10 Positive Developments In This Awful Post-WWE WrestleMania Season
4. Scant Slice Of Long-Term Storytelling
When WWE exercises rare restraint - this is a company that post-Superstar Shakeup has already burned through several PPV-calibre matches on television - we must admire the deployment of it, even when the waiting game is played by Big Bloody Cass.
The tension between The Miz and Daniel remains at a simmer, with no direct interactions shared. But WWE have not abandoned an open-goal programme; in fact, great care has been taken to build towards it indirectly. As the magic of Daniel Bryan's return has faded, The Miz has risen in parallel. Bryan lost his initial Money In The Bank qualifying match to Rusev, where The Miz battled past Jeff Hardy. You'd hope - the hope is always there, beyond reason - that WWE is intentionally positioning both men in opposing states of efficacy to drive Bryan's eventual, emotional win. It's telling that Bryan, in a worked interview with SPORTBible, agreed with Miz and his assertion that Bryan "wasn't on [his] level."
This was all but confirmed on this week's SmackDown; Miz taunted Bryan with the Yes! chant following his victory over Big E before abandoning the bit with a tossed-off shrug. This was Miz sending a message to Bryan: you aren't on my level. I'm above taunting you.
We will see Daniel Bryan Vs. The Miz, at least once, on the big stage. If Bryan must go the underdog route, WWE is at least investing in the full, glorious maturation of the angle.