The Daniel / Bryan nonreaction.

[Lizuka #BLM]

I just find this really interesting kind of wondering just why the crowd so aggressively did not care about it. Was it due to kind of coming out of nowhere? It being heel vs. heel? Being killed by the previous match since they didn't really react to it either? Just being tired in general? Just not enjoying the match? Just waiting for Moxley to show up? A mix of factors? Seems hard enough to put a finger on that I find it interesting to mull over, especially given how they continued to no-sell Bryan trying to put Garcia over after the match but did pop huge for once the segment became about Mox.

I think it's probably mostly on a mix of factors, though this did kind of cement to me that I think Bryan just isn't very good when he's up against other super technical people. Match did nothing for me at all really and was kind of just making me think of that match he had with Gulak, though at least this wasn't anywhere near as boring as that was.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

As someone who was there, we were really a crowd that was up for bigger spots but this kind of match wasn't a lot of people's jam per se when it featured less big moves and more grappling and strikes. I could see it working elsewhere.

[A Platypus Rave]

yeah, that crowd aggressively did not care about Garcia vs. Bryan.

I'm not going to figure out why? It's probably a combination of a bunch of things.

But there also really wasn't a lot of things FOR the crowd to pop for...

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

Given the reaction for Bryan/Moriarty was pretty good, I think it was the heel/heel aspect of it. Garcia's good and all, but he's also unlikable (or bland, take your pick) enough that there's no stakes to him doing well. He also doesn't really have a gear where he looks cool or pops the crowd, which is great when he's an undercard heel who punches above his weight class because people can at least care that he's hurting the good guy.

Basically, Garcia has not really developed an underdog mode, at least not in AEW, and it killed the vibe of this match. I'm a diehard Danielson fan who likes Garcia and I was tuning out for a lot of it because the dynamic was just off.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

As a tv viewer, I loved it. But as to the crowd, probably several of the reasons already mentioned.

[ppl591]

Garcia is very bland character wise and a charisma vacuum. In a promotion with lots if great technical wrestlers who do have charisma he's not interesting in the least to watch

[polarbearpete]

Feb 23, 2022 23:32:27 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

Garcia is very bland character wise and a charisma vacuum. In a promotion with lots if great technical wrestlers who do have charisma he's not interesting in the least to watch

Yeah the reaction is on Garcia. He’s not ready for a spot like that yet, imo.

[asuka007]

He was facing Daniel Garcia. No offense to the guy, but he hasn’t exactly been presented as a “main eventer” yet.

Also the match was pretty one sided for most of it as well

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Feb 23, 2022 23:37:00 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

Feb 23, 2022 23:32:27 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

Garcia is very bland character wise and a charisma vacuum. In a promotion with lots if great technical wrestlers who do have charisma he's not interesting in the least to watch

Yeah the reaction is on Garcia. He’s not ready for a spot like that yet, imo.

I wouldn't say he's not ready but he's more likely to be hit or miss. His match with Sammy got the crowd into it. And the crowd for this wasn't down the whole time. But for the style they worked, he needs a little bit more to him.

[Deleted]

It was a stellar match, but it was a technical wrestling clinic with a forgone result. That’s not exactly a recipe for a major crowd reaction.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Forgone conclusion plus the 2nd heel vs heel match back to back means crowd is confused/just watching

[schizo]

I read that as a Daniel Bryan nonreaction and was thinking “no way he gets a non reaction!”

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

People knew it was how it was gonna go, it's not an indictment on Garcia, he's growing and developing, and has been in multiple matches with Punk, Darby, Moxley, and Kingston where he has decidedly gotten the crowd into his matches, so calling him devoid of charisma or unable to capture a crowd seems a bit much imo.

Technical shoot wrestling is also gonna be big with some territories and not with others. Danielson/Moriarty got molten hot reactions, it's just a varied style unlike high flying where it gets lots of pops constantly

[Georgina's Fancy Water]

I definitely have my limits when it comes to technical wrestling and that match was like all of them. Absolute clinic that I could not wait for the end of. 

[Deleted]

Feb 24, 2022 0:20:55 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

People knew it was how it was gonna go, it's not an indictment on Garcia, he's growing and developing, and has been in multiple matches with Punk, Darby, Moxley, and Kingston where he has decidedly gotten the crowd into his matches, so calling him devoid of charisma or unable to capture a crowd seems a bit much imo.

Technical shoot wrestling is also gonna be big with some territories and not with others. Danielson/Moriarty got molten hot reactions, it's just a varied style unlike high flying where it gets lots of pops constantly

They stood in their heads!! I’ve loved that spot since the first time I saw it two years ago when TJP and Vikingo did it. They were both clinics with foregone conclusions, but at least Lee was a face underdog with a couple hope spots. Also it was a the first match of the night. Where this was the last match on dynamite.

Don’t know if they woke back up for rampage. Like others had said this going on last after the heel vs. heel woman’s match and the post match beat down by house of black, it would take the wind out of any show.

I know Tony gets a little heel heavy heading into the ppvs when the faces mostly wins. But he needs to look at his weekly booking to make sure they’re not a bummer to sit through. Seriously rampage last week was four heel standing tall segments in a row. By the time switchblade came out I was about ready to go.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Feb 24, 2022 2:53:12 GMT -5 @uppitynerd said:

Feb 24, 2022 0:20:55 GMT -5 Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] said:

People knew it was how it was gonna go, it's not an indictment on Garcia, he's growing and developing, and has been in multiple matches with Punk, Darby, Moxley, and Kingston where he has decidedly gotten the crowd into his matches, so calling him devoid of charisma or unable to capture a crowd seems a bit much imo.

Technical shoot wrestling is also gonna be big with some territories and not with others. Danielson/Moriarty got molten hot reactions, it's just a varied style unlike high flying where it gets lots of pops constantly

They stood in their heads!! I’ve loved that spot since the first time I saw it two years ago when TJP and Vikingo did it. They were both clinics with foregone conclusions, but at least Lee was a face underdog with a couple hope spots. Also it was a the first match of the night. Where this was the last match on dynamite.

Don’t know if they woke back up for rampage. Like others had said this going on last after the heel vs. heel woman’s match and the post match beat down by house of black, it would take the wind out of any show.

I know Tony gets a little heel heavy heading into the ppvs when the faces mostly wins. But he needs to look at his weekly booking to make sure they’re not a bummer to sit through. Seriously rampage last week was four heel standing tall segments in a row. By the time switchblade came out I was about ready to go.

Vanik said the crowd was hot for Rampage, some of the hottest reactions of the entire night so take that how you will. A lot of face moments on the show too.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Garcia is great in ring, no real seasoning in him yet. No one thought he was going to beat Bryan and it was a tune up match before he fights Mox. And tune ups are good, but it wasn’t exactly a major happening.

[Abdullah]

I think Garcia was also in a less favorable spot compared to Lee Moriarty a few weeks ago. That was, I think, the second match of the night or something. They had time to work and draw the crowd in. This was the main event, with about twelve minutes to work once you factor in entrances and the segment with Moxley. It was kind of obvious this wouldn’t build to any Match of the Year candidate.

But yeah, the crowd popped for Bryan big and not Garcia. Garcia needs work. In a similar case to Dante Martin, he’s young and talented and attractive and with little character to speak of. But unlike Dante, he doesn’t have the kind of moves that’ll get loud reactions. AEW needs to help him hone in on his weak spots before giving him a big spotlight.

[ghost]

Feb 23, 2022 23:32:27 GMT -5 ppl591 said:

Garcia is very bland character wise and a charisma vacuum. In a promotion with lots if great technical wrestlers who do have charisma he's not interesting in the least to watch

Agreed. Garcia is good in the ring but doesn’t have natural charisma and has no character to speak of. You can make up for one with the other but he has neither.

[Allie Kitsune]

Heel vs. Heel is only fun when they're trying to outcheat/out d-bag each other.