SmackDown took place from Austin, Texas with the “new” Daniel Bryan explaining his disdain for polluters and socially unconscionable fans, the TLC contract signing went down involving Becky Lynch, CharlotteFlair, and Asuka. Plus: Samoa Joe rented out a bar, Shane McMahon is taking the Survivor Series loss remarkably well, and AJ Styles took on The Miz in the main event.Wai Ting reviews the Mixed Match Challenge with The Miz and Asuka taking on Jimmy Uso and Naomi, along with Charlotte Flair and Jeff Hardy facing off with R-Truth and Carmella.
We discuss TODAY’S TOP STORIES with Raw doing its lowest viewership of the year, Vince McMahon sells stock, XFL press conference to announce teams, Tribute to the Troops air date, HBO documentary on Kenny Omega, and more. Plus Café feedback, comments & questions from thePOST Wrestling Forum.
I’m GENUINELY surprised Daniel Bryan’s character is getting praise.
This was a terrible out of nowhere character shift. More importantly though…what does the environment have to do with being a heel in wrestling? Imagine giving Daniel Bryans character to Nia Jax’s most recent heel character. Do you honestly think you’d be praising the idea and character shift?
This was another terrible ‘you people’ heel promo not unlike what Dean is doing but performed better because of Daniels passion. Another BIG problem with this was the heel beatdown. What have we learned from ALL heel beatdowns of late? Answer: If you return to beat down again you’ll fire up the audience to get behind you. This has happened a half dozen times in the last several months. And yet here we are…WWE doing the same completely stupid mistake with Daniel Bryan and only getting away with it this time because of Daniel’s cred and the crowd being kind enough to get behind his intended character.
I love Daniel’s passion and I am a fan…but this character shift didn’t work for me at all. It felt like a huge step backwards for his heel character and I’m less interested in the show as a result. A real shame if you ask me. Thankfully Daniel will do all he can to make this entertaining.
Can you explain what you mean please?
Where in his feuds with Baron Corbin, Miz, and AJ Styles was he a character who felt the fans never appreciated him and he was disgusted by how the fans treated our environment.
Why did John and Wai never cover that side of Bryan’s character until now?
Why do I need to rethink the way of expressing my opinions?
Jesus…it’s not a character, it’s Bryan Danielson genuine feelings ramped up. He was openly campaigning for the green party on Talking Smack and is a woody two shoes about the environment on any shows he’s on.
It’s him being a brow beating know it all who judges everyone for not thinking like him exactly is the heat…and guess what? NOBODY LIKES THOSE PEOPLE.
Bryan’s character believes the audience is hypocritical for condemning him for committing one sin (kicking AJ in the balls) when he feels they commit multiple on a daily basis with their lack of care for the environment. It’s not so much about the environment as it is about Bryan believing that his morals shouldn’t be judged by people who he believes are more morally bankrupt than him.
He’s also spoken enough about his passion for the environment in interviews and Total Divas that I feel its a widely known and believable part of his on-screen identity.
Re: “At this time” backstage interviews. Global news in Toronto tends to throw to a live remote that is a single shot of the reporter, then pull out as the interviewee steps into frame. It always makes me think of Raw, and I always expect Randy Orton to be the interviewee.
