I don't remember a thing in the build for Sheamus and Bryan

[SirLucas]

I have been following wrestling for most years than I can count and for the life of me can't remember a single thing about the Daniel Bryan / Sheamus build for WrestleMania 28. I remember Sheamus won the Royal Rumble that year, which seemed like a shocker since Jericho was the predicted favorite to win. 

I am looking back at the card from that show. Of course, this was the year they hyped Rock/Cena for a year in advance. We also had Jericho vs. Punk in the battle for who was the rightful "best in the world." I believe that was the year Y2J returned on Raw, did laps around the ring to get the fans hyped up, only to troll them by walking off without saying a word. Heck, I even vividly remember the build for Cody and Big Show, as for weeks Cody ran vignettes of Big Show's worst WM moments. Even team Johnny vs. team Teddy for control of both shows seemed to have been given more storytelling than DB and Sheamus. 

Of course, it was the infamous 18 second match, and was playing 3rd string to both Rock and Cena, along with Jericho and Punk. But there is a complete blank to me for what happened on the TV leading up to this match between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.  

[Renslayer]

IIRC, Daniel had recently turned heel and had been sneaking away with title defenses by the skin of his teeth.

[rnrk supports BLM]

There really wasn't much build at all. There WAS build for Sheamus beating unstoppable destroyer Mark Henry for the title, but they got bored and took the title off him too soon.

The nerds fixated on the idea that Bryan getting squashed meant Sheamus was a beloved golden boy that WWE had huge plans for, as opposed to both of them being too low priority to merit a real match.

[oxbaker]

I’m pretty sure Sheamus called DB ‘fella’ at some point, and after that it was on.

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

Most of the build was Daniel Bryan being increasingly loathsome and getting his heel shtick over. Stuff like having kayfabe girlfriend AJ Lee just happen to be positioned in places where she'd get taken out and distract a babyface at a key moment, or, probably the highlight in my view, a house show promo where he said that "AJ loves me...and I appreciate that." Just doing everything possible to come across as an insincere, manipulative, abusive prick who was also quick to celebrate his victories as ostentatiously as possible, no matter how pathetically he got there.

So yeah, it was less personal enmity and more Bryan being completely despicable.

[Lizuka #BLM]

I mostly remember Bryan kept fighting Punk every week, Sheamus would show up and attack him, and Bryan wouldn't seem to mind.

[Deleted]

I remember heel Bryan mixing it up with Big Show, Henry and arguing with AJ but as for Sheamus all I can think of is the fact that he won the Rumble and that's it. Their feud was more about Bryan and AJ. Still this was prime face Sheamus. There doesn't need to be a big build-up with him being as popular as he was then.

If they had that second match as their first match Sheamus would have been up there. He was getting massive pops for like 8 months until that raggedy WM match.

[CubsFan71]

Mar 17, 2022 17:55:33 GMT -5 SirLucas said:

I have been following wrestling for most years than I can count and for the life of me can't remember a single thing about the Daniel Bryan / Sheamus build for WrestleMania 28. I remember Sheamus won the Royal Rumble that year. 

And that right there is the build. They literally did NOTHING to promoteit

[Perd]

Perhaps the build being so forgettable, is why Vince seemingly wanted to redo it for like three different Manias.

[ayumidah]

All I really remember is AJ Lee doing the "Yes!" thing in circles around Daniel holding the title, with a neckbrace on. Other than that, couldn't tell ya lol

[A Platypus Rave]

Mar 17, 2022 19:48:18 GMT -5 Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby said:

Most of the build was Daniel Bryan being increasingly loathsome and getting his heel shtick over. Stuff like having kayfabe girlfriend AJ Lee just happen to be positioned in places where she'd get taken out and distract a babyface at a key moment, or, probably the highlight in my view, a house show promo where he said that "AJ loves me...and I appreciate that." Just doing everything possible to come across as an insincere, manipulative, abusive prick who was also quick to celebrate his victories as ostentatiously as possible, no matter how pathetically he got there.

So yeah, it was less personal enmity and more Bryan being completely despicable.

Basically.

Sheamus won the Royal Rumble, and since cahsing in the Money in the Bank, Bryan had descended into being an obnoxious heel that kept defending his title by "slippery" means.

The problem was that Daniel Bryan was so over the top with his heel dickishness that the crowd basically refused to boo him.

losing in 18 seconds was pretty much old school booking like the Honky Tonk Man... but again... the crowd was refusing to boo him.

[Lizuka #BLM]

Mar 17, 2022 22:36:14 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

Mar 17, 2022 19:48:18 GMT -5 Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby said:

Most of the build was Daniel Bryan being increasingly loathsome and getting his heel shtick over. Stuff like having kayfabe girlfriend AJ Lee just happen to be positioned in places where she'd get taken out and distract a babyface at a key moment, or, probably the highlight in my view, a house show promo where he said that "AJ loves me...and I appreciate that." Just doing everything possible to come across as an insincere, manipulative, abusive prick who was also quick to celebrate his victories as ostentatiously as possible, no matter how pathetically he got there.

So yeah, it was less personal enmity and more Bryan being completely despicable.

Basically.

Sheamus won the Royal Rumble, and since cahsing in the Money in the Bank, Bryan had descended into being an obnoxious heel that kept defending his title by "slippery" means.

The problem was that Daniel Bryan was so over the top with his heel dickishness that the crowd basically refused to boo him.

losing in 18 seconds was pretty much old school booking like the Honky Tonk Man... but again... the crowd was refusing to boo him.

Another failing of it was like... Bryan really didn't do anything to Sheamus. Sheamus kept Brogue Kicking him in the build and Bryan didn't really seem to be particularly concerned about him at all so it didn't feel like Sheamus was getting overdue revenge or anything.

At least plus side is their two out of three falls match was fantastic.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

The issue to me is that 99% of the story being told was Bryan and Lee. Literally ANYONE could've been in Sheamus's position. They were doing everything they can to make you want Bryan to lose, but not a thing to make you want Sheamus to win, and as such, people defaulted to the stance of "I want the guy entertaining me with his schtick to keep entertaining me with his schtick". And then you have the one-hit KO match at WrestleMania, so now not only do you have a guy that people aren't interested in winning over the guy that was probably the most entertaining guy in the territory (as much as we figured that was what was gonna happen and we'd made peace with it), you've shortchanged the audience out of what was actually thought of to be a potential match of the night contender.

This angle set back Sheamus for years with this fanbase, it really did. Only started winning us over again when he was teaming with Cesaro.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Only part of the build I remember is Sheamus beating Bryan up after he won Elimination Chamber to I guess make clear what title he was challenging for at Mania. That's the only thing I remember and that was only because I was at that show. Otherwise I would've forgot that too. I really don't recall any physical altercations. IIRC I think it was mainly just Bryan being mean to AJ while Sheamus was just mainly bodying midcard heels like Dolph and Cody.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Mar 18, 2022 0:03:28 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

The issue to me is that 99% of the story being told was Bryan and Lee. Literally ANYONE could've been in Sheamus's position. They were doing everything they can to make you want Bryan to lose, but not a thing to make you want Sheamus to win, and as such, people defaulted to the stance of "I want the guy entertaining me with his schtick to keep entertaining me with his schtick". And then you have the one-hit KO match at WrestleMania, so now not only do you have a guy that people aren't interested in winning over the guy that was probably the most entertaining guy in the territory (as much as we figured that was what was gonna happen and we'd made peace with it), you've shortchanged the audience out of what was actually thought of to be a potential match of the night contender.

This angle set back Sheamus for years with this fanbase, it really did. Only started winning us over again when he was teaming with Cesaro.

It's too bad because I thought babyface Sheamus could've been so much better. Just a jovial dude who is also a bad ass who you can count on to get the job done. After a while I think they booked him almost too strong which I think was a big reason why it didn't work along with the Bryan thing. Like his TV record during his face run (summer 2011 to summer 2014) has to be insanely good. It seemed like the guy never freaking lost. It just made him super boring in that his matches while technically good were just all kind of the same and it just made him super predictable. Back and forth match usually lasting two segments, brogue kick out of nowhwere, Sheamus wins.

I would say his heel League of Nations era Sheamus between his face run and his Cesaro run was the worst period for him. Both from an entertainment standpoint and a presentation standpoint. The Cesaro team really came at a good time for him because he was really getting lost in the shuffle at that point, losing to guys like Apollo Crews. I remember a Smackdown in 2016 where he jobbed clean to Dolph ahead of a Dolph PPV match with Corbin who came out and cut a promo on the ramp afterwards. It was basically like they were treating Sheamus as a warm up opponent for Dolph before he faced the newer, bigger, and better heel at the PPV. Like it was coming like they were kind of done with him and he was maybe on his way out but yet here we are six years later and he's still going strong.

[eJm]

Mar 18, 2022 0:03:28 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

The issue to me is that 99% of the story being told was Bryan and Lee. Literally ANYONE could've been in Sheamus's position. They were doing everything they can to make you want Bryan to lose, but not a thing to make you want Sheamus to win, and as such, people defaulted to the stance of "I want the guy entertaining me with his schtick to keep entertaining me with his schtick". And then you have the one-hit KO match at WrestleMania, so now not only do you have a guy that people aren't interested in winning over the guy that was probably the most entertaining guy in the territory (as much as we figured that was what was gonna happen and we'd made peace with it), you've shortchanged the audience out of what was actually thought of to be a potential match of the night contender.

This angle set back Sheamus for years with this fanbase, it really did. Only started winning us over again when he was teaming with Cesaro.

Also, like, I’m sorry, I know Bryan was a heel here but Sheamus basically came out and attacked him after an Elimination Chamber. That’s a heel action. There were so many other ways they could have done that. I wasn’t going to sympathize with the dude for doing that, especially since Bryan won that chamber clean.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Mar 18, 2022 3:25:45 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

It's too bad because I thought babyface Sheamus could've been so much better. Just a jovial dude who is also a bad ass who you can count on to get the job done. After a while I think they booked him almost too strong which I think was a big reason why it didn't work along with the Bryan thing. Like his TV record during his face run (summer 2011 to summer 2014) has to be insanely good. It seemed like the guy never freaking lost. It just made him super boring in that his matches while technically good were just all kind of the same and it just made him super predictable. Back and forth match usually lasting two segments, brogue kick out of nowhwere, Sheamus wins.

No fooling, out of all the years I’ve done for my points ranking project, the single strongest year for any talent in terms of sheer amount of matches won and points gained from winning matches was for Sheamus in 2012. Dude went 77-19-2 that year, including a 26-match winning streak. Because this was “RAW SuperShow” time, he’d usually be having matches on both RAW and SmackDown, and once a month on PPV, and winning just about all of them.

[Cvslfc123]

All I remember was Daniel Bryan telling AJ to shut up

[msc]

Bryan mostly feuded with CM Punk and Big Show in the build up. Sheamus wanted to be there but he had trouble with too many limes.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Mar 18, 2022 3:58:39 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Mar 18, 2022 3:25:45 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

It's too bad because I thought babyface Sheamus could've been so much better. Just a jovial dude who is also a bad ass who you can count on to get the job done. After a while I think they booked him almost too strong which I think was a big reason why it didn't work along with the Bryan thing. Like his TV record during his face run (summer 2011 to summer 2014) has to be insanely good. It seemed like the guy never freaking lost. It just made him super boring in that his matches while technically good were just all kind of the same and it just made him super predictable. Back and forth match usually lasting two segments, brogue kick out of nowhwere, Sheamus wins.

No fooling, out of all the years I’ve done for my points ranking project, the single strongest year for any talent in terms of sheer amount of matches won and points gained from winning matches was for Sheamus in 2012. Dude went 77-19-2 that year, including a 26-match winning streak. Because this was “RAW SuperShow” time, he’d usually be having matches on both RAW and SmackDown, and once a month on PPV, and winning just about all of them.

77 wins in one year. Holy crap. I knew it was good but that's insane. I remember Big Show doing well against him as he beat him for the World Title at I think whatever the October PPV was and then beat him again in a rematch at Survivor Series. It seemed like he was the only guy who could stop him although I think PUnk beat him too towards the end of the year in a champion vs. champion although I think there was some shenanigans involved. I'm honestly surprised he had 19 losses. I'm guessing pretty much all of them were either Rumbles/Battle Royals or tag team matches where he didn't eat the pin.

I remember him in particular making absolute mincemeat of the heel midcard from 2012 to 2014. Ziggler, Cody, Sandow, Barrett, Cesaro, Jack Swagger. He probably wrestled each of them five times at least during those and I'm pretty certain not one of them beat him even once. Often I would miss wrestling due to work and would have to record and with his matches it was automatic fast forward because I knew what the outcome was going to be.