10 Biggest WWE Creative Mistakes Of The Decade

5. WWE Botches Daniel Bryan's Comeback

Batista Roman Reigns Jinder Mahal
WWE.com

WWE absolutely cannot book babyfaces, which is unfortunate, because babyface wrestlers tend to draw money and inspire hope, things of that nature.

WWE cannot effectively promote stars, either. Magic turns to mundane so quickly and so inexplicably in this company that it would leave David Copperfield mystified. "Wow," he'd say, angling his head to see where the card was hidden.

"How did they botch the most over babyface of a generation's impossible comeback?"

WWE aimed to tell a cute story by pairing Bryan opposite Big Cass.

"They got cleared on the same day, wow! We can use that. Cass can feel slighted because he didn't break Twitter, like Bryan."

"That's because he's bland, and his return was inevitable."

The blandness was infectious, and of course, WWE being WWE, that feud was stretched out before the real story developed: Bryan Vs. The Miz, two years in the making. Bryan went nuts at a toy baby, Brie Bella got involved, and the big blow-off to that rarest of things, an authentic blood feud, manifested as a roll-up finish and some knob gags.

This did force the heel turn that led to Bryan's exceptional Planet's Champion character - and the greatest World title reign in modern WWE history - but it's the principle of the thing, and now that that's over, Bryan is just a guy again, and not, you know, the most over babyface of a generation.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!