Rob
06-27-2013, 05:01 AM
From the Layfield Report:
Daniel Bryan Should Not Become WWE Champion...Just Yet
Yes, you read the title correctly. Before you go and start ripping me to shreds, let me state my case. If you still feel the same way, go ahead and voice your disagreement. All I ask for is a chance. Before getting to my point, let me just state a few things right off the bat. Bryan is on FIRE right now. No doubt, he is off the charts. A Chris Jericho said on Twitter recently, he is the best performer in the business right now. Jericho is right. Coming from me, that is high praise. On top of that, his matches are always top notch and can always wake up a 'dead' crowd during a long dragged out three hour. His in-ring skills have never been questioned. Now, he is showing the other side of the business. With ALL of that being said, a WWE Championship win should not happen just yet. Let me explain...
Long-term: John Cena has not been WWE Champion since October 2011. After nearly 18 months, he finally reclaimed the top prize at WrestleMania 29 by defeating The Rock. It was a great main event and solidified him as 'the man' once again. His year long redemption story was told and awarded on April 7th, 2013. Maybe I am just showing my old school thought process here, but a title change so fast after that doesn't seem smart. It has been just about two months since he became WWE Champ for the first time since late 2011. Now, Cena should lose it? For what? WWE did not tell a year long story, just for it to be thrown away two months later. Fans want long-term story lines, right? Well, we just got that. No reason to simply flush it down the toilet...
History: During the King of the Ring tournament in 1996, Stone Cold Steve Austin delivered a great promo and caught fire. His future was bright, and everybody could sense it. He won the KOTR tourney that night and began his ascension to the top of the card. Again, fans and company heads alike knew what they had on their hands. Did he win the WWE Title a few months later? Was he shot up to the main event scene? Would Stone Cold become champ soon after? Of course not.
Stone won his first WWE Title nearly two years later. From June 1996 to Match 1998, Steve Austin was on fire and growing his fan base as each day. Nothing was rushed because of his crowd reactions or in-ring skills improving. Sound familiar?
At WrestleMania X, Shawn Michaels stole the show with Razor Ramon. Once again, their mid-card acts were well known and liked. HBK was going to be a top star at some point. Did WWE throw him in main event matches right away? Would HBK become champ soon after? No, the company let him simmer and struck while the iron was VERY hot. Two years later at WrestleMania 12. In one of the most touted matches of all-time, he beat Bret Hart in a 60 man Ironman Match to win his first WWE Title. Nearly two years after his breakout moment.
There are countless examples. From Eddie Guerrero in 2004 to Christian in 2011 to even John Cena in 2005, WWE didn't rush anything. They allowed for the fan base to build him up, before finally pulling the trigger. I would say the wait was well worth it. Wouldn't you?
Timing: This goes back to my previous point. Daniel Bryan has already won the World Title, but that is a totally different game. We are discussing the WWE Championship here. Like it or not, the company covets that belt over any other. Thus, they treat it much better and choose their champions in a more thorough measure. That is why the timing MUST be right for Bryan to win his first WWE Title.
Jack Swagger winning the World Title in 2010 was great, but what did it mean? I a fan of his, but that didn't end well. Sheamus became champ in 2009. I didn't have a problem with it, but him rushing to the main event was risky. The Miz had a similar run in late 2010/early 2011. The same can be said about Alberto Del Rio. I don't know about any of you, but Bryan having a failed WWE Title run doesn't sound very enticing. If the man is going to get the belt, make it mean something!
In the end, I believe Daniel Bryan WILL become WWE Champion. Sooner or later, the crowd will demand it. Right now, he is finishing up his story line with Kane. After that? I am curious to see where he does next. For his sake, maybe WWE throwing him in the main event scene for the summer is NOT the best option. Maybe Bryan can continues his run and win his first WWE Title in an epic WrestleMania moment next April? Or win the Royal Rumble in 2014 and have a 'feel good' tale play out for fans? I'd rather see that than just a random title win that means nothing a few months later.
Am I right...or am I right?
By Justin Watry (Twitter: @JustinWatry) - See more at: http://www.layfieldreport.com/Why-Daniel-Bryan-Shouldnt-Becom.blog#sthash.Gnvp5NX1.dpuf
Daniel Bryan Should Not Become WWE Champion...Just Yet
Yes, you read the title correctly. Before you go and start ripping me to shreds, let me state my case. If you still feel the same way, go ahead and voice your disagreement. All I ask for is a chance. Before getting to my point, let me just state a few things right off the bat. Bryan is on FIRE right now. No doubt, he is off the charts. A Chris Jericho said on Twitter recently, he is the best performer in the business right now. Jericho is right. Coming from me, that is high praise. On top of that, his matches are always top notch and can always wake up a 'dead' crowd during a long dragged out three hour. His in-ring skills have never been questioned. Now, he is showing the other side of the business. With ALL of that being said, a WWE Championship win should not happen just yet. Let me explain...
Long-term: John Cena has not been WWE Champion since October 2011. After nearly 18 months, he finally reclaimed the top prize at WrestleMania 29 by defeating The Rock. It was a great main event and solidified him as 'the man' once again. His year long redemption story was told and awarded on April 7th, 2013. Maybe I am just showing my old school thought process here, but a title change so fast after that doesn't seem smart. It has been just about two months since he became WWE Champ for the first time since late 2011. Now, Cena should lose it? For what? WWE did not tell a year long story, just for it to be thrown away two months later. Fans want long-term story lines, right? Well, we just got that. No reason to simply flush it down the toilet...
History: During the King of the Ring tournament in 1996, Stone Cold Steve Austin delivered a great promo and caught fire. His future was bright, and everybody could sense it. He won the KOTR tourney that night and began his ascension to the top of the card. Again, fans and company heads alike knew what they had on their hands. Did he win the WWE Title a few months later? Was he shot up to the main event scene? Would Stone Cold become champ soon after? Of course not.
Stone won his first WWE Title nearly two years later. From June 1996 to Match 1998, Steve Austin was on fire and growing his fan base as each day. Nothing was rushed because of his crowd reactions or in-ring skills improving. Sound familiar?
At WrestleMania X, Shawn Michaels stole the show with Razor Ramon. Once again, their mid-card acts were well known and liked. HBK was going to be a top star at some point. Did WWE throw him in main event matches right away? Would HBK become champ soon after? No, the company let him simmer and struck while the iron was VERY hot. Two years later at WrestleMania 12. In one of the most touted matches of all-time, he beat Bret Hart in a 60 man Ironman Match to win his first WWE Title. Nearly two years after his breakout moment.
There are countless examples. From Eddie Guerrero in 2004 to Christian in 2011 to even John Cena in 2005, WWE didn't rush anything. They allowed for the fan base to build him up, before finally pulling the trigger. I would say the wait was well worth it. Wouldn't you?
Timing: This goes back to my previous point. Daniel Bryan has already won the World Title, but that is a totally different game. We are discussing the WWE Championship here. Like it or not, the company covets that belt over any other. Thus, they treat it much better and choose their champions in a more thorough measure. That is why the timing MUST be right for Bryan to win his first WWE Title.
Jack Swagger winning the World Title in 2010 was great, but what did it mean? I a fan of his, but that didn't end well. Sheamus became champ in 2009. I didn't have a problem with it, but him rushing to the main event was risky. The Miz had a similar run in late 2010/early 2011. The same can be said about Alberto Del Rio. I don't know about any of you, but Bryan having a failed WWE Title run doesn't sound very enticing. If the man is going to get the belt, make it mean something!
In the end, I believe Daniel Bryan WILL become WWE Champion. Sooner or later, the crowd will demand it. Right now, he is finishing up his story line with Kane. After that? I am curious to see where he does next. For his sake, maybe WWE throwing him in the main event scene for the summer is NOT the best option. Maybe Bryan can continues his run and win his first WWE Title in an epic WrestleMania moment next April? Or win the Royal Rumble in 2014 and have a 'feel good' tale play out for fans? I'd rather see that than just a random title win that means nothing a few months later.
Am I right...or am I right?
By Justin Watry (Twitter: @JustinWatry) - See more at: http://www.layfieldreport.com/Why-Daniel-Bryan-Shouldnt-Becom.blog#sthash.Gnvp5NX1.dpuf