, but he's made the best of every situation. That's nothing to do with his in-ring abilities, that's the character and work ethic of the man.

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  43. Thread Jack:

    Is the pay per view worth ordering tonight? Whattya think?

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  44. I dunno, how much does those guys weigh?

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  45. I don't think it's accurate to say Punk let himself go. Obviously, he's not a 'physique' guy, but so what? His work is as good as ever and his cardio is up there with anyone else.

    HHH was making 'skinny fat' jokes 2 years ago. Is his build really much different now?

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  46. He seems leaner and less bulky to me. Nothing I'd call 'worse' or 'letting himself go'.

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  47. Why not just stream it?

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  48. This is a really bad post with lots of stuff in it that's just not true or illogical.

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  49. Isn't that a dick move to WWE?

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  50. It's easier for me to let you define the situation that must have happened, but I still prefer to think for myself.

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  51. unfortunately I could totally see something like this happening.

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  52. I was thinking 'bout streaming, but I also wouldn't mind heading out and catching the show at a bar, but I have no idea which places in NYC are considered Blast Areas and, apparently, I'm too lazy to do anything more than bitch about that here...

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  53. If Benoit hadn't done that, he would have been the one to win the WWF title from Ric Flair in 1992.

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  54. How dare you, sir.

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  55. that's what I love about the guy, he could be absolute dog shit in the ring and still be one of the best parts of the show based on character. His awesome matches are just icing.

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  56. You gonna add anything or just keep trolling me with "nope"s?

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  57. Angle was so awesome when taken seriously and not comedy driven.

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  58. Great comparison to BookDust. I totally agree.

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  59. Of all the distrustful ways people assume stuff is worked, I don't understand why this one is such a bone of contention. The whole story just seems ridiculously far-fetched to me. Also, no explanation as to why he didn't have to hew to the 90-day no compete? 2CW and their ilk sure weren't paying him so much that he could afford to walk away from his severance, unless the severance didn't exist and he was still under contract.

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  60. The comedy is what got him over. And thing he has been missing since he left WWE.

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  61. Guys can still do indy shows. The no compete clause just means you can't show up on anyone's tv show.

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  62. I feel this conversation belongs in the "Vince is gay" thread.

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  63. What's the point, when you've decided to stick your fingers in your ears and ignore everything that's been reporting on the firing. It wasn't a work and your inane and untrue theories aren't going to change that.

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  64. He's very much a modern Owen Hart in this regard.

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  65. I contribute a lot of money to WWE coffers, so I don't see the problem in watching a low quality stream that will freeze my computer.


    I pay for WWE Classics on Demand, so I'll be able to watch the show then in full length and good quality.


    Of course, me streaming the show does not change the fact that you wandering into threads and spoiling Smackdown without any warning is a dick move.

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  66. It does prove that you believe that it's okay to justify yourself being a dick.

    So, as the only person to get on my case about that is a self-admitted hypocrite, I feel vindicated.

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  67. Choking was not allowed in WWE and they didn't want to piss off their lucrative new Mattel sponsor.

    Heath Slater was told by Cena not to choke him, but D-Bry choked Justin Roberts out with his tie. Since he violated a WWE edict and they didn't want to piss off their major sponsor, he was fired.

    It was assumed at the time that he'd be rehired once it all blew over which is why he didn't go to TNA or Japan, but did take independent bookings. Bookings that he continued to honour after he went back to WWE.

    >Related it to the Benoit thing (conveniently coming from the most Benoit-like member of Nexus, because this hypothetical Mattel exec was a totes smark who watched ROH all the time)

    This is wrong and not very well written.

    >only to decide he was cool with it only a few weeks later for said guy to return at Summerslam as a babyface?

    It was two months later, the situation had blown over, everyone got the message back and he was a good guy. So they brought him back.

    >Than to believe that they planted the story as a way to get the smarks into a tizzy and give their new hero a storyline?

    That wasn't the storyline. He immediately came back and feuded with The Miz for the US Title. In fact his firing was not worked into the storyline at all, which is what they would've done had it been a work.

    >All because they wanted Bryan to work a bunch of the Nexus matches, even though that short time later they brought him back they didn't have him rejoin the group?

    Nope. If you remember, Wade Barrett said that Daniel Bryan had a change of heart, disagreed with their actions and left.

    So why would he come back with the Nexus if the storyline was that he didn't agree with them?

    If this is a work, it's the dumbest work of all time. WWE worked everyone, including every prominent pro wrestling journalist and independent promoter to do what exactly?

    When he came back, he feuded with Miz, which had nothing to do with his firing. If this was a work, wouldn't they have played up what happened or try to do something with it?

    >Also, no explanation as to why he didn't have to hew to the 90-day no compete?

    He did. The 90-day no compete clause only covers nationally televised promotions like TNA. You can work indies.

    >2CW and their ilk sure weren't paying him so much that he could afford to walk away from his severance, unless the severance didn't exist and he was still under contract.



    He wasn't walking away from his severance.

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  68. No, because what you did is still a dick move.


    I do pay for the PPV. I pay for 24-7 which broadcasts current PPVs a few months later.


    So I am paying to watch this show.


    You're still a dick for spoiling Smackdown unprompted.


    Also, I'm actually willing to admit when I slip up a bit, while you've had no argument to your actions besides I was the only one who complained and claiming WWE does it too, which WWE really only does when there's a massive title change, and I stated I don't agree with it.

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  69. And I just responded, so hooray for no trolling!

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  70. Whatever. I'm glad we can both justify being dicks and continue holding ourselves in such high esteem

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  71. So from Tuesday night to Friday night, people who don't want Smackdown spoiled should just avoid the blog for fear of you being a dick?


    Of course comparing streaming a show (which as I explained, I am in indirectly paying for) to wandering into threads and spoiling Smackdown is apples and oranges.

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  72. Trips is "bloated fat" now. I wouldn't be surprised if a guy who isn't on "suppliments" thins out as their career goes along and they physically fall apart.

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  73. Comment of the Day!

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  74. I think DB got in REALLY good graces after he took his punishment and didn't complain about it. HHH got megapushed after taking all the heat for the MSG incident. Vince loves that sort of thing.

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  75. He looks heavier in the top pic... must be at least 20lbs of tattoos.

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  76. Ah, I figured it was some sorta joke that I was unaware of

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  77. Yeah he wore a prosthetic enhancement piece BRIEFLY in '85 but that was just because his beard was singed in a barn fire and he didn't want to take any time off the road to regrow it. Rumors that he was sporting false follicles during the King Kong Bundy/midget match at Wrestlemania III are about as authentic as reports of there being multiple Ultimate Warriors.

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  78. Well, Bryan lost the fal at Payback, which, by WWE logic, assures that hee's about to be pushed to the moon.

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  79. He's officially bullet proof. The modern Ric Flair. You could give Ric Flair the worst opponents and the worst ideas, and he bust his ass making it gold. Daniel Bryan does the same. He's one of the best ever at this point!

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  80. It got him over, but when he went full serious is when Angle started getting competitive main event matches. To the extent where he was having full on classics with The Undertaker... who does NOT sell or make people look good unless he's motivated.

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  81. I've been turning the 18 second thing over in my head a lot since his current explosion, and I really do think that WWE thought they were doing him a favor with 18 seconds. I mean, when you look at the treatment of everyone but the shield, from Sandow to Ceasaro, they really think that something like 18 seconds is a rub.


    They've forgotten how to push people. That's kind of the only conclusion I can come to. They've forgotten how to get someone over, and it takes someone like Daniel Bryan to transcend all of that.

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