Strummer Posted May 15, 2014 Report Share Posted May 15, 2014 PWI says Bryan's surgery was a success. He's already up walking around wearing a soft neck brace. Obviously no news of a timetable for return Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketCrypt Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 It'll be interesting to see what they do with the title during his absence. Hopefully they can use this extended spell on the sidelines to distance Bryan from Brie Bella. I get that they're married and what not, but I still don't understand the rationale behind having Brie alongside him for every match/segment post-Mania. Is it meant to complete Bryan's ultimate underdog story in the sense that he "got the title and he got the girl"? If so, I don't think it's working. It wouldn't surprise me if they did it just so the horror spoof angle could be done with Kane. Or is it merely to promote Total Divas? I understand them not acknowledging the relationship between Cena and the other Bella, but they hardly ever mention the Uso/Naomi marriage either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm tempted to suggest they temporarily split the titles again. Keep one on Bryan, vacate the other one and crown an interim champion. When Bryan returns, promote a unification match and reunite them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbo Slice Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I don't think they'll do anything like that. An interim champion is an interesting idea, but considering he'll be back before MITB, I think after Payback, he'll be able to be a part of the build-up no problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Faulconer Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 That's good to hear about Bryan's surgery. You only get one neck A soft brace means it is mothing too serious...but it is your neck you are talking about. I would be less concerned if it was a limb or muscle injury When Bryan had the eye injury back in 2007 it was made to seem like a bigger deal by fans online than it ended up being. It was just after the Benoit murders and a LOT of other wrestler deaths and fans seemed to be on a bit of an edge. He cut some pretty good promos while he was wrestling with the eye injury. They were so much better than whatever they instruct or coerce him to say in his recent speaking opportunities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dexstar Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 Optimistically, maybe this can kick the Authority thing in a new direction. They come out to strip Bryan, "No Chance in Hell...", ballyhoo, Vince/Linda refuse to approve the move and that means some sort of corporate stalemate blah blah interim champion crowned and then match at MITB? Or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tofu_chipmunk Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 Optimistically, maybe this can kick the Authority thing in a new direction. They come out to strip Bryan, "No Chance in Hell...", ballyhoo, Vince/Linda refuse to approve the move and that means some sort of corporate stalemate blah blah interim champion crowned and then match at MITB? Or something? You had me ready to lay down PPV money at "blah blah". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I just want a PPV-long tournament to crown a new champion at Payback. Is that too much to ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(BP) Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm with you tim. I don't really want Bryan to get stripped of the title, but I love titles getting held up and decided in tournaments/battle royals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I can't think of a single other person who would be viable as champion right now. That's probably why WWE wants to keep the belt on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russellmania Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I can't think of a single other person who would be viable as champion right now. That's probably why WWE wants to keep the belt on him. I think Bray having a short reign would go a long way to putting him over and could further the whole angle of how dangerous it is for him to have a platform to "get his message out". They could sell it as a big, scary deal that the most dangerous man in the WWE is now the face of the WWE and it would feel like a big deal when Bryan comes back to win back the title IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm hoping if anyone other than Bryan ends up with the title, it's Brock Lesnar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomethingSavage Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 I was thinking the same thing regarding Lesnar, although there's a large contingent of people already bashing the idea. Not sure why that is, since keeping the champ off TV actually builds him up as a bigger deal. Sort of goes back to the special attraction theme that's been discussed with Brock before. That's the approach they've taken with his deal, and crowning him champ *sort of* elevates the importance and prestige of the title in a way. If it's a matter of having the belts be visible and SEEN on a regular basis, then simply have Heyman trot out there draped in gold on a weekly basis. Imagine the heat that'd generate - the sight of a portly Paul, boasting & bragging through his teeth, just beaming ear to ear about his CLIENT, BARRROCK... LEZZZZNARRR being at home, training to devour his next victim. And if this all comes to be around time for the Money In The Bank event, then that's even better in my eyes. Gives it a bit of a new spin. After all, how can this year's MITB contract winner hope to cash in if the champ's hardly ever around? Just adds a wrinkle to things that previous briefcase holders didn't have to address. Again, this is all just a matter of pitching an idea and running with it. It's not THE ideal situation, for sure. But it could be something interesting and unique. I'm not altogether convinced that they'd be bold or brave enough to risk having a champion that rarely appears again, but hey. They pulled it off recently (at least for a few months) with The Rock. So ya never know. They might just shoot for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 If we assume Bryan will be back to wrestle at Money in the Bank, I'd put the title on a popular upper midcarder who no would would expect to win the world title at this stage. Adds some unpredictability to things in general and keeps the crowd happy while during a month+ without Bryan on the shows. Bryan can win it back in a competitive match with a definitive ending and the guy slides back into whatever he was doing. In my mind this guy would be Seth Rollins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchistxx Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 If we assume Bryan will be back to wrestle at Money in the Bank, I'd put the title on a popular upper midcarder who no would would expect to win the world title at this stage. Adds some unpredictability to things in general and keeps the crowd happy while during a month+ without Bryan on the shows. Bryan can win it back in a competitive match with a definitive ending and the guy slides back into whatever he was doing. In my mind this guy would be Seth Rollins. Are you crazy?! Put the belt on Seth Rollins?! The crowd react with bemusement, and outside an initial pop would shit on it. It would also seriously devalue the moment in the future when/if Rollins does win the strap. If anything you want to belt on a steady hand who can quickly job back to DB or Brock Lesnar if they go that way. Rollins is nowhere near ready to be in the position of champion. If you want to hotshot it onto an over face for a brief period go with Dolph Ziggler, he has been at the top of the card already and gets major pops. Giving it to Batista wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Otherwuse you can go back to Cena, the rematch with Bryan is on the cards at some point anyway. RVD and Jericho could be leftfield candidates, if they can get the latter to come back for a short run. The crowd would accept either of those taking Bryan's place, whereas someone like Cena would get resented for it badly. Just please not Del Rio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomethingSavage Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Christ. Not Van Dam. Anyone but Van Dam. Yes. Even Del Rio. Hell, especially Del Rio. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Robbie V for what he is, even at this stage - but what he is ISN'T a World Champ level guy. He's barely anyone I'd keep at the main event level for any real, substantial run. The guy just seriously needs an upgrade SOMEWHERE. Everything from his look and his ring attire to his actual in-ring mannerisms and arsenal could use freshening up. Hell, I'd settle for ONE of those things being changed up a bit. Sometimes, the smallest tweak could work wonders in helping to rejuvenate a guy in the eyes of the fans. RVD has essentially remained unchanged since '98. For WWE-only fans, they've been seeing this Van Dam since 2001. And it worked back then. Big time. But come on. Would it be the worst thing in the world to "retire" a few of your usual signature spots for awhile and maybe adopt a few new ones? A new taunt? A catchphrase? New ring gear? A haircut? Scruffy facial hair? ANYTHING. I'm begging ya. Give us something new from Van Dam. I'm not saying he needs to channel Jericho circa 2008. But would it really be the worst thing in the world if he got wise and altered a few things? I don't think so. Heck, it's the smarter workers that you see eventually "tone down" their style and adapt as they age. Look at Liger. Scope out Muta. Transformations of that sort are SMART, regardless of whether they come by choice or out of necessity. Van Dam could learn a thing or two, and hey. It's a bonus to his fans that it'd probably help keep him around longer. Right? But yeah. If they don't go with Brock, then I could see them sliding the belt onto Batista for awhile. It'd have to feel kind of like a consolation to him at this stage, but hey. It was in the works before, so this could be their way of keeping goodwill with Big Dave. I've seen Bray's name tossed around, but I don't know. I like the idea of the angle and the story that COULD fuel it, but man. I look at his stint, and this early on? Putting the belt on him could do his career more harm than good in the long haul. Maybe that's just my takeaway though. I look at the "monsters" they've given the top prize to so early on in this tenures - Taker, Kane, etc. - and it took them SO long to overcome that stigma and get back to that level on a regular basis. Although, I won't even lie. I'd be stoked to see the impending Bray/Daniel rematch. I mean, I hope it's still coming down the pike REGARDLESS of whether we see a Bray reign or not. Seems to be the smart, logical move to me. So yeah. I'm going with Big Dave or Brock here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stiva Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 I think, if Bryan is up to it, they do an angle where Kane chokeslams him off the stage (or something similar) on Raw and they run with Shield vs. Evolution as your Payback main event with Wyatt/Cena LMS as your semi main. A good, long Usos title defense would be perfect too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 So now they are outright saying Batista has sucked since his comeback. Can't see him being popular with management backstage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Monday should be pretty interesting. It's a shame it's a taped show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 I agree with Loss. The fact that they don't want to take the belt off .Bryan shows they feel they have no one else to put it on. Cena is really the only option and that's still going to piss a lot of people off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Announced on SD that Bryan will be on Raw Monday. Having him get beat down four days after neck surgery doesn't sound exactly practical but I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Maybe they can do a Pitbull #2 deal and have Bryan come out in a halo that Kane can throw him around by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Forbes has an interesting article talking about the drop of the WWE stock price today. They also noted that Vince McMahon lost $340 million dollars today as the stock dropped. The piece takes an interesting look at the stock and how WWE's ambiguity with the information that they released yesterday helped cause the sell-off. You can read the piece by clicking here. Meanwhile, WWE is well aware of the problems that the stock has suffered today. The stock is currently at $11.40 and down $8.53. They will be addressing it on Monday. Here is a press release that they sent out. Yeah maybe not the best day in the WWE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 From how Dave was talking, it seems like Barrios is going to fall on his sword for this. They arranged all the TV rights and Network deals to specifically protect anyone in the family from any blowback. Probably going to see a Game of Thrones style slaughter of anyone not named McMahon come Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeCampbell Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 An interim champion isn't the worst idea in the world. It would even give WWE a hint of credibility. They can bring out Vince to say that the board of directors voted, and decided to not strip him of the title. They can crown an interim champion at Payback, and then sell MITB or even Summerslam, to give Bryan more time to heal up, on the unification match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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