10 Beloved Wrestlers FIRED By WWE
1. Daniel Bryan
Bryan Danielson was beloved by the hardcore fandom in 2010.
He was the best professional wrestler in the world, but in a recurring theme, he was resented for being well-liked and boasting the potential to get very over. He had reached demigod status in Ring Of Honor, through his inherently violent technical masterclasses, but wasn't he he a bit short?
Pale?
Michael Cole certainly thought so. He killed Bryan on commentary, blowing a gasket every time it was suggested, often by nobody at all, that Bryan might be good.
Guy didn't even eat meat.
Imagine pushing somebody like Vladimir Kozlov over Bryan Danielson, because the former was more likely to scran some chicken.
You needn't imagine. That happened. Christ alive, it's no wonder WWE created its own competition, despite an overwhelming monopoly, in AEW.
That take is cynical, yes. WWE did name the man Daniel Bryan, in order to retain a bit of his actual identity and trademark it for themselves at the same time. WWE also knew what they were doing by installing the Miz as his "Pro" on NXT. The idea was a bit meta, and while it's probably giving WWE too much credit, they did put Bryan over the Miz later that year on pay-per-view.
He almost didn't make it, because - before he returned at SummerSlam - he was fired on June 8 for choking Justin Roberts with his necktie as part of the wild Nexus formation angle.
He was told to create chaos, wasn't told what not to do, created chaos, and got the sack.