Breaking News: Daniel Bryan Retires - MEGA THREAD

[Stopspot]

This is, according to sources backstage, Bryan's own decision.

End of an era people. If it weren't for Bryan large parts of the guys in WWE now would not be hired. Cesaro, Ambrose, Rollins, Aries, Styles, Kenta, Generico, Steen, Balor etc. Bryan opened the door for this generation of wrestlers. He took what Punk started and surpassed it.

 

[The GOAT]

This is, according to sources backstage, Bryan's own decision.

End of an era people. If it weren't for Bryan large parts of the guys in WWE now would not be hired. Cesaro, Ambrose, Rollins, Aries, Styles, Kenta, Generico, Steen, Balor etc. Bryan opened the door for this generation of wrestlers. He took what Punk started and surpassed it.

Talk about exaggerating someone's impact. There's no reason not to think that every one of those guys would have still been hired without Bryan (or Punk.)

 

[Stopspot]

Talk about exaggerating someone's impact. There's no reason not to think that every one of those guys would have still been hired without Bryan (or Punk.)

Chances would most likely be much smaller. Especially for the smaller/non wrestling bodied one. I'll eat crow on Cesaro since he actually was under WWE contract in 2005 for a short while but got fired.

Bryan and Punk proved that independent guys could function and thrive in the WWE environment, one so more than the other. If not for those two the landscape would most likely still be dominated by bodybuilders and knock off NFL players

 

[Jacob Fox]

Thinking about it being a work is rational giving the months of Daniel Bryan insisting he was not going to retire and that the doctors clearing him was good enough in his estimation. To suddenly retire for medical reasons is completely contrary to every indication he has given in past several months.

I could see it being a work and it doesn't have to be him lying about retiring to become a heel. There has been plenty of press that he has been offered non wrestling positions. I think a plausible story line, if it is indeed a work, would be that he announces his retirement and takes a non wrestling role with the company only to use that non wrestling role in order to influence things onscreen and eventually force himself back in as an active wrestler.

WWE has no problem using real life conflicts for story lines as we know.

Now, I am not saying that it is a work. It just seems really really inconsistent with everything he has been saying for months now to suddenly to a complete 180 and makes the decision on the very day that Raw appears in his hometown, keeping in mind that the date was scheduled long before this decision was made. Seems fishy... might be legit though.. really don't know....

 

[Roadster]

good riddance.

Nah, but in all seriousness this is very depressing. At least he's going out with so many accomplishments under his belt. Sanará Daniel Bryan.

 

[Stopspot]

Thinking about it being a work is rational giving the months of Daniel Bryan insisting he was not going to retire and that the doctors clearing him was good enough in his estimation. To suddenly retire for medical reasons is completely contrary to every indication he has given in past several months.

I could see it being a work and it doesn't have to be him lying about retiring to become a heel. There has been plenty of press that he has been offered non wrestling positions. I think a plausible story line, if it is indeed a work, would be that he announces his retirement and takes a non wrestling role with the company only to use that non wrestling role in order to influence things onscreen and eventually force himself back in as an active wrestler.

WWE has no problem using real life conflicts for story lines as we know.

Now, I am not saying that it is a work. It just seems really really inconsistent with everything he has been saying for months now to suddenly to a complete 180 and makes the decision on the very day that Raw appears in his hometown, keeping in mind that the date was scheduled long before this decision was made. Seems fishy... might be legit though.. really don't know....

There's nothing fishy about it. How many patients have stubbornly said they are still going to do something despite doctors saying no? especially among athletes

 

[Jacob Fox]

There's nothing fishy about it. How many patients have stubbornly said they are still going to do something despite doctors saying no? especially among athletes

As something being fishy is a description of how it appears to me, you cannot tell me what I do or do not find fishy. It's not fishy to you? fine. Its fishy to me.

 

[Roadster]

:damn:^^^

 

[Stopspot]

Keep fishing then good brother.

I myself find it hard to see this as a work. It has none of the usual elements of a worked retirement angle the WWE operates with.

If it is a work, semper fi. But all notes that I can find points to it being a retirement, forced or not. There's a lot of "hurt not injured" going around.

 

[Snowman1]

It would be pretty sick to see one last flying knee to Hunter, retirement or no.

Highly doubt this is a work, but if it is it's the perfect way to return. It fixes the Authority (somewhat) as being the out-of-kayfabe company goons we complain about, and he can point the finger at Triple H and Steph and say "Look, it's these assholes that won't clear me, they want to hold me back! I got numerous other opinions, yet you still won't let me wrestle and *flying knee*"

Not just that but the random Brie Bella push can lead to the rumored rematch with Stephanie at WM... But then there's the conspiracy theory of "There's no better way to kill off Roman Reigns than this". True, haha

 

[Roadster]

I find it fishy that he announced his retirement the afternoon of a RAW. Not just a RAW, but a RAW that is on the RTWM. No one has ever retired like that. I didn't see a "retiring tonight" tweet from Santino, hours before going out and announcing.

 

[Roadster]

Besides, this is more than likely not gonna stop him from going down to the indies and doing his shit. He was cleared by every from the lord in heaven above to football doctors. Just because a guy in the medical offices of Stanford, didn't clear him doesn't mean he's done with this wrestling gig. Far from it.

 

[Pop Tatari]

Trips the man who is champ and tried to stop Bryan from being champ comes out and offers his condolences and mocks him instead, Bryan either attacks him or takes up on screen role and interferes in wm main event.

 

[seabs]

Chances would most likely be much smaller. Especially for the smaller/non wrestling bodied one. I'll eat crow on Cesaro since he actually was under WWE contract in 2005 for a short while but got fired.

Bryan and Punk proved that independent guys could function and thrive in the WWE environment, one so more than the other. If not for those two the landscape would most likely still be dominated by bodybuilders and knock off NFL players

Huge exaggeration, Bryan began getting really over in what late 2011 / 2012 (it was Mania in 2012 vs Sheamus wasn't it?) Let's evaluate when these guys were signed :
Cesaro - 2011
Ambrose - Signed in 2010 and was being planned to be put in a programme with Foley.
Rollins - 2010
Aries - It's pushing it but I can't particularly argue against this, it's all opinions. Just about Aries he had exposure from TNA which could have well helped.
Styles - Hottest talent outside of the E, I doubt they'd have skipped over him at any time. They offered him deals previously but it didn't make financial sense. Plus he was signed after DB's injury issues, which would put them off indy style worker's wouldn't it, if anything.
Kenta - See Aries
Generico - See Aries
Steen - See Aries.
Balor - See Aries

Basically there's little to say Bryan had a huge influence, he could have been seen as a benchmark of the talent which is available but he's not a huge reason IMO.

 

[Stopspot]

Besides, this is more than likely not gonna stop him from going down to the indies and doing his shit. He was cleared by every from the lord in heaven above to football doctors. Just because a guy in the medical offices of Stanford, didn't clear him doesn't mean he's done with this wrestling gig. Far from it.

Why it was announced: It's in his hometown.

Him going to the indies: Most likely yeah, but WWE is going to keep him under lock and key for the remainder of his contract most likely