Take away the "Yes!" chant...

[Boo!]

...what does Bryan have?

I just don't get it. I see the chant is fun and everyone joins in. I also see what everyone dances when Fandango comes out but I can't make the jump between that and wanting him in the world title scene.

As far as I see he went from being a comedy tag team into someone spoken about at main event level but other than the audience participation is there really much clamour to see him. If the audience didn't do that, then what other evidence would there be or what other reasons would there be to have him in the main event picture?

[Deleted]

He puts on really, really, REALLY good matches.

That makes crowd connection + awesome matches. That should be all you need.

[Deleted]

Underdog connection, brilliant fired up ring style, recognisable look.

I mean the idea of "if you remove x then the guy should still be a main eventer" is an odd thing to say anyway.

If you took away mic skills what would Stone Cold/The Rock be? If you took away the hulk up what would WWF Hogan be?

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Awesome matches? Seriously, the YES chant got Bryan's foot in the door but it was his fantastic performances against the Shield that helped him catch fire earlier this year.

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Also, he beat John Cena CLEANLY. That alone puts him in the main event tier kayfabe wise.

[JTG Fan]

We really need a dislike button.

[BigWill]

I can't help you with your question if you truly believe that the fans are so simple minded as to get behind a superstar solely because he has a fun chant.

You honestly think that the audience is going to accept someone as a main eventer all those months just because he says "Yes!" a lot?

Not to mention, your theory doesn't explain why people at home, who aren't in the audience chanting "Yes!", like him.

[CATCH_US IS the Conversation]

Nov 16, 2013 11:16:12 GMT -5 Boo! said:

...what does Bryan have?

I just don't get it. I see the chant is fun and everyone joins in. I also see what everyone dances when Fandango comes out but I can't make the jump between that and wanting him in the world title scene.

As far as I see he went from being a comedy tag team into someone spoken about at main event level but other than the audience participation is there really much clamour to see him. If the audience didn't do that, then what other evidence would there be or what other reasons would there be to have him in the main event picture?

Bryan has nothing. But that's a big chunk of his appeal. Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan is the ultimate generic dude with no gimmick who compensates by being a charismatic badass in the ring. The Team Hell No stuff just helped him establish a bit of a character.

In regards to Fandango, I think the reason people want him the World Title scene is because the WHC has fallen so far, that most people want to suggest X should get a run with the WHC o The grounds that "it's only the WHC".

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Jesus Christ, is it really that hard to just say you don't like Daniel Bryan without trying to tear the guy down and downplay his abilities? Be confident in your opinion! It's fine to not like someone even if they are successful.

[Kayfabe FAN don't want none]

Pretty sure crowds can chant/yell:

"YEEAAAAAH"

"WRESTLER'S-NAME CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCALP"

"THIS IS AWESOME"

^ actually all what i mentioned existed in the Ziggler/Bryan match from 2010. When both were generic, had ZERO catchphrases.

[mrbananagrabber]

Couldn't "what would he be without.." Be said for pretty much every wrestler?

[Deleted]

He's certainly got a charisma that connects with the fans. He always had it, the Yes chants were simply an easier way to express them. He shows a lot more energy in the ring than many of his peers.

Character-wise, he does need more. In Team Hell No, he showed it. Too cartoony for my tastes at times, but he did have a very fun, engaging personality. Things have gotten way stagnant with him in that department since they ridiculously took things in a "I'M A REAL WRESTLER YOU'RE AN ENTERTAINER" direction prior to Summerslam. Now, he's pretty much just the YES/BEARD guy, and I don't like it. Still love the guy though, I love what he's all about and it's very easy for me to get behind him.

[Hit Girl]

"Take away the things that have got a wrestler over, and would they really have got over?"


See the flaw with such thinking?

[Deleted]

The yes chant gets them in the door, the good matches keep them there.

I know casual fans aren't obsessed with workrate but they like a good match too.

[angryfan]

I don't think he was being as drastic as it at first seemed, but I wanted to examine it for a second.

D-Bry got over with the Yes/No chants. They have since had Big Show doing them, which to me suggests they think it's the chant and not the person that is over. Despite that, D-Bry is still getting reactions.

To say "Rock without mic time" would be going a bit far, but let's look at it this way.

KotR 1996, Austin 3:16. The next day the crowds are just live with that, and it's over big. It goes for a few weeks, and Vince decides "That catchphrase thing worked, so let's try it with some other guys I want at the top of the card".

Suddenly we're getting Savio 3:16 (says the concession stand has fresh hot dogs) and Ahmed 3:16 (says go get a translator). Everybody gets a "something something 3:16" catchphrase. DOes Austin's stand out as much? Does he get the traction to be a main guy, or is he now just Billy Gunn?

[Chip]

He would still be mostly the same. "YES" caught fire because of it's association with Bryan, they chant it to show him support much in the same way people would chant "USA" or "HOOOOOO" for Duggan. If "YES" didn't catch fire or exist they would be chanting something else guaranteed. Without the chant he's the goofy cave-man looking wrestler that loves what he does regardless of where or why he does it.

[Deleted]

Nov 16, 2013 11:54:06 GMT -5 angryfan said:

I don't think he was being as drastic as it at first seemed, but I wanted to examine it for a second.

D-Bry got over with the Yes/No chants. They have since had Big Show doing them, which to me suggests they think it's the chant and not the person that is over. Despite that, D-Bry is still getting reactions.

To say "Rock without mic time" would be going a bit far, but let's look at it this way.

KotR 1996, Austin 3:16. The next day the crowds are just live with that, and it's over big. It goes for a few weeks, and Vince decides "That catchphrase thing worked, so let's try it with some other guys I want at the top of the card".

Suddenly we're getting Savio 3:16 (says the concession stand has fresh hot dogs) and Ahmed 3:16 (says go get a translator). Everybody gets a "something something 3:16" catchphrase. DOes Austin's stand out as much? Does he get the traction to be a main guy, or is he now just Billy Gunn?

If there was Ahmed 3:16 with a random phrase afterwards each week that you couldn't understand, wrestling would still be in a boom period.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Nov 16, 2013 11:58:47 GMT -5 @bootytime said:

If there was Ahmed 3:16 with a random phrase afterwards each week that you couldn't understand, wrestling would still be in a boom period.

AHMED 3:16 SAYS I JUST STAMPED UP TO PUNCHY

[Brother Nero....Wolfe]

He used to be a really fun character with Kane and all that. But of course the moment you touch the main event you have to stop being interesting, so..

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Nov 16, 2013 11:40:33 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

"Take away the things that have got a wrestler over, and would they really have got over?"


See the flaw with such thinking?

More than that, how would Daniel Bryan even get the YES! chant over if he didn't have some sort of connection with the audience?