Booted into the limelight

by Chris Wilkerson

It’s been a long time for anyone that a Wrestlemania forced a reaction like that. Divas aside, that was a top quality PPV. The crowd were amazing. The wrestlers on form. There were twists and turns. The old guard showed how to do things, no cheap tricks, just storytelling and ability. WM 28 has been and will continue to be dissected. Not only that, but the company (and another amazing crowd) followed it up with the best Raw for a long time. Lesnar was massive, even though expected, but my moment of the night was Ziggler selling that headbutt. Since I returned to the WWE Universe Dolph Ziggler has stood out as a guy who knows how to make you feel a move.

However, the issue I wanted to address focuses on a fraction of Wrestlemania. A mere 18 seconds. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes (yes, yes, yes) I’m talking about my boy D. Bryan.

Post-‘Mania the reaction to Daniel Bryan’s humiliating defeat to Sheamus has been one of anger. For someone so over to get 18 seconds of time at the biggest event of the year is somewhat of a tragedy to many people, a kick in the teeth to many more. Then to get a slow, silent backstage moment on Raw angered people further. Do WWE even care what the fans think? How can they mismanage someone so spectacularly?

And that is the crux of the problem for me. No, not that they are treating either Bryan or the fans with contempt, but the questioning that Bryan is being somehow held back by this latest move.

Reading what Mark Brown wrote about WM 28, I laughed at one comment in particular, and it certainly wasn’t with him.

“I’m now going to make a shocking but completely true statement” gear yourself up for something here, because it’s completely true “the decision to have Daniel Bryan drop his title in 18 seconds at Wrestlemania 28 was the worst decision in wrestling history”.

I’ve watched poorer decision in the past 12 months, let alone the history of wrestling! Did he watch the Mark Henry/Big Show feud. The King had never seen anything like a ring collapsing during a match. Where on earth was he looking the last time it happened?

18 seconds of Wrestlemania has provoked as much debate as any other section of the 4-hour extravaganza. Arguably, Bryan stole the show. Sheamus got his belt, but what else did the Irishman achieve? No one is talking about him, the heat is on the man he beat. He still gets his air time and the kids still get their hero, but the attention is on the man that hooked the more mature fan.

The “yes!” chant is simple yet funny. There certainly was not a man in the back who thought Wrestlemania would be overcome with cheers of “yes!” and signs, a lot of signs, of the same thing.

It’s the long game with Daniel Bryan now. They do not desperately need him on camera right this second, his reputation will strengthen with a bit of down time because the crowd have made him an anti-hero.

His heel turn has been fantastic, and I can admit to despising him as a face. But the snide little heel, the “yes” and his ring work won me over. Now the WWE can focus on how they manage him.

Personally, I think it’s time to bring D Bryan to Raw. He can make his mark as the Punk/Y2J feud carries on, and then carry on some already promising performances he has shown against the best Raw has to offer. And the crowd would love it. It takes a bit of age I think to appreciate a good heel for what he offers, and not just because he’s against that guy you want to win.

But to suggest Wrestlemania was an insult to his recent work is foolish. This company is built on wrestlers who take defeats and rough stories to push them into focus. Sometimes, you have got to lose to move on. Smackdown is certainly small fish compared to Raw. If Daniel Bryan can crack Monday nights then he may well thank the team for making him look a fool Sunday night in Miami. I would argue it is more beneficial to his future right now to be just below the belt on Raw than holding the prize on Smackdown.

The 18 seconds is also the lowest of the low his weasel character can have in the ring too. No more count-outs and silly DQ’s, no more hiding from fights. The t-shirt reads “Everybody Taps”; when was the last time he looked a submission expert?

So, well played WWE. Not only did it turn my head from word go on Sunday night but the crowd wants him, debate centres around him and a little bit of mystique grows around where he goes next. The same mystique everyone desired of Cena that was burst straight away with an F-5.

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