Chip
Hank Scorpio
Slam Jam Death.
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Post by Chip on Jan 31, 2014 9:07:22 GMT -5
Assuming Bryan becomes champ sooner or later - how do you sustain him? It's funny, I completely get what you are getting at but the other options being Orton retains or Batista becomes champion don't exactly seem any more sustainable. I could sit here and spout armchair booking for hours but he's really the only good option moving forward.
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Boo!
Dennis Stamp
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Post by Boo! on Jan 31, 2014 10:16:37 GMT -5
Assuming Bryan becomes champ sooner or later - how do you sustain him? Someone said elsewhere he's the "ultimate underdog". How do you keep that alive during a title run, what does that look like in storyline - an underdog champ - how would that be booked? Be interesting to hear opinions. Seriously?! 1. Bryan soundly and definitively beats Orton after WM XXX 2. Bryan vs. Cena II 3. Bryan schools Batista 4. Bryan gets vengeance on Bray Wyatt 5. Bryan vs. Lesnar (Summerslam) 6. Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WM XXXI) That's just off the top of my head. How will he still be the underdog if he beats everyone in the company? If the other poster is correct and he is the 'ultimate underdog' or words to that effect, you can't have that if he comprehensively beats everyone in sight. I think it's fair to say a large part of his appeal is because he's the populist, plucky 'man-of-the-people' held down by 'the man'. I was just wondering what that looks like if you give him the strap. Your list doesn't scream 'underdog' really.
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Chip
Hank Scorpio
Slam Jam Death.
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Post by Chip on Jan 31, 2014 10:48:28 GMT -5
How will he still be the underdog if he beats everyone in the company? Bryan at least the past year wasn't booked to be an underdog, it's just a perception that's been built up as him being an underdog behind the scenes in a sense. It's not that anyone questions whether Bryan, in kayfabe can beat an opponent, it's always been about whether WWE would ever choose to put him over another performer. I mean, Bryan was the first guy to get a pinfall victory over The Shield, beat Orton clean, beat Cena clean, beat Orton clean again, knee'd Hunter in the face, made HBK tap out, whipped the shit out of Bray and beat up Harper on Rowan on the outside, from INSIDE the cage, I'm sure there's more I'm missing. Every big match he's had and lost he lost due to interference and tampering, he's been booked really strong, if only to balance out the weekly beatings he used to get from both stables. Edit: The one clean loss he's had was recently where it took Bray using a barricade to make his finish strong enough to take out Bryan.
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Boo!
Dennis Stamp
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Post by Boo! on Jan 31, 2014 10:53:56 GMT -5
How will he still be the underdog if he beats everyone in the company? Bryan at least the past year wasn't booked to be an underdog, it's just a perception that's been built up as him being an underdog behind the scenes in a sense. It's not that anyone questions whether Bryan, in kayfabe can beat an opponent, it's always been about whether WWE would ever choose to put him over another performer. I mean, Bryan was the first guy to get a pinfall victory over The Shield, beat Orton clean, beat Cena clean, beat Orton clean again, knee'd Hunter in the face, made HBK tap out, whipped the shit out of Bray and beat up Harper on Rowan on the outside, from INSIDE the cage, I'm sure there's more I'm missing. Every big match he's had and lost he lost due to interference and tampering, he's been booked really strong, if only to balance out the weekly beatings he used to get from both stables. Edit: The one clean loss he's had was recently where it took Bray using a barricade to make his finish strong enough to take out Bryan. Oh okay, so you see him more as an underdog-underdog rather than a kayfabe one? I'm not sure where I stand. I think him being the one who the powers that be dislike is a strong 'kick-start' (kayfabe) and I'm not sure it'd be wise to end that as soon as they gave him the strap. Despite what people will say I think there's a fair chance during any title run, HHH/Steph will be there or there abouts in the storyline with him, playing the "we don't want you" card.
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Post by HMARK Center on Jan 31, 2014 10:55:27 GMT -5
Bret Hart style fighting champion, taking on all comers. His gimmick is already "great technical wrestler", play that up as well with a variety of foes. Also take a page outta the Hogan playbook where in the buildup at least it looks like THIS might be the guy that knocks Bryan off; be even easier to do with the underdog thing. Play up the B+ thing--he's proven the Authority wrong and now they're pissed about it, and desperate to turn to anyone, say a Bray Wyatt even, to take the title back. Good call; plus, you could borrow a page from his booking as ROH World Champion a few years back, and build up that this is the greatest technical wrestler in the world, but especially in the sense that he's very intelligent in the ring and knows a multitude of ways to defeat people. Bryan is a great submission wrestler, a great striker, highly athletic/capable of top rope moves, and he even got over calling himself "Mr. Small Package" (completely un-ironically) because of his ability to create a flash pin in nearly any situation. No matter the size or style that his challenger brought to the table, Bryan Danielson always had an answer and a strategy to deal with them, even if it meant switching up his style for a match. Hell, he'd even alternate playing face and heel if it helped to get his opponent to make a mistake. Given that, he's a guy you can get insane mileage out of as champion, because despite what WWE crowds have been trained to accept, Bryan can give you incredibly unique matches and varied psychology in a multitude of feuds with guys who work all different styles and character types.
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Woo
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Woo on Jan 31, 2014 11:30:10 GMT -5
Once Bryan won the title at Mania he should have ceased to be the underdog. He would have proved everyone wrong. Then you simply have to feed him heels to defeat- Orton, Batty, Bray. Had Punk been around I would have built a year-long storyline leading up to Mania and recreating the Megapowers breakup and done Bryan vs Cena in a Summerslam rematch. With Punk gone you could have Reigns win the rumble at set up the future generation at Mania XXXI with Bryan vs Reigns. Or have Bryan finally lose in autumn to a heel, who then in turn loses to a face Reigns.
Come on, it it's not hard to book Gorilla.
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Post by Red Impact on Jan 31, 2014 11:35:33 GMT -5
He's a different type of underdog than, say, Mysterio. Mysterio was the type that'd get his ass kicked but still won when it counted. Bryan's the type who is good enough to beat anyone, but who does't look the part so doesn't get treated seriously (or, rather, they just don't want him there).
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Post by CATCH_US IS the Conversation on Jan 31, 2014 11:56:22 GMT -5
He's a different type of underdog than, say, Mysterio. Mysterio was the type that'd get his ass kicked but still won when it counted. Bryan's the type who is good enough to beat anyone, but who does't look the part so doesn't get treated seriously. Even with the beard (not gonna bitch about the beard this time), Bryan looks more the part than Rey ever did, so trying to make Bryan out to be the ugly duckling freakshow feels ridiculous and forced.
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Post by Hit Girl on Jan 31, 2014 12:05:27 GMT -5
Assuming Bryan becomes champ sooner or later - how do you sustain him? Someone said elsewhere he's the "ultimate underdog". How do you keep that alive during a title run, what does that look like in storyline - an underdog champ - how would that be booked? Be interesting to hear opinions. I'd change the entire concept. Rather than being the ultimate underdog, he'd be the fighting champion, taking on all comers. No overblown, elaborate stories. Just a guy saying "I was held down, I prevailed. Now I'm the champion, I'll fight anyone". Give the fans some high quality world title matches safe in the knowledge that bullshit swerves will be absent.
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Sparkybob
King Koopa
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Post by Sparkybob on Jan 31, 2014 12:31:54 GMT -5
Assuming Bryan becomes champ sooner or later - how do you sustain him? Someone said elsewhere he's the "ultimate underdog". How do you keep that alive during a title run, what does that look like in storyline - an underdog champ - how would that be booked? Be interesting to hear opinions. Seriously?! 1. Bryan soundly and definitively beats Orton after WM XXX 2. Bryan vs. Cena II 3. Bryan schools Batista 4. Bryan gets vengeance on Bray Wyatt 5. Bryan vs. Lesnar (Summerslam) 6. Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WM XXXI) That's just off the top of my head. A 1 year title run? Let's not get crazy now.
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SAJ Forth
Wade Wilson
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Post by SAJ Forth on Jan 31, 2014 13:20:50 GMT -5
This definitely seems like they were going to do this anyway, but after Foley's comments, they had to speed it up.
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Post by CATCH_US IS the Conversation on Jan 31, 2014 13:22:53 GMT -5
Seriously?! 1. Bryan soundly and definitively beats Orton after WM XXX 2. Bryan vs. Cena II 3. Bryan schools Batista 4. Bryan gets vengeance on Bray Wyatt 5. Bryan vs. Lesnar (Summerslam) 6. Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WM XXXI) That's just off the top of my head. A 1 year title run? Let's not get crazy now. A 1 year title run where he's wrestling a variety of opponents and other guys are getting the opportunity to be showcased themselves by looking good in a feud with Daniel Bryan doesn't sound too bad.
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Post by RedSmile on Jan 31, 2014 13:42:36 GMT -5
Seriously?! 1. Bryan soundly and definitively beats Orton after WM XXX 2. Bryan vs. Cena II 3. Bryan schools Batista 4. Bryan gets vengeance on Bray Wyatt 5. Bryan vs. Lesnar (Summerslam) 6. Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WM XXXI) That's just off the top of my head. How will he still be the underdog if he beats everyone in the company? If the other poster is correct and he is the 'ultimate underdog' or words to that effect, you can't have that if he comprehensively beats everyone in sight. I think it's fair to say a large part of his appeal is because he's the populist, plucky 'man-of-the-people' held down by 'the man'. I was just wondering what that looks like if you give him the strap. Your list doesn't scream 'underdog' really. Daniel Bryan cleanly, and soundly defeating John Cena at this past Summerslam ended Bryan being an underdog. Booking him as an underdog now is foolish, it is the same mistake that was made with Rey Mysterio.
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Post by RedSmile on Jan 31, 2014 13:44:42 GMT -5
Seriously?! 1. Bryan soundly and definitively beats Orton after WM XXX 2. Bryan vs. Cena II 3. Bryan schools Batista 4. Bryan gets vengeance on Bray Wyatt 5. Bryan vs. Lesnar (Summerslam) 6. Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (WM XXXI) That's just off the top of my head. A 1 year title run? Let's not get crazy now. Ok, but there's a years worth of storylines, at the very least; completely eradicating any idea or notion that "booking Bryan as champ is too tough"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2014 13:49:41 GMT -5
I don't think there's any need to write him as an underdog, but it makes perfect sense for everyone to see him as one. Just given that he's a small, hairy pale guy who's really completely contrary to what people think of when they hear, "wrestler," it'd make perfect sense for people to be lining up to go after him while insisting that they're not like the ones before them and aren't going to fall for his tricks and have what it takes to beat him.
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Post by Apricots And A Pear Tree on Jan 31, 2014 14:16:38 GMT -5
Fullstendig gi inn fan reaksjon og trykket er, ja. Det er opp til WWE å gi fansen det de vil på en måte ikke (alltid) nøyaktig hvordan fansen vil ha det, men på en måte som gir mening og holder folk kommer tilbake. I så måte har de støttet seg inn i et helvete av et hjørne med i går kveld. Å gi fansen et inntrykk av at "hvis du boo høyt nok, vil vi endre alt til din innfall" kan bare gjøre skade. Hva blir det neste? Hvis de boo høyt nok, vil de angre Batistas Rumble vinne? Cena vil ikke ha beltet igjen? Hvis de heie høyt nok, vil Bryan har en Punk-esque tittel kjøre? Du åpner slusene hvis du bare brette opp og gi i. Skjønt, å lese noen av disse innleggene, WWE kunne like gjerne skohorn Bryan inn i det, late "som var planen hele tiden" og fans'll drikke kool-aid, så lenge "sin mann" har beltet. Translated: Completely give the fan reaction and the pressure is, yes. It is up to WWE to give the fans what they want in a way not (always) exactly what the fans want it, but in a way that makes sense and keeps people coming back. In that way, they backed themselves into a hell of a corner with last night. Giving fans the impression that "if you boo loud enough, we will change everything at your whim" can only do harm. What next? If they boo loud enough, they will regret Batista win the Rumble? Cena will have belt again? If they cheer loud enough, Bryan has a punk-esque title run? You open the floodgates if you just fold up and give in. Though, reading some of these posts, WWE might as well shoehorn Bryan into it, pretend "that was the plan all the time" and fans'll drink kool-aid, so long as "her husband" has the belt.
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Post by europeanuppercut on Jan 31, 2014 15:10:51 GMT -5
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Bang Bang Bart
Ozymandius
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Post by Bang Bang Bart on Jan 31, 2014 15:18:39 GMT -5
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Post by Chuckie Finster on Jan 31, 2014 18:21:43 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2014 18:28:36 GMT -5
Dammit. The Authority's powers know no bounds!
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