10 Ways WWE Can Fix Their Broken Face/Heel Alignment System

9. Stop Trying To Recreate Daniel Bryan

Braun Strowman
WWE.com

Daniel Bryan is WWE's last true babyface success story. Yes, guys like Dean Ambrose are popular, but their support levels aren't comparable to the SmackDown General Manager's peak. His popularity was universal, and given WWE's propensity to take something that works then repeat it a thousand times over, hoping for the same results, it's no surprise they've tried to recreate his surge on multiple occasions over the past few years.

The problem is that Bryan's popularity came in spite of WWE's booking, not because of it. The "Yes!" Movement was spawned from frustration and anger towards his push, and the company only relented when the noise became too deafening to ignore. It was a natural, organic groundswell: the kind that can't be fabricated, as proven by the company's handling of Sami Zayn and Bayley.

WWE have tried to follow the Bryan formula with both, hoping that booking them in losing positions and portraying them like over-matched try-hards will bring the same levels of popularity, but it hasn't worked, and both wrestlers' crowd reactions have plummeted. Rather than replicating Daniel's rise, they've succeeded only in making two of their most valuable babyface commodities look like colossal losers.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.