C.S. Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 It wasn't his fault they made him #30, he was being booed because the crowd was pissed at the company and he happened to be the guy they sent out. It wasn't like he was trying to generate heel heat, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He did deserve better, and it really showed even more how out of touch the company was to send him out there like a sacrificial lamb since they obviously didn't think anything bad would happen. Or they knew something bad would happen but thought Rey was bulletproof, could withstand it, and would never get booed. They miscalculated badly on that one, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherspammer Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Did Meltzer or Keller or anybody ever provide any insight about what the WWE writers were thinking during that period? It seemed shocking how tone-deaf they were to the audience reactions for Bryan, even by WWE standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Bryan was drawing less than John Cena at house shows, selling less merchandise than John Cena and his television segments were lower rated than John Cena's, so they wrote it off as a vocal minority that didn't really represent the WWE fanbase as a whole. What's missed there is that such outcomes were almost entirely the result of self-fulling prophecy. Not to say Bryan would have been a bigger draw than Cena with the right push, but he had enough fan support that they needed to try to do something more with him. Somewhere along the way, their perception changed, probably more because Batista ending WM as the champ wasn't going to work than anything else. That's my theory. Just imagine Batista going over at the end of the same show where John Cena defeated Bray Wyatt and the Undertaker's streak ended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 And the company was its own worst enemy teasing a Bryan main event push in summer/fall 2013 before taking it away after HIAC. Really the company caused the backlash. Doing the cage match angle with Wyatt raised expectations and from that point there was no turning back. Again why did they give that the main event slot when it really wasn't leading to anything big down the line? And I agree that them giving in was more about Batista not getting over as a face than anything with .Bryan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blehschmidt Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I was there that night at the Rumble, and I truly believe the one thing they could have done, that would have at least got a laugh from the crowd and made us slightly less pissed off, would have been to pull Rey from the Rumble, and send out another guy.... "Pittsburgh, I know you were hoping for Daniel Bryan, but I'm afraid I've got some Bad News!" At least then, we would have known they at least heard us, and were intentionally fucking with us, instead of just ignoring the one thing the crowd wanted. Even if we were still angry, at least the heat would have somewhat gone on a heel and not Rey Mysterio. As for being upset that Batista was blown up........not in the least. We wanted Daniel Bryan, we may have accepted Reigns or Punk, but we wanted Daniel Bryan, and we hoped beyond hope they were going to do "what was right for business" and give us Daniel Bryan. But they went with Batista, and we all know how that ended. I said it then, and I will say it now. I have left arenas before where the fans were disappointed in a show, but that was the only time I ever walked out and the fans were downright hostile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamthedoctor Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 The would not have booed if Bryan was defending the belt, since that would mean he was champ and as such negate the whole point of the booing. Don't forget the title match got shit on just as bad if not worse than the Rumble, to the point Orton had one of his famous temper tantrums. Some of the booking leading up to the Rumble was insanely odd for me. Bryan beating Cena cleanly at Summerslam which I personally would have kept for a Wrestlemania, even though it felt a waste of time when Hunter just Pedigreed Bryan so Orton could take the belt. So Bryan gets a rematch and they bring HBK in a big favourite only to screw Bryan over? I know he's Hunters friend but really that sucked. It might have been better to just have Bryan hold the belt from Summerslam to past the Rumble and then have Orton cash in the title shot in a February Raw around the time the Network was happening. So you have the Chamber match where Bryan gets his rematch only for Hunter to cost him which then leads to what happened at Mania. Then in April we get Batista defending against Bryan. Im guessing Punk would have still walked out in January even if this scenario happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russellmania Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Bryan was drawing less than John Cena at house shows, selling less merchandise than John Cena and his television segments were lower rated than John Cena's, so they wrote it off as a vocal minority that didn't really represent the WWE fanbase as a whole. What's missed there is that such outcomes were almost entirely the result of self-fulling prophecy. Not to say Bryan would have been a bigger draw than Cena with the right push, but he had enough fan support that they needed to try to do something more with him. Somewhere along the way, their perception changed, probably more because Batista ending WM as the champ wasn't going to work than anything else. That's my theory. Just imagine Batista going over at the end of the same show where John Cena defeated Bray Wyatt and the Undertaker's streak ended. Yeah, weren't a lot of those assumptions about drawing power kind of loaded? Like Cena and Bryan were on separate tours a lot right? And Cena got to headline the shows on the "A" tour (in the traditionally bigger markets), whereas Bryan was working the "B" tour. In other words, the shows Bryan was on were going to draw less no matter what. At least that's what I remember reading. As for merch sales, Bryan's merch has mostly sucked and it wasn't until he started getting a real push that they came out with one or two decent shirts for him IIRC. And people have always talked about how Cena has a hold on the merch situation because his stuff is so prominently featured at arenas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantastic Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 RE: The merch thing. It's John Cena, he's in a class of his own. I don't think it's fair to really expect that anybody will outsell him or outdraw an appearance by him for at least the near future, given how much of a household name he is. It's like Austin all over again, even when Austin was on the backburner in 2001, compared to his heyday, he was still drawing the most at house shows and his merch was selling more, despite the popularity of The Rock. As for TV ratings, that's just lame. Given the total content of Raw should be looked at, rather than a single prominent feature of somebody as the "star of the show". Ratings had dwindled for the last few years, mainly because 3 hours is overkill and quality greatly suffers with some of the shitty writing they've got going on to fill that third hour - no to mention the writing staff in general. Also, Russellmania is right, DB's merch sucked and was limited compared to Cena's. People like variety. - Put the title on Bryan at Mania. - Have him feud with a heel Rollins and The Authority until the Summer with the title in play. - He'll draw for sure. Meanwhile... - Have Cena play the early 90's WWF Hogan, albeit putting over more stars. - Cena gets the big time exhibition PPV matches, Bryan headlines of course, but Cena works on the card like Taker does at Mania. - Cena doesn't need another title reign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaymeFuture Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffey Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Cena doesn't need another title reign. Most of the recent wrestlers & titles reigns weren't needed. Edge is like a 12-time world champion or something silly. John Cena is 16 now I think. Kayfabe tied with Flair for the most of all-time. It's ridiculous. I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. I don't think a MITB cash-in with Rollins leaving with the belt is out of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.L.L. Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I just saw that as a total disrespect from the fans just because the guy they wanted wasent in the Rumble. How dare wrestling fans want wrestling that they're a fan of? Why can't they just mindlessly accept whatever drivel the company shits at them, like TNA fans? RESPECT! RESPECT! RESPECT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 It always struck me as a bit disingenuous, but Vince's tweet about MLK being a hero of his was especially funny considering the hottest free agent in wrestling got that way because of racists in WWE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I really see an issue post-Mania this year, in that they only have one top heel that seems like a priority, which is Rollins. And I don't know how hot they can get a defending Bryan or Reigns Vs. Rollins feud. I really feel like they are saving Rusev to be the big challenger for after WrestleMania (most likely for Reigns) but I could be completely wrong because I'm trying to think logically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's worth noting that John Cena was only in the title mix as much as he was this year because they needed him to bail them out when their other plans fell apart. I do think they will always fall back on him when other top babyfaces are injured, and I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that. It just turned out that they needed him in that role this year far more than they expected. Of course, that's also self-fulfilling prophecy. I wish they were constantly building up guys because then no single injury would wreak too much havoc on their plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 A 23 minute long opening promo with the same talking points since the Authority came back. Hope they have something big planned for the main event Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's insane the margin by which Daniel Bryan is the most over guy in the company. The crowd are SO into every single thing he's doing in this match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 And Bryan jobs to Bray in a match in January. Umm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Yes .Bryan jobs in his second show back in the ring. This company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerva Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Well if they are going to book Bryan like it is 2013- WM 2014 all over again then prepared to pissed off at Rumble Philly and prepare to be pumped at WM Santa Clara. Very original booking so far <_> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerpride Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Is strummer going to be obsessed with everything D-Bry on the Road to Wrestlemania for the second year in a row? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strummer Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Ok that Kliq segment was great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 With jobbing DB. If they are planning on putting the belt on him it won't hurt to have an opponent getting groomed for him fof afterwards so we don't have a repeat of Kane as his 1st challenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goc Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Based on the opponent I don't think it's a bad choice, depending on where they go. If Bryan wins the title and Bray challenges him as the guy Bryan has never beat, then it's pretty smart booking. I have seen nothing to indicate that they think that far in advance any more though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Based on the opponent I don't think it's a bad choice, depending on where they go. If Bryan wins the title and Bray challenges him as the guy Bryan has never beat, then it's pretty smart booking. I have seen nothing to indicate that they think that far in advance any more though. I have no faith in their booking either. The other thing they might be trying is beating DB so it's not obvious he's winning the Rumble. Which sounds more like the WWE style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts