10 Secret Genius Details Behind Wrestler Entrances

8. Daniel Bryan Basically Gives Zero F*cks

Malakai Black
WWE.com

Beyond its ingenuous crowd interaction shtick, there are two wonderful details behind Daniel Bryan's old (fingers crossed!) WWE entrance.

To put the first detail over, it's important to emphasise the eggshell culture at WWE's rotten core. Much of the roster has spent years in sh*t-scared fright at the prospect of even talking to their isolated, temperamental autocrat of a boss. Killing them as performers that might stand a chance of connecting with the crowd, they do their stuff to the letter and hope it meets his whim-driven remit.

When Daniel Bryan first decided to congratulate himself on his way to the ring, he didn't ask permission or fear reprisal. He just did it because he thought it would be funny. His carefree, oblivious demeanour - i.e. his real-life personality - allowed him to bond with the audience in a development more obvious than a typical WWE RAW card.

He thought it would be funny because he was enchanted by Diego Sanchez's UFC entrance, in which he would hype himself up by repeatedly shouting "Yes!"

Bryan was canny enough to tweak the bit and inform his deluded paper World champion gimmick; celebrating a chickensh*t run as if it was some monumental and just achievement, it was heel work so hyper-entertaining that it inevitably turned him face.

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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!