Wrestling isn’t fake. It’s just pre-determined. It may be sports entertainment, but putting your body through daily power-bombs, ladder matches and Five-Knuckle Shuffles takes a toll. Just ask former superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart and Edge about their in-ring injuries, and they’ll toss a list at you that would read like the torture list of a new SAW movie.
And former champ Daniel Bryan will be comparing scars soon enough, as the master of the YES! chant just announced his retirement. Bryan first announced his decision to leave the WWE on Twitter:
Due to medical reasons, effective immediately, I am announcing my retirement. Tonight on Raw, I’ll have a chance to elaborate. #gratitude
— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) February 8, 2016
After which he closed out an episode of Monday night RAW by revealing that his in-ring career is over. It’s not too surprising at this point. Bryan had been out of action after another concussion forced him to relinquish his Wrestlemania 30, WWE and World Heavyweight Championship wins in 2014 so that he could undergo some much needed neck surgery. As of April last year, another concussion-related injury sidelined him, forcing him to once again hand over a championship, the Intercontinental belt this time.
That’s most likely the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the WWE was hesitant to bring back Bryan for another push. That, and their determination to make audiences love Roman Reigns, the WeChat of WWE superstars. C’mon dammit, why won’t you people support Reigns already. C’maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! And probably also being forced to appear on WWE’s Total Divas series. That’s enough to make even the toughest of wrestlers tap out.
“Within the first five months of my wrestling career, I’d already had three concussions. For years after that, I would get a concussion here and there, or here, or there, and it gets to the point when you’ve been wrestling for 16 years that it adds up to a lot of concussions,” Daniel said on RAW via Screengrabber.
It gets to a point where they tell you that you can’t wrestle anymore.
I have loved this in a way that I have never loved anything else. But a week and a half ago I took a test that said maybe my brain wasn’t as OK as I thought it was. And I have a family to think about, and my wife and I want to start having kids soon.
I’ve been angry, I’ve been said, I’ve been frustrated, and all that. But when I woke up this morning, I felt nothing but gratitude.
You guys got behind me in a way that made me feel like I was more than just me. And for that, I’m grateful.
Considered one of the very best in-ring performers, Bryan may not have been built like a 7ft tall muscle mountain but his skill and technique made him a favourite in the industry. Alongside that catchy YES! YES! YES! chant of his, it was impossible to not like the fella, especially when he was putting on Wrestlemanina-quality matches every time he stepped into a ring
Last Updated: February 9, 2016
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 9, 2016 at 14:05
Daniel Bryan was awesome to watch in the ring. They wasted so much of his talent there too when they made him a joke character.
No, let’s push Bore-man Bore-ns and let Bore-tista & Triple Bore win the Rumble.
Hammersteyn
February 9, 2016 at 14:07
Agreed, he wasn’t big enough or tall enough for their liking
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 9, 2016 at 14:15
Cruiser weights are the most exciting wrestlers to watch. No, let’s watch John Cena vs Big Show for the umpteenth time. Yayyyyyyyyyyy. Don’t forget to buy your John Cena Fruity Pebbles t-shirt. No wonder I don’t watch it any more. NXT was the only wrestling worth watching before ETV stopped showing it.
Hammersteyn
February 9, 2016 at 14:17
At least AJ Styles is now part of WWE. Well for the next six months till the creative department tucks him away and he eventually disappears into obscurity
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 10, 2016 at 10:51
Exactly –
Guys, rather watch Lucha Underground!!!
RinceThis
February 9, 2016 at 14:36
You’re a joke character with as much story as DS!
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 9, 2016 at 14:42
How dare you, just read my item description!
“Open other side”…. well, shit.
RinceThis
February 9, 2016 at 15:24
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 10, 2016 at 10:50
I can’t believe they let Triple Bore win the title again. Next they’re probably going to bring back Randy Boredom as well.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2016 at 11:13
Don’t remind me. Watching the same few moves get repeated every week in the same order is so exciting. Even the freaking commentary is the same. Are they given checklists before the show?
Commander Admiral Chief
February 9, 2016 at 14:09
https://i.imgflip.com/1ywsp.jpg
Kromas untamed
February 9, 2016 at 14:16
Who is Daniel Bryan and what ever happened to Hulk Hogan.
Yes the last time I watched Wrestling it was still WWF and Madiba was not president yet. 🙂
BakedBagel
February 9, 2016 at 20:02
He is currently Lifting Gawker.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 10, 2016 at 10:52
Hulk Hogan is close to delivering a leg drop on those jabronis from Gawker.
The Sten
February 9, 2016 at 14:31
Having two firstnames and no surmane must be so wierd…
Geoffrey Tim
February 9, 2016 at 15:36
Sorry, what?
The Sten
February 9, 2016 at 16:00
n…nothing nothing
Geoffrey Tim
February 9, 2016 at 16:04
That’s what I thought.
Lardus-For the Chimichangas!
February 9, 2016 at 15:16
For the feels of the fans: http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2016-02-08/wwe-raw-results-28666604/page-11
Lardus-For the Chimichangas!
February 9, 2016 at 15:18
Daniel Bryan was cool. I do like Reins though, but I think perhaps Ambrose is a better personality to market? Overall, WWE has a lack of “characters” at the moment to get behind. Nobody seems really bankable to me…only the disliked guys seem to properly fit their role, none of the “goodies”…
Charl van der Merwe
February 9, 2016 at 15:40
haha “It’s not fake, just predetermined” Must be the most demoralizing feeling that no matter how Strong, tough or fit you are, or how much you train,you are not in control of your own success through skill, but through entertaining thousands of screaming douche bags in the crowd.
And btw, for what it’s suppose to be representing, which is meant to be a sport called “wrestling”, it is super fake.
DGenerationMC
February 10, 2016 at 04:46
Well, just say it’s entertainment like a sensible human being and call it a day.
Ease up on the arrogance, bud. We get it. You don’t watch wrestling or particularly care for it so you feel you’re above some people.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 10, 2016 at 10:52
That’s a bit like life, isn’t it?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
February 10, 2016 at 10:50
All hail the American Dragon!
Hopefully AJ Styles will be able to take up the mantle of the “small guy who takes the WWE title”, but then this is the WWE. They’re probably going to bury Styles and Samoa Joe on Smackdown.
Alien Emperor Trevor
February 10, 2016 at 11:11
Probably, they’ve already done that to Paige, Sasha Banks and the rest of the awesome female wrestlers. Imagine going from amazing main event matches to 5-minute hair pulling contests. Instant job satisfaction right there.