10 Huge Stories That Changed Wrestling In 2016
9. Daniel Bryan's Retirement
On February 8th, one of the most beloved performers in WWE history called time on his wrestling career. Daniel Bryan first made the announcement on Twitter, then gave a stirring speech on Monday Night Raw later that evening. Longstanding injury woes had forced him into premature retirement, and after suffering 10 documented concussions (and multiple seizures) throughout his career, it was time for Bryan to call it a day.
It was a depressing end for a universally adored wrestler who had acted as an important avatar for the fan’s frustrations over previous years. Bryan’s long-term battle to prove himself as more than a “B+ player” to the WWE hierarchy birthed the “Yes! Movement,” and made him his era’s most popular star. His WrestleMania 30 victory will forever be remembered as one of the most euphoric moments in the sport’s history, but just like that, Bryan’s career was over.
Many fans saw it coming, and Bryan hadn’t wrestled since forfeiting the Intercontinental Title he’d won at ‘Mania 31, but it still hit like a punch to the gut. Bryan’s retirement speech was 2016’s most gut-wrenching moment, and while he has been great as SmackDown’s General Manager, knowing that he’d rather be wrestling makes his new role a bittersweet compromise.