UA-59049186-1 Say It Ain't So: Daniel Bryan Retires - Good if it Goes
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Say It Ain’t So: Daniel Bryan Retires

Closure is something everyone wants in life, whether they want to admit it or not. We don’t always get it. Even when we do, we aren’t always satisfied- likely because it was not on our terms.

Monday night, Daniel Bryan got closure on his own terms.

“But he had to retire because his body failed him. That’s not on his own terms,” you might be thinking.
Yet how many athletes get to address a crowd of tens of thousands in their home town on national television in front of family, friends and everyone in between? Not many. Bryan (real name Bryan Danielson) was able to do this, fully capable of delivering the right words just how he wanted. The irony here is for a man not particularly known for his mic skills, Bryan’s farewell speech was a thing of absolute beauty.

Bryan showed patience, soaking in the crowd’s cheers and adoration for a solid few minutes before letting the words flow. He was honest and genuine when he admitted to why he had to retire. He was humorous when he referenced his popular catchphrase “yes” in regards to his wife (“That’s what Brie says!”). And most of all, he was real.

Even once Bryan shocked the world with the initial announcement via Twitter, wrestling fans all over (myself included) felt it might be part of a storyline. This couldn’t be real. Why else would it be announced early Monday afternoon?

 

This was no “work”- a swerve designed to fool fans into thinking something is real, later revealed to be part of a storyline. This wasn’t Mark Henry in 2011 whose effort could have earned him an Oscar. Sadly, it was just like Edge’s (real name Adam Copeland) retirement the night after Wrestlemania 27.

In a sport predicated on having a layer of false truths (also known as kayfabe), moments where the fourth wall is broken and the stars invite you in to their reality are special. That layer is thinner than ever in recent years- thanks to the internet at first, then social media’s rapid progression of blurring the lines between real and fake. Bryan didn’t sugarcoat anything. He told the wrestling world what he was dealing with and why he couldn’t pick up where he left off.

But what made Bryan so special? Years before he made it to WWE in 2010, he was a blip on WWE’s radar. He was under six foot and lacked the charisma of stars such as Shawn Michaels, the Rock, Stone Cold or John Cena. This guy could never be a superstar, right? Sure, he could put on a five-star classic, but could he sell merchandise? A few years ago, I wrote a piece about him right before he went from serviceable wrestler to a megastar.

There is no definite answer to that question. “It” can be summed up with a bevy of questions. How big are they? Can they wrestle? Do they talk well on the mic? Do they have “the look”? The list could go on. But there is no one definition of “It”. There is also no absolute way to figure out if a wrestler really does have “It”. Like athletes in pro sports, wrestlers can have the look and the know-how- but some bloom later than others, or they simply fail to bloom at all.

In this case, Bryan’s “It” was simply being able to connect with the crowd. Now by spewing catchphrases or hitting his marks like some, but just by being a likable guy who could kick ass in the ring. He was a natural underdog, fighting for everything he earned- all the while having that “Aw shucks” modest personality.

 

Many (including myself) never met Daniel Bryan, but as often as fans watch their favorite wrestlers every week, they feel they know them. They know them on a certain level, but the best stars transcend the television screen each week. They reach through it and absolutely captivate you. What else would explain crying when we see wrestlers who have passed or had to retire early like Bryan? You can’t help but sympathize and feel his pain. Wrestlers work hard week in and week out to convey emotion and make fans feel it, whether in matches or storylines.

Monday night, Bryan didn’t have to try hard. Seattle (and the entire WWE Universe) were a mess, not ready to watch one of their favorites ride off into the sunset.

For me, the emotions came when Bryan teared up and looked right to his mother and sister. Just before, he referenced a few years prior when his dad got to see Seattle chant for his boy despite a segment revolving around a title unification match between Randy Orton and John Cena.

It wasn’t simply a chant that night. It was the audience rejecting what was being fed to them, like a child in a highchair spurning their vegetables. WWE fans didn’t want the commercial and overplayed Orton/Cena matchup. They wanted Daniel Bryan, the everyman’s man.

Bryan may be a vegan with a healthy lifestyle which is fitting. His rise to prominence was one of the most organic things of all time in wrestling. Sure, he was beloved before coming to WWE (mainly due to his popularity amongst the internet wrestling community). But it wasn’t until 2011 when he first won the World Heavyweight championship from Big Show by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase that his true rise as a superstar began. He channeled his inner Diego Sanchez( a UFC fighter who walked to the cage, screaming “yes” repeatedly). He let his emotion pour out, and YES became the new WHAT?

If there’s one thing Vince McMahon is known for, it’s not being a fan of something he didn’t create solely himself. His rejection of Bryan initially played a part in the rise of the former indie star. He was referred to as a “B+ player” many times on television, and who knows how far the truth was from backstage perception at the time. But after Monday night, it was clearly evident Bryan had won over his harshest of skeptics. McMahon was in the middle of the stage, clapping for the bearded one, and would later embrace him as Bryan made his exit.

This may be a somber night for many, but there are silver linings. I already touched on Bryan being able to leave on his own terms despite his injuries. But Bryan wasn’t begging for sympathy. It just came easy for the fans to give it.

We may feel bad that he couldn’t have a longer and healthier career, but Bryan is able to leave on his own two feet to live the rest of his life with a beautiful and supporting wife. He plied at his craft for a near sixteen years. It was a craft that made him very rich and allowed him to travel the world and meet many people, whether coworkers or fans.

Daniel Bryan may have left us too soon as an active wrestler, but just feel lucky you got to experience and witness one of the most unique stars the wrestling industry has ever seen. The brightest stars may burn out the fastest, but Bryan’s legacy will last forever.

 

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

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