How Should Bryan Danielson’s Debut Differ From CM Punk’s?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

CM Punk’s strongest assets to me has always been his promo skills and maybe just slightly lower his match psychology.

Bryan on the other hand I always felt was best gifted with his technical in-ring skills mixed with a natural athleticism.

The two have a lot of similarities, but their strongest points are different. To me a promo like that was an excellent, arguably the best way to debut Punk.

Would it be for Bryan though? Plus, if rumors are to be believed you can’t just really copy and paste that type of debut. How should it differ?

Bryan is going to be over no matter what. He could show up with no music in a backstage segment, stare for a few seconds, and never appear the rest of the night and the crowd would still love it. Heck, that’s essentially what happened the night after WresleMania 28 and the crowd was crazy cheering for him.

But what is the best way and how should it be different than Punk’s?

[flowercity]

Best way in my opinion is for Final Countdown to hit while the Elite is doing a post match beat down of Christian at All Out. Danielson clears house to set up a match vs Omega at Grand Slam in New York.

[Feyrhausen]

I would do a mystery parter or opponent angle. Have it be someone higher up the card so he and Bryan can have a competitive banger of a match without "burying" Bryan in his debut (i.e. Asuka vs. Emma).

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Aug 21, 2021 10:35:53 GMT -5 flowercity said:

Best way in my opinion is for Final Countdown to hit while the Elite is doing a post match beat down of Christian at All Out. Danielson clears house to set up a match vs Omega at Grand Slam in New York.

I think that’s a great idea. I’d probably want to showcase his in-ring ability on night one and that gets the job done. I almost want to say just have him be a surprise opponent and have a banger with whoever. But with debuts this big you never want to shoot your load and have the match be the first thing. A save like you mentioned could be the way to go.

[sfvega]

He will also debut in Chicago but to "This Fire Burns". Totally different.

[Deleted]

Once he has The Final Countdown, I don't care.

We NEED that entrance with the streamers man.

[Deleted]

Staredown with Tanahashi, I'm assuming.

[Square]

Grand Slam Daniel Garcia issues an open challenge, OH SHIT FINAL COUNTDOWN AHHHHHHHHHH! Belter of a match, Danielson wins and then you just have Garcia seething over it mentioning it in passing in promos for a while until Danielson is in a TNT championship match then revenge cost him the match and you build up to Garcia/Danielson 2 at a PPV

[SAJ Forth]

Wouldn't mind him making a save, but not many more saves after that, keep it fresh.

[Fake Jesus]

Can never understand the logic of going with the final countdown when ride of the valkyries is about five times as iconic and literally free. Hope that doesn't happen but considering AEW went as far as replicating Punk's static I doubt it will

[ZERO]

Aug 21, 2021 11:57:25 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Can never understand the logic of going with the final countdown when ride of the valkyries is about five times as iconic and literally free. Hope that doesn't happen but considering AEW went as far as replicating Punk's static I doubt it will

I Think it comes down to people wanting to make a distinction between Bryan Danielson, and "Daniel Bryan" as a WWE character if that makes sense.

Speaking of that, remember that promo from NXT after Bryan got eliminated from the show?

youtu.be/J_cUUnEhuPo

Was that ever supposed to go anywhere? It was never referenced again. Also, was the cameraman okay? He was shaking a lot at the end.

[honsou]

Aug 21, 2021 11:07:57 GMT -5 Teemu said:

Staredown with Tanahashi, I'm assuming.

Mystery opponent for Tanahashi for the US title at a big show would be pretty great

[The Ichi]

Doesn't Bryan himself prefer Valkyries to Final Countdown?

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2021 11:57:25 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Can never understand the logic of going with the final countdown when ride of the valkyries is about five times as iconic and literally free. Hope that doesn't happen but considering AEW went as far as replicating Punk's static I doubt it will

The Final Countdown is more iconic for Bryan Danielson

Ride of the Valkyries is synonymous with the YES chants and bearded "WWE machine" Bryan.

I think I speak for most Bryan fans when I say I want ROH Danielson back with the plain maroon tights, shaved head, Cattle Mutilation, Final Countdown, streamers etc. Not the WWE version we've seen over the past 10 years. I don't want to see any Yes'ing or "Goat/Beard" crap.

[Chiral]

Debut him as a heel with a vaguely MMA inspired faction with three other guys and call the faction "Diamonds are Mine" or something. Wait until Tyler Rust is available.

[fw91]

Aug 21, 2021 13:22:10 GMT -5 @negan said:

Aug 21, 2021 11:57:25 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Can never understand the logic of going with the final countdown when ride of the valkyries is about five times as iconic and literally free. Hope that doesn't happen but considering AEW went as far as replicating Punk's static I doubt it will

The Final Countdown is more iconic for Bryan Danielson

Ride of the Valkyries is synonymous with the YES chants and bearded "WWE machine" Bryan.

I think I speak for most Bryan fans when I say I want ROH Danielson back with the plain maroon tights, shaved head, Cattle Mutilation, Final Countdown, streamers etc. Not the WWE version we've seen over the past 10 years. I don't want to see any Yes'ing or "Goat/Beard" crap.

Imo, you’re underselling the impact of how his wwe character traits made him a super star. I get wanting more Danielson qualities if you were a long time Indy fan, but I wouldn’t call it crap.

[Lizuka #BLM]

I really just think the idea of bothering to use Final Countdown as a reference to stuff from like 12 years ago that most of the fanbase probably hasn't even seen when he has a far more well known song that wouldn't have any licensing cost is just an unbelievably stupid idea.

[Fake Jesus]

Aug 21, 2021 13:22:10 GMT -5 @negan said:

Aug 21, 2021 11:57:25 GMT -5 Fake Jesus said:

Can never understand the logic of going with the final countdown when ride of the valkyries is about five times as iconic and literally free. Hope that doesn't happen but considering AEW went as far as replicating Punk's static I doubt it will

The Final Countdown is more iconic for Bryan Danielson

Ride of the Valkyries is synonymous with the YES chants and bearded "WWE machine" Bryan.

I think I speak for most Bryan fans when I say I want ROH Danielson back with the plain maroon tights, shaved head, Cattle Mutilation, Final Countdown, streamers etc. Not the WWE version we've seen over the past 10 years. I don't want to see any Yes'ing or "Goat/Beard" crap.

I mean on a purely statistical level you definitely don't speak for the majority of his fanbase. The rest of the post is opinion so it is what it is, but it's factual that people who have even seen a pre-WWE match are in the minority of Danielson's fans.

[Gerard Gerard]

Just throwing my two cents in that Brian is more than able to rock an introduction with a banger promo. For my money, dude revealed himself to be one of most nuanced, engaging speakers of the generation in his post-retirement run. I would have every confidence Brian could just turn up and say his piece and not have it feel like a beat-for-beat of Punk’s introduction.

[polarbearpete]

Bryan is a fantastic promo nowadays, so I wouldn’t mind a similar debut to Punk’s.